GOODYEAR, Arizona -- On the weekend of April 12th and 13th 2003, the American Stockcar Challenge (ASC) and ProTrucks (PT) traveled to Arizona Motorsport Park (AMP) becoming the first high profile series to run at this newly built facility. Twelve California teams made the tow to Arizona for Round Three of the “ASC/PT Wars”. Despite the heavy onslaught from the California invasion, TEAM ARIZONA which fields the single largest roster of ASC drivers, defended themselves on home turf with an overall win on Sunday and an ASC win on Saturday.
SATURDAY APRIL12th: With the track closed on Friday for private testing, few of the ASC/PT drivers had driven at this brand new facility. But this didn’t seem to bother Ross Thompson (#99 ASC: TEAM ARIZONA) who qualified on the pole with a blistering 1:39.823. Before the green flag had even dropped, Saturday’s race would prove to be one of the most exciting to date. As the cars lined up for pre-grid, TEAM ARIZONA mechanics were scrambling to get the cars of both Thompson and front row partner, Ken Stinnett (#43 ASC: TEAM ARIZONA) on the track. While the rest of the cars rolled out onto the track, neither Thompson nor Stinnett’s cars were anywhere to be seen, leaving the ProTrucks led by Mark Cross (#33 PT: CROSS COMMUNITIES) to take up the top three starting positions. And like a scene in a Hollywood movie, both TEAM ARIZONA cars suddenly charged out of the gates chasing after the rest of the pack on it’s warmup lap in the last second. Ironically, this was short lived as Thompson’s transmission self destructed less than a lap later. And as if that wasn’t enough drama, Ed Ochylski (#55 ASC: TEAM ARIZONA) suddenly coasted into the pits with a broken rear suspension. All these events taking place before the green flag had even dropped.
For what seemed like an eternity, spectators were forced to watch the pack follow the pace car around. But when the green flag finally dropped, they were immediately treated to even more excitement starting at Turn 2 when the 2nd and 3rd place ProTrucks of Donn Cross (#41 PT: MB AUTO) and Ed Fernandez (#00 PT: PACIFIC BUILDERS) tangled. When the rest of the pack emerged from the thick cloud of dust and flying body panels, it was Mark Cross in the lead with Justin Sallows (#106 ASC-X: REALRIDE.COM RACING) giving chase. Tim Wright (#7 PT: EAR GUARDS) was next, followed by ASC Series Points Leader Dave Arnheiter (#33 ASC: IDECO INC) and Manuel Gil del Real (#27 ASC: TEAM ARIZONA).
By mid race, Mark Cross had pulled out a commanding lead over the rest of the pack while Sallows dropped further back with handling woes. Meanwhile, Fernandez and Donn Cross had both rejoined the race and were moving back up the field, albeit with a few body panels missing. But it was the cars of Jim Swartzbaugh (#57 PT: NORTH SOUTH MACHINERY) and Stinnett working their way through the pack that caught everyone’s attention.
With a few laps remaining, Swartzbaugh had taken over the lead with Fernandez following closely. A second behind, Donn Cross was nervously checking out the battle that was taking place in his mirrors between cousin Mark Cross and Tim Wright. Entering the final turns, Mark Cross spun allowing Stinnett, who had been patiently waiting behind this battle to slip by both trucks.
At the checkered flag, it was Swartzbaugh followed by Fernandez and Donn Cross. 4th and leading in ASC was Stinnett, followed by Wright and Mark Cross. Sallows finished 7th in the lone ASC-X car with Gil del Real and Arnheiter behind him. Franz Klarer (#27 PT: TEAM EDM), Jerry Bown (#22 ASC), and ASC rookie Tom Tabor (#02 ASC: GA-RACING-USA) rounded out the final three finishers. However, at post race impound, Gil del Real was found to be underweight and disqualified, while Donn Cross who was missing a few body panels made the minimum weight, but was seen keeping his fingers crossed as he was pushed onto the scales.
