RECORD TURNOUT AND TRACK RECORDS FOR THE KELSEYVILLE LUMBER 20TH ANNUAL DEAKE LYNDALL MEMORIAL

The Fourth of July was celebrated at the Lakeport Speedway with fireworks all weekend long: sparklers from hot brake rotors in the turns, race cars that ran like rockets throwing streamers and screamers from rubbing doors and fenders, and all the glitter and excitement that only comes with the Kelseyville Lumber 20th annual Deake Lyndall Memorial.

Seven classes ran over two days for the most coveted trophy of the year in front of a record turnout crowd. Exhibitions included the Lyndall #3 Street Stock and Super-Modified, a commemorative paint-job on the #67 Modified of David Furia that is a modern interpretation of the historic Lyndall “Purple Thunder”, and two actual NASCAR Cup cars - that world famous black #3 once raced by Dale Earnhardt Sr., and an extremely rare orange #20 car raced by Tony Stewart during his rookie year. These historical cars were provided by their owner Andy Scopazzi.

This 20th anniversary of this event heralded the start of a new tradition that follows the spirit of Deake Sr. and Jr. in their support of both the racing community and the community at large. The Lyndall family, with the cooperation of the RacinForACure.com NASCAR team, Kelseyville Lumber, and Lakeport Speedway promoter David Furia, hosted the first annual ALSA benefit to raise awareness of, and donations to fight, ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease).

One of the headline features of the night was the return of Lakeport native Derek Thorn. After a career of Karts, Bombers, and Modifieds at the Lakeport Speedway, Thorn now drives the #80 NASCAR Camping World East car with his RacinForACure.com team for the Wisconsin chapter of the ALS Association. They have come to the Lakeport Speedway so that Thorn could race with his childhood heroes, and to participate with Scott Pfeiffer, his General Manager and ALS patient, in the ALSA benefit.

Thorn, Pfeiffer, and his team participated in the live KXBX radio broadcast from the Speedway, met the fans and signed autographs, and hosted PALS (Patients with ALS) who enjoyed the day as guests of the Lakeport Speedway thanks to our local Bay Area and Sacramento chapters of the ALS Association.

An additional surprise astonished racers and fans alike Saturday when Scopazzi allowed his historical NASCAR Cup cars to participate in a dash with Derek Thorn. Both Cup cars are in perfect condition and still in racing trim. Sterwart's #20 car started on the pole followed closely by Earnhardt's #3 and Thorn. Despite warnings about the #3 behind the #20 (they have a history), the race was clean and fast. There is, however, no substitute for home track experience as Thorn took advantage of the NASCAR habit of holding that apron line and used instead the newly refurbished bite of the outside groove to first pass the #3, and then the #20 in the last lap to claim the trophy. Does Stewart know about this possible precursor of things to come?

Time trials and heat races were held on Friday, with additional main events for the Thunder Roadsters and the Legends Car Series, and main events were held Saturday.

The Thunder Roadster track record fast time of 13.010s was set by Doug Pulver. In both the Friday and Saturday main events, Dave Henderson quickly made his way to the front and avoided mid-pack problems to win both races.

The Legends Car Series track record Friday fast time of 13.611s was set by Robby Czub, who also went on to win the Friday main event. Czub set the Saturday fast time of 13.682 as well, but it was Frankie Winchel who gained the lead in lap 23, after the leader got tangled with a lapped car, and held on to win the main event.

The Bandoleros are a kit-class, like the Legends, but meant for training racers as young as eight years old. When the Legends come to play, so do their kids in the Bando's. Brandon Osborn set the track record fast time of 14.009s, won the heat race, and became the first Bandoleros racer to win a Deake Lyndall Memorial main event trophy.

The Late Model class boasted both a full main event field of cars and the challenge of NASCAR driver Derek Thorn. Sure enough, with the help of his RacinForACure.com team, he set the Late Model fast time of 12.244s and won the heat race. However, power and speed do not necessarily win after 50 laps on the Lakeport Speedway track known as “The Equalizer” for its short straights and long curves that emphasizes handling over power.

Starting in seventh just ahead of Thorn, Mike Lovell from Upper Lake stayed with him as they climbed the ranks. However, when they came to pass the leader Bill Binns in lap 25, wily Lovell claimed a better position and snaked by both into first. Thorn tried every line he could for the remaining 25 laps, but was unable to overtake Lovell.

The Modified fast time of 12.451s was set by David Furia in that beautiful modern interpretation of the Lyndall “Purple Thunder” paint job, but fast paint can only do so much. Thomas Wright worked his way up to pass Danny Bishop for the lead in lap 24, and barely avoided a lap 47 tangle that took out the third, fourth, sixth, and seventh place cars. Three laps later, Wright held off Mike Smithhart to claim the checkers.

The Street Stock fast time of 13.355s was set by Andy Vander Veer from Santa Rosa. The main event ended with a 15-lap duel between Scott Sabol from Lakeport and Kyle Medina. With only four laps to go, Sabol pulled out ahead for the win.

Racing double-duty in both Street Stocks and Bombers, Scott Sabol from Lakeport, driving the #07 for George Abella, set the Bomber fast time of 14.520s. The main event threw off almost as many sparks as the Friday Library Park fireworks show. Early on, half the field, including Gary Collins from Nice driving as the #26 for Jon Waner, was involved in a huge tangle. However, Bombers are tough cars and racers and almost all returned to continue.

George Lovrin held the lead for half the 30-lap race when Collins and Sabol caught him. Collins took the lead in lap 26, but Sabol could not manage the pass into second until the white flag, leaving the checkers and the trophy to Collins.

Coming Up Saturday July 19

Racing returns to the Lakeport Speedway in two weeks, Saturday night July 19, for “The Night of Maritime Demolition”. Racing will feature our own Modifieds, Mini-Stocks, and Bombers. However, for the first time ever, the night will be capped by not just one, but two special events.

First, drivers of destruction will again descend on Lakeport to face off in the second Demolition Derby. Ram-shackle wrecks (and we mean “ram”) beat and batter each other until there is only one. It's the only time you'll see the words “fun” and “multi-car collision” used in the same sentence.

Then it is time yet again to hoist the yards, batten the hatches, and sail the fury of Lakeport asphalt. The third “Fiberglass 500” Boat Race will hunt the “Most Dangerous Catch”, each other. Cars drag boats around a water-cannon soaked track trying to crush the boats of others while preserving their own. It's “Maritime Mayhem on the High Asphalt”, the Lakeport family-favorite event, and not to be missed.