TUCSON, Arizona -- June brought with it blue skies, triple digit temperatures and hot racing on the banks of TRP! The hot temperatures created a racing surface that was difficult to get the power to and ultimately resulted in Scott Rueschenberg's Desert Mountain Medical number 25 taking the top spot in qualifying with a 16.148. Rueschenberg's car is the only car in the field powered by a Chevrolet CRATE ENGINE which produces a smooth broad power band that is ideal for a tricky surface. Rueschenberg keeps setting milestones with this kit as he has already won a Trophy Dash, a heat race, a fast time and led many main event laps to secure a best 2nd place finish this season. Tonight's Trophy Dash was won by the popular Matt Levin and the hotly contested heat races were won by young Mat Williams and last week's winner, Joe Paladenic.
The Main Event would see seventeen Late Models take to the banks but before the green was thrown Vail's Jerry Thitchener was out mechanical. This guy cannot get a Break! At the drop of Mitchell Milner's green, it was obvious Rueschenberg was going to be tough tonight. Ron Norman again worked the bottom after starting thirteenth and he would be 2nd by lap 5! Rueschenberg would lead Norman through lap 17 when Paladenic would slip past Norman on the bottom to take over second. A lap 21 yellow would bunch up the field and allow Paladenic to slip by Rueschenberg on the bottom to take the point! There was three abreast racing going on throughout the field as Norman was fighting off young Williams, Ed Ochylski, Rick Butler and Bob Jones were battling for a top 5 and Dave Larson and the Hunt family were waging a fierce battle for a well deserved Top 10. When the checkers flew on lap 40, it was Paladenic making it two in a row over Rueschenberg and Williams who got by Norman in the closing laps.
Tonight's Mini Stock class was again dominated by the Merkur driven by Becky Harrington as she won both her heat race and main event followed by Tammy Lynn and David Bosley in a new ride. The Factory Stock evening was not what we are accustomed to seeing. Cowboy, Ken Hunt, would be involved in a tangle with Casey Rohrer in the heat race that would heavily damage both cars. Lightning McQueen, AKA Tom Mikla would win the heat over Alan Levin and Brian Waller. The main event would be a war between Levin and Mikla with Levin taking the win by inches over Mikla and Waller in his meticulous Monte Carlo.
Two Bomber-Lites would stage a 10 lap exhibition on Tucson Raceway Park's 3/16 mile combo oval to close out the evening by 10:00 pm and give all in attendance a chance to go into the pits and greet their favorite NASCAR Stars of Tomorrow.
| NASCAR Late Model |
|---|
FINISH CAR # DRIVER 1 63 Joe Paladenic 2 25 Scott Rueschenberg 3 74 Mathew Williams 4 9 Ron Norman 5 44 Rick Butler 6 71 Ed Ochylski 7 4 Bob Jones 8 21 Dave Larson 9 18 Duane Hunt Jr. 10 7 Cassie Gannis 11 17 Duane Hunt Sr. 12 3 Tim Blodgett 13 10 Matt Levin 14 88 Adam Milsap 15 13 Ned Champine 16 87 Robert Bush |
| NASCAR Factory Stock |
FINISH CAR # DRIVER 1 46 Alan Levin 2 95 Tom Mikla 3 90 Brian Waller 4 60 Casey Rohrer 5 3 Ken Hunt |
| NASCAR Mini Stock |
FINISH CAR # DRIVER 1 22T Becky Harrington 2 24 Tammy Lynn 3 41 David Bosley 4 22R Bill Harrington 5 66 Rhonda Butler |
