STEVE BELLETTO WINS FINAL SRL RACE AT STOCKTON 99 SPEEDWAY

Source: SRL Public Relations/Eddie Alves
Date: 09/18/2006

The grandstands were packed Saturday night at Stockton 99 Speedway for the final night of racing on the historic ¼ mile track. After 60 years of racing the track is now closed, but not after an exciting night of racing featuring the SRL Wild West Late Model Shootout. Former Stockton 99 Speedway and SRL Champion Steve Belletto held off late chargers from Troy Ermish and Eric Schmidt to win the final SRL race at Stockton 99 Speedway. The Belletto family has raced at Stockton 99 Speedway for nearly 40 years. “This means everything to me. I am so happy we couldn’t do it at a better time. It is a really good way to leave here. I can’t thank my crew and my sponsors, especially California Hotwood.” Said an emotional Steve Belletto in victory lane. “We have been working our butts off for the last three weeks trying to get this car ready to run good here because we really wanted to win this last race at Stockton and it all paid off tonight.”

Eric Holmes of Escalon was the fastest of 24 qualifiers who made qualifying attempts. Holmes lap of 13.855 was just a tick quicker then Dave Byrd of Pacific Grove whose lap of 13.857 gave car owner Bob Strandwold the fastest two cars in qualifying. Ken Boyd was third quick with a lap of 13.862, followed by Jim Courage Jr., and Jeff Belletto.

The six car invert placed brothers Steve and Jeff Belletto on the front row for the 100 lap event. Steve Belletto jumped out to an early race lead as Jeff ran second, Jim Courage Jr. third, Dave Byrd fourth, and Eric Holmes fifth. Jamie Dick from Albuquerque, New Mexico spun on lap two in turn one and was able to continue without the caution flag being waived. Current SRL point’s leader Eric Schmidt spun on lap 11 and would resume the race on the lead lap on lap 11. The red flag was displayed on lap 14 when Mike Mendenhall’s car caught fire. The safety crew put the fire out and sent Mendenhall to the pits for repairs. Mendenhall would rejoin the field on lap 24, 10 laps down. Jamie Dick would receive the SRL free pass and joined the field on the lead lap as the caution flag waived for the first time on lap 22 as Harold Rieker Jr. and Aaron Days hit the wall on the backstretch and both drivers retired their racecars for the rest of the evening. Courage Jr. beat Jeff Belletto back the line to take the second position away.

Steve Belletto continued to lead with Courage Jr. second, Jeff Belletto third, followed by Byrd, Holmes, Boyd, Troy Ermish, Eric Schmidt worked his to eight, Jeremy Wood, as Cody Pruitt rounded out the top ten on lap 50. With 38 laps remaining the yellow flag was waived for a quick caution. Angelo Queirolo, Tracy Bolin, Kyle Gottula, Aaron Days, and Harold Rieker Jr. had all retired their cars at this point in the race.

Steve Belletto started loosing his brakes in the final 35 laps as Jim Courage Jr. and younger brother Jeff challenged him for the lead until Dave Byrd, Eric Holmes, and Ken Boyd wrecked exiting turn four bringing out another caution. All three cars suffered major damage and were unable to continue. The scoreboard showed Steve Belletto the race leader with Troy Ermish second, Eric Schmidt charged his way up to third after an earlier spin, Cody Pruitt fourth, and non-qualifiers race winner Wes Miller fifth on lap 74. Jeremy Wood and Jeff Belletto made contact going down the backstretch on lap 75, sending Wood’s car hard into the wall. Wood was unable to continue and would finish 12th.

With 22 laps remaining Steve Belletto led the field to the final restart as Troy Ermish and Eric Schmidt followed closed behind. Belletto who was having problems with his brakes held off Ermish as the two made contact numerous times racing for the win at Stockton 99 Speedway. The two SRL veterans put on great side-by-side racing as the fans once again stood on their feet to cheer their favorite driver on. Eric Schmidt sat in third, right on the bumper of Ermish waiting for the two race leaders to make a mistake and capitalize on it. Belletto would not make a mistake and crossed the finish-line to win the final SRL event at the historic Stockton 99 Speedway. “At the end we were losing our brakes but we had enough to hang on. I have to take my hat off to Ermish, he raced me real clean.” Steve Belletto said.

Eric Schmidt passed Ermish on lap 98 to take the second spot which allowed Jim Courage Jr. to move to third as Ermish fell to fourth. Steve’s younger brother Jeff would round out the top five. Joey Zampa would cross the finish-line sixth, Jason Gilbert seventh, Wes Miller eight, Cody Pruitt ninth, and Jamie Dick tenth.

The four lap Performance Electrical Trophy Dash was won by Jim Courage Jr. with Dave Byrd finishing second after the two ran side-by-side for the final two laps as everyone in attendance stood on their feet for a photo finish.

Wes Miller and Angelo Queirolo transferred from the 15 lap non-qualifiers race as former Stockton 99 Speedway Late Model Champion John Gaalswyk, Carl Pearce, former SRL Champion Nathan Tucker, and Greg Potts failed to transfer into the 100 lap feature event. Tracy Bolin and Victory Circle Chassis and Parts Rookie of the Year contender Jason Gilbert used provisionals to enter the final SRL race at Stockton 99 Speedway.

The SRL Wild West Late Model Shootout next race is on Sunday, September 24th, 2006 at Altamont Motorsports Park.

The SRL Wild West Shootout would like to thank their 2006 Sponsors, which include: Afco, Bassett Racing Wheels, Brodix Inc., Dynatech, DPI, Eibach Springs, FRE, Five Star Stock Car Bodies, Frank’s Radio Service, G. P. Fabrication, Hoosier Tire West, Impact Racing, Fensler Racing Inc., Madera Auto Center, MUD-Racing.net, Paul Oil Co., Performance Electrical, Peterson Fluid Systems, Pit Stop USA.Com, Sunoco, U.S. Brake, and Victory Circle Chassis and Parts

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