WINNEMUCCA, Nevada -- Rapid Robert Miller celebrated his thirty-ninth birthday this weekend as he added to his impressive win total at the new Winnemucca Regional Raceway Monday afternoon. After four races in their inaugural season, no other I.M.C.A. Modified driver had won the feature races so far other than Miller. The man is currently red hot on the Western Regional circuit witness his fourteen feature victories during the early season. Although he won eighteen out of twenty-four features at Reno-Fernley Raceway, it was over a two-year span. Miller's established his career best for one season in 1996 at the paved Stockton 99 Speedway in California by winning a whopping nineteen features, eight in succession. Naturally, he was the track champion that year. So when you see him in action you know you're watching one of the best in the business.
His win today was vintage Miller, as he started eighth in the fourteen-car field. Five of the top twenty drivers were ranked in the Western Regional point standings. The defending champion Dangerous Dan Fitzgerald, and the current point leader from Las Vegas, was on hand. He lined up ninth. Young Larry Hood, a seventeen-year-old rookie from Bakersfield, California, was right next to the champ. The youngster was competing in his fourth race in as many nights ranging from Phoenix, Arizona to Bakersfield, California to Fallon and Winnemucca in the Silver State before being able to start the long trek home. Hood won the second heat race from his third row start and was impressive. Fans had a little peek to the future as he could develop into another Miller or possibly a Fitzgerald. Hood was ranked fifteenth just two slots behind Battle Mountain star Nick Ayers. The seventeenth drive was The Ryndon Rocket Joe Rigsby, who was the current point leader at both Battle Mountain Raceway and Summit Raceway in Elko, Nevada.
At starter Lincoln Litchfield waved the initial green to start the 25-lap event, Winnemucca's Rodney Sweet bolted into the lead over Rigsby who rocketed past Jerry Pinkston and Ayers in the first turn. Miller wasted no time during that first lap as he barreled past five cars to take third. Nampa, Idaho's Steve Henry caught Miller the next go around as the Gardnerville, Nevada ace went too high leaving the second turn. That was the last Henry saw of Miller as quickly dispatched the visitor back to fourth. The crafty Miller caught and passed Rigsby for second on lap four and set his sights on Sweet.
He got Sweet leaving turn four to lead lap six but one again Miller drifted high leaving two that enabled Sweet to challenge him for the lead. But once Miller stomped the loud pedal Sweet was a distant memory for the leader. Meanwhile, Dangerous Dan took his time to move up, as he surveyed every feet of the clay quarter-mile surface. He ran seventh for the first five laps but passed Hood for fifth on the sixth lap. He reached third by putting a great move on both Henry and Rigsby during lap night. One more lap and he sent Sweet back a notch as he could see the leader. Henry raced hard in fourth but a spin on lap ten ruined his chances of a top spot finish.
Miller and Fitzgerald occupied the first and second positions the rest of the afternoon but the rest of the running order looked as if they were playing musical chairs. Ayer was in second then Sweet then Hood then Jerry Delaney, etc. The first driver out of the race was Elko's Terry Taylor as the rest of the drivers remarkably finished the race. Following Miller and Fitzgerald to the checkered it was Delaney, Hood, Rigsby, Ward Amberson, and Randy Artz. Hood and Fitzgerald were the heat winners and Miller prevailed in the Trophy Dash.
After the race Miller commented "I thought I lost a cylinder during those last few laps. Guess it was good that we had some cushion over Dan. I love this track and the fans. A good way to celebrate a birthday." To celebrate Miller's birthday, Dennis Bennett, the Director of Competition, presented the 'old man' with a sheet cake in front of the crowded grandstands. The Director of the I.M.C.A. Western Region, Paul Vetter, was also on hand.
In Pro Stock action, Brian Thorp was on his way to a feature victory but was black flagged due to excessive smoking handing the lead, and the win, to Lovelock driver Frankie Smith. The original ten-lap race was shortened to six laps. Previously, Thorp collected wins in the heat and trophy dash.
In the highly entertaining Mini Mod feature, it was all Doug McGibbon and Tim Garner. The duo swapped the lead on four different occasions but the last had a taste of controversy. With only three of the twenty laps remaining, Garner rammed the back of McGibbon's car, spinning the leader to the backstretch infield. Garner raced to the checkered flag and he was awarded fist place. McGibbon recovered to finish second, Ken Knight was third, Gary Ogburn fourth---all from Winnemucca.
Fourteen ATV riders competed in three divisions on the infield course. In the Pro class, a couple of Fallon riders Louis Lazenby and James Boney finished one-two over Winnemucca's K.C. Kubichek. Battle Mountain rider Justin Greenhalph battled to win the Intermediate class ahead of Chace Manske of Winnemucca. Another Battle Mountain star Kim Mize beat out Fallon's Lori Brown to prevail in the Women's division.
Starting June 6, Winnemucca Regional Raceway will move to Friday night for racing under the stars. Pit gates and grandstands will open at 5 with racing scheduled to start at 7:30
