POE, ROMERO AND FUNK SCORE WINS FRIDAY NITE AT MANZANITA SPEEDWAY

Source: Windy McDonald
Date: 09/13/2008

Ron Poe returned to his winning ways as he came out of the eighth row and led the final 11 laps in scoring his fourth factory stock car main event win of the year Friday night at Manzanita Speedway. Daniel Romero won for the second time this year in the bombers and Garrett Funk drove to the winner’s circle for the eighth time in the sport modifieds.

Numerous yellow flags kept the field close in the factory stock feature which was shortened to 15 laps and Poe was under constant pressure after taking the lead from points leader Bobby Taylor on the fifth lap. However Poe used the high side of the 1/3rd mile track and held off Lyle Askren, Jr., Bobby Erdman and finally William McCullough who finished second ahead of Daren Olney. Bobby Erdman was the hard charger of the race with a drive from 15th to fourth. Bobby Taylor, a two time champion, led the first four laps, had to make a pit stop and came back to finish fifth which was good enough to keep him at the top of the standings. Rounding out the top ten were John Glynn, Steve Shumaker, Paul Arseneau, Matt Martinez and Mark Millan.

Poe led the points chase earlier this year but a number of mechanical problems dropped him to fourth. His win moved him back to second, just 33 points behind Taylor. However, unofficially, Poe is only one point ahead of Martinez and two up on Lyle Askren, Jr.

Heat races were won by Martinez, Danny Pearson, Mike Lilly and Poe. The semi went to Erdman and Olney won the trophy dash.

Romero came out of the fifth row, took the lead with five laps remaining in the 15 lap feature, and steadily pulled away from the field. Mike Bray made a late race charge that carried him to second with Gavin McGee third ahead of Toby Webito and Russ Odman who made a great drive from 13th to get fifth. Behind the top five were Rob Parcher, Anthony Bohner, Nathan Vandever, Rex Hasley and Shawn Beissel.

Jesse Johnson led the first nine laps before mechanical problems sent him to the pits. He started on the pole after winning his heat race. Other heat winners were Bill Lewis and McGee. Diego Diaz won the semi main.

Funk, a senior at South Mountain High School, followed the same script in both his heat race and the 15 lap feature. He ran back in the pack until the closing laps in both races, caught the leader on the final lap, and then won a drag race to the checkered flag . He beat newcomer Zach Hamilton by less that a half car length in the feature and beat fellow rookie Justin Thornton by the same margin in his heat.

Chris Rhein finished third, Kerry Campbell fourth and Thornton fifth. Then came Keith Krenklis, Jody Henderson, Rick Stephenson, Jeff Jennings and Shannon Ray Williams.

Rhein was also a heat race winner.

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