TRACY, California -- 2005 track champion Jason Gilbert of Pleasanton picked up two crucial wins in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Western Late Models on Saturday evening at Altamont Motorsports Park.
Gilbert, the incoming track points leader, took both wins in convincing fashion on the fastest half-mile in the west.
Saturday afternoon’s action also saw Tim Rappa of Hayward pick up the American Limited Stock Car victory, Dr. David Goodwill of Napa taking his first asphalt win the NCMA Limited Sprints, and Todd Lynch of Tracy winning the Grand American Modifieds.
Colby Potts of Stockton won the Future Champions Development Series feature on the quarter-mile oval, and Bob Wilson won both Formula-4 mains on the 1.1 mile road course.
Gilbert led from flag-to-flag in the first 50 lap Western Late Model feature.
Restarts are where Gilbert gained his advantage, taking large leads from Kyle Gottula of Modesto on each of the five restarts. Gottula, nursing a failing transmission, was embroiled in heavy battling with a line of eight cars.
Gilbert led the 21 car starting field by as much as two seconds in the race.
Two of Altamont’s star young guns, Justin Philpott of Tracy and Doff Cooksey of Brentwood, succumbed to mechanical problems. Philpott lost a plug wire and Cooksey a tire.
A caution on lap 39 set up an 11 lap duel for the second position, with Gottula holding out over Guibor.
At the finish the top-five were Gilbert, Gottula, Guibor, Joey Stearns of Stockton, and Vito Ranuio of Stockton.
Feature number two saw Gilbert muscle past 2007 NASCAR State Champion Mark Holeman on lap 22.
While Philpott charged through the pack, Gilbert took third from Guibor on lap 15, and second from Trevor Schlundt of Clovis on a lap 17 restart.
Just five laps later Gilbert took the lead with Guibor taking second from Holman on lap 28.
A caution on lap 30 set up a 20 lap run to the finish, with Gilbert holding onto the win over Guibor. Philpott found third by lap 28 and stayed in that position to the finish. The remaining top-five were Doff Cooksey and Stearns.
Sammy Solari of Salida made an impressive charge to the American Limited Stock Car victory, in the 20 lap main event on the half-mile.
But post-race inspection revealed an illegal brake bias control inside the car, handing the win to Rappa.
Solari tangled with Joe Allen of Stockton on the backstretch on the second lap, forcing both drivers to the pits for heavy repairs.
It only took Solari three laps to carve through the field towards the lead.
The official finish after the adjustment saw Rappa over Brian Vosburg of Stockton, Richard Harper of Stockton, Joe Morgenstern of Livermore, and Thomas Vosburg of Chico the top-five.
NCMA Limited Sprint action saw five lead changes in as many laps, before David Goodwill of Napa emerged in the lead and checked out for an easy victory.
Burt Siverling led the field to green but lost the lead on the opening lap to Steve Amador. Just one lap later, Manteca’s Jeff Burrows took the lead.
On the same lap, Amador tangled up with a fast Micheal Zarevich into turn one, with Zarevich hitting the turn one wall at well over 100 miles per hour. The violent crash drew a red flag, but Zarevich emerged from the battered race car sore but ok.
Goodwill took advantage on the restart to motor to the lead from Burrows.
At the line it was Goodwill, Pat Ariaz of Manteca, Rob Hammond of Morgan Hill, Ed Amador, and Burrows.
“The Demon” Todd Lynch of Tracy made winning look easy in the 20 lap Grand American Modified main event, leading every lap. Lynch, the division points leader and fast-time qualifier, took a two second victory over Todd Lewis of Riverbank.
Robert Kennedy of San Francisco, AJ Ryder of Stockton, and Michael Ostrowski rounded out the top-five.
Colby Potts of Stockton won the Future Champions Development Series race over Cameron Millard of Carson City, NV. The feature, a 20 lap event on the Altamont quick quarter-mile, featured drivers ages 14-16 in Western Late Model cars.
Bob Wilson took two entertaining wins in the Formula-4 division on the 1.1 mile road course. The division for stock four-cylinder cars runs two 10 lap main events each week. Wilson used crafty driving with several crossover passes to win the second feature to the approval of the crowd.
Altamont Motorsports Park returns to action next Saturday evening with a double-helping of racing, as both USAC and NASCAR stars will be in competition.
The Pacific Coast Summer Nationals will feature United States Auto Club Sprints and Midgets, plus NCMA Limited Sprints, and NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Models.
For event information visit the Altamont Motorsports Park website.
Altamont Motorsports Park is located just west of Tracy at the merger of Highways 205 and 580.
