LEGENDARY CARVER WINS LATE MODEL MAIN EVENT AT I10 SPEEDWAY

Source: Geoff Briggs
Date: 11/18/2002

BLYTHE, California -- Legendary El Cajon Speedway racer Mike Carver made his first trip down to I10 Speedway a winning one, as he claimed the $400 and the 35-lap Lucas Oil Late Model main event win. Chris Weiss powered his Ford to the $400 win in the 35-lap Budweiser Modified main event. Jimmy Rouse was able to pull off the $150 win in the 20-lap Towel City Tires/Sunoco Fuels Pure Stock main event and Sean Bishop won both of the Allison Legacy main events. When Blythe’s Chris Gallegos arrived right in time for the heat race, the Lucas Oil Late Model field was at 14 cars. Local favorite Richard Kerr set fast time with a 15.297 lap. Riverside’s Melvin Smith stopped the clock at 15.336, Las Vegas Outlaw Champion Glen Burke checked in at 15.427, and John Atwood clocked in at 15.438. Atwood claimed the dash and Mark Schriner took the heat race. Kerr rolled the dice for a three-car-inversion off qualifying times, putting Burke and Smith on the front row for the 35-lapper. Pure Stock winner Jimmy Rouse’s Late Model debut ended with a thump as he hit the turn 3 wall in the heat race. Gallegos was off the track before completing a lap to end his evening. A wild second lap saw Atwood thumping the wall and a caution for debris, Atwood and Pattison pitted. Burke led over Kerr and Carver, but Carver stole second on lap 3 and Schriner spun for a lap 4 caution, as Pattison re-entered the track. Burke continued to lead over Carver, Kerr, Smith, and Richard Hooper. Smith got by Kerr on lap 11 to take over third. Burke, who skipped his Las Vegas banquet where he won the championship, spun out of the lead to the top of turn 2 for a lap 15 caution. Carver took over the lead and Kerr got back by Smith on lap 17 and started chasing down Carver. A caution on lap 19 flew when Ryan Becker hit the turn 2 wall the back of his truck, he returned as soon as the tailgate was ripped off. Charles Price spun for a lap 25 caution and then on the restart Randy Becker was done after racing for fourth with Richard Hooper. Carver still led Kerr and Smith as Kerr was trying everything to get by Carver. A lap 32 caution was needed when Price and Schriner got together racing for 6th position. Carver held off Kerr for the final laps with Smith third over Hooper, and Al Lee.

The Budweiser Modifieds had 9 cars for this event, but Legend Car graduate Jim Smith was out after loosing the battle with some concrete in turn 3. Steve Almquist set fast time for the night with a 15.188 lap. Larry Gerchman was second quick with a 15.294 lap with Mike Schuringa third at 15.378 and Chris Weiss fourth at 15.385. Weiss claimed the trophy dash, and Randy Forbis took the heat race. Almquist rolled for a 2-car inversion and Gerchman was on the pole with Almquist to the outside. Gerchman led the first lap over Almquist and Weiss. Almquist was right on Gerchman’s bumper when Almquist spun for a lap 9 caution moving Weiss to second, Schuringa to third and Forbis to fourth. Weiss got under Gerchman on lap 20 and Gerchman spun, which put him to the rear. Weiss now led over Schuringa, Forbis, and Jerry Snell. Doug Elliott spun in turn 2 for a lap 21 caution flag. Another caution flew on lap 23 with Almquist spun in turn 2 and David Gerchman stopped in turn 4. Almquist was done for causing 3 cautions. Weiss led over Schuringa, Forbis, Snell and L Gerchman for the remaining laps and that’s how they ended up finishing.

