WHITE GOES BACK TO BLACK AND BACK TO THE WINNER’S CIRCLE AT ORANGE SHOW SPEEDWAY

SAN BERNARDINO, California — Linny White said he was going to paint his race car black again to try to change his luck. It worked.

Three times this season, White felt his blue-and-white Paradise Ponds Chevrolet was the best car in the Super Late Model field at Orange Show Speedway and three times mechanical problems had spoiled his night. So White said this week that car owner Joe Perez had given him permission to “go back to black” for the 100-lap Super Late Model portion of Saturday night’s HeatBlast.com 200, which was presented by Team Too Termite and Pest Control.

When the evening ended, White was back in the winner’s circle. The reigning Super Late Model champion coasted there after losing the rear end in the first turn of the final lap around the ASA-sanctioned quarter-mile oval. The fact he could do that and not lose the lead indicates how easily he led the race after overtaking early pacesetter Rob Kiemele, of Riverside, who finished 2.2 seconds back in second.

Earlier, former Orange Show regular Dan DiGiammarino made his homecoming enjoyable by winning the 100-lap Late Model race. DiGiammarino, who moved to Ohio two years ago and was here on vacation, started on the outside of the front row in the 20-car field in a Chevrolet usually driven by Brandon Loverock. DiGiammarino took the lead from pole-sitter John Mattie at the start and lapped all but four cars on his way to an 8.5-second victory over fast qualifier Ron Daniel, of Mentone, and Logan Mainella, of Palmdale, who had won here May 16.

The margin of victory would have been even bigger if not for the fourth caution flag of the race, on lap 75. When that occurred, DiGiammarino was 9.2 seconds ahead.

White collected $2,000 for his win and DiGiammarino picked up $1,000.

White, who had planned to compete in both 100-lap events, didn’t start the Late Model race. Busy preparing his own Super Late Model car and several others, White turned his Late Model ride over to Austin Murphy, of Lancaster, who could only limp around after a first-lap incident with Jered King.

Toni McCray did run both events. Sort of. She finished fourth in the Late Model feature, but was knocked out of the Super Late Model race in a first-lap, first-turn mishap that involved five of the 17 starters.

Dwayne Blay, of Riverside, returned to the winner’s circle in the Factory Fours class with a half-second victory over Ben Mahan, 13, of Oak Hills, with fast qualifier Andy Reed third in the 30-lap contest.

Tom Whitson, of Lake Elsinore, won the 25-lap Stock Cars USA feature by 4.2 seconds over Dave Foster, of Riverside. Aaron Anderson, of Lancaster, won the 16-lap Bandolero main after starting last in the 8-car field.