DUNCAN REBOUNDS FROM DASH CRASH

Source: Gary Jacob
Date: 07/08/2000

Forced to make major repairs after a trip into the crash wall in the dash, Mike Duncan charged into the lead on lap 63 and won the 75 lap feature for the NASCAR late models Saturday night at Mesa Marin Raceway. Duncan had began the night one point back of Dan Holtz in the track title fight, but his win and Holtz second place run will leave Duncan with a one point lead coming out of the race. Rex Calderwood ran third in the long-distance race that was only slowed once after a caution flag. Mesa Marin rules call for a major teardown of any street stock that wins five races and that was case Saturday night as Mike Riale wheeled the car that he and Tony Alvarez share to victory. In the major teardown, they found several things that htey didn’t like about the car and disqualified him. Since Riale had a clean sweep with fast time, dash and feature wins, he lost everything with Billy Tucker gaining both the dash and feature wins.

The late models had a 15 car turnout and Jason Small was fastest at 18.877. Holtz was the only other 18 second car at 18.935 with Rick Grissom running a 19.000 compared to the 19.092 of Duncan. Kevin Vernon was again in the Tom Hamilton car and he timed fifth fast. Holtz won the dash ahead of J Small and Duncan. With a 7 car inversion for the 75 lapper, Calderwood started on the pole and set the early pace. Vernon nosed in front on lap 18, Holtz had the top spot on lap 20 and Vernon got it back on lap 21. Holtz regained the lead on lap 35, but Vernon was back on top on lap 51, right after the only caution flag ended. In their duel for third, Duncan had turned J Small around in turn 3. When J Small crashed into the wall, his race was over. The final 15 laps saw Duncan making his move as he followed Vernon past Holtz on lap 51 for 2nd. Vernon had gotten Holtz loose by tapping him in the back. Duncan then used an inside pass to take the lead from Vernon on lap 63. Duncan built his lead to 10 car lengths and Vernon was riding third at the white flag when he cut down a tire and ended up in the turn 2 fence. This dropped Vernon to an 8th place finish as Duncan won ahead of Holtz, Calderwood, Kevin Small, Brian Branson, Grissom and Les DenHerder. While Duncan and Holtz are just a single point apart, Branson is now third in points, but 75 behind the point leader. DenHerder is now fourth ahead of J Small and K Small.

Riale’s disqualification took away a clean sweep in the NASCAR Street Stocks. He had timed with a 23.046 and won the dash ahead of Tucker. The fast time honor moved over to Mike White with his 23.320 lap. Tucker was the only other 23 second car. Tucker and White ended up with the 1-2 finishes in the dash. The non-dash cars ran a B Main that Lloyd Wren Jr won ahead of Josh Horn and John Balfanz. Before his disqualification, Riale had retaken the point lead with a 1 point margin over White. Tucker gained the main event win in front of White, Balfanz, David Bettencourt, Wren, Horn and J R Garcia.

The STAR Formula Mazda cars ran a 75 lap feature and Matt Beardsley from Breckenridge COL led all but 19 laps after timing fifth fast. He dominated the oval track portion of their schedule with wins on the mile at Phoenix and the half-mile at Irwindale. Grant Ryley of Saratoga was 2nd ahead of Bryan Selby from Alpine. In the 911 Race for Youth, the Kern County Park Rangers gained their 3rd win with driver Robert Boardman. He drove around Brian Rauser in the Kern County Superintendent of Schools car with Wally Whitaker of Bakersfield Police in third. In the Super TT Motorcycle action, Ricky Pearce from Bakersfield took the lead on lap 3 of the 12 lapper. Casey Yarrow closed right behind on the final lap, but Pearce pulled away for the win ahead of Yarrow, Mark Cernicky, Aaron Howe, A J Herrera and DeWayne Jones. Pearce also won the trophy dash and heat race. Int he sportsman action, Allen Yarrow of Fairfield won with Bakersfield racers Bruce Sellers and Ernie Lyles chasing him.

Summary Street Stock Fast Time-Mike White 23.320 Dash-Bill Tucker, White, J R Garcia. B Main-Lloyd Wren Jr, Josh Horn, John Balfanz, Mark Tenhet, Robert Faihtinger, John Avila, David Bettencourt, Jeff Beard, Ron Rogers, Tim Bales. A Main-Tucker, White, Balfanz, Bettencourt, Wren, Horn, Garcia, Tenhet, Faihtinger, Beard, Avila, Rogers. Late Model Fast Time-Jason Small 18.877 Dash-Dan Holtz, Small, Mike Duncan. Main-Duncan, Holtz, Calderwood, Kevin Small, Brian Branson, Rick Grissom, Les DenHerder, Kevin Vernon, Jeff Latimer, Jeremy Salamacha, Kristi Schmitt, Lance Wilson, J Small, Michael Burrow, Charlie Watler.

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