ANDERSON, California --They didn’t want anymore rain, and they got what they asked for. On a warm, sunny Saturday at Shasta Raceway Park, the SRL Wild West Late Model Shootout series made its season debut after two rain-outs at Madera Speedway, and in the end, it was Eric Schmidt who came out on top, winning the 100 lap feature by a margin of 0.841 seconds over Ken Boyd. Locally, Steven Gannon overcame last week’s misfortune to take the main event this week in the NASCAR Coors Light Late Models, Cody Braund took a page out of his older brother’s book winning the main for the Schmitt Equipment Sales Bombers, and Micah Parmer showed why he was the champion in 2005, taking the win in the Legend class.
It was definitely a night of drama for the SRL Late Models, and it started as early as the qualifying. Two drivers-Troy Ermish and Jeremy Wood- set identical qualifying times, and they both happened to be track records at 15.812 seconds. Then came the "B" main event. Six cars were racing for three transfer spots, but the two racing for the final transfer found themselves involved in some extracurricular contact on more than one occasion. Wes Banks and Jason Gilbert were both penalized for their actions, giving the final transfer to David Mantooth, who was already out of the race at the time. Then came the main event, and one thing that can surely be said: It was exciting. Things started smoothly as the drivers took the green flag. Early in the run, Jeff Belletto established himself as a force to be reckoned with, taking the lead from the pole sitter. The yellow flag flew on lap 33, though, as Harold Rieker Jr. spun into the infield, came across the track, and nosed his car into the outside retaining wall. He would be okay, but was disappointed, especially after winning the Trophy Dash earlier in the night. Once the green flew again it was a tight battle at the front, as Belletto continued to lead followed by Ryan Foster, Joey Zampa, Eric Schmidt, and Ken Boyd. As lap 67 rolled around, Foster had fallen back to fourth, and Zampa had moved into second ready to make his move. Zampa and Belletto made quite a bit of contact on lap 82, and it all went wrong on lap 84. That’s when David Mantooth, who was about to be lapped, spun out in front of the leaders. Belletto checked up but Zampa did not, causing Belletto to spin and fall to the rear of the field. After much conversation, it was decided that Zampa would be penalized for spinning the leader-a hard and fast rule in the SRL series, regardless of any extenuating circumstances. That left Eric Schmidt at the front of the field, and he took advantage of it, leading the rest of the way and taking the win, followed by Boyd, Keith Spangler, Mike Mendenhall, and Jim Courage, Jr.
Things were somewhat less dramatic, but still exciting for the NASCAR Coors Light Late Models. Alan Pyszora had the fastest time in qualifying, with Steven Gannon and Gary Pyszora each winning a heat race, and Gannon also taking the trophy dash. During the main event, however, there was no doubt. Steven Gannon took and early lead from Rich Oller, and never gave it up, pulling out to an extended lead. He would easily take the victory by almost three seconds, but the battle for second and third was most exciting to watch. For multpile laps, Jerry Nichols was stalking Rich Oller, looking high and low for a spot to get through, even getting a nose in on Oller on a couple of occasions. Nichols never could get by, but it was an outstanding display of clean, exciting racing. Jason Brown wound up in the fourth position, and Randy Hirschbock rounded out the top five.
SRP's 2005 Legend champion shined on Saturday night. After shaking out the cobwebs from last week, Micah Parmer came to the track this week to steal the show. And that he did. He won his heat race by over a second, won his trophy dash by three tenths, and dominated the main to win by almost four seconds. In most cases, though, he faced some challenge from last week’s winner Zachery Kavert. Kavert, who won the other heat race, finished second in the main and the trophy dash. Just as in the Late Models, though, the excitement in the Legend main was behind the leader, as Kavert, Derek Copeland, and Howard Hammers consistently challenged each other, and in the end, it was Parmer first, followed by Kavert, Copeland, Hammers, and Jason Schuppert.
It was a night of many names in the Schmitt Equipment Sales Bomber division, as Dave Lewallen took the pole in qualifying, Robert Pacey, David Parks, and David Braund each took a heat race victory, and Parks also took a trophy dash win. As the main event rolled around, it was clear that many drivers could take the victory, which made for some exciting racing. Positions shifted early and often among the top six drivers, as Brian Smith made a surge from sixth to third, and Kyle Borden fell back from second to fourth. The most important gain, though, belonged to Cody Braund. Following in the footsteps of his older brother David Braund, he methodically moved his way from fifth to first, and never looked back. He took the win by almost a second, followed by Lewallen, Smith, Borden, and Randy File.
