Champion George Abella Wins The Bomber Bash
22 Bombers participated in The Marlene Baker Memorial Bomber Bash #11 last Saturday night at the Lakeport Speedway. The 2006 Guy Strohmeier Auto Center N.C.R.A. Bomber champion George Abella of Lakeport quickly gained and defended the lead from a determined pack in the 50 lap main event. He also won a heat race, as did Robert Byers of Redwood Valley and Ron Duke Jr. of Redwood Valley. Ron Duke Jr. also won the trophy dash.
Zach Gifford of Cobb used a late-race yellow to his advantage to gain the lead in the last three laps and win the Pro-4 Modified main event. Kelly Gray of Clearlake and Codi Barba of Cobb won the heat races, Joe Sloan of Upper Lake the trophy dash, and Jake Tillman of Cobb set the fast time of 13.174s.
Charlie Collins of Nice put on a strong show, winning the Trophy Dash, Heat Race, and a contentious main event. He was denied the sweep by Kyle Medina of Lakeport who set the fast time of 13.892s.
See the separate article for coverage of the “Eve of Destruction” Boat Race.
Guy Strohmeier Auto Center N.C.R.A. Bombers
The Bomber 50 lap main event fielded 19 cars. Chuck Hackbarth, George Mavrakis, and Andy Norton had to retire from the field due to damage from a heat race crash. Hackbarth was sent to the hospital for a mild concussion but was released and well enough to return to watch the racing.
Ron Portlock and Jimmy Sorrels led the start as the inside groove led those on the outside: Ron Portlock in the lead ahead of Sorrels, Ron Duke Jr. ahead of Tom Luchese, and George Abella ahead of Richard Schwarm.
By lap three, Sorrels took the lead as Ron Portlock and Luchese were shuffled on back. Duke raced Sorrels on the outside for the lead as Abella, Schwarm, and Robert Byers were passing Ron Portlock. Eric Johnson and Richard Bray battled for eighth. Duke fell back to the inside as Abella passed him on the outside for second. Ron Portlock rallied inside of Schwarm just behind Duke.
In lap seven, Duke got loose into Ron Portlock causing both Portlock and Schwarm to spin bringing out the first caution. Byers took to the pits with damage and Duke and Ron Portlock were sent to the back.
Sorrels and Abella led the restart ahead of Luchese and Johnson. Wendy Ray Pierce and Scott Griffin battled for fifth. Byers returned to the field in lap 10 as Sorrels and Abella were about to lap Manuel Antonio.
Abella beat Sorrels to the outside pinning him behind Antonio. As Abella passed Antonio, Sorrels tried to force his way low and go three-wide. He caught Antonio's bumper and spun him in turn two bringing out another yellow. Antonio retired to the pits and Sorrels was sent to the back. Duke exited to the pits with a flat tire.
Abella and Johnson led the restart and Abella surged out ahead. Luchese, Johnson, Griffin, and Pierce raced tight, followed by Jon Waner, R. Bray, and Ron Portlock. Schwarm spun to the turn two infield in lap 14 but no yellow was thrown since he was moving. However, he had problems moving and kicked up a huge cloud of dirt which brought out another yellow. Duke returned to the field.
Abella and Luchese restarted the field followed by Johnson. Pierce and Griffin battled for fourth. Behind them, Waner, Ron Portlock, and R. Bray raced for sixth. Between turns one and two, Portlock and Bray touched and spun blocking the track and piling up the cars behind them. Schwarm, James Sturges, Mike Bray, Byers, Duke, and Jason Stanley were all collected. Ron Portlock, R. Bray, Schwarm, and Byers retired to the pits. R. Bray's passenger was shaken up and the emergency crew took her to the pits where she was checked out and released.
Abella and Luchese restarted the field again, but another yellow was thrown when Willie Stephens spun out on the backstretch. Abella and Johnson led the restart and Abella took the lead. Pierce raced outside Luchese for third, Waner outside Griffin for fifth, and Sorrels outside of Randy Portlock for seventh.
