The Dynomax/Performance Corner Late Model Challenge Series came to Yakima Speedway for its second and final appearance of the Speedway season. Sixteeen cars made the field for the 75-lap main event with Rick Hager on the pole due to an eight-car invert and top qualifier Richard Worley (20.320) sitting in eighth place. With his top qualifying effort Worley was eligible for a $1,000 bonus should he win the main event.
Hager held the lead until Ron Dexter slipped past him on the backstretch of lap-18. Now sitting in third place, Worley continued his pursuit of the leaders until he was able to pass Hager on lap-32. Now, with just Dexter in between him and the bonus money, Worley began to reel in Dexter.
Then, on lap 51, just as Dexter was heading into turn three, a lap car blew an engine, immediately dropping oil. The lap car went off the track with several cars right behind him, including Dexter. Worley was able to skirt the slick spot and take the lead.
At this point, Mike Sauls, the Series points-leader, had moved up to second-place and was gaining on Worley, bringing those in attendance to their feet. With just 10 laps remaining, the leaders pulled to a three-second lead on the field.
Another yellow flag on lap 67 brought the pack together. Shortly after the restart, Sauls grabbed the lead from Worley, and the two raced side-by-side until the white flag was dropped, signaling one lap to go.
With Worley tight on his bumper, Sauls went into turn one on the outside with Worley looking to edge under on inside for the lead. Coming out of turn two Worley muscled his way past Sauls and into the lead, a position he took all the way to the checkered flag and the $1,000 bonus.
Also on Saturday night, Roy Beaman began the 35-lap Hobby Stock race on Saturday night in fourth place, but had to go to the rear of the pack when the black flag came out for him on lap six.
Due to a collision between Tim Mills and Richard Bailey, the caution flag came out only a few laps after pole-sitter James Heinle brought the field to the green. As the racers came around for the restart, Beaman jumped the start bringing out the black flag. As he settled in at his new position, it was readily evident he wasn’t going to be content remaining in last place.
With E.J. Trujillo now in first on lap six after the caution and division leader Andy Beaman, who broke his own track record in qualifying, and Bobby A. Trujillo hot on his bumper, the trio held their positions for only a few laps before Roy Beaman began to make his move.
In less than 15-laps he had moved into third place with his sights set on nephew Andy who was in second place. At this point Andy and the leader, E.J. Trujillo, were swapping chrome and repainting each other’s car before both gave way to Roy on lap-26. From that point on the new leader widened his lead and sprinted to his second win of two races. E.J., Heinle, Peters, and Bobby A. rounded out the top-five.
Also on the bill, the Foreign Stocks brought their own brand of excitement to the legendary Speedway half-mile oval. Pole-sitter Dan Hale led the field to the green flag, but surrendered his position to John Grosvenor in less than three laps, with Jim McKay coming on strong.
In less than 10-laps, the lead trio of McKay, Scott Tiplady and Grosvenor took command of the 25-lap main event. For the majority of the race they held their respective positions until the final lap when Tiplady made his move.
On the backstretch of the white-flag lap, Tiplady tried in vain to pass McKay. Then as the two came out of turn four, Tiplady put the proverbial pedal-to-the-metal and moved up on McKay, and finally passed him at the start/finish line.
On Friday night, it was another Family Night at the Races as the Bombers and the Factory Stocks met for bragging rights as the Speedway closed in on the mid-way point in the season.
For the Bombers, Jeremy Lennartz was the top-qualifier (24.686), but it was the dramatic racing by both Ralph Smith and Ashley Beaman that brought the crowd to its feet.
During qualifying the twosome both broke out with times faster that the 24.500 second limit. As a result of that dubious honor both were sent to the rear of the field for the 35-lap main event.
With an 11-car invert, Jody Crivits was on the pole, but lost his position in less than three laps to David Denton. The new lead pack of Denton, Erick Hargraves, Jason Trujillo, and Lennartz lasted for only a few laps as well before Hargraves and Trujillo grabbed the top spots.
The lead changed on many occasions with Smith moving through the field until taking second place at the mid-point of the race with Beaman also closing on the leader. A caution at lap 13 served to close the pack, with Smith, Trujillo and Beaman leading the field to the green on the restart.
