VICTORVILLE: With all the excitement and festivities at the San Bernardino County Fairgrounds this Cinco de Mayo weekend, the Route 66 Raceway was more than eager to join in and turn up the heat on what turned out to be one beautiful Saturday.
A large crowd filtered in to partake of some of the most competitive and daring races ever to hit the dirt at Route 66 Raceway. Running five different divisions on Saturday, there was a tremendous turnout of drivers. Eighty-nine drivers were lined-up and ready to hit the dirt and take their chances for first place.
Event heats were aggressive. Vying for first placement in starting positions for the race, drivers were pushing their equipment and their competitors to the limit and sometimes the walls. All Americans, Mini Stocks, Street Stocks, Super Streets, and Powder Puffs joined the Mini Dwarfs in furious competition. With dirt flying and engines screaming, Jeff Baily, #77, overtook Mike Olson, #187, David Lord, #56, and the other All American drivers for first place for the night. Mini-Stocks were at their best and meanest with the wall being the biggest obstacle as the lead cars keep their positions. Seven must be the lucky number for Cinco de Mayo as the top five all contained the number seven. Bill Watson, #7, held back Robby Cockrell, #70, Andy Moreton, #07, Mark Nustad, #17, and Craig Baker, #79. See the Mini-Stocks later this month on May 26th to see how many get number changes.
Street Stocks were hitting the track in all their glory with an exciting and dramatic finish by winner Randy Vogel, #24. Randy worked his way from the middle of the pack and cemented his first place victory by pushing his way through the rushing metal and engines to breeze through. Mark Forbes, #7, Robbie Hart, #71, Jimmy George, #8, and Mike Milender, #2x, rounded out the finishers with 2nd, 3rd, 4th,and 5th places, respectively.
Super Streets made their second showing with metal hitting metal while vying for the top position. Earl Cox, #8 stretched out for first place with Danny Queener, #18 taking a close second. Jay Ownbey, #9, Mike Morris, #37, and J.D. Reyes, #09 took 3rd, 4th, and 5th, respectively.
Powder Puffs rolled out onto the track and showed the guys they way they do it. With most of the drivers using their husband's cars, the women were well acclimated to the equipment. Keeping it all in the family, Kathy Forbes, #7 took first place with her husband's Street Stock. Leticia Rook, #45, Serena Gordon, #10, Ann Ribbe, #75, and Melinda Coburn, #17 rounded out 2nd through 5th placements. A surprising addition tot he Route 66 Raceway track is Serena Gordon and her #10 car. Serena is only sixteen and received her driver's license just a few days before she first raced. That's determination!
Placements for divisions are as follows:
Minis 1st-#7 (Bill Watson), 2nd-#70 (Robby Cockrell), 3rd,-#07 (Andy Moreton), 4th-#17 (Mark Nustad), 5th #79 (Craig Baker)
All American 1st-#77 (Jeff Bailey), 2nd-#187 (Mike Olson), 3rd-#56 (David Lord), 4th-#61 (Rob MacDonald), 5th-#71 (Tom Gillespie)
Street Stock 1st-#24 (Randy Vogel), 2nd-#7 (Mark Forbes), 3rd-#71 (Robbie Hart, 4th-#8 (Jimmy George), 5th-#2X (Mike Milender)
Super Streets 1st-#8 (Earl Cox), 2nd-#18 (Danny Queener), 3rd- #9 (Jay Ownbey), 4th-#37 (Mike Morris), 5th-#09 (J.D. Reyes)
Powder Puffs 1st-#7 (Cathy Forbes), 2nd-#45 (Leticia Rook),
3rd-#10 (Serena Gordon), 4th-#75 (Ann Ribbe),
5th-#17- (Melinda Coburn)
The Route 66 Raceway was at its hottest Saturday and the fans enjoyed every dirt throwing, smashing, crashing minute of it! For more information contact the fairgrounds at (760) 951-2200 or Business Builders at 760/961-2002 or check Route 66 Raceway out on the web at sbcfair.com/r66r/