The Towel City Tires/Sunoco Fuels Pure Stock ran a non-points race and there were 15 cars, but Bob Pattison broke during the afternoon practice. Forrest Lucas, the founder of Lucas Oil, made a visit to his speedway, and was thrown in a spare Pure Stock for the evening. Rouse was fastest with a 16.914 lap, with Jacob Forbis second quick at a 17.133. Johnny Del Pino surprised as he timed third in the old Kevin Norris car with a 17.435 lap and Thomas Hall was 4th quick with a 17.444. Jacob Forbis claimed the dash and Don Olmsted thrilled the crowed with a win in the heat race. Rouse rolled for a 5-car inversion putting Brian Faulkner and Thomas Hall on the front row. Faulker led the opening lap as Rouse worked his way to second when Jennifer Downes spun for a lap 2 caution. Johnny Del Pino spun with no caution on lap 3, and kicked up dust in the infield. Thomas Hall came out of the dust and smacked the front wall causing a caution, Hall pitted and returned. Rouse passed Faulkner on lap 6 ad Forbis worked his way to third over Ray Walker Sr. Olmsted spun in turn 1 for a lap 6 caution flag, and Downes got loose in turn 4 on lap 7 and tagged Thomas Hall, who got to meet the wall again, this time he was done for the evening. Blake Usilton spun in turn 3 with 10 Pure Stocks coming his way, but all missed on lap 12. A lap 17 caution flew when Forbis, Faulkner and Downes all got together in turn 2. Faulkner’s car was heavily steaming, and Downes also was done for the day. The crash left Rouse in front over Walker, Bill Bartleson, Kevin Hall and Michelle Docks. A wild last lap saw Docks and Del Pino both loosing positions and Rouse taking the win over Walker, Bill Bartleson, K Hall, and Olmsted. Bob Bartleson, who was celebrating his 63rd birthday, was 6th. Lucas stayed out of trouble and came home 10th.

The Allison Legacy cars brought 8 cars to do battle in 2 main events. Sean Bishop was fastest in qualifying with a 15.460 lap. John McCain ran a 15.460 with John McCain running a 15.657, Chad Hines checked in at 15.974 and Scott Dannen clocked in at 15.999. Bishop claimed the trophy dash. Rob Ferguson jumped to the lead of the first main event over Dannen and Bishop as McCain spun from third. Bishop took over the lead on lap 12 and went on to take the win as Hines slowed bigtime from fourth. Bishop took the win over Dannen, Ferguson, McCain and Hines. McCain jumped to the lead in the second main event over Bishop and Hines. McCain spun from the lead. Bishop led the rest of the way over Hines, Dannen and Ferguson as Al Simpson, Robert Chavez and McCain were in the turn 3 wall before crossing the finish line.

The next I10 Speedway race is on the 30th of November with the Pro 4 Modifieds paying $999 to the winner, and $650 going to the winner of the Legend Car main event.

Summary:

Fast Time: Sean Bishop, 15.460. Trophy Dash: Bishop, John McCain, Scott Dannen, Chad Hines. Main #1: Bishop, Dannen, Rob Ferguson, McCain, Hines, Randy Ryden, Al Simpson, Robert Chavez. Main #2: Bishop, Hines, Dannen, Ferguson, McCain, Ryden, Chavez, Simpson.

Fast Time: Jimmy Rouse, 16.914. Trophy Dash: Jacob Forbis, Rouse, Thomas Hall, Johnny Del Pino. Heat: Don Olmsted, Bill Bartleson, Kevin Hall, Brian Faulkner, Ray Walker Sr, Michelle Docks, Bob Bartleson, Forrest Lucas, Jennifer Downes, Blake Usilton. Main: Rouse, Walker, Bill Bartleson, K Hall, Olmsted, Bob Bartleson, Docks, Del Pino, Forbis, Lucas, Usilton, Faulkner, Downes, T Hall.

Fast Time: Richard Kerr, 15.297. Trophy Dash: John Atwood, Kerr, Glen Burke, Melvin Smith. Heat: Mark Schriner, Charles Price, Mike Carver, Richard Hooper, Ryan Becker, Mike Lee, Jason Pattison, Randy Becker, Jimmy Rouse, Chris Gallegos. Main: Carver, Kerr, Smith, Hooper, Lee, Ryan Becker, Pattison, Price, Schriner, Randy Becker, Burke, Atwood, Gallegos.

Fast Time: Steve Almquist 15.188. Trophy Dash: Chris Weiss, Larry Gerchman, Steve Almquist, Mike Schuringa. Heat: Randy Forbis, David Gerchman, Doug Elliott, Jerry Snell, Jim Smith. Main: Weiss, Schuringa, Forbis, Snell, L Gerchman, Elliott, D Gerchman, Almquist.

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