(June 8 Erie, CO) – The further the 2002 season progresses at Colorado National Speedway, the stronger Jerry Robertson seems to become. On Saturday night, round seven for the Prestige Capital Funding Late Models saw Robertson, from Arvada CO, capture his second consecutive NASCAR Weekly Racing Series presented by Dodge feature trophy. Fiercely pursued by Roger Avants during the closing stages, 40-year-old Robertson led from wire-to-wire in the 40 lap headliner for the "Craftsman Dash for Cash", marking his third overall win of the year. In the tight battle for the championship at the 3/8 mile paved oval, Avants returned to the top of the standings.
Starting on the pole, Robertson outran Beau Kellogg into the first corner and immediately began to pull away. Avants came up quickly from eighth on the grid, and passed Kellogg for second just after the halfway mark. A short caution period with 11 laps remaining erased Avants' deficit, and on the restart, he stayed glued to the leader's rear bumper. Robertson was ready for the challenge however, and at the finish his Coors Light Pontiac Grand Prix held a three car-length advantage. Kellogg finished third, his finest performance since moving up to the Late Models, while Scott Backman and Dave Finley completed the top five.
Bruce Yackey's seventh place showing dropped him to second in the standings, as he now trails Avants by six marks (302 to 296). Robertson remains third, but is now just 12 points out of first place. Kellogg moved up into a tie with Rick Smith for the division's Rookie of the Year award.
The Artcraft Signs Grand American Modifieds competed in a special 50 lap, double-point-paying contest, and Joel Hansen took top honors. Hansen overhauled Chris Muhler for the lead early in the race, but was never quite able to open up a comfortable margin. When Hansen encountered lapped traffic during the closing circuits, Muhler erased much of the gap, but still trailed by four lengths at the checkered flag. Derek Clementson continued his third place finishing streak, the same position he has earned in all five of the division's feature races this year. Brian Murphy took fourth, with Forest Smith fifth. For Hansen, his second win of the season also moved him into the point lead.
Jim Bob Rogers scored his first career victory during the last outing by the Dunlap's Trailers Super Stocks, and he promptly backed it up with win number two. Rogers started seventh but needed just six circuits to catch leader J.R. Davis. Lee Kemmit dropped Davis another position near the halfway mark of the 25 lapper, but could not gain on Rogers and finished 12 lengths back. Davis settled with third, followed by Mark Lowe and Steve Green. Trent Phillips took sixth, good enough to move him to the top of the standings.
The Baby Grand stock cars held a national point race, with Tracy, CA driver Mark Smith grabbing the first place award. Smith surrendered the lead to Carl Edwards briefly, but reclaimed the front position when Edwards slowed with mechanical problems. Ronald Rouse looked ready to challenge Smith during the waning laps, but spun while attempting to get past. Smith was in control the rest of the way, while Del Smith, Jimmy Peryam, Beau Kellogg, and Bill Gray rounded out the top five.
NASCAR Weekly Racing Series presented by Dodge action continues at the speedway next Saturday night, June 15th, with the "Paradise Unlimited Challenge". The line-up will include the Late Models, the ProTrucks, the Super Stocks, and another appearance from the wild and crazy Trains.
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(June 8) - Results from the "Craftsman Dash for Cash" NASCAR Weekly Racing Series presented by Dodge event, held Saturday night at Colorado National Speedway.
PRESTIGE CAPITAL FUNDING LATE MODELS
QUICK TIME: Scotty Backman Parker
TROPHY DASH: Beau Kellogg Evergreen
FEATURE: 1. Jerry Robertson Arvada 2. Roger Avants Littleton 3. Beau Kellogg Evergreen 4. Scotty Backman Parker 5. Dave Finley Brighton 6. Ken Walter Littleton 7. Bruce Yackey Greeley 8. Dan Savage Aurora 9. Rick Smith Gering, NE 10. Mike Gallegos Wheat Ridge
ARTCRAFT SIGNS GRAND AMERICAN MODIFIEDS
QUICK TIME: Ronnie Hults Denver
TROPHY DASH: Derek Clementson Lakewood
FEATURE: 1. Joel Hansen Eaton 2. Chris Muhler Erie 3. Derek Clementson Lakewood 4. Brian Murphy Denver 5. Forest Smith Bellvue 6. Brett Hickey Cheyenne, WY 7. Bobby Pittington Loveland 8. Robert Martin Northglenn 9. Mike Moore Bailey 10. Mark Bybee Sedalia
DUNLAP'S TRAILERS SUPER STOCKS
TROPHY DASH: Jim Bob Rogers Erie FEATURE: 1. Jim Bob Rogers Erie 2. Lee Kemmit Thornton 3. J.R. Davis Loveland 4. Mark Lowe Lakewood 5. Steve Green Alma 6. Trent Phillips Hemingford, NE 7. Daren Gailey Aurora 8. Gary Lee Greeley 9. Dwight Michael Fort Collins 10. Tommy Roe Northglenn
BABY GRAND STOCK CARS
QUICK TIME: Carl Edwards Columbia, MO
TROPHY DASH: Carl Edwards Columbia, MO
FEATURE (National Point Race):
1. Mark Smith
Tracy, CA
2. Del Smith
Berthoud
3. Jimmy Peryam
Santa Fe, NM
4. Beau Kellogg
Evergreen
5. Bill Gray
Denver
6. Paul Suter
Lakewood
7. Mark Bartley
Rogers, AR
8. Mike Smith
Berthoud
9. James Ballington
Sulphur, LA
10. William Byington
Concord, CA
