POINT LEADERS DUNCAN AND HOLTZ SHARE TWIN 50 LAP WINS AT MESA MARIN

Source: Gary Jacob
Date: 06/03/2000

Running a new car that was finished the afternoon of the race, Dan Holtz won the first of the twin 50 lap features for the NASCAR late models at Mesa Marin Raceway Saturday night. Point leader Mike Duncan was challenging for the win in that 50 lapper when a tap from Barry Bradshaw sent him spinning on the final lap. When Bradshaw was penalized to an 11th place finish, he elected to run not the second 50 lapper. The second 50 lapper was all Duncan as he led wire to wire. It was the third feature win of 2000 for each and Duncan's point lead was cut to 8 points by Holtz, who ran second in the second 50 lapper. Mike White won the street stock main event ahead of Bill Tucker and Mike Riale, who is just 8 points behind White in their track title fight.

The NASCAR late models had a 17 car turnout and Kevin Small surprised with fast time honors as he ran a 18.965 lap to nip the 18.975 of Bradshaw, who was coming off a strong 2nd place finish in Las Vegas. Jason Small ran a 19.033 and Duncan a 19.060 as Holtz debuted his new car with sixth fast time behind Charlie Watler. Duncan and J Small ran 1-2 in the dash. K Small drew the pill for the first 50 lap inversion and it came up 8, putting Bobby Aldridge and Brian Branson on the front row. Holtz quickly got by the front row starters to take over the lead on lap 5. K Small's race ended when he got into the front wall on lap 21 and brother J Small was also a retiree. With ten laps to run, Duncan had caught leader Holtz and was challenging for the top spot. On the final lap, Bradshaw made it a three car duel. They were three wide exiting turn 2 and Duncan was left with no race track. A tap from Bradshaw sent Duncan spinning and Holtz collected the win. Bradshaw crossed the line second, but was penalized back to 11th as Branson inherited second ahead of Rex Calderwood, Les DenHerder and Duncan. Aldridge, visitor Brandon Lovelock and Jeff Wright rounded out the top 8. With Bradshaw electing not to start the second 50 lapper, there was a 16 car grid. Duncan started on the front row for the second 50 lapper and was never headed. Holtz had climbed to second by lap 9 and he moved underneath Duncan with 10 laps to run, but could never pull off a pass. Calderwood completed a big night with a third ahead of Branson, Loverock, Aldridge and Kristi Schmitt. Duncan ended the long night with a eight point lead over Holtz, who is 24 ahead of Branson. DenHerder and Aldridge round out the top five in points.

In the car that he shares with former champion Mike Riale, Tony Alvarez was the fastest of the 17 street stocks with his 23.006 lap as White ran 23.066. Tucker was a distant third fast at 23.665 with Lloyd Wren Jr and J R Garcia also into the 23's. White won the dash ahead of Alvarez and Tucker. Heat winners were Mark Tenhet and John Balfanz. In the 25 lap main, White was in front by lap 6 and he collected his third win. Tucker finished second ahead of Alvarez, Garcia, Tenhet, Balfanz and Jeff Beard. White holds an 8 point lead over the Riale-Alvarez tandem with Tenhet 63 points back in third.

In the motorcycle action, Rick Pearce from Bakersfield fought a furious last lap challenge from France's Fabein Rolland, who was racing in the United States for the first time. This was in the Premier division with Casey Yarrow third ahead of Don Canet and Mark Cernicky. Rolland had won the dash, but fell a couple bike lengths short in the 12 lap main. Yarrow's father Allen Yarrow won the Sportsman feature ahead of Bruce Sellers, Ed Coffee, Mike Kelley and Ernie Lyles. Casey Yarrow also raced in the Middleweights and he won ahead of Cernicky and Brad Banister. Michael Day was the Lightweight winner.

Summary Street Stock Fast Time-Tony Alvarez 23.006 Dash-Mike White, Alvarez, Bill Tucker. Heat 1-Mark Tenhet, Kevin Jordan, Eric Ramos, Anthony Gillespie, Jeff Beard. Heat 2-John Balfanz, David Bettencourt, Robert Faihtinger, Josh Horn, J R Garcia. Main-White, Tucker, Alvarez, Garcia, Tenhet, Balfanz, Beard, Faihtinger, John Avila, Lloyd Wren Jr, Horn, Ramos, Jordan, Bettencourt, Gillespie. Late Model Fast Time-Kevin Small 18.965 Dash-Mike Duncan, Jason Small, Barry Bradshaw. 1st Main-Dan Holtz, Brian Branson, Rex Calderwood, Les DenHerder, Duncan, Bobby Aldridge, Brandon Loverock, Jeff Wright, Kristi Schmitt, Charlie Watler, Bradshaw, Lance Wilson, Steve Allison, Leslie Lipscomb, J Small, K Small, Craig Trefz. 2nd Main-Duncan, Holtz, Calderwood, Branson, Lovelock, Aldridge, Schmitt, DenHerder, Trefz, Wilson, Wright, K Small, Allison, Lipscomb, J Small, Watler.

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