SNIDER CLAIMS TRI TRACK CHALLENGE RACE AT UKIAH SPEEDWAY

UKIAH, California — For the second week in a row, Darin Snider of Kelseyville set fast time and captured the 50 lap main event in the Bill Binns Machine Shop Modified class during race #3 of the Tri Track Challenge Series at Ukiah Speedway night. Snider started on the pole and led every lap, holding off the challenges of first Rich Lindgren of Rio Linda and then Sacramento's Jason Philpot for the very impressive win.

In other racing action Anthony McCoy of Redwood Valley won a 20-lap side-by-side battle with Kevin Brackett when track officials stopped the race to put Brackett back one position for hogging the track. The final 10 saw McCoy hold back George Abella to collect his second season victory in the Bud Bombers. McCoy's last win was on April 23.

Josh Rose of Ukiah led all but three laps to conquer the Speedy Signs Street Stock feature, Frankie Pickrell of Ukiah chalked up win #3 in the Dennis Furia Heating & Air Bandolero division, and Jesse Hutchins of Ukiah is back on top with his fifth event win on the 4-Banger road course.

TRI TRACK CHALLENGE MODIFIEDS

The stage was set for the start of the modified feature when fast heat winner Philpot drew the #4 pill placing Snider and Lindgren in the front row. Drew Smith and Philpot shared row two with Tri Track points leaders Guy Young and Kyle Borden next in line. Snider pulled ahead slightly at the start and Lindgren pulled back in line after a 2-lap attempt to pass on the outside failed. Philpot dove in front of Smith as Borden and Young battled for fifth and sixth.

Philpot tagged the back of Lindgren's car on lap five but backed off so Lindgren could gain control as Snider was driving away. Snider had a quarter of a lap on the rest of the field by the 10th circuit, and on 15 the lapping process began giving Philpot an opportunity to to dive under Lindgren to assume second place.

The first yellow flew on lap 24 when Brenton Smith lost a drive shaft after blowing his engine dropping oil the entire length of the race track. On the restart Young made contact with Lindgren sending Lindgren into a spin. This put Young and Lindgren to the rear moving up D. Smith and Borden. The race was slowed again two rounds later when Richard Knight spun on the front stretch. This tightened up the field where Philpot stayed on Snider's bumper the remaining laps.

With only two laps to go Borden went high allowing Young to take over fourth, and at the checkered flag it was Snider for a $750 win followed by Philpot for $400, D. Smith for $300, Young for $225 and Borden for $150. Lindgren, Eric Johnson, David Lyndall, Knight and B. Smith rounded out the top 10. Heat winner Shelby Helm and Tri Track race #1 winner Thomas Wright both suffered engine problems and were unable to start the main event.

BUD BOMBERS

Brackett and Rick Jelton shared the front row in the bomber 30 lapper and when Brackett took off Jelton fell back opening the door for McCoy to inch forward. On the second round fourth-place runner George Abella's car broke loose and drifted high coming out of four, Bob Mook filled the gap creating a three-wide with Abella, Mook and Ron Duke Jr. When the trio hit turn one, contact was made resulting in Abella spinning to bring out the yellow flag. At the same time Duke hit the back of Rick Tommila's car with Duke pitting with a water leak.

The race got back under way, this time without Duke, and Brackett and McCoy were at it again. Brackett took a little more race track with each pass and was warned by officials to “Pick a Lane.” Lap 16 saw Jimmy Sorrels bump Brackett sending Brackett's car up into McCoy's car. Although the leaders continues, Mook had no where to go and drove off the track in turn two, bringing the race to a halt.

Again Brackett and McCoy were along side each other, but Brackett continued to made his car wider and wider until track officials stopped the race and penalized Brackett one spot. McCoy drove the remaining laps to take the win. Abella and Brackett were next across the line with Sorrels making a last-lap pass on Mook for fourth. Sorrels set fast time with McCoy and Abella heat race winners.

SPEEDY SIGNS STREET STOCKS

Once again the street stock field was reduced by two when Ross English experienced motor problems and Blair Aiken, driving for Corey James, retired his car before the initial green flag fell. It was Jeramy Lippencott ahead of Louis Hoaglin at the start but it only took Rose three laps to catch and pass the front runners. Rose drove away leaving the battle for second to Lippencott and Hoaglin.

The race went non-stop with Rose in a decisive win over Lippencott and Hoaglin. Rose also won the heat race and Aiken set fast time of 14.506.

DENNIS FURIA HEATING & AIR BANDOLEROS

Not even one lap was complete in the bandolero race before chaos plagued the event. Tim Buzzard Jr.'s car stalled coming out of turn four and was rear-ended by Trystan Mucci. Mucci's car spun around and the pack scattered. Buzzard's car was pushed to the pits with a broken chain and did not return.

When racing finally got under way Pickrell forged ahead of Kolby Berry. Mucci moved around Sammy Nuno for third with Nuno retiring to the pits the following round. The remaining laps went non-stop with Pickrell picking up win #3 in front of Berry and Mucci. Pickrell also set fast time and won the heat race making it a clean-sweep for the 11 year old youngster.

4-BANGERS

One more tire barrier was added to the 4-Banger chicane course, and now the leaders had to run the outside groove on both ends of the track and work their ways through the road course on the front stretch and the back stretch. This made passing possible in all areas of the course and several times the lead changes two or three times on each pass.

A near flip occurred on lap two when Jimmy Gard and Jed Jones both tried to occupy the same real estate entering the chicane. The two made contact, Gard drove up on the tire, went airborne but came back down on his wheels. It was the end of the road for Gard as he watched his car get towed to the pits.

The next 10 laps saw Jones and Hutchins swap places for the lead several times with Hutchins out in front at the checkered flag. Jones finished second ahead of Trevor Abella, Brianna Norton and Monte Abel. Jones won the heat race and Jamie Gallant set fast time.

Auto racing takes a holiday break but will return to Ukiah Speedway on Saturday, July 9 with the Airport Auto Brokers Late Models and Legends Cars joining the Bud Bombers, Speedy Signs Street Stocks and the Dennis Furia Heating & Air Bandoleros. Gates open at 5 pm each night with racing at 7 pm. A complete schedule can be found on line at www.UkiahSpeedway.com.