BAKERSFIELD, California -- Roy Duncan came from dead last to the front, of a 31 car field, two times to win the Havoline Racing Revolution Sports Compact main event, June 11th, at Bakersfield's Mesa Marin Raceway.
This event was the first of two races that will comprise the Bakersfield Speedway/Mesa Marin Raceway Showdown. The special series pits Mesa Marin's Sports Compact teams against the Mini Stock teams who compete on the one-third mile dirt oval at the nearby Bakersfield Speedway in Oildale.
Duncan, a Bakersfield Speedway regular, initially started last and began a charge to the front with a very fast mini stocker that raised more than a few eyebrows. Unfortunately, midway through the race, he was involved in an incident that officials deemed rough driving and was sent to the end of the line. By lap 16 Duncan was back and took the lead for good.
The last of five caution flags flew on the final lap to force a green-white-checker finish. Mesa Marin's Lance Hildebrand was second, "Cowboy Kevin Herring from Bakersfield Speedway was third while Mesa Marin regulars Matt Surber and Mark Chase completed the top five.
In the preliminary events Duncan made his visit to Mesa Marin even sweeter by winning the trophy dash and the first heat race. Hildebrand won the second heat. The second event in the Showdown will be held September 3d at Bakersfield Speedway.
After climbing out of his CSI Contractors Inc mini stocker in victory lane Duncan said, "this car was hooked up tonight. My brother did an awesome job of setting it up and it liked this track I guess."
The complete show of domination was performed by a rookie driver who has never ran on an asphalt track before and has very little experience on a dirt track. "This is my first season in a car ever," Duncan explained adding "I've ran four races at the (Bakersfield) Speedway and this is my first ever race here, (at Mesa Marin). I ran a practice out here last Thursday night. (Mesa Marin Raceway owner) Marion Collins let us all come out for a practice session. I just followed the line I was told to follow from my uncle, Robert Earnshaw, who was track champion here in 1978 so he knows how to get around the track. He told me what to do and I did it."
While Duncan, without doubt, passed the most cars during the race, the team that ran the most laps was likely Jim Smith Towing, Mesa Marin Raceway's official wrecker service, who had the job of removing the damage from the five caution flags most, of which, involved multi car wrecks.
