BOISE, Idaho — BodyBuilding.Com Minegar Racing driver’s Dave Minegar and Craig Bell continue to rise to the challenge of racing in the CarbonX Rocky Mountain Challenge Series. Racing this past Saturday at Magic Valley Speedway was postponed to Sunday due to constant rain showers, but the duo battle a slick track, cool temperatures, and a deep field of competitors Sunday afternoon to score top five finishes in the annual Pepsi “125” at the tough and tricky 1/3-mile paved oval.
Minegar posted the second best qualifying mark while Bell clocked in third quick in the two-lap qualifying session that would set the grid for the 125-lap feature. The customary RMCS invert had Minegar starting 17th while Bell lined up 16th in the starting field.
In the early laps, both BodyBuilding.Com drivers set sail towards the front of the field working traffic nose to tail and found their way inside the top ten by lap 45. Bell negotiated the lap traffic with precision, he hooked up with John Dillon and the two waged a spirited battle throughout the 125-lap race.
While Bell tangled with Dillon, Minegar’s march to the front was hampered by a cut right rear tire that slowed his progress. Minegar was able to pit when the caution flag flew for the spinning car of Jeff Jefferson. When Minegar pitted the BodyBuilding.com Team quickly changed the tire and sent him back into action. Minegar pitted again a few laps later giving up track position to make additional chassis adjustments that would propel him to the front.
Bell moved into the 4th position by lap 62 and held the position through lap 80, then moved by Dan Buckley for third. Bell and Dillon wrestled for third for several laps when Dillon took the position on lap 104. Bell would ride the rest of the way in fourth where he finished.
“We had a real good car and the qualifying effort really helped us in the points,” Bell said. “The track was really slick so I had to take it easy but we are happy with the finish.”
Minegar had ground to make up after pitting for adjustments. By lap 84 he had moved back inside the top ten running sixth. On lap 107, the two-time series champion moved around John Newhouse for fifth and caught his teammate and settled into the fifth position finishing the race just like they started, nose to tail.
“The cool temperatures and the slick track made it difficult, but to rebound with a fifth place finish is great for the team,” Minegar said. “It was just a great effort by the BodyBuilding.com/Minegar Racing Team to make the adjustments on the car on both pit stops to keep us in contention.”
Bell closed the gap in the championship standings to 19 points out of first after earning 199 points for the event.He still maintains the third position in the standings after two races. Minegar meanwhile dropped to second in the standings after finishing fifth in the feature race and fifth his heat race earlier in the day. He sits just one point out of the top spot.
Minegar Racing is sponsored by BodyBuilding.com, Redline, Ultimate Nutrition, Supreme Nutrition, Muscletech, Sci Fit Nutrition, Gaspari Nutrition, A-1 Heating and Air Conditioning, and Dillon Auto Craft. Both Minegar and Bell are in their sixth season in the CarbonX Rocky Mountain Challenge Series. Dave Minegar is a two-time series champion (06, 08) and Craig Bell has three career series victories. The next event for BodyBuilding.Com/Minegar Racing is Friday, July 3 at Magic Valley Speedway in Twin Falls, Idaho, and then to Meridian Speedway the following night, July 4th. For the latest news about the series log onto to www.rmcsracing.com and please visit www.bodybuilding.com for all of your exercise and nutrition needs.
