NASCAR Lucas Oil Late Model qualifying would start the evening under beautiful summer like skies and temperatures in the 90's and when the two lap timed runs were complete, Hereford's Joe Paladenic had made it five in a row at the top of the charts with the night's only lap in the fifteens. Last years Track Champion, "Stormin" Ron Norman would be second quick followed by Mike Egurola and current points leader, Scott Rueschenberg.
The NASCAR Lucas Oil Late Model Trophy Dash would consist of those quick four starting inverted, putting Rueschenberg on the pole and Paladenic in the rear. By the third of six laps, Paladenic had wrestled the lead from Egurola which he would hold until the end. Egurola would take second followed by Rueschenberg and Norman a distant fourth still getting used to the DMM Motorsports Monte Carlo. Only two Bandoleros would show tonight and Austin Trebilcock would take the heat win over Andrew Norman. In the NASCAR Factory Stock Heat race “Cowboy’ Ken Hunt would take the win over Ray Johnson and Loren "Shef" Sheffield. Rick "The Butler" Butler would clean house in NASCAR Lucas Oil Late Model heat one followed by Egurola and Paladenic. The top five positions would not change from lap one until the completion on lap eight, which was to be quite different than heat race two. In heat race two, Cassie Gannis would lead lap one but lap two would be all Norman whom started last. Norman would lead until lap five while racing door handle to door handle with his DMM Motorsports teammate Rueschenberg. “The Ruesch” would make the inside pass stick and he would stretch his lead over Norman at the completion of eight laps while Gannis took third.
Following the heat races a young fan would pull the number 6 invert pill for the NASCAR Lucas Oil Late Model feature putting Gannis on the pole with Paladenic along side. During intermission, young Stephen Smith and Tyler Trebilcock raced their ¼ Midgets around the TRP front stretch 1/16 of a mile oval to let parents and kids in attendance see first hand where it all begins.
The INEX Bandolero Feature event was all Austin Trebilcock over Andrew Norman as both youngsters adapted well to the new TRP Bandolero configuration. The NASCAR Factory Stock Feature was much different than the heat race as Ray Johnson would lead the first four circuits. On lap five, Sheffield would wrestle the lead from Johnson leaving Johnson to do battle with the other Johnson, Joel. While the Johnson's were side by side, Joel would spin in turn four but keep it running with no caution thrown. Sheffield would take the win over Ray Johnson followed by heat winner Hunt and "Big" Johnson.
The NASCAR Lucas Oil Late Model Feature event was staged with fast qualifier Paladenic on the front row and one would have thought this race would be a real sleeper. Paladenic would check out at the drop of Tony Helm's green and by lap ten he would have a full straight advantage over Egurola and Butler. Paladenic's furious pace out front would be all wasted when Duane Hunt Jr. hit the turn three wall bringing out the caution on lap eighteen. The green would wave again after a short cleanup with Paladenic out front followed by Egurola and Butler. On lap twenty, Rueschenberg would overtake Butler for third and set his sights on Egurola. Just one lap later Rueschenberg would take second and focus on catching Paladenic. For the next seventeen laps Paladenic and Rueschenberg raced side by side with Paladenic taking the high line and Rueschenberg the low line. No matter what Rueschenberg did he could not overtake Paladenic until lap thirty seven when Paladenic got stuck behind the lapped car of Duane Hunt Sr. with nowhere to go as Rueschenberg had him boxed in up in the high line. The textbook “Pick” would seal yet another victory for "The Ruesch" leaving a disappointed Paladenic in second. Butler would also gain a position on lap thirty seven over Egurola to finish a strong third. Paladenic continues to thrill the crowd out front but again falls short to the Blue Oval Ford of Rueschenberg. Will next weeks 100 lapper make the difference?
We'll see!
