By winning both 50 lap main events, Dan Holtz made it five wins in 8 starts in year 2000 at Mesa Marin Raceway Saturday night, but still trails season point leader Mike Duncan by two points as Duncan has won the other three features in the NASCAR Late Model division. Duncan ran second in the first 50 lapper and then placed third behind Jason Small in the nightcap to protect his small point lead. With his third consecutive win, former street stock racer Brian Richardson has moved into a tie with Gene Fife for the track point lead in the modified stock class. Fife finished third behind Vic Posey. For street stock point title hopeful Mike Riale, the on track racing was tame compared to the rest of his night. He broke a transmission in his mount in time trials, then raced away from the track to get the car that Billy Tucker had raced to a win earlier this season. He needed to borrow a starter from point rival Mike White, then outdueled White to win the 20 lap main and cut White's point lead to just 6 points.
The late models had a ten car field and Holtz was fast timer at 18.740 to easily pace the 18.950 of J Small and the 18.986 of much improved Charlie Watler. J Small won the dash ahead of Holtz. In the first 50 lapper, Holtz and Duncan raced into the 1-2 slots and J Small ran third until he pitted on lap 8. A caution with 6 laps left allowed Duncan and Rick Grissom to close on Holtz. Holtz again commanded the restart and Duncan was then busy protecting second from Grissom. Grissom slipped underneath Duncan with two laps to go, but couldn't pull off the pass and settled for a third ahead of Les DenHerder, Brian Branson and Jeremy Salamacha. Bobby Aldridge had hit the wall hard to force the caution flag and he was unable to start the second 50 lapper. In the second 50 lapper, Holtz took the lead from DenHerder on lap 6. Duncan and J Small was dueling for 2nd until J Small spun on lap 36. J Small then battled his way back to the front and took second from Duncan. Kevin Small spun for a lap 46 yellow flag. As they accelerated off the yellow flag, J Small missed a shift and was rearended by Watler to end Watler's strong run. Holtz won ahead of J Small, Duncan, DenHerder, Branson and Grissom. While Duncan is just 2 points ahead of Holtz in their track title duel, Branson had climbed into third ahead of DenHerder and J Small.
For the 7 modified stocks, Richardson was the fastest at 20.612 as Fife ran 20.852 and Posey a 20.990. Posey won the dash ahead of Richardson. Richardson had four new tires on the car this week and it was perfect as he passed Posey with 10 laps to run to win the 25 lap feature. Posey ran second ahead of Fife, Kevin Sevenich and Dave Howell. Fife and Richardson are tied for the point lead with Sevenich 47 points back in third.
With Riale breaking in time trials, White was the fast timer for the 16 street stocks with his 23.075 lap. J R Garcia was the only other car in the 23's at 23.838. White and Garcia were also 1-2 in the dash. Riale drove his borrowed car to the B Main win ahead of Robert Faihtinger and Eric Ramos. In the 20 lap A Main, Riale had the lead on lap 4 and even a lap 14 yellow didn't help White as he settled for 2nd with Lloyd Wren Jr third ahead of David Bettencourt, Ramos, John Avila and Faihtinger. White is 6 points ahead of Riale with Wren 75 points back in third.
In the 911 Race for Youth action, Dale Kamline from the Kern County Schools scored the first win for that group with Matt Etcheverry of Kern County Sheriffs second ahead of Tyler Hartley from Bakersfield Fire and Bill Woodruff of the D.A's office. J Bianchi from the California Highway Patrol was fifth.
Summary Street Stock Fast Time-Mike White 23.075 Dash-White, J R Garcia, Josh Horn. B Main-Riale, Robert Faihtinger, Eric Ramos, David Bettencourt, Mark Tenhet, Anthony Gillespie, John Avila, Dan Brandow, Jeff Beard, Ron Rogers. A Main-Riale, White, Lloyd Wren Jr, Bettencourt, Ramos, Avila, Faihtinger, Horn, Beard, Tenhet, Gillespie, Garcia, Brandow. Modified Stock Fast Time-Brian Richardson 20.512 Dash-Vic Posey, Richardson, Gene Fife. Main-Richardson, Posey, Fife, Kevin Sevenich, Dave Howell, Marlin Gill, Eric Sunness. Late Model Fast Time-Dan Holtz 18.740 Dash-Jason Small, Hotz, Charlie Watler. 1st Main-Holtz, Mike Duncan, Rick Grissom, Les DenHerder, Brian Branson, Jeremy Salamacha, Kevin Small, Bobby Aldridge, J Small. 2nd Main-Holtz, J Small, Duncan, DenHerder, Branson, Grissom, K Small, Watler, Salamacha.
