UKIAH, California — It was Fan Appreciation Night at the races at Ukiah Speedway Saturday and all spectators got in free. The Anderson Logging sponsored event drew a huge crowd to watch the final race of the season for the Airport Auto Brokers Late Models. Corey James of Laytonville took the lead away from Junior Roddy of Gualala on a lap 59 restart and stayed out in front the remaining laps to claim his second feature event in the Late Models Series. Junior Roddy set fast time over the 11 car field with a 12.368 second lap.
It was also the final points race for the Pro-4 Modified Group with Jake Tillman of Cobb the fast qualifier (13.409) as well as the main event winner. But it was Neo Nuno of Cobb who was crowned the 2011 Pro-4 Modified champion and Vince Sanchez of Windsor earning Rookie of the Year honors.
The 50 lap Bud Bomber Bash went to RJ Randall of Ukiah, who was also the quickest bomber of the night, clocking in at 15.472 seconds. Jeremy Doss of Upper Lake set fast time (14.232) and chalked up his ninth victory in the Airport Auto Brokers Legends Cars class. And Conrad Cavallero of Santa Rosa aced out Zach Frazer in a photo finish to win the Nor-Cal Hard Top exhibition race.
AIRPORT AUTO BROKERS LATE MODELS
Mike Neilson was the early leader in Late Model action with Jeremy Donahoo and Clay Caturegli next in line. Todd Lands lost ground on the outside allowing both Jeremy Doss and Junior Roddy to slip into fourth and fifth. Donahoo rammed into the back of Neilson breaking him loose, and when Caturegli slowed to avoid a mishap, Doss and Roddy could not stop in time and both spun in turn 4, bringing out the first yellow flag.
The race was slowed again the following round when Myles Anderson spun in four. But just before he did Donahoo inched ahead of Neilson at the line to take over the lead. The double-file restart saw Corey James move into third behind Donahoo and Caturegli with Roddy and trophy dash winner Jeremy Hopkins next in line. The cars stayed nose-to-tail the next 33 rounds until lap 49. Jeremy Doss tried to get under Hopkins but when Hopkins closed the door both cars lost control and dove into the infield. Hopkins cars shot back on the track in front of on-coming traffic. With no where to go Lands drove head-on into Hopkin's car bringing out the red flag.
The restart saw Donahoo and Caturegli side-by-side for two laps, but when Donahoo pushed high Junior Roddy filled the space and shot under Donahoo to take the lead. James followed Roddy's line settling into second as Caturegli faded to sixth. But Roddy's lead was short-lived as he slowed on lap 58 and limped to the pits with a broken wheel and flat tire bringing out the final caution flag.
This put James and Allen Gibney in the front row for the restart with Jeremy Doss and Caturegli in row two. James pulled ahead as Gibney gave way to Doss and Donahoo. As Donahoo pushed high on lap 64 Caturegli moved into third. Donahoo pushed high again allowing Gibney and Roddy to gain position. Gibney and Roddy swapped places on 68. At the checkered flag it was James, Doss, Caturegli, Roddy, Gibney, Donahoo, Anderson and Neilson.
PRO-4 MODIFIEDS
Chelsea Champagne and Nick Hansen shared the front row for the start of the Pro-4 Modified main event, and at the drop of the green flag Hansen charged ahead. The outside lane was strong with Nick King, Curt Lewis Neo Nuno and Joe Aiken all filing around Champagne. King continued his outside run until he was out in front, and by lap 10 it was King, C. Lewis, Marty Lewis, Jake Tillman and Nuno.
When the pack settled into single file, Tillman stayed high passing M. Lewis on 11, inching by C. Lewis on 14, and stealing the lead away from King on 17. M. Lewis swapped places with C. Lewis on 18 as the laps were counting down. With only four laps to go C. Lewis drove around King for second. The finishing order of the non-stop event saw Tillman earn his third consecutive win followed by M. Lewis, King, Nuno, C. Lewis, Aiken, Kevin Barba, Johnny Barker, Champagne, Hansen and Vince Sanchez. Heat wins went to King and Aiken.
BUD BOMBERS
The annual Bud Bomber Bash gives the drivers an opportunity to run without a restrictor plate giving their cars more horsepower. With several cars electing to start at the back Roman Rose started on the pole where he charged ahead of Todd Jurrens at the start. Rose's car broke loose on the back stretch on lap two, was t-boned by RJ Randall, sending Rose to the pits with a flat tire. This put Danny Helm out in front with Rick Jelton second and Dylan Rose third. Jelton took control until lap five when the yellow flew again for a confrontation between Jurrens and Tim Buzzard Jr. The following round saw George Abella spin, and on that restart Bob Mook took the lead with D. Rose under Jelton for second and Randall third.
Rose got loose on lap 11 allowing Randall to move into second. Mook kept Randall back through three more cautions, but on the fourth restart Randall got the jump and blasted out into the lead on lap 17. Five rounds later D. Rose did a 360 spin on the front stretch. He kept his car going and only lost two positions to Jelton and Rick Tommila. Rose got back by Tommila on 25, but when his car pushed high, Tommila got back under Rose. The pair ran side-by-side for five laps before Tommila finally claimed the spot.
Tommila lost control and spun on lap 36 for the eighth caution in the event. Nine rounds later Buzzard drove off the track for the final caution. The final five saw Randall in complete control where he drove the distance for his first season win. Mook finished second ahead of Jelton, D. Rose, Abella and Tommila. Amy Burger, Buzzard, Jurrens, Helm, R. Rose and Jack Gettle rounded out the top 11. Heat race wins went to R. Rose and Abella.
LEGENDS CARS
Caity Miller pulled out in front of Zach Frazer in the Legends Car feature with Bob Kuebler and Jim Sturges in third and fourth. Lap two saw Kevin Coburn and Forrest Kuecker tangle, sending Kuecker's car off the track in turn four. Miller forged ahead again on the restart followed by Frazer and Kuebler. Meanwhile both Chase Majdic and Jeremy Doss were picking off cars. Sturges swapped places with Kuebler on lap six, and both Majdic and Doss drove by on seven. While Majdic was attempting to get by Sturges, the two made contact with Sturges spinning.
Majdic bumped Miller on the restart, pushing her into the infield and out of the lead. Majdic was sent to the back, leaving Doss in the number one spot. Mike Doss moved into second with Kuecker third. J. Doss drove away from the field, putting several lapped cars between him and the rest of the pack. At the checkered flag it was J. Doss, M. Doss. Kuecker, Chris Straka, Cameron Austin, Frazer, Majdic, Coburn, Kuebler and Miller. Frazer and Austin were heat race winners.
The next auto racing event at Ukiah Speedway will be the two-day “Bubba” Silva Memorial on October 22 and23.
