EL CAJON, CA (09/14/02). If Danny Gay and Scott Brown were golfers, all each would need to do to win a tournament would be triple bogey the last two holes to win. The two second-generation drivers are that close to claiming the championship in their respective divisions at Cajon Speedway with two regular season races remaining.
Gay could wrap things up in the late model sportsman clan while Brown will be looking to score in the open wheeled Grand American modified division when the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series presented by Dodge returns to the 3/8-mile paved oval this Saturday night. Also on the card will be the street stocks, pony stocks, and pro-four modifieds. Race time is 6:45 PM. Qualifying runs start at 5:15 PM. Practice begins and the gates open at 4:00. Admission prices are $10 on the east side and $9 on the west side for adults; kids from 6-12 are $3 and children under age six are free when accompanied by an adult.
Gay currently sits 164-markers ahead of John Manke. Should he still carry at least a 148-point bulge out of next week's show, the title will be his even if he doesn't start the double points Grand Prix on September 21. Gay is only in his second year of competition in Cajon's premier class. He previously won a pair of titles in the street stocks in 1999 and 2000. His dad, Jerry, has an armful of championships. The elder Gay has won two sportsman championships and five street stock championships during his 30 years of competition at the track.
In the modifieds Scott Brown is also on cruise control as he pursues his first track title. He sits 113-digits ahead of Mike Salm. Like Gay, he needs only lead by 148-points after Saturday to clinch. Salm had a disastrous showing two weeks ago. After crashing through no fault of his own in his heat race, his crew thrashed to rebuild the front end of the car for the feature. He was running fourth when something broke; that sent him into the backstretch wall that he rode all the way to turn three. Meanwhile Brown finished third in the main event.
Brown too is related to one of Cajon's multi-time champs. His Uncle Ron is the division's defending titlest and he also took honors there in 1990, 91, and 92 in addition to a pair of trophies in the street stocks.
Should either Gay or Brown falter this time around, it would still take a near miracle for either Manke or Salm to overtake them. A 30 or 40 point swing, even 50, 60, or 70 points, can be made up in one night. But it would be nearly impossible to erase a 100 plus point bulge should Gay and Brown take the green flag in their respective Grand Prix where a maximum 147 points is on the line.
2002 CAJON SPEEDWAY POINT STANDINGS
NASCAR LATE MODEL SPORTSMAN STOCK Danny Gay 5 wins 1088 John Manke 4 wins 924 Jeff Seifert 732 Dee Cable 661 Jeff Wright 3 wins 659 Claude Bell 595 Bob Wickey 583 Jerry Gay 2 wins 537 Rick Chavez 1 win 518 Stephen Peace 515
SIDS AUTO BODY HARD CHARGER LEADER BOARD
CSCRA GRAND AMERICAN MODIFIED Scott Brown 2 wins 689 Mike Salm 4 wins 576 Ron Brown 1 win 504 Mike Jackson 469 Brian Pusey 419 Doug Catania 1 win 400 Carol Kirby Williams 370 Paul Brunette 344 Lou Tompkins 333 Billy Cable 294
CSCRA STREET STOCK Rich Green Jr. 6 wins 1132 Eric Ferguson 5 wins 995 Richard Hinze 2 wins 957 Scott Moses 1 win 804 Dave Arce 788 Brian Collins 1 win 778 Todd Phelps 771 Eric Seene 708 Rob Freeman 671 Neil Rodvold 611
CSCRA PONY STOCK Ed Hale 10 wins 1195 Hector Leon 2 wins 989 Marty Schmidt 1 win 816 Victor Clark 2 wins 762 Mike Weimann 759 Tim Beeney 694 George Behlman 1 win 676 Debi Urioste 560 John Swink 546 Pete Franke 464
CSCRA BOMBER STOCK Mark Holland 4 wins 1186 Pat Garity 4 wins 975 Greg McCown 1 win 926 Marty Lehrke 1 win 769 Hayden Smith 1 win 744 Mark Wendell 744 Joey Schneider 2 wins 668 Rodney Shaw 573 Kevin Gantz 542 Chris Boyer 520
CSCRA FACTORY STOCK Matt Arnold 5 wins 496 Brian Silvas 377 Donn Stewart 375 John Robinson 1 win 349 Martin Kepler 342 J.R. Trent 319 Andy Papp 310 Ryan Gay 293 Mike Rumbaugh 253 Vernon Gilmore 221
