BAKERSFIELD, California (August 14) -- As the saying goes "It ain’t over till the fat lady sings" and while the crowd was singing for Bakersfield’s Jeremy Salamacha for 77 laps of the "ELK Roofing 100" the fat lady saved her winner’s circle song for Steve Stanton of Glendale.
Salamacha started fourth and got by Bill Helgeson of Riverside by lap 12. Helgeson played catch the leader until lap 30 when he got sideways, couldn’t recover and the track went red. Several of the top points trucks had body parts all over the back straight out. DJ Ferreira of San Jacinto literally found himself upside down, but quickly got out of his truck and was done for the night. Points leader Steve Smith hit the inside wall and was out for the night. Jim McGill of Temecula went nose first into the crash wall and spent most of the night trying to get back into the race. Dan Moore of Burbank, Nathan Wulff of Escondido and Steve Stanton of Glendale were involved, but all were able to pit and get out before losing a lap. When the field reset Salamacha put some distance between his #21 truck and Dave Blankenship of Stevenson Ranch, who had inherited the #2 position.
"We’ve got the set-up tonight and the tires are good," said Salamacha at the mid-way break. "We have the truck to stay out in front tonight." And although his truck was strong after the break, Dan Moore, Nathan Wulff, and Steve Stanton were moving fast through the field. By lap 52 Moore was in 4th; by 55 he was in 3rd and by 60 he took over the 2nd position. Moore was pushing hard on Salamacha and got just a bit too close and both trucks went around and had to go to the back of the field.
Blankenship inherited the lead with Stanton and Wulff close on his bumper. A three wide battle for the lead was now in full force and at the back of the field Salamacha and Moore were working their way to the front. By lap 83 Salamacha was back in 5th and Moore was right behind him.
Stanton and Wulff were able to get around Blankenship by lap 95 and Salamacha had moved into 3rd which is were they stayed for the finish followed by Vince Little of Clovis and Blankenship. All that was left was the song of Stanton burning his tires for his victory 360 on the way to the winner’s circle.
In other action Gene Fife of Tehachapi finally found Lady Luck on his crew as he won the trophy dash and the main event staying out in front of Danny Collins of Bakerfield. Dave Howell of Rosamond put on a great race but could not hold on to the lead. Ralph Morgan of Ridgecrest and Vic Posey of Taft finished out the top five.
In a special event of the 911 Race for Youth Series the Chiefs of the five competitive departments had a re-match and although Kern County Fire Chief Dan Clark shot out front, he was eventually caught by Kern County Sheriff Stan Moe, who went too high and lost position. Bakersfield Police Chief Eric Matlock and Bakersfield Fire Chief Ron Fraze drove on by and chased down Clark. Fraze was more than any of them could handle and he won the race followed by Chief Clark, Chief Matlock, Commander Moe, and Asst. Chief of the CHP Dave Foster.
In the 911 Race For Youth points race Dave Stahl of the County Fire tried to jump out front like his Chief, but he couldn’t hold on. Gary Johannsen of the CHP flipped his warning lights on and maybe it distracted Stahl because the CHP won the race followed by Brad Roark of the BPD, Stahl, Jeff Olle of the Bakersfield Fire and Kern County Sheriff Ron Maniord.
In the Campus Motorsports High School Series Josh Robinson was two-wide most of the 12-laps with Kern Valley’s Leif Ryan until Ryan lost it and headed for the front straight wall. Earlier they had lost a transmission in their new #98. Chris Clifton of Centennial and Sukhi Grewel of South had tangled earlier and were out of the race, so Kern Valley finished 2nd to North.
Next week the NASCAR Winston Racing Series Late Models and Street Stocks return with Kevin Vernon still being chased by Mike Alsup and Mike Duncan and Mike Alexander and Daren Blanton just a point away from each other for a championship. With a full night of racing the gates open at 5:30. Tickets are $8 with kids 12 and under free.
