Stibal tops West Coast Street Stocks Series field at Yakima Speedway Yakima, WA (July 7, 2012)-Andy Stibal held off a hard-charging Rich Peters during the first 50 laps of the West Coast Street Stock Series present by Chet's Truck Repair main event then outwitted Peters and Kelly Hellewell after a mandatory race break for fuel and adjustments that sprung the Wenatchee driver to his first career victory on the top Street Stock series in the region. The race was the second stop of the season at Yakima Speedway with their finale set for the 25th Annual Fall Classic in late September.
Hellewell took advantage of Peters misfortune late in the race to move by the Yakima native for the runner-up position with Bill Rutherford scoring a strong fourth place finish and Ron Stewart rounding out the
top-5 running order.
The race went a mere three laps before going under the caution flag due to a spin in turn No.1 with the night's next yellow flag flying four laps later for a multi-car incident that collected points leader Kim Wennerberg along with Randy Pugh, Josh Ingram and new track qualifying record holder Bryon Goetz.
Andy Beaman, Chris Hart and Chad Hinkle would battle for the lead over the next 10 laps with Hinkle making contact with Hart that allowed Stibal to clear for the lead and shuffle Beaman back in the running order.
Peters and Hellewell were collected in the lap seven incident but were able to pit and make repairs to their race cars. Each rejoined the field at the tail-end when racing resumed. Staying on the lead lap and working the cone restarts paid off for Hellewell and Peters as they were able to move into the top-5 running order by lap 40 with Peters pushing Stibal for the lead right to the break at lap 50.
During the final 25 laps Peters was unable to keep pace with Stibal's Chevrolet and the superior handling off the corners. Late in the going Peters was squeezed off the backstretch by a lapped car that cost the winner of the WCSSS Apple Cup race a shot at another win in 2012 as the Yakima driver was forced to rejoin the field mid-pack with Hellewell zipping by for his best finish on the series.
Also picking up victories Saturday night at Yakima Speedway were Jeff Ball (Hornets), Chris Marang (Pure Stocks), Dennis Clouse
(Bump-to-Pass) and Mike Valchich (Mini-Stocks).
For Ball and Marang their victories continue to add to strong points leads in their respective classes as the second-half of the 2012 season looms. Clouse and Valchich each earned their first victories of the 2012 season with Valchich's Mini-Stock win also coming in his first-ever start in the division.
Cody Denton continues to lead the points standings in the Speedway Mini-Stock division based on his runner-up finish to Valchich. Josh Aguirre also maintained a lead in his chase for the Bump-to-Pass championship based on strong sixth place finish in a rock'em sock'em 15-lap finale.
Yakima Speedway returns to action on July 28 with racing in the Burger Ranch Sportsman, Sea Galley Bump to Pass, H&H Furniture Pure Stocks, Speedway Mini-Stocks, Speedway Late Model Sportsman, and CWI Security/EZ Credit Auto Sales Hornet divisions. For more information log onto yakimaspeedway.us or the tracks page on Facebook. For ticket and other information call the Speedway Hotline at (509) 248-0647.
July 7, 2012 Yakima Speedway Results-
CWI Security/EZ Credit Auto Sales Hornet Main Event
1) Jeff Ball
2) Bailey Broers
3) Robert Patton
4) John Fortenberry
Fast Time- Bailey Broers
A Trophy Dash- Jeff Ball
H&H Furniture Pure Stocks Main Event
1) Chris Marang
2) Rob Allen
3) Tim Hitchcock
4) Peppie Rojas
5) Kyle Wade
6) Eric Coble
7) Mike Denton
Fast Time- Chris Marang
A-Trophy Dash- Tim Hitchcock
B-Trophy Dash- Peppie Rojas
Speedway Mini-Stocks Main Event
1) Mike Valchich
2) Cody Denton
3) Josh Parmentier
4) Jesse Eaton
5) Joshua Henne
6) George Jankowics
7) Marcus Maggard
Fast Time- Mike Valchich
A-Trophy Dash- Josh Parmentier
B-Trophy Dash- Marcus Maggard
West Coast Street Stock Series Main Event
1) Andy Stibal
2) Kelly Hellewell
3) Rich Peters
4) Bill Rutherford
5) Ron Stewart
6) Todd Connell
7) Andy Beaman
8) Kenny Mullins
9) Chad Hinkle
10) Jim Franklin
11) Chris Hart
12) Morgan Morrison
13) Zach Beaman
14) Josh Childress
15) Buck Noel Jr.
16) Josh Ingram
17) Kim Wennerberg
18) Bryon Goetz
19) Randy Pugh
Fast Time- Bryon Goetz 21.173 sec. (New Track Record) A-Trophy Dash- Josh Ingram B-Trophy Dash- Kelly Hellewell C-Trophy Dash- Bill Rutherford
Sea Galley Bump-to-Pass Main Event
1) Dennis Clouse
2) Tim Sutton
3) Shannon Davis
4) Todd Nunn
5) Kellie Zacharias
6) Josh Aguirre
7) Jason Schick
8) Alex Marquis
9) Tacoda Rojas
Fast Time- Josh Aguirre
A-Dash- Josh Aguirre
B-Dash- Tim Sutton
