The Willow Springs Speedway presented round 12, of their 2006 racing season, October 7th on the quarter mile paved oval located within the Willow Springs International Raceway complex in Rosamond-California.The evening featured the speedway's full line up of racing divisions.
In the Legend Car Series, Chad Schug won his first main event of the season as well as his first win since joining the Legend Series' Pro Division. However, Schug had to endure a very long and frustrating day to get that first win. A crash during a practice session left the right front side of his car badly damaged but the family owned team was not ready to throw in the towell on the evening.They worked on the car for literally hours and, during an intermission period, managed to get in about five practice laps before the car was brought back to the pits for some final adjustments. They barely made it to the starting grid on time for the feature race.
In that Legend Car feature Art Neville made a stunning two car pass, on the frontstretch, to take the lead on the fourth lap. That didn't surprise anyone. The Legend Car Series veteran, from Acton-California, has been on fire this season with three wins and a points lead large enough to virtually guarantee him a championship.
However, on this night, Neville had to endure the presence of young driver Justin Hummel who was literally rubbing the paint off of his rear bumper in an effort to take the lead away. On lap 11 Hummel made an attempt at an outside pass and when the two drivers charged out of turn four contact was made. Hummel's car slammed into the wall so hard that it literally sheared the right front tire off of the car. The damage was massive and Hummel was finished for the night. Neville was sent to the rear of the field because speedway rules state that any car involved in the creation of a yellow caution flag goes to the end of the line.
On the restart Schug took command of the race while Neville charged his way back to the front. By lap 18 Neville was in second and doing everything he could to catch the leader but time just simply ran out. Bob Kindoll, Bill Siler and Bill Vose followed them across the line to complete the top five. In the preliminary events Neville won the heat race and the trophy dash.
In victory lane the very happy winner said "we almost didn't make this race. At the end of the front practice session the right front just dropped. I was coming out of turn four and, when I got on the gas, the right front tire broke and I went straight into the wall. But I'm all fired up right now. If it weren't for Art and the 17, (Neville and Hummel's accident), I don't know if I'd be here right now. My car was so loose after the accident that I was just doing everything I could to hold on to it. This is awesome. It's the greatest feeling to come back from a wreck like that. It took us all day to fix it and we didn't get to qualify. We had to start the race from dead last."
In the Super Sportsman Division, Rosamond's Alex Anderson passed John Penning, with four laps left in the race, to take his third feature win of the season. Series points leader Chris Peedan took second on the final lap while Penning, Johnny Reiman and Kevin Sevenich completed the top five. In the preliminary events, Peedan won the heat race and the trophy dash.
In the I-4/I-6 Outlaw Modifieds events, series points leader Jeffrey Goddard moved one step closer to a championship and held off a hard charging Ric Bronson to claim his fifth feature win of the season. In the preliminary events Goddard won the heat race while Bronson won the trophy dash.
The Bandeleros also provided plenty of action, on this night at the Willow Springs Speedway, with a 20 lap feature that combined the series' Young Gun Division, for drivers 8 to 12 years old, with the Bandit Division, for drivers 12 to 16 years old. In that feature, Jack Madrid made his winning move on lap 6 for his third win of the year. Tyler Fabozzi, Ashley Ambritz, Aaron and Andrew Anderson completed the top five. In the preliminary events Andrew Anderson won the heat and trophy dash.
The Lightning Cup Cars, miniature replicas of NASCAR Nextel Cup cars, were well represented with two racing divisions. In the Senior Division 20 lap feature Mike O'Hara took the lead on the second lap to win his second main of the year. Stephan Cathey, Dean Caskey, Patty Caskey and Kim Williams followed him under the checkers. In the preliminary events Cathey won the heat race while Dean Caskey took the trophy dash.
The Lightning Cup Junior Division was all Joey McKeag who scored a grand slam meaning he won the main, heat and trophy dash races. In their 12 lap feature, McKeag passed Kalvin Smith to take the lead for good. Brandon Rinehart followed them across the line.
