SAN BERNARDINO, California — Never let it be said that Orange Show Speedway drivers don’t know how to make visitors feel at home.
Kenny Smith knows that’s not true, because after making the trip from Pismo Beach (Ca.) to race in his first JAM Sportswear Late Model race at the ASA Member Track, his welcoming gift was a victory in the 50-lap main event Saturday night (May 22).
The win was a gift from Matt Goodwin and Brandon Loverock, who collided in Turn 4 on the final lap while fighting for the lead in a race colored by more yellow than a bouquet of sunflowers as the caution flag seemed to wave almost continuously.
Goodwin, of Wildomar (Ca.), started his Chevrolet Monte Carlo on the pole in the 17-car field and led through all the stress and strife and turmoil until Loverock got a nose in front midway through the final lap. The two got together entering the final turn and the collision sent Loverock onto the guard rail and back onto the track, and when Loverock climbed from his damaged Chevrolet he set off to exchange pleasantries with Goodwin until a Best in the West Racing official intervened.
Smith, meanwhile, was getting ready for his winner’s circle photo and first-place prize money after being in third place when the hi-jinks began. Second was Brian Malone, who had won the season-opening 100-lap race March 27, and third was Ron Daniel.
Robby Hornsby Jr., of Yucaipa (Ca.), maintained his perfect season in the Team Too Pony Stock class by winning his fourth main event. Hornsby took the lead on the sixth of 35 laps and held off Adrianne Murlin and Linny White, a former Pony Stock champion who was making his first start in the class in three years.
Johnny Malcom Jr., of Corona (Ca.), took a break from his usual Dirt Late Model racing to make his debut on pavement and win the 35-lap feature for Stock Cars USA; Dan French, of Claremont (Ca.), took first when leader Dwayne Blay was slowed by traffic with four laps to go and won the 35-lap Interstate Batteries Factory Fours main event; Steve Larson, of Fontana (Ca.), won the 20-lap Stock OHV Kart race; and Kyle Cline, of Apple Valley (Ca.), lapped the field in the 20-lap Dwarf Cars contest; and Kevin Cook held off Malcolm in the 20-lap USA Figure 8 race that closed the show.
| Late Models (50 Laps) |
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| 1. Kenny Smith, Pismo Beach, Chevrolet Impala; 2. Brian Malone, Redlands, Chevrolet Monte Carlo; 3. Ron Daniel, Mentone, Chevrolet Monte Carlo; 4. Logan Mainella, Palmdale, Chevrolet Monte Carlo; 5. Robby Hornsby Jr., Yucaipa, Chevrolet Monte Carlo; 6. Glen Cummings, Highland, Toyota Camry/Chevrolet; 7. Jim Conklin, Big Bear City, Pontiac Grand Prix/Chevrolet; 8. Matt Goodwin, Wildomar, Chevrolet Monte Carlo; 9. Brandon Loverock, Highland, Chevrolet Monte Carlo; 10. Toni McCray, Highland, Chevrolet Monte Carlo; 11. Jeff Lawson, Big Bear City, Chevrolet Impala; 12. Tim Smith, Bakersfield, Chevrlet Impala; 13. Ben Mahan, Hesperia, Chevrolet Monte Carlo; 14. Ryan Daniel, Mentone, Chevrolet Monte Carlo; 15. Stan Chatwood, Bloomington, Chevrolet Monte Carlo; 16. Julian Singelakis, Pasadena, Pontiac Grand Prix/Chevrolet; 17. Jeff Peterson, Riverside, Toyota Camry/Chevrolet. Margin of victory – 0.593 seconds. Average speed – 15.132 mph. Trophy Dash winner – McCray. Leading qualifier – Peterson, 13.374 seconds/67.295 mph (record; was 13.437, Ron Daniel, 3-27-2010). |
