It was one of the most entertaining race nights that race fans have seen at Lakeport Speedway this year. The excitement at the speedway is continuing to build over the next few weeks as there is something special running every night, starting next weekend on June 18th with the Kulture Shock Car Show, along with the Wrecking Yard Rumble to finish the night out. The most exciting event that the Lakeport Speedway and Robinson Rancheria Resort and Casino are going to be putting on is the fireworks show at the race track on the 3rd of July, where the fireworks will be shooting off right from the infield. The prelude to this show was started this weekend by the action on the speedway, seeing some first time winners for the year, and some repeat winners. The action started out early in hot laps with some minor altercations and mechanical failures on cars, setting up a very interesting evening.
The action started off hot in the Lake County Off Road Extreme Asphalt Outlaws, where the division saw the young Driver Kyle Tellstrom from Ukiah set the fast time on the evening. Setting fast time for the night left the youngster starting deep in the field forcing him to have to work his way up through the pack for his eventual main event victory. After warming the cars up and getting set for the main mechanical difficulties for the car of Mike Smithhart and David Lyndall to retire to the pit. After the cars got lined back up we went to green with Steve Taylor and Dale Preston setting the pace to the green, and after the green fell we saw Preston jump out to the early lead. Preston was followed to the lead by Justin Dutcher, which on lap six was passed by Sean Sweeny of Kelseyville. The race continued to see Tellstrom work his way up to the second position on lap number nine, making the pass for the lead on the next lap. The only yellow came out on lap number sixteen when contact was made between the cars running in third and fourth causing Preston to spin collecting, Dutcher, Taylor, and Jones. The race restarted seeing Tellstrom pull back out in the lead never to look back taking the checkers for the second time this year in the outlaws.
The Clover Hydro Jammers took the track following the exciting race in the Extreme Asphalt Outlaw main, with Nolan Forsythe sitting on the pole and Hayley Bishop on the outside pole. After taking the green Forsythe jumped out to the early lead followed by Jackson Long. Long made the pass for the lead on lap number two only to be passed himself for the lead by Ellis Thornton on lap number 6. The race continued event free for the remaining laps to see Thornton take the win, followed by Klein, Long and Young.
The entertainment was just starting; the large field of the Coors Light Modifieds took the field with Darrin Snider of Kelseyville sitting on the pole and Thomas Wright starting on the outside pole. The pair put on a race for the lead showing the talents of the two drivers shine as they went side by side for the first ten laps of the race. Wright made a pass for the lead on lap number eleven, never to look back taking his first main win for the season. He did not have an easy run though because Richie Potts was right on his tail the entire time trying to challenge him for the lead. A late race caution fell for Steve Taylor who slowed coming out of turn number four. The race restarted single file with only six laps remaining, with Wright leading the way. Wright took the checkers followed by Potts, Sweeney and Snider.
In the Taco Bell Bomber division Evan Smith of Lakeport had a motor expire at the end of the Trophy dash, so he started the main in a backup car loaned to him by Forrest Keucker. He started in the rear of the field and retired after the first lap in the main. The race was led to the green by Anthony Esberg of Kelseyville and Robert Taylor of Lakeport. Taylor jumped out to the early lead, to be followed by Don Cox of Kelseyville and Brian Denton, with Mr. Excitement Rich Mills working his way up through the field in his car. Charlie Collins was on the move from the rear of the field making a pass for the lead on lap number ten, with Denton making a pass for second on lap eleven, setting his sights to challenge Collins for his first win of the year. Going down the back straight Denton’s motor let go leaving a swath of oil down the back shoot all the way around into turn number one. Not expecting the oil coming into turn number three the car of Cox lost control and backed hard into the wall, sliding along the top of the wall coming to rest in the middle of turn three and four, the oil also collected Andy Norton of Finley. After an extensive cleanup was taking place the race was called due to time with Collins taking the win, followed by Mr. Excitement Mills, and Mike Swaney.
The derby drivers where suffering the same results that all the other drivers where through the night with some of the contestants not being able to make the show due to mechanical failures prior to the event, but that did not let the crowd down because the top three drivers in the county where among the participants in this event. The action was really heated between Tim LaPoint and Jason Ingham. They traded blows all night long during the event until they eventually, like to prize fighters got locked up in battle and could not get separated. After all the scores were tallied, it was determined that the winner was Ingham followed by LaPoint.
Racing action continues next weekend at Lakeport Speedway for the Kulture Shock Car show along with the Coors Light Modifieds, Clover Hydro Jammers, The Lake County Off Road Extreme Asphalt Outlaws, Taco Bell Bombers and the Wrecking Yard Rumble. The action is just heating up and the action is going to be really hot on the 2nd and 3rd of July when there will be a Derby, Boat Race and Fire Works throughout the holiday weekend. For the latest event information please call the speedway office at 707-279-9577 or visit the website at www.lakeportspeed
