CONRAD WINS LMCS ‘APPLE BLOSSOM 100’ AT WVSO

Source: LMCS Media
Date: 05/09/2006

The opening race had many of the Northwest’s best late Model drivers locked in a tight battle on the super fast high banked 1/4-mile oval. The night had plenty of drama starting with qualifying. With 33-cars on hand qualifying was very important with the top 16 being locked into the 100-lap main. After qualifying the two provisional spots available were immediately filled by last years series champion Mike Zamora (Kennewick, WA) and last season’s second in points Mark Sundberg (Seattle, WA).

A spirited 35-lap last chance race was needed to transfer four more into the main event. Jarrod Crum (Kennewick, WA) won the event, with Billy Coates (Bothell, WA) second, Terry Halverson (Wenatchee, WA) third and from an eleventh stating position Mark Faw (Quincy, WA) grabbed the last transfer position.

The 100-lap main had a total of 5-cautions and 2-red flags. The first red came out when Shane Biles (Woodinville, WA) made contact with another car on the back stretch at full speed sending him head-on into the turn three wall. The car suffered terminal damage but Biles was able to walk away from it. The second red was waved when three cars spun in turn one and in the melee Garrett Evans (E. Wenatchee, WA) went over the top of Jim Johnson’s (Orting, WA) car into the wall and landed on his top. Again the all drivers were able to walk away.

Race winner and fast qualifier Troy Conrad started the 100-lap main from the sixth position after a six car invert. Conrad hung around the top six until lap 64 when he moved into second behind race leader Shelby Thompson (Spokane, WA). On lap 70 Conrad turned it up a notch and went to the lead for good. In the post race victory celebration Conrad was asked if he had been sitting back, he answered “I was holding back to conserve tires and it paid off.” “This is a great race track but tire wear is a key to winning here” Conrad went on to say. Jason Hedrick (Graham, WA) after finishing second said ‘I just did not have enough left to challenge Conrad.” Third place finisher and series rookie Jason Fraser (Snohomish, WA) said “I am pleased; it is my first time here at WVSO, I am anxious to get back here in June.”

Next up for the Late Model Challenge series will be on Saturday night May 20 at Yakima Speedway in Yakima, WA. Yakima’s fast 1/2-mile oval has consistently drawn some of the largest car counts in the 6 year history of the traveling series.

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