| Team Too Pony Stocks (35 Laps) |
| 1. Robby Hornsby Jr., Yucaipa, Ford Pinto; 2. Adrianne Murlin, Corona, Ford Pinto; 3. Linny White, Colton, Ford Pinto; 4. Jeremy Perez, Chino, Ford Mustang; 5. Kevin Meador, San Bernardino, Ford Pinto; 6. Jim Gebhart, Yucaipa, Ford Pinto; 7. Spencer Samaro, San Bernardino, Ford Pinto; 8. Lucas McCray, Corona, Ford Pinto; 9. Eddie Collins, Desert Hot Springs, Ford Pinto; 10. Evan McCray, Riverside, Ford Pinto;11. Kevin Myrick, Chino, Ford Pinto; 12. Josh Hodges, Adelanto, Ford Pinto; 13. Richard Boker, Phelan, Ford Pinto; 14. Jack Hughes, Beaumont, Ford Pinto; DNS – Joe Van Sant, San Bernardino, Ford Pinto (driveshaft). Margin of victory – 1.857 seconds. Average speed – 24.076 mph. Trophy Dash winner – White. Leading qualifier – Hornsby, 14.433/62.357. |
| Factory Fours (35 laps) |
| 1. Dwayne Blay, Riverside, Toyota truck; 2. Tony Forfa IV, Redlands, BMW 318i; 3. Jeff Imbriani, San Bernardino, Nissan truck; 4. Gil Everhart, Bloomington, Toyota truck; 5. Dan Gutierrez, Redlands, Toyota truck; 6. Kim Marzullo, San Bernardino, Toyota truck; 7. Gary Mendoza, Bloomington, Honda Prelude; 8. Andy Reed, Bloomington, Toyota truck; 9. Greg France, Alta Loma, Chevrolet truck; 10. Victor Garcia, San Bernardino, Toyota truck; 11. Gary McLaughlin, Garden Grove, Toyota sedan. Margin of victory – 2.799 seconds. Average speed – 36.525 mph. Trophy Dash winner – French. Leading qualifier – French, 16.084/55.956. |
| Stock Cars USA |
| 1. Johnny Malcolm Jr., Corona, Chevrolet Monte Carlo; 2. Mark Fletchall, Riverside, Chevrolet Chevelle; 3. Kevin Cook, Riverside, Chevrolet Malibu; 4. Dave Foster, Riverside, Chevrolet Monte Carlo; 5. Scott Groom, Anaheim, Chevrolet Nova; 6. Gary Marler, La Crescenta, Chevrolet Nova; 7. Don Rudd, Riverside, Chevrolet Nova; 8. Steven Clark, Riverside, Chevrolet Monte Carlo; 9. Allen Hevy, Yucca Valley, Chevrolet Nova. Margin of victory – 2.239 seconds. Average speed – 57.299 mph. Trophy Dash winner – Malcolm. Leading qualifier – Cook, 15.252/59.009. |
| Stock Cars USA Figure 8 (20 Laps) |
| 1. Cook; 2. Malcolm; 3. Rudd; 4. Marler; 5. Groom. |
| Stock OHV Karts (20 laps) |
| 1. Steve Larson, Fontana, CRG/Honda; 2. Nevada Chovan, Rialto, Phantom/Clone; 3. Mike Brinegar, Garden Grove, Legend/Honda; 4. Vernon Helbig, Long Beach, CRG/Honda; 5. Joseph Haytas, Upland, CRG/Honda; 6. Homer Ford, San Bernardino, CRG/Honda. Margin of victory – 3.448 seconds. Average speed – 57.589 mph. Trophy Dash winner – Larson. Leading qualifier – Larson, 15.234/59.078 (record; was 15.292, Chovan, 5-15-2010). |
| Dwarf Cars (35 Laps) |
| 1. Kyle Cline, Apple Valley, ’39 Chevrolet/Kawasaki; 2. Michael Shively, Hesperia, ’34 Ford/Kawasaki; 3. David Quigley, La Mirada, ’34 Ford/Kawasaki; 4. Chris Sullivan, San Bernardino, ’32 Ford/Suzuki; 4. Tom Mihalov, Oceanside, ’38 Ford/Suzuki; 5. Roger Ganzer, Oceanside, ’34 Ford/Suzuki; 6. Michael Vasquez, Corona, ’32 Ford/Suzuki; 7. Ron Prather, Highland, ’34 Ford/Kawasaki; 8. Steve Barden, Apple Valley, ’39 Chevrolet/Suzuki. Margin of victory – 1 lap-plus. Average speed – 35.477 mph. Trophy Dash winner – Cline. Leading qualifier – Cline, 13.507/66.632 (record; was 13.688, Cline, 4-17-2010). |
