TRACY, Calif.—Davey Hamilton’s SRL Wild West Shootout returned to Altamont Raceway Park for the fourth and final time of the 2002-racing season. Current rookie of the year point’s leader Rick Ruzbarsky of Tracy picked up his first career SRL Wild West Shootout victory. “We wrecked the car last week at Stockton, and the boys had it torn down Sunday afternoon. We sent it to Mike David of David’s Racing products and those guys over there are awesome. They had the car put back together and ready Wednesday for us. I really need to thank my crew they did an excellent job tonight, and put a great setup under my car” said Ruzbarsky who lost all radio contact with his crew with 10 laps to go. “I’m very spotter dependent out there on the track, I started to drive the car very hard there the last few laps, and I was eating up the right rear tire”. Ruzbarsky was able to hold on and take the checkered flag followed by Ray Lawson Jr. of Fresno, current points leader Jeff Anthony who clinched the 2002 SRL Wild West Shootout championship. Michael Carver came home fourth, with Troy Ermish finishing in the fifth position.
The evening began with Ruzbarsky setting fast time with a lap of 18.358 around the big half-mile track. Fremont California’s Troy Ermish qualified a strong second with a lap of 18.499. Jeff Anthony of Pleasanton California turned a lap of 18.507 which was good enough for third fastest.
A six-car invert put trophy dash winner Ron Strmiska Jr. of Manteca California on the pole for the 100-lap feature. Joey Zampa of Napa started on the outside of row one as the green flag waved. Strmiska got the jump heading into turn one as Greg Potts passed Zampa for second. Anthony ran fourth with Ruzbarsky fifth when the field was slowed down for a wreck coming out of turn four involving last weeks winner John Gaalswyk and Chad Pais. As the field restarted the leaders were racing for position with Anthony and Ruzbarsky changing positions a few times. As the race approached the half way mark Strmiska was still leading with Potts into second, Zampa third, Anthony fourth and Ruzbarsky fifth. Strmiska seemed to have the fielded covered until lap 60 when he slowed going into turn three as he broke an axle.
With Strmiska off track Potts took the lead for the first time of the night. Potts lead until lap 72 when Zampa passed Potts as he lost an oil pump belt and slowed. Ruzbarsky had made his move into second with Ray Lawson Jr. getting around Jeff Anthony for third on lap 80. A late caution on lap 91 was thrown for race leader Joey Zampa as he spun in turns three and four. As the field took the green with less than five laps to go Ruzbarsky began to pull away from the rest of the field and score his first career victory. Nathan Tucker the 2001 SRL Wild West Shootout champion came home in sixth, Zampa settled for seventh with Ed Coughenour eight, C.J. Jahnke from Reno Nevada ninth and Kristi Schmitt tenth.
Anthony entered Saturday night’s race with a 58-point leader over Tucker. With Anthony finishing ahead of Tucker, he was able to clinch the 2002 championship with his tenth top ten of the season.
The SRL Wild West Shootout heads to Stockton99 Speedway next Saturday September 28th for the last race of the 2002 season.
Official Results:
1. #51 Rick Ruzbarsky
2. #06 Ray Lawson Jr.
3. #76 Jeff Anthony
4. #5 Michael Carver
5. #38 Troy Ermish
6. #41 Nathan Tucker
7. #92 Joey Zampa
8. #98 Ed Coughenour
9. #77n C.J. Jahnke
10. #10 Kristi Schmitt
11. #57 Randy Liles
12. #24 Scott Sanchez
13. #78 Chad Pais
14. #3 Gene Garrett
15. #31 Greg Potts
16. #28 Tim Stratmeyer
17. #90 Ron Strmiska Jr.
18. #28L John Gaalswyk
