MINEGAR MAGNIFICENT AT RMR MEMORIAL EVENT

Source: RMCS/ds
Date: 05/30/2007

BOISE, Idaho -- After enduring a five week layoff that included a rain-out, 2006 ESI Rocky Mountain Challenge Series champion David Minegar of Boise celebrated victory in the Young Chevrolet "100" Monday night at Rocky Mountain Raceways located just west of Salt Lake City. Minegar crossed the line 1.8 seconds ahead of rival James Eaton, who scored is second straight runner-up finish of the season. Nick Parker, Craig Bell, and Tom Hill rounded out the top five finishers in the second race of the season for the ESI Rocky Mountain Challenge Series.

Minegar claimed his tenth career Sharp Powder Coating Fast Time Award with a quick lap of 15.149 seconds around the ultra-fast 3/8-mile paved oval. Parker, two-time series champion Zan Sharp, track record holder Lynn Hardy, and Thane Alderman rounded out the top five qualifiers. The entire 25-car field was separated by one second making it one of the most competitive fields in RMCS history. The RMCS utilizes a twenty car invert in every event to ensure that fans get what they paid for and that is cars passing cars and racing at every turn.

With the invert, Quint Whitman of Boise landed on the pole to start the 100-lap race with Chris Ratterree along side. Whitman led the first seven circuits before giving way to Jeff Hillock on lap 8. Hillock held the point for four laps when James Eaton made his way to the front from his 9th starting position.

Eaton was able to put some distance on the field until the first caution flag waved on lap 32 for Rick Webster who spun is Pontiac in turn three. On the restart Eaton maintained his lead on the field but had to contend with Bobby Latham's Dodge and on lap 36 Latham was able to scoot past Eaton as the duo exited out of turn four.

Latham led twice for a total of twenty five laps while Zan Sharp took his turn at the front for 19 laps and looked to be running away with the race when he abruptly moved his NAPA sponsored car to the infield with oil pressure issues. Latham reassumed the lead and built a more than two second lead on Minegar who had moved into the top five by 60 and into second place by lap 72 when the third caution came out for Jeff Hillock who looped his Chevrolet in turn two.

Minegar moved by Latham on lap 74 and kept his stranglehold on the top spot through two late race restarts and cruised to his third career RMCS victory. Eaton finished second with Parker, Bell, and Hill rounding out the top five. Bryan Warf, Nick Gibson, Quint Whitman, Bobby Latham, and Thane Alderman finished sixth through tenth.

"I am so thrilled to finally win here at RMR," said Minegar. "My whole team works so hard to prepare these cars and to have a night like to night is something special."

Finishing second for the second race in a row was James Eaton. "I am happy to finish second tonight," said Eaton. "I have been sick all week and and I was ready for this race to be over at lap 50. The car was pretty good by David was on it tonight."

In his first full season of RMCS competition, Nick Parker of Kearns, UT was happy about his performance. "I like having to race my way to the front," Parker said. This series is fun and tonight the racing was fantastic. If we had a few more laps I think it would have been interesting but Minegar had a great car so catching him may have been difficult."

The RMCS pays the purse based on total point accumulation for the night and with Minegar earning the top points for his fast time, winning his heat race, and moving up 20 spots in the race he totaled 236 points for the evening vaulting him into the point lead by 36 markers over Bryan Warf (385). James Eaton (367) falls to third with Tom Hill (326) moving up to fourth and Nick Parker (318) rounding out the top five in the point standings after two events.

Minegar also collected the ESI Hotshoe Bonus of $800 for winning the race after posting the fast time in qualifying. The ESI Hotshoe Bonus pays $400 if the driver who earns fast time in qualifying and goes onto win the race. Since the bonus was not paid out at the first event the money rolled over.

ESI Lap Leader Incentive pays $5 for every green flag lap during each RMCS event this season. Lap leaders in the Young Chevrolet "100" included race winner Minegar (26), Bobby Latham (25), Zan Sharp (19), James Eaton (18), Quint Whitman (7), and Jeff Hillock (4).

The CarbonX Rookie-of-the-Race was Kellen Frey of SLC who finished 15th one lap down. CarbonX pays the top performing rookie of the race $100. This was Frey's second consecutive CarbonX rookie award.

18 of the 25 starters were running at the end of the race with 13 cars cars on the lead lap. There were five caution periods and seven lead changes between six drivers.

Minegar's winning racecar is a Port City Anderson Elite Chassis sponsored by BodyBuilding.Com, EndoRush, BSN, Labrada Nutrition, A-1 Heating and Air Conditioning, Lennox, Dillon Auto Craft, and Western Speed & Fuel. Larry Bowers crew chief and Pat Minegar owner.

The next event for the ESI Rocky Mountain Challenge Series is Saturday, June 9th at the Magic Valley Speedway in Twin Falls, Idaho for the running of the Pepsi "125" where Minegar is the track record holder. Bryan Warf and James Eaton both have two wins at MVS with eight other drivers with one win apiece. For all the latest news and information about the ESI Rocky Mountain Challenge Series please log onto www.rmcsracing.com.

Race Results

ESI Rocky Mountain Challenge Series

Young Chevrolet "100"
Rocky Mountain Raceway, SLC, Utah
May 28, 2007 Finish/Start/Driver/Laps
1. (19) David Minegar, 100
2. (7) James Eaton, 100
3. (17) Nick Parker, 100
4. (14) Craig Bell, 100
5. (9) Tom Hill, 100
6. (12) Bryan Warf, 100
7. (3) Nick Gibson, 100
8. (1) Quint Whitman, 100
9. (11) Bobby Latham, 100
10. (16) Thane Alderman, 100
11. (10) John Newhouse
12. (5) Jeff Hillock, 100
13. (2) Chris Ratterree, 100
14. (4) Tyler Monroe, 99
15. (6th) Kellen Frey, 99
16. (22) Matt Faulkner, 92
17. (15) Lynn Hardy, 85
18. (23) Brad Ostler, 68
19. (18) Zan Sharp, 56
20. (21) Rick Webster, 39
21. (8th) Bruce Quale, 39
22. (13) Jim Wulfenstein, 22
23. (20) Mark Bard, 12
24. (24) Joe Miller, 2
25. (25) Chris Cook, 0 ---Cook pulled off the race track during pace laps with motor problems. Cook was to start in the fifth position for the race.

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