It's coming down to the nitty-gritty for Jerry Gay, Ron Overman, Gary Tamborelli, and John Tyczki at Cajon Speedway. Each wants to be the late model sportsman champion at the 3/8-mile paved oval this year. They only have two opportunities left to gain the points that will earn them that championship.
So with so much on the line, each is certainly going to have their car ready for this Saturday night's NASCAR Weekly Racing Series event at the track. Race time is 6:45 PM. Qualifying runs which will determine the lineup for the points-rich 40-lap main event will start at 5:15.
Sharing the track with the sportsman will be the other four local racing divisions, the Grand American modifieds, street stocks, pony stocks, and bomber stocks. Mike Salm could sew up the modified championship. Danny Gay pocketed his second straight street stock title two weeks ago. Jimmy Kyte has been in the driver's seat for pony stock honors since late July, but has watched as Ed Hale has cut the margin in half during the last three outings. In the bomber stocks, Pat Garity clinched his first title last Saturday. But the focus all season long has been in Cajon's premier division where the four drivers are separated by just 74 markers. With 95 points possible this Saturday and 145 on the line in next week's Grand Prix, the battle at the top is definitely too close to call. All but Tyczki have previously been champions in Cajon's top class. In fact Tamborelli is gunning for a record fourth straight title. Gay was the last driver to deny Tambo the trophy. He won back in 1996. Overman was the 1974 super stock champion; he edged out Gary Crossland by a mere four points.
Tamborelli now leads the chase after winning last week's wild 40-lapper. Tamborelli has 1262 points. Tyczki is second with 1253 while Gay, who paced the standings prior to last week, has slipped to third with 1251. Ron Overman is now facing an uphill fight in the standings. He has dropped to 74 points behind Tamborelli; he has 1188 markers.
Salm can wrap up things in the modifieds if he can carry a 241 point bulge out of this weekend's action. Salm ran second to Scott Brown last Saturday. Brown is the only driver with a chance to catch Salm. But he is 185 points behind. He would need a nearly perfect night while Salm has a disaster to keep his slim title hopes alive.
CAJON SPEEDWAY NASCAR WEEKLY RACING SERIES POINT STANDINGS
LATE MODEL SPORTSMAN
1 Gary Tamborelli Escondido 7 wins 1262
2 John Tyczki Jr Lakeside 3 wins 1253
3 Jerry Gay San Diego 3 wins 1251
4 Ron Overman Lakeside 2 wins 1188
5 Todd McLauchlan Alpine 2 wins 986
6 Dee Cable Santee 680
7 Russ Gregson Santee 542
8 Robert Parenteau Lakeside 526
9 Don Kerr El Cajon 2 wins 448
10 Jack Lee Vista 418
GRAND AMERICAN MODIFIED
1 Mike Salm Fallbrook 6 wins 964
2 Scott Brown Lakeside 1 win 779
3 Douglas Carpenter La Mesa 734
4 Randy Keatts Santee 721
5 Lance Biggers Alpine 7 wins 554
6 Mike Jackson Bonita 450
7 Dave Williams Escondido 346
8 Ron Nava Encinitas 338
9 Bo Lemler Bonita 1 win 274
10 Steve Teets Ramona 1 win 217
STREET STOCK
1 Danny Gay Lakeside 13 wins 1495
2 Eric Evans Imperial Beach 967
3 Rick Hagen Alpine 1 win 892
4 Scott Moses Chula Vista 861
5 Rob Freeman Santee 784
6 Rich Green Jr. El Cajon 2 wins 696
7 Rob Overman El Cajon 675
8 Ivan Harrison Santee 584
9 Dave Arce Santee 562
10 Brian Collins Oceanside 476
PONY STOCK
1 Jimmy Kyte Lakeside 2 wins 1060
2 Ed Hale El Cajon 6 wins 965
3 Andy Papp La Mesa 1 win 811
4 Douglas Wright Jr. Jamul 2 wins 779
5 Marty Schmidt El Cajon 716
6 Ralph Smith Santee 1 win 649
7 Billy Hoagland Santee 2 wins 634
8 Troy Hatfield Descanso 609
9 Earl Downing Spring Valley 524
10 Bob Cloke El Cajon 488
BOMBER STOCK
1 Pat Garity El Cajon 5 wins 1437
2 Mark Holland San Diego 1 win 1095
3 Scott Youngren Fallbrook 717
4 Randy Wallace El Cajon 6 wins 708
5 Bob Wickey Spring Valley 2 wins 707
6 Bill Holland El Cajon 696
7 John Luecht Chula Vista 1 win 665
8 Alex McKay San Diego 644
9 Chris Boyer San Diego 584
10 Mark Schilling Oceanside 582