Johnson fell in behind Abella as Pierce moved to his outside to battle for second. Luchese slowed suddenly on the frontstretch and was passed by Waner, Griffin, and Sorrels. The front-runners started to lap Joe Smith.
In lap 25, Waner bobbled in turn four and spun to the infield ahead of Griffin who slowed. Sorrels passed both on the outside for fourth as the yellow was thrown. Waner retired.
Abella led Johnson in a single-file restart. Johnson moved to the outside but got loose and was passed by Pierce and Sorrels. The front-runners strung out as they started to lap cars. Pierce, in second, was slow to make the outside passes and Abella stretched out his lead.
In lap 48, Johnson made a last try for third by pinning Sorrels behind the lapped car of Smith, but Sorrels made it to the outside. Johnson moved to the inside and tried to get under Smith to go three-wide, but this broke Smith loose and he had to back off.
Abella claimed the checkers, followed by Pierce, Sorrels, Johnson, Griffin, and Luchese. Randy Portlock placed seventh followed by Stanley, M. Bray, Stephens, Smith, Duke, Schwarm, Waner, Sturges, R. Bray, Ron Portlock, Byers, and Antonio.
Pro-4 Modifieds
An initial bad start caused Kevin Barba, Jake Tillman, and Andy Leuzinger to spin sending them to the back. Sarah Figuerroa and Kelly Gray led the 13 car pack to the start and Gray quickly took the lead with David Estep following into second. Buddy Silva was shuffled back as Greg Van Cleave fell in behind Figuerroa.
Joe Sloan, K. Barba, and Zach Gifford passed Silva on the outside and, by lap 13, passed Figuerroa for third, fourth, and fifth. Sloan made the outside pass on Estep in 14 for second followed by Gifford in 16 for third.
By this time, Gray had opened up a quarter-track lead and had lapped Justin Rodella. When Sloan passed Rodella on the outside in lap 17, Gifford followed and continued past Sloan in lap 19 for second.
Estep started working hard on the outside of Sloan in a battle for third, but fell back to the inside as K. Barba tried for fourth on his outside. Tillman and Willie Leuzinger battled for sixth followed by Codi Barba.
In lap 26, K. Barba came down to the inside to claim fourth ahead of Estep. He clipped Estep's nose which spun Estep back into Tillman and carried them both to the turn three wall bringing out a yellow. This retired Estep, sent K. Barba and Tillman to the back, and eliminated the huge lead Gray had over Gifford and Sloan.
During the yellow, Gray shocked the fans when the underside of his car burst into flames on the backstretch. The fire quickly burnt out as the fire crew got to him. It turned out to just be some oil seepage burning off and no damage was done.
Gray and Gifford led the restart ahead of Sloan and C. Barba. Gifford took the lead from the outside as C. Barba fell in behind Gray for third. Gifford kept his lead for the win, followed by Gray, C. Barba, Sloan, W. Leuzinger, A. Leuzinger, Figuerroa, Van Cleave, Tillman, and K. Barba. Rodella placed 11th followed by Estep and Silva.
N.C.R.A Street Stocks
Charlie Collins and Darrin Knight started the six car Street Stock race. Dave Jones scratched due to technical problems in the heat race. Knight fell in behind C. Collins as Gary Collins moved to his outside followed by Kyle Medina and Bill Mucci.
In lap 5, Brandon Small spun out in turn two bringing out a caution. C. Collins and G. Collins led the restart, but another yellow was immediately thrown for oil on the track as Small spun again. Small retired to the pits.
C. Collins and G. Collins restarted the field again followed by Knight and Medina. G. Collins drifted back to the outside of Knight as Medina fell in behind followed by Mucci and Randy Portlock.
Knight remained pinned behind C. Collins and inside G. Collins. Portlock retired to the pits in lap 13. The flagman Johnny Miskill gave the front runners 10 laps to resolve this before he threw a yellow and restarted the field single-file.
C. Collins and G. Collins immediately took up the same positions boxing Knight ahead of Medina. However, G. Collins started to lose ground on the outside and, in lap 23, Knight was able to move to the outside of C. Collins in turn two.
