MERCED, California — Troy Foulger of Martinez raced twenty laps with a flat left front tire, steering his way through several wrecks to come from the back of the pack and win the DIRTcar West Modified Stock Car feature event at Merced Speedway Friday night.
"I went up and ran the cushion, and it was good."— Troy Foulger
“I went up and ran the cushion, and it was good,” Foulger explained. “I had to give it more gas and ride the brakes, and I was able to keep off the left front tire.”
It was Foulger’s second win of the season at Merced Speedway. Foulger earned his moniker “Tricky Troy” by pulling moves out of a hat.
“I learned that one racing in Oregon,” he added. “It worked for me there, so I was confident I could make it work here.”
Merced’s Chris Shannon was hoping to lock up the track championship by driving Mike Villanueva’s new modified, and he did just that with a seventh place finish. Foulger knew he had to win and Shannon had do poorly.
“Hey, I’m disappointed we couldn’t go at it next week in the final points race,” Foulger said in victory lane. “But I’m glad it is Chris (Shannon) who is champion.”
Shannon felt relieved. He jumped in Villanueva’s car to protect his championship point lead after his car was wrecked in Oregon last weekend.
“The pressure is off,” he said. “I’ll be back with my regular car next Sunday. We’ll have a good race.”
Dan Gonderman of Antioch won the All Star Wingless Sprint car feature event, topping Chowchilla high school student Christian Hickman.
Hickman, who also wrapped up a championship, came on strong in the final laps of the feature event.
“I knew he’d be there, he’s fast,” Gonderman said in victory lane. “I swapped my line around a little so I wouldn’t open the door for him.”
It was a great night for Tim Elias in the “Four Banger” main event. Elias, always the bridesmaid, never the bride, won his first feature event since 1992.
“It’s been a long time,” Elias said. “It was fun winning.”
Second to Elias was Justin Magleby, the two drivers have shops next to each other in Merced. It was Magleby’s best finish in his rookie season, having raced just six times.
Third place in the “Four Banger” feature went to the youngest driver ever to place in a top three at Merced Speedway. Ronnie Cole, a Mariposa Middle School Student and baseball player, passed a field of experienced drivers to join the leaders by the end of the race. Cole is just 13 years old.
Larry Damitz, 82 years old, continued his winnings in the Super Stock main event. Shane Hausmann tightened his car up and it paid off as he won the Valley Sportsman feature event. Ryan Hart was challenged all the way by one of Antioch Speedway’s top drivers, Cole Oreta of Vacaville, in a thrilling Hobby Stock main event, which started 16 cars.
The last regular point race of the season takes place Sunday, Sept. 26 at 5 p.m. Merced Speedway will host a major race featuring Western All Stars Late Model Sportsman and DIRTcar West Modifieds on Oct. 2.
| DIRTcar West Modifieds |
|---|
| Heat 1 1. 31m Vance Beltran 2. 19 Royce Mull 3. 49 Troy Foulger 4. 3 Derick Colvin 5. 78 Jarod Fast 6. 31 Brad Murphy Heat 2 1. 73 Steve Stone 2. 14P Ryan Porter 3. 25dd Danny Dozier 4. 84 Robbie Jeppesen 5. 15 Bill Egleston 6. 69 Chris Shannon Main 1. 49 Troy Foulger 2. 31m Vance Beltran 3. 25dd Danny Dozier 4. 15 Bill Egleston 5. 3 Dereck Colvin 6. 19 Royce Mull 7. 69 Chris Shannon 8. 84 Robbie Jeppesen 9. 14p Ryan Porter 10. 73 Steve Stone 11. 78 Jarad Fast |
| Hobby Stocks |
| Heat 1 1. 52 Tim Clark 2. 04 Dan Smith 3. 87 Brandon Speck 4. 37 Mike Stockton 5. 1 Michael Shearer 6. 78 Duane Fast 7. 9c David Coleman Heat 2 1. 38 Ryan Hart 2. 27 Roy Stephens 3. 70L Robbie Loquaci 4. 03 Cole Oreta 5. 00 Chris Falkenberg 6. 73 Kristy Shearer 7. 2 Danny Gomes 8. 24 Main 1. 38 Ryan Hart 2. 03 Cole Oreta 3. 52 Tim Clark 4. 87 Brandon Speck 5. 1 Michael Shearer 6. 27 Roy Stephens 7. 00 Chris Falkenberg 8. 24 Joe Cockerill 9. 78 Duane Fast 10. 7 David Soares 11. 70L Robbi Loquaci 12. 73 Kristy Shearer 13. 2 Danny Gomes 14. 04 Dan mith 15. 37 Mike Stockton 16. 9c David Coleman |
| Four Bangers |
| Heat 1 1. 17 Tim Elias 2. 4T4 Josh Strickland 3. 33 Paul Espino 4. 22 Justin Magleby 5. 99 Matt Blackman 6. 4T Terry Cheatham 7. 20 Nick Sagmiller 8. 71R Ronnie Cole Main 1. 17 Tim Elias 2. 22 Justin Magleby 3. 71R Ronnie Cole 4. 33 Paul Espino 5. 20 Nick Sagmiller 6. 4T4 Josh Strickland 7. 4T Terry Cheatham 8. 99 Matt Blackman |
| Wingless Sprints |
| Heat 1 1. 55 Danny Malfatti 2. 93 Steven Williams 3. 99 Dan Gonderman 4. 10 Brandon Gandy 5. 22 Christian Hickman Main 1. 99 Dan Gonderman 2. 22 Christian Hickman 3. 93 Steven Williams 4. 55 Danny Malfatti 5. 10 Brandon Gandy |
| Super Stocks |
| Heat 1 1. 15 Larry Damitz 2. 03 Danny Roe 3. 61 Ricky hatcher 4. 36k Steven Hannah 5. 14t Darrin Thomas 6. 07 Robert Diaz 7. 9 Don MurrietA 8. 88 Buddy Thatcher 9. 41 Richard Scott Main 1. 15 Larry Damitz 2. 14t Darrin Thomas 3. 36k Steven Hannah 4. 07 Robert Diaz 5. 03 Danny Roe 6. 9 Don MurrietA 7. 61 Ricky Thatcher |
| Valley Sportsman |
| Heat 1 1. 69m Tim Goodson 2. 23m Tim Prothro 3. 55m Mike Hausmann 4. 32 Buddy Thatcher 5. 55 Shane Hausmann 6. 5 Ty Shelton Main 1. 55 Shane Hausmann 2. 55m Mike Hausmann 3. 23m Tim Prothro 4. 32 Buddy Thatcher 5. 5 Ty Shelton 6. 69m Tim Goodson |
