Tucson Raceway Park's NAPA Night at the Races was all NAPA Blue. After a beautiful Arizona sunset, racing got underway with Dave Larson in the Zero, NADA, None Under 21 Drinking, car # 21 Late Model winning the Trophy Dash in front of over a thousand enthusiastic fans. The evening's heat races were all sure to be exciting as a large field of competitors had arrived to compete for the NAPA Gold.
The Modified heat was again all P.J. Megna and the NASCAR Mini Stock heat saw Becky Harrington win again over David Bosley in the NAPA blue #41. The NASCAR Factory Stocks heat race was marred by a frightening crash into the turn 4 crash wall by good friends Ray Johnson and Ken Hunt. Both were ok but shaken and both cars were heavily damaged and out for the night. Tom Mikla went on to win that heat over Casey Rohrer. The NASCAR Late Model heats were hotly contested with Ron Norman winning heat one over Mat Williams and Joe Paladenic winning heat two over Bobby Collister whom had started in the rear of the field. The TRP Bombers would see their first laps of competition tonight and experience would pay off as veteran racer Bob Davis would win the eight lap heat race over Rookie Shawn Perrin. The TRP Bomber Lites would tackle the Tucson Raceway Park 3/8 mile track tonight for the first time and Dusty Gauthier would beat Karl Griggs's fast Acura to the checkers in their heat race.
After a brief intermission the TRP Modifieds hit the track for their Main event and Pat Bush, P.J. Megna, Bill Harrington and Jim Rogel would do battle for fifteen laps of 700 horsepower madness. At the end it would again be Megna over Bush and Harrington with Rogel pulling off mechanical. The NASCAR Mini Stocks would have another new competitor hit the banks in a well prepared blue #14 Mustang. Bob Powers would go onto finish fourth in his first time out, right behind the rapidly improving Karen Heyse. David Bosley would do his best to finish right behind our points leader Becky Harrington who took yet another win to increase her points lead. The NASCAR Factory Stocks would see action tonight for the last time on the old Goodyear rubber and all of the competitors were running on skins. The main would see the returning Ben Shepherd dominate the event over Tom Mikla and Casey Rohrer. Unfortunately Shepherd would later be DQ'd in post race tech giving the win to Mikla and giving another top three finish to Jeremy Smith.
The NASCAR Late Models were next up. Tucson Raceway Park's own roving reporter Christy Hunt, AKA Lug Nuts gave the announcement, Drivers, Start Your Engines! And pole sitter Bobby Collister would pace the first nine laps while Mat Williams was dashing through the pack at a furious pace from the rear of the field. Williams would take the lead on lap ten over Collister and on lap twelve points leader Ron Norman would take second from Collister. The race would go green until lap 27 when two friends, Ned Champine and Jerry Thitchener would spin on the front straight bringing out a caution and regrouping the field. Williams would have a great restart over Norman and they would battle to the finish as another race for third would ensue between Collister, Duane Hunt Jr. and Paladenic again on the bottom. At the end of forty laps it would be Mat Williams winning his second Main event of the season over Norman and Hunt Jr. getting the best of Collister for third and Paladenic inches back in fifth. The breathless Williams, sponsored by the nights sponsor, NAPA, graciously thanked his sponsors and fans and thanked Norman whom he beat tonight for all the help he has given him.
The Bomber Lites would see a fierce battle between Dusty Gauthier and Karl Griggs until lap eight of the ten lap race. Griggs would have his right front tire blowout in spectacular fashion handing the win to Gauthier. Lyle Gallegos would take second over George Milburg and Amy Towle. All of the competitors loved the big track and can't wait until September 1st to return.
The Bombers would be the last class tonight and TRP's flagman would go off mechanical before the green flag letting Bob Davis and Shawn Perrin do battle for the win. Davis and Perrin whom had a passenger would swap the lead frequently until the end when Davis would take the win. These Bomber and Bomber Lite cars are CHEAP! You too could be racing by September 1st when they return to the Tucson Raceway Park banks.
