LAKEPORT, CA. --- Airport Auto Brokers Late Model Series points leader Junior Roddy of Gualala and NCRA modified points leader Rick Rose of Lakeport both increased their points leads Saturday night with victories in their respective division at the Lakeport Speedway.
With only three laps to go, Kelly Gray of Clearlake passed defending champ Dale Preston to lay claim to his fifth mini stock feature event, and rookie driver Tommy Gard of Lower Lake led wire to wire to capture his first career victory in the Konoci Harbor Resort and Spa Bomber division.
Sixteen late models took the green in their 30 lapper with Matt Barker leading the first three rounds. Mike Rose drove the outside groove to the front and swapped places with Barker on lap four. Barker faded, allowing Jim Stillman, Robert Loucks and Al Vogel to gain position. Loucks took over second on lap seven and drove around Rose for the lead on nine. Both Vogel and Doss passed Stillman just before the first yellow flew when Barker spun on the front stretch.
Vogel forged ahead on the restart with Doss driving around Loucks for second on lap 17. Doss dropped back when the leaders caught lapped traffic and on lap 18 Barker spun to slow the action a second time. When the green flew again, Vogel and Loucks made contact with both spinning. Doss was collected in the melee and pitted his car. This left Stillman in the lead with Roddy second and Jeremy Hopkins third. Stillman spun on lap 20 while in the lead and Roddy drove the remaining laps to victory. Hopkins finished second with Vogel third, Loucks fourth and Rose fifth.
In modified action, front row starters Jerold Christensen and David Furia brought out the restart flag on the first lap when they made contact coming out of turn four and crashed into the wall. This left Doug Denton and Terry McIntire up front with McIntire blasting out into the early lead. The inside row moved ahead, sending Chuck Pruett into second and Doug Denton third. Richie Potts swapped places with Denton on the sixth go-round as Rose was working his way through traffic.
Pruett moved his mount to the high side and passed McIntire for the lead on lap eight. The first of two cautions came on lap 15 when Mike Doss spun in turn two. The restart saw Potts slip under McIntire for second with Rose picking off McIntire on 23. Rose drove the outside lane to second and set his sights on Pruett. Just when it looks like another Pruett win, Freedom Hawthornes car spilled oil on the track. Pruett hit the oil slick on the white flag lap and Rose drove around him to accept his fourth modified victory. Pruett finished second ahead of Potts, McIntire, Gary Lowblad and Thomas Wright.
Rose was also awarded the NCRA Hard Charger Award for being points leader at the one-half way point in the season. Other Hard Charger award winners were Peter Unruh in the mini stock class and Chuck Pruett in the bomber division.
Teenager Doug Turner lead the first three laps of the mini stock main event until relinquishing the lead to Glenn Koeppel on four. Turner faded as Dean Reep, Dale Preston and Andrew Snider gained position. Preston picked off Reep on lap nine and at the same time Kelly Gray was weaving his way through traffic. Preston stole the lead away from Koeppel on the 11th circuit and Gray passed both Reep and Koppel on 13. Kevin Barba entered the top three on lap 22 and Peter Unruh followed him to the front.
With only three laps to go, Koeppel spun in turn three, and when action resumed Gray took the lead and drove to the checkered flag. Unruh slipped by Preston for second with Preston third, Barba fourth and Snider fifth.
Bomber action saw Gard and Ruben Serrano run side-by-side the first half of the 30-lapper until the leaders caught slower traffic and Gard was clipped by George Abellas lapped car. The packed stacked up behind Gard with Abella slamming the wall. Gard was allowed to keep his lead and when the race began again, Serrano dropped to fourth behind Sean Sweeney and Darrin Knight. Knight slapped the turn two wall on lap 20 to bring out another yellow, and the final caution came on lap 22 when Kevin Schosek and Kenny Grinols came together in turn four with both spinning.
The final five laps saw Gard and Sweeney side-by-side, and as the pair was coming down to take the checkered flag, Sweeney got caught behind lapped traffic and shoved the Mark Linnell car out of the way causing a multi-car collision. Gard beat Sweeney to the checkered flag for the win. Sweeney was penalized for his actions giving Serrano second place. Chuck Egger finished third with Rick Tellstrom fourth and Don Baker fifth.
Racing resumes at the Lakeport Speedway this Saturday night, July 29, with the NCI-4 modifieds joining the NCRA modifieds, mini stocks and bombers. Rides in race cars will be offered to all the kids at 6:30 pm prior to the racing action at 7:00 pm.
