Robert Loucks of Ukiah set fast time over the 15 car late model field, started at the back of the pack and led the final 15 laps to capture his first feature race in the Airport Auto Brokers Late Model Series at the Lakeport Speedway Saturday night during the 12th annual "Kelseyville Lumber Deake Lyndall Memorial.
Points leader Rick Rose of Lakeport and Kelly Gray of Clearlake also set fast time and won the main events in the modified and mini stock divisions. And Darrin Knight of Kelseyville inherited the win in the Konocti Harbor Resort and Spa bomber 30 lapper after third place runner Kevin Schafer was set down for rough driving when he make contact with leaders Sean Sweeney and Mark Maines on the final turn resulting in both Sweeney and Maines slamming hard into the turn four concrete.
The late model feature began with front row starter Janice Buschiazzo spinning on the backstretch to bring out the restart flag. This moved Mike Doss to the outside pole position where he immediately blasted into the lead. After only one lap, Al Vogel and Loucks came together with Jim Stillman also involved. Vogel retired his car to the pits, Stillman and Loucks both made minor repairs and joined the field at the back of the pack.
Doss was in a borrowed car that was not up to par, and was quickly passed by Todd Schnieder on the fourth lap. Mike Swaney ran third with Junior Roddy fourth. Loucks worked his way through traffic and was running fifth by the fifth lap. Swaney got around Doss for second but was passed by Roddy on lap eight. Loucks followed Roddy to the front and on the 11th circuit, Roddy took over the lead. Loucks assumed second on 12 just before officials stopped the race to warn Mike Rose about rough driving.
The single-file restart saw Roddy out in front, but Loucks made the outside pass for the lead at the mid point in the race. Jim Stillman, Jr. entered the picture and was running third by the 18th lap. Two more caution flags plagued the race, and in the final laps Roddy lost his brakes and had to slow allowing Stillman to move ahead. Loucks accepted the win followed by Stillman, Schnieder, Kevin Estep and Roddy. Loucks was presented with a trophy and bonus check courtesy of Patti Lyndall.
A record number of 25 modifieds clocked in with the top 14 and four "B" main transfers on the starting grid. Terry McIntire and Bob Strauss shared the front row and ran one-two the first nine laps with Shawn Bertam in third and Chuck Smithhart fourth. The first of four yellows came on lap nine when Thomas Wright and Richie Potts came together in a wreck that collected Gary Lowblad, Ben Phillips, Mike Smithhart and Randy Houston. Wright and Potts continued, but the others were towed to the pits.
Before one more lap could be completed, Bertram, Hinchcliff and Danny Bishop has a confrontation that saw the back runners scramble to avoid the melee. This moved David Furia up, and on a lap 11 restart, Strauss’s car lost traction and he faded in the high groove. Aaron Hicks joined the front runners and at the half way point it was McIntire, Hicks, Furia, Rose and Chuck Smithhart.
Furia had a flat tire and stopped on the track to bring out the yellow again, and Hicks pulled ahead on the restart. Rose moved around McIntire for second on lap 20 and stole the lead from Hicks on 24. Rose accepted the win, bonus check and trophy followed by Hicks, Bryan Denton, Chuck Pruett and McIntire. Potts won the semi main over Houston, M. Smithhart, Ben Phillips and John Tredway.
Ron DeKeyer III led the way for the 14 mini stock contenders the first two laps but his car lost power ending his run on only the third lap. Gray seemed to be on a string and was running fourth on lap three, moved into second on lap four and took over the lead from Andrew Snider on the fifth round. Dale Preston followed Gray to the front but settled for third behind Snider, with Kevin Barba fourth and points leader Peter Unruh fifth.
The final 15 laps saw the leaders dice through lapped traffic and at the checkered flag it was Gray. Snider and Preston. Unruh slipped by Barba for fourth with Barba fifth.
The bomber division also saw a record number of cars with 33 in the pits and 31 clocking in.
Eighteen bombers took the green flag in their main event with Ruben Serrano leading over Kevin Waycik and Sean Sweeney. Sweeney slipped by Waycik for second on lap six and Lex Buger followed him to the front. Both Chuck Maves and Darrin Knight swapped places with Waycik with Chuck Pruett next in line.
Knight moved around Maves on lap 13 and picked off Burger the following round. Maves passed Burger for fourth on 15. Sweeney moved his mount to the outside lane and passed Serrano on lap 19. Points leader Mark Maines was on the prowl, passing Maves on lap 20 and Knight on 21. The following lap Maines picked off Serrano and set his sights on Sweeney.
Lap 25 saw the yellow fly when Serrano spun in turn two. This moved Kevin Schafer up, and when the green fell again he was running third. As Sweeney was holding off Maines, Chuck Pruett entered the picture and passed Knight for fourth on the 29th lap. As the leaders were coming down to take the checkered flag, Schafer tapped Sweeney resulting in both Sweeney and Maines hitting the wall. Schafer crossed the line first but was denied the win due to his involvement in the accident. Knight slipped by Pruett before the line and was awarded the win. Pruett settled for second ahead of Chuck Egger, Don Baker and Waycik.
Rick Tellstom was the semi main winner over Arlene Pruett, George Abella, Tommy Gard and Tim Maninger.
Auto racing returns to the Lakeport Speedway on July 15 after a week off for the Lake County Rodeo.