G. Collins quickly tried to move to the inside ahead of Medina on the backstretch for third but clipped Medina's front end and spun himself onto Medina's nose into the turn three wall. Medina escaped serious damage as a caution was thrown.
When G. Collins caught up to Medina between turns one and two, he rammed Medina from behind and then rammed him again in turn two. G. Collins was immediately black-flagged from the race, disqualified from the night's racing, and fined for both offenses.
C. Collins restarted the single-file pack and quickly out-paced the field. Medina and Knight battled side-by-side for second and, after the final four laps, Knight edged Medina out for second. Mucci finished fourth, Portlock fifth, and Small sixth.
Coming Up
Lakeport Speedway throws a three-day weekend party to celebrate the end of the 2006 auto racing season with the 17th annual KXBX October Classic on October 13 – 15. Featured are the Pro-4 Modifieds, an exhibition from the Nostalgic Race Car Group, and Modifieds, Mini-Stocks, Street Stocks, and Bombers from all over. Admission to the Friday test & tune and qualifying from 3pm to 7pm is free. Saturday night racing starts at 6:30pm and the Sunday afternoon main events start at 1pm.
For more information, browse “http://www.LakeportSpeedway.com”.
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2006-09-16 Lakeport Speedway Results Guy Strohmeier Auto Center N.C.R.A. Bombers Trophy Dash - Ron Duke Jr., Wendy Ray Pierce, George Abella, Robert Byers, Richard Schwarm, Ron Portlock
Heat 1 - Ron Duke Jr., Wendy Ray Pierce, Eric Johnson, Mike Bray, Scott Griffin, Jason Stanley, Jon Waner
Heat 2 - George Abella, Ron Portlock, Tom Luchese, Richard Bray, Chuck Hackbarth, George Mavrakis, Andy Norton
Heat 3 - Robert Byers, Richard Schwarm, Jimmy Sorrels, James Sturges, Willie Stephens, Randy Portlock, Joe Smith, Manuel Antonio
A Main - George Abella, Wendy Ray Pierce, Jimmy Sorrels, Eric Johnson, Scott Griffin, Tom Luchese, Randy Portlock, Jason Stanley, Mike Bray, Willie Stephens, Joe Smith, Ron Duke Jr., Richard Schwarm, Jon Waner, James Sturges, Richard Bray, Ron Portlock, Robert Byers, Manuel Antonio
Pro-4 Modifieds Time Trial - (13.174) Jake Tillman, Kevin Barba, Andy Leuzinger, Joe Sloan, Willie Leuzinger, Codi Barba, Scott Bundschuh, Greg Van Cleave, David Estep, Buddy Silva, Kelly Gray, Sarah Figuerroa, Justin Rodella
Trophy Dash - Joe Sloan, Kevin Barba, Andy Leuzinger, Jake Tillman
Heat 1 - Kelly Gray, Sarah Figuerroa, Greg Van Cleave, David Estep, Justin Rodella, Zach Gifford
Heat 2 - Codi Barba, Joe Sloan, Willie Leuzinger, Andy Leuzinger, Jake Tillman, Kevin Barba, Scott Bundschuh
A Main - Zach Gifford, Kelly Gray, Codi Barba, Joe Sloan, Willie Leuzinger, Andy Leuzinger, Sarah Figuerroa, Greg Van Cleave, Jake Tillman, Kevin Barba, Justin Rodella, David Estep, Buddy Silva
N.C.R.A. Street Stocks Time Trial - (13.892) Kyle Medina, Darrin Knight, Charlie Collins, Randy Portlock, Dave Jones, Brandon Small
Trophy Dash - Charlie Collins, Kyle Medina, Darrin Knight
Heat 1 - Charlie Collins, Kyle Medina, Darrin Knight, Bill Mucci, Brandon Small, Randy Portlock, Dave Jones
A Main - Charlie Collins, Darrin Knight, Kyle Medina, Bill Mucci, Randy Portlock, Brandon Small
