PEDLAR SWEEPS IMCA MODIFIED EVENT AT MERCED

Source: Don Martin II
Date: 09/03/2002

MERCED, California -- Taking the lead from Troy Stone, Phil Pedlar went on to score the victory in the 25 lap IMCA Modified main event Sunday night at Merced Speedway. It was the second win of the season for Pedlar and capped a clean sxweep of his heat race, the dash and the main event. IMCA Western Regional point leader Mark Allison finished second ahead of Johnnie Baptista. After apparent winner Kevin Freitas was disqualified in tech, Rob Schropp won the 30 lap Central Valley Sportsman main event ahead of Ed Marion and Keith Van Houten, who now has a commanding point lead in the division.

When leaders Bobby Williamson and Bill Hiney got together in Turn 2 of the fourth lap, Allison drove around to get the lead and victory in the first six lap IMCA Modified heat race. Pedlar won the second heat race and held off Mike Juarez to win the four lap Trophy Dash. As luck would have it, the invert put Pedlar on the front row for the main event, but a Turn 4 pileup forced a restart. T. Stone led the restart ahead of Pedlar and IMCA Western Region "Rookie Of The Year' hopeful Lee Jensen. Driving his father's car after his own had problems, Bobby Williamson spun in Turn 4 for a lap six caution flag. T. Stone led Pedlar and Jensen on the restart as point leader Ramie Stone settled into fourth. A low move in Turn 2 of the tenth lap gained Pedlar the lead from T. Stone and R. Stone worked the inside line around Jensen for third in Turn 4 a lap later. An inside move on the front stretch of the 16th lap gained R. Stone second from his brother Troy. After running the bottom the whole race, R. Stone switched to the high groove on lap 18, but he slipped off the groove, allowing Allison and T. Stone to gain second and third. A lap 19 caution flag flew for Wes Richardson in Turn 4. Both Stones pitted and lost a lap as Pedlar led Allison and Jensen on the restart. A low move in Turn 2 of the 24th lap gained Baptista third. Pedlar drove a flawless race to score the victory with Allison right behind in second. Baptista, Bobby Williamson and Hiney rounded out the top five at the finish.

The Central Valley Sportsman four lap Trophy Dash went to Schropp in a photo finish ahead of Van Houten. Schropp led the opening lap of the main event before Tim Leidich broke on the back stretch for a caution flag. Jason Belton also pitted. Schropp led Freitas and Van Houten on the restart, but a low move in Turn 2 of the third lap gained Freitas the lead. Van Houten made a similar move around Schropp for second on lap five, and the lead duo pulled away for a battle of their own. By the time the yellow flew on lap 18 for Belton, who briefly returned, only the lead three were on the lead lap. Schropp had been in danger of being lapped, but he was in second during the caution period as Van Houten pitted with a flat. Freitas led Schropp and Van Houten on the restart, but a lap 19 caution flag flew for Gary Hildebrand and Marion. The slightly smoking Van Houten spun on the restart as Freitas and Schropp ran first and second. Van Houten was black flagged and pitted on lap 20, and Hildebrand was also out. Freitas crossed the line first, but the crucial double point win was taken away in tech for illegal heads. This gave Schropp the win ahead of Marion and Van Houten.

Race Results

Trophy Dash: 1. Phil Pedlar, 2. Mike Juarez, 3. Bobby Williamson.

Main: 1. Phil Pedlar, 2. Mark Allison, 3. Johnnie Baptista, 4. Bobby Williamson, 5. Bill Hiney, 6. Wes Richardson, 7. Lee Jensen, 8. Ramie Stone, 9. Troy Stone, Bill Saltzman, 11. Mike Juarez, 2. Bob Williamson.

Trophy Dash: 1. Rob Schropp, 2. Keith Van Houten, 3. Tiom Leidich.

Main: 1. Rob Schropp, 2. Ed Marion, 3. Keith Van Houten, 4. Gary Hildebrand, 5. Jason Belton, 6. Tim Leidich, 7. Kevin Freitas.

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