ULTRA WHEEL SPEC TRUCKS Division
* * * QUALIFYING RESULTS * * *
1 31 DJ FERREIRA SAN JACINTO, CA 20.023
2 8 STEVE SMITH ESCONDIDO, CA 20.078
3 08 MICHAEL BRUSCO CHINO, CA 20.152
4 95 DAN MOORE BURBANK, CA 20.156
5 21 JEREMY SALAMACHA BAKERSFIELD, CA 20.190
6 15 JOE HEROLD POWAY, CA 20.277
7 18 BILL HELGESON RIVERSIDE, CA 20.318
8 37 STEVE STANTON CITY OF COMMERCE, CA 20.328
9 3 FRANK STEINER PERRIS, CA 20.360
10 77S GREG ADLER MANHATTAN BEACH, CA 20.361
11 25 JON CAMPBELL LAGUNA HILLS, CA 20.438
12 76 DARREN MICHELS VICTORVILLE, CA 20.453
13 7 JIM McGILL TEMECULA, CA 20.465
14 51 TONY DODDER HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA 20.568
15 72 NATHAN WULFF ESCONDIDO, CA 20.588
16 42 VINCE LITTLE CLOVIS, CA 20.610
17 47 DAVE BLANKENSHIP STEVENSON RANCH, CA 20.630
18 5 LARRY HINDERMAN CALIFORNIA CITY, CA 20.702
19 58 SCOTT CALVIN MORENO VALLEY, CA 20.712
20 50 MARK LAEGER 20.717
21 38 KEVIN O'NEIL LONG BEACH, CA 20.814
22 45 STEVE GOREY LAKEWOOD, CA 21.001
23 92 JOHNNY RUSSO BIG BEAR CITY, CA 21.035
24 36 RICK CAMERON SCOTTS VALLEY, CA 22.392
25 34 DENNIS MURPHY McKITTRICK, CA 23.195
26 88S CURTIS MALINS CHINO, CA 99.999
Average time of all qualifiers : 23.714
* * * Main RESULTS * * *
1 37 STEVE STANTON MAIN CITY OF COMMERCE, CA
2 72 NATHAN WULFF ESCONDIDO, CA
3 21 JEREMY SALAMACHA BAKERSFIELD, CA
4 42 VINCE LITTLE CLOVIS, CA
5 47 DAVE BLANKENSHIP STEVENSON RANCH, CA
6 77S GREG ADLER MANHATTAN BEACH, CA
7 38 KEVIN O'NEIL LONG BEACH, CA
8 58 SCOTT CALVIN MAIN MORENO VALLEY, CA
9 95 DAN MOORE BURBANK, CA
10 34 DENNIS MURPHY McKITTRICK, CA
11 5 LARRY HINDERMAN CALIFORNIA CITY, CA
12 92 JOHNNY RUSSO BIG BEAR CITY, CA
13 45 STEVE GOREY LAKEWOOD, CA
14 3 FRANK STEINER PERRIS, CA
15 25 JON CAMPBELL LAGUNA HILLS, CA
16 51 TONY DODDER HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA
17 7 JIM McGILL TEMECULA, CA
18 15 JOE HEROLD POWAY, CA
19 08 MICHAEL BRUSCO CHINO, CA
20 18 BILL HELGESON RIVERSIDE, CA
21 31 DJ FERREIRA SAN JACINTO, CA
22 8 STEVE SMITH ESCONDIDO, CA
23 50 MARK LAEGER
24 76 DARREN MICHELS VICTORVILLE, CA
MODIFIED STOCKS Division
* * * QUALIFYING RESULTS * * *
1 19 DANNY COLLINS BAKERSFIELD, CA CHEVY 20.403
2 7 GENE FIFE 21.282
3 11 VIC POSEY TAFT, CA CAMARO 21.840
4 89 RALPH MORGAN RIDGECREST, CA CHEVY 21.952
5 26 DAVE HOWELL ROSAMOND, CA 22.012
6 62 KEVIN SEVENICH 23.386
7 34 MARLIN GILL 24.067
Average time of all qualifiers : 22.135
* * * Main RESULTS * * *
1 7 GENE FIFE
2 19 DANNY COLLINS BAKERSFIELD, CA CHEVY
3 26 DAVE HOWELL ROSAMOND, CA
4 89 RALPH MORGAN RIDGECREST, CA CHEVY
5 11 VIC POSEYTAFT, CA CAMARO
6 62 KEVIN SEVENICH
7 34 MARLIN GILL
Point Analysis Report MODIFIED STOCKS Division
19 DANNY COLLINS 511, 26 DAVE HOWELL 475, 11 VIC POSEY 416, 89 RALPH MORGAN 413, 7 GENE FIFE 326, 32 TERRY SIMPSON 309, 71 TIM HARRIS 282, 38 JOHN CAPPI 196, 17 LARRY LIVELL 171, 14 ERIC SUNNESS 136, 34M DENNIS MURPHY 98, 75 LAURIE GREEN 74, 2H HOWIE SMITH 51, 09 THANE ALDERMAN 51, 2S JEFF SMITH 49, 25 TREV TAYLOR 45, 2 JERRY SMITH 45,62
KEVIN SEVENICH 40, 34 MARLIN GILL 38
CAMPUS MOTORSPORTS Division
* * * Main RESULTS * * *
1 08 NORTH HIGH
2 98 KERN VALLEY HIGH
3 97 CENTENNIAL HIGH
4 7 SOUTH HIGH
Point Analysis Report CAMPUS MOTORSPORTS Division
08 NORTH HIGH 407, 97 CENTENNIAL HIGH 380, 98 KERN VALLEY HIGH 363, 7 SOUTH HIGH 265, 84 MT. WHITNEY HIGH 97, 42 WEST HIGH 46,
911 RACE FOR YOUTH Division
* * * Main RESULTS * * *
1 5 CALIF HIGHWAY PATROL
2 4 BAKERSFIELD POLICE
3 3 KERN COUNTY FIRE
4 1 BAKERSFIED CITY FIRE
5 2 KERN COUNTY SHERIFF
Point Analysis Report 911 RACE FOR YOUTH Division
1 BAKERSFIED CITY FIRE 655, 5 CALIF HIGHWAY PATROL 647, 2 KERN COUNTY SHERIFF 629, 4 BAKERSFIELD POLICE 616, 3 KERN COUNTY FIRE 596,
911 RACE FOR YOUTH Division