RESULTS
SRL Late Models
Fast Time: Tie: 22-Jeremy Wood and 38-Troy Ermish 15.812 (NTR)
Trophy Dash: 12-Harold Rieker, Jr., 92-Joey Zampa, 38-Troy Ermish, 22-Jeremy Wood
Main: 05-Eric Schmidt, 26-Ken Boyd, 37-Keith Spangler, 10-Mike Mendenhall, 33-Jim Courage, Jr., 38-Troy Ermish, 02-Tracy Bolin, 21-Kyle Gottula, 36-Kevin Vernon, 92-Joey Zampa, 1-Ryan Foster, 22-Jeremy Wood, 01-Cody Pruitt, 27-Aaron Days, 6-Jeff Belletto, 5-David Mantooth, 30-Steve Belletto, 57-Mike Garcia, 12-Harold Rieker, Jr., 28-John Gaalswyk.
NASCAR Coors Light Late Models
Fast Time: 8-Alan Pyszora 17.288
Heat B: 55-Gary Pyszora, 106x-Rich Oller, K9-Randy Hirschbock, 15-Jerry Nichols, 33-Bill Lancaster, 14-Eric Gannon, 11-Garth Pedrotti
Heat A: 77-Steven Gannon, 3-Jaon Brown, 7-Scott McLeod, 8-Alan Pyszora, 78-Bobby Hirschbock, 24-Katie Crome, 16-Pennie Ayers
Trophy Dash: 77-Steven Gannon, 106x-Rich Oller, K9-Randy Hirschbock, 3-Jason Browne
Legends
Fast Time: 96-Micah Parmer 18.11
Heat B: 96-Micah Parmer, 24-Derek Copeland, 12-Jason Schuppert, 11m-Mackena Bell, 92-Eric Thibodeau, 76R-Jason Anderline
Heat A: 2-Zachery Kavert, 7-Howard Hammers, 26-Matt Lundstrom, 90-Alex Podtetenieff, 99-Kevin Bell, 3-Buddy Cox
Trophy Dash: 96-Micah Parmer, 2-Zachery Kavert, 24-Derek Copeland, 7-Howard Hammers
Main: 96-Micah Parmer, 2-Zachery Kavert, 24-Derek Copeland, 7-Howard Hammers, 12-Jason Schuppert, 11m-Mackena Bell, 26-Matt Lundstrom, 92-Eric Thibodeau, 76R-Jason Anderline, 99-Kevin Bell, 3-Buddy Cox, 90-Alex Podtetenieff
Schmitt Equipment Sales Bombers
Fast Time: 48-Dave Lewallen 19.416
Heat C: 98-Robert Pacey, 89-Bobby Crowell, 54-Randy File, 39-Kyle Borden, 23-Craig Gerrett, 68-Daniel Tirri, 11-Rich Rivas, 28-Alan Marymee
Heat B: B52-David Parks, 5-Rick Gibbs, 7-Tim Macleod, 02-Larry Galvan, 17-Russ Taylor, 58-Nick Woods, 48-Dave Lewallen
Heat A: 37-David Braund, 6-Cody Braund, 97-Brian Smith, 9-Brian King, 67-Will Foster, 06-Shawn Hall
Trophy Dash: B52-David Parks, 37-David Braund, 6-Cody Braund, 98-Robert Pacey, 5-Rick Gibbs, 89-Bobby Crowell
Main: 6- Cody Braund, 48-Dave Lewallen, 97-Brian Smith, 39-Kyle Borden, 54-Randy File, 37-David Braund, 98-Robert Pacey, 9-Brian King, 67-Will Foster, 5-Rick Gibbs, B52-David Parks, 23-Craig Garrett, 7-Tim Macleod, 11-Rich Rivas, 06-Shawn Hall, 68-Daniel Tirri, 17-Russ Taylor, 10-Randy Riggins, 58-Nick Woods, 89-Bobby Crowell