For the remainder of the race, the lead trio remained in place and pulled to leads of up to eight cars until Beaman passed Trujillo with only a few laps to go for her highest finish in this her rookie season. Don Klang and Ryan Williams rounded out the top-five.
Darrell Tidrick set a new Factory Stock track record (24.646) in qualifying, but couldn’t overtake points-leader Jake Maggard in the latter stages of the two-way, 40-lap, main event. Steve Kastl held the lead for the majority of the race until handling problems forced him to the pits, and enabled Maggard to claim his fifth straight win to remain undefeated. Brad Tidrick, Josh Mears and Billy Benge rounded out the top five.
Results: Dynomax Late Models: 1. Richard Worley, 2. Mike Sauls, 3. Devin Eierman, 4. Steve Wilkening, 5. Rick Hager, 6. Loren Sutphin, 7. John Fugitt, 8. Donny Clark, 9. Jim Losch, 10. Rick Hall, 11. Jason Hendrick, 12. Wilbur Bruce, 13. Dave Kline, 14. Ron Dexter, 15. Kurt Meyer, 16. Ron Wolfe. Top qualifier: Richard Worley (20.320) A Trophy Dash: Wolfe, Sauls, Worley, Bruce B Trophy Dash: Kline, Wilkening, Sutphin, Fugitt
Hobby Stocks: 1. Roy Beaman, 2. E.J.Trujillo. 3. James Heinle, 4. Rich Peters, 5. Jason Trujillo, 6. Chuck Cook, Jr., 7. Ted Wilburn, 8. Harold Seekins, 9. Tim Mills, 10. Richard Bailey, 11. Andy Beaman, 12. Jason Huffines, 13. Tony Huffines, 14. Terry Cook, 15. Mark Harrah. Top Qualifier: A. Beaman (23.483) A Trophy Dash: R. Beaman, E.J. Trujillo, Peters, A. Beaman B Trophy Dash: Seekins, C. Cook, J. Huffines, Wilburn Heat Race 1: Wilburn, J. Huffines, Mills, Bailey, C. Cook, T. Huffines, Harrah, Seekins Heat Race 2: R. Beaman, A. Beaman, E.J. Trujillo, B. Trujillo, T. Cook, Heinle, Peters
Foreign Stocks: 1. Scott Tiplady, 2. Jim McKay, 3. John Grosvenor, 4. Ted Mundy, 5. Dan Hale, 6. Bob Quartermain, 7. Jerry Koepping, 8. Jeff Jones. Top Qualifier: Jeff Jones (21.317) A Trophy Dash: Grosvenor, Mundy, Hale, Koepping B Trophy Dash: Tiplady, Quartermain, Jones, McKay Heat Race: McKay, Tiplady, Mundy, Jones, Grosvenor, Koepping, Hale, Quarterman
Bombers: 1. Ralph Smith, 2. Ashley Beaman, 3. Jason Trujillo, 4. Don Klang, 5. Ryan Williams, 6. Dave Denton, 7. Don Sowder, 8. Erick Hargraves, 9. Buck Noel, Jr., 10. Derrick Denton, 11. Jody Crivits, 12. Fred Berglind, 13. Jeremy Lennartz. Top Qualifier: Jeremy Lennartz (24.686) A Trophy Dash: Hargraves, Trujillo, Noel, Lennartz B Trophy Dash: Crivits, Klang, Derrick Denton, Williams Heat Race 1: Klang, Williams, Derrick Denton, Sowder, Berglind, Crivits Heat Race 2: Trujillo, Hargraves, David Denton, Smith, Lennartz, Beaman, Noel
Factory Stock: 1. Jake Maggard, 2. Darrell Tidrick, 3. Brad Tidrick, 4. Billy Benge, 5. Paul Manka, 6. Josh Mears, 7. Dan Monroe, 8. Mike Malulla, 9. Mark Tenney, 10. Steve Kastl
Top Qualifier: Darrell Tidrick (24.646)
A Trophy Dash: Kastl, Maggard, D. Tidrick, Benge
B Trophy Dash: Mears, Manka, Malulla, Monroe
Heat Race: D. Tidrick, B. Tidrick, Mears, Maggard, Benge, Monroe, Manka, Malulla, Tenney, Kastl
