March 31, 2001 – Bakersfield, CA – Mesa Marin Raceway’s 2000 Track Champion Mike Duncan held on to take home the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series Late Model Main Event trophy tonight. But for forty-eight of the 75-lap main, Jason Small of Bakersfield was the car to beat. Small jumped out to an early lead and survived charges from Kevin Vernon and Duncan. Hard times struck on lap 48 as Small’s #14 shot out of control into the turn 2 wall and his night was over.
Vernon jumped out front on the restart. Duncan seemed to be catching him on lap 70 to make it a race for the finish, but then on lap 72 Vernon went high into the wall to avoid spinning another race car. Duncan inherited the lead and held it through the green, white checkered to take the win. Dan Holtz of Pacific Palisades was 2nd followed by Jeremy Salamacha of Bakersfield, Brandon Miller of Santa Ana, and Rodney Peacher of North Hills.
Leslie Lipscomb of Paso Robles received the TimberWolf Hard Charger Award for the week.
In the Cam 360 Super Modifieds it was a sweet victory for pole-sitter Danny Herzog of Fresno. Herzog’s #1 distanced himself in an early lead and wasn’t going to give it up for anything. The battles fought for the night first of all between 2000 Champion Jim Tartaglia of Reedley and then Ron Fena of Fresno. Fena finally had to give it up when his #7 slowed on lap 33 of 40. Then Tartaglia had to fend off WSMRA Champ Troy Riguer of Dinuba as they tried to close the gap on Herzog. Tartaglia had to settle for 2nd followed by Reguir, Bill Wilker of Reedley and A.J.Russell of Fresno.
It was a great field of Limited Late Models, a new division for Mesa Marin that revised some of the former rules and body style for the Modified Stocks. But former Modified Stock Champ Danny Collins proved he still had it by winning both the 40-lap main event and earlier Trophy Dash. Last season’s champ, Gene Fife made him earn it as Fife took 2nd followed by Shane Thompson, Gerry Carr and Richard Hooper.
Finally, always a favorite of the night was the Street Stocks and it was a wild one.
Robert Faithinger of Visalia started on the pole and held his own during the 25-lap main event. But Jeron Parks, who drove just last season for Valley High School in the Campus Motorsports Series was on the move to the front along with Tony Alvarez. By lap 10 Parks had the lead, but Alvarez’ experience eventually won out and the lead was his by lap 17. Parks would have had a second, but was later disqualified in tech. Faithinger took 2nd followed by Josh Horn, Billy Tucker and Jeff Beard.
Next week the NASCAR Southwest Series makes its first of three visits to Mesa Marin. Also on the program are Limited Late Models, a Mini Stock Open, and the 911 Race for Youth Series.