Saturday April 12th: 1) #57 PT Jim Swartzbaugh: North South Machinery- best lap: 1:41.581 2) #33 PT Mark Cross: Cross Communities- best lap: 1:42.681 3) #00 PT Ed Fernandez: Pacific Builders- best lap: 1:41.584 4) #43 ASC Ken Stinnett: Team Arizona- best lap: 1:42.461 5) #41 PT Donn Cross: MB Auto- best lap: 1:42.095 6) #7 PT Tim Wright: Ear Guards- best lap: 1:42.498 7) #33 ASC Dave Arnheiter: Ideco Inc- best lap: 1:43.623 8) #27 PT Franz Klarer: Team EDM- best lap: 1:45.172 9) #22 ASC Jerry Brown- best lap: 1:45.678 10) #02 ASC Tom Taber: GA Racing USA- best lap: 1:45.828 (DNF) 11) #90 ASC Steve Carvajal: Team Arizona- best lap: 1:42.915 (DNF) No result: 1) #106 ASC-X Justin Sallows: RealRide.com Racing- best lap: 1:43.343 2) #27 ASC Manuel Gil del Real: Team Arizona- (DQ) 3) #99 ASC Ross Thompson: Team Arizona (DNS) 4) #55 ASC Ed Ochylski: Team Arizona (DNS) 5) #55 PT Chris Siedentop: Gaylord’s (DNS)
SUNDAY APRIL 13TH: An early morning shootout between a robbery suspect and the local police at the hotel where several ASC teams were staying left many crew members looking rather weary. After all, the previous day had been exciting enough for them without the “Showdown At The OK Corral”.
For spectators, this day would prove equally exciting as morning practice and qualifying indicated that lap times had dropped nearly a second for most cars. Once again, Ross Thompson (#43 ASC: TEAM ARIZONA) would set the fastest time in qualifying, this time in Ken Stinnett’s car from the previous day. Meanwhile Stinnett (#99 ASC: TEAM ARIZONA) would be driving Thompson’s car from the previous day. However, in accordance with ASC rules, both drivers were forced to start from the back for switching cars. Meanwhile, Ed Ochylski (#87 ASC: TEAM ARIZONA) also started from the back with his spare car.
But unlike the previous day, this time the pack got the green flag after only one warmup lap. The start was equally exciting as the ASC/PT drivers gave the spectators a good demonstration of “race car rubbing” into Turn 1. A lap later, the rubbing turned into full contact wrestling as Steve Carvajal (#90 ASC: TEAM ARIZONA) and Jerry Brown (#22 ASC) tangled. Through the dust clouds emerged Carvajal’s car with it’s rear bumper cover dangling in the wind like a flag. Like a true hardcore racer, Carvajal elected to battle it out and ignored repeated black flags to have his newly aquired “un-aerodynamic” device removed. Unfortunately, this resulted in his eventual disqualification later in the race.
Meanwhile, Thompson was quickly carving through the field, but matching every one of his moves was Chris Siedentop (#55 PT: GAYLORD’s) who also failed to qualify. As both drivers charged towards the front of the pack, Siedentop collected Tom Taber (#02 ASC: GA-RACING-USA), spinning both cars off the track and allowing Thompson to get ahead.
Nearly 40 minutes after the race started, it was Thompson who took the checkered flag, followed by Donn Cross (#41 PT: MB AUTO) who was limping along with only 4th gear and a taped up ProTruck. And rounding out the podium was Tim Wright (#7 PT: EAR GUARDS). Sunday April 13: 1) #43 ASC Ross Thompson: Team Arizona- 1:39.970 2) #57 PT Jim Swartzbaugh: North South Machinery- 1:40.803 3) #00 PT Ed Fernandez: Pacific Builders- 1:41.174 4) #41 PT Donn Cross: MB Auto- 1:41.841 5) #7 PT Tim Wright: Ear Guards- 1:41.726 6) #33 PT Mark Cross: Cross Communities-1:41.272 7) #33 ASC Dave Arnheiter: Ideco Inc- 1:42.168 8) #99 ASC Ken Stinnett: Team Arizona- 1:41.511 9) #27 ASC Manuel Gil del Real: Team Arizona- 1:42.605 10) #22 ASC Jerry Brown- 1:44.331 11) #87 ASC Ed Ochylski: Team Arizona- 1:44.531 12) #55 PT Chris Siedentop: Gaylord's- 1:41.174 13) #27 PT Franz Klarer: Team EDM- 1:46.815 14) #02 ASC Tom Taber: GA Racing USA- 1:42.427 (DNF) No result: 15) #106 ASC-X Justin Sallows: RealRide.com Racing- 1:43.040 16) #90 ASC Steve Carvajal: Team Arizona- (DQ)
The “ASC/PT Wars” move to Willow Springs Raceway in Rosamond, CA on May 24th
and 25th for the next round. The action promises to be intense as the drivers
look to improve their setup from their visit at this high speed circuit. For
more information about this series, visit the official ASC website at:
http://www.ascracing.com
