SMITH AND CROCKER TAKE LATE MODEL WINS DURING THE KING SOOPERS MID SUMMER SHOWDOWN BY: GEOFF BRIGGS, CNS MEDIA

Source: CNS Media/gb
Date: 07/13/2008

ERIE, Colorado -- Previous to tonight, when double features were ran this season at Colorado National Speedway for the ableplanet Late Model division, the driver who won the first main also won the second main event. That changed Saturday night during the King Soopers Mid Summer Showdown when Rick Smith and Darren Crocker took the wins in the twin ableplanet Late Model features. Nick Haygood claimed the ERA Super Modified feature and Ed Vecchiarelli Jr took the SUNOCO Grand American Modified feature event. John Johnson claimed the caution-filled Figure 8 race that was called short due to time, and Jace Hansen took his fifth CNS Legend Car win in a row. The night ended with the busses, and Nick Martinez took the win and did his traditional climbing of the fence.

Rick Smith jumped out to the early lead in the first ableplanet Late Model feature with Brice Yackey, Bear Lynch, Chris Eggleston and Roger Avants hard on his tail. Eggleston got by Lynch for third on lap 7, then on lap 13 Eggleston took second with Ronnie Hults knocking Avants out of the top 5. On lap 16, Mike Hannah spun around and Tyler Chrisinger along with Steve Yackey spun to miss Hannah. Avants took fifth back from Hults on lap 18, and the two had an awesome battle for the fifth position that went on for several laps. On lap 26, Lynch had mechanical troubles and pulled into the infield moving Yackey to third over Avants and Hults. Eggleston started chasing down Smith, but ran out of time as Smith cruised to his fourth win of 2008. Eggleston settled for second ahead of Yackey, Avants and Hults.

The Figure 8’s got off to a round start as Vic Johnson and Harry Livermore Jr got together and John Martello along with others spun to miss Livermore. Then another complete restart was needed after Frank Gastineau stopped on the track with a flat tire. A lap was completed with Nick Martinez leading Jared Wall, Eddie Garcia, Harry Livermore and Joe Matlock. On lap 2, Eddie Garcia made contact with Al Duran and spun then Garcia was hit by Phil Taylor. Duran was done for the night along with Garcia. John Johnson moved into fifth on the restart and then Matlock and Johnson got by Livermore on lap 4. On lap 6, Matlock moved into second and set his sights on Martinez. Tammy Totos spun for a lap 7 caution flag to bunch up the field. The top four cars were all together on lap 11 then Wall and Matlock got together and continued but Johnson drove by for second. Shirley Thompson spun for a lap 12 caution, and on lap 14 both Johnson and Matlock got by Martinez. On lap 17, Joe Gastineau and Shirley Thompson got together for a caution and a green-white-checkered would determine the race. On the restart, F Gastineau broke and left part of his body on the track for a caution. Johnson held on for the win over Matlock, Martinez, Wall and a great run for Livermore.

The ERA Super Modifieds were next to hit the track and Stevie Gallegos led the first lap. On the second lap, contact sent Harry Stone up over the rear of another car and almost into the turn 1 wall. Nick Haygood and Richie Castor Jr spun to avoid Stone and a caution was thrown. Then coming to complete the second lap, Gallegos slowed and was Kevin Day hit Gallegos sending Day upside down and back over on his tires. Day and Gallegos were uninjured. Stone led on the restart over Haygood, Johnny Packard, Scott Decenick and Castor. Haygood jumped into the lead and set sail, by lap 8 he opened up his lead over Stone, Pickard, Castor and Joe Priselac. On lap 10, Pickard took second from Stone, but Haygood was the class of the field as he won over Pickard, Stone, Castor and Priselac.

Jon Krizman jumped to the early lead in the Legend Car feature, but Jace Hansen took the lead on lap 2. Krizman tucked in behind Hansen with Chris Eggleston, Keith Law and Kyle Clegg following. Clegg took fourth from Law on lap 4 and Eggleston was second on lap 5. Clegg took third on lap 7, and caution flew on lap 9 when Brittany Duncan and John Jolly spun with Mike Murr almost sliding into the turn 1 wall to avoid Duncan. Kyle McCartney spun and continued on the restart and the battle for the lead between Hansen and Eggleston started. Krizman, Law, and Darrell Stewart started battling for fourth and caution flew on lap 13 for a spun Josh Bandstra. Law got by Krizman on lap 14 for fourth, but late in the race Krizman got fourth back from Law. Hansen was able to hold off Eggleston for the win over Clegg, Krizman and Law.

Jace Hansen jumped to the early lead in the SUNOCO Grand American Modified feature over Ed Vecchairelli Jr, Forest Smith, John Seely and Terry Tjarks. Vecchairelli took the lead on lap 2, and Paul Deines marched his way into fifth on lap 7. By lap 12, Deines and Jeff Hansen put Seely back to sixth. The caution flew on lap 18 when Mike Castagno and Marc Ferguson tangled, with Castagno done for the evening. Deines took third on lap 24, but ran out of time as Vecchairelli took the narrow win over Jace Hansen, Deines, Smith and Jeff Hansen. The improving Seely held on for a sixth place finish.

Before the second ableplanet Late Model feature even started, Mike Bowen was sent off with dragging parts. Bowen was able to return for the start of the race. Ronnie Hults jumped to the early lead over Darren Crocker, Roger Avants, Chris Eggleston and Rick Smith. Corey Greer spun for a lap 8 caution, and on the restart Crocker went to the lead. Avants took second on lap 9 and Eggleston battled Hults for third. Hults got third back on lap 13 and Smith moved into fourth ahead of Eggleston. Avants and Crocker had a great battle for the lead that ended on lap 26 when Avants spun. Smith spun to miss Avants, and Avants was set to the rear. Crocker now had Rick Smith on his back bumper over Hults, Eggleston and PJ Mattorano. On the last lap, Tyler Chrisinger and Darren Bucklen and both were able to finish. Crocker held off Smith for his first win since his return last month. Hults settled for third ahead of Eggleston and Mattorano.

The night ended with another Bus race, and the excitement was provided by Jared Wall as he was able to spin out in a school bus. The other excitement was Wall, Randy Barnes and Jerry Sutherland racing 3-wide, until Sutherland’s battery fell out of his bus. Nick Martinez led the distance for the win over Daniel Martinez and Wendy Sutherland.

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