STOCKTON, California -- Four drivers claimed their first checkered flags of the 2003 season on GLIDDEN PAINT night last Saturday at Stockton 99 Speedway. Only Grand American Modified driver Jay Linstroth of Citrus Heights had previously won during the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series this season.
Valley Springs Tracy Bolin led the final 12 laps, barely escaping with a photo finish over rookie John Moore of Granite Bay in the Western Late Model division. Bolin became the first WLM driver other than Modesto's Harry Belleto and Roseville's Eric Schmidt, who finished third, to win in the past three weeks.
Manteca's Danny Guibor, pole sitter, led 15 of the first 17 laps before he was involved in a three-car pileup on lap 21. Pacific Grove's Dave Byrd was fourth and Belleto finished fifth in the 15-car field. In the 30-lap GAM main event, Linstroth led wire-to-wire, coasting to his third win of the season. He remains the only multi-race winner in the division.
Linstroth won for the first time since May 10.
Ripon's Mike Regelman finished second, ahead of Modesto's Kyle Gottula. Ripon's Angelo Queirolo, who won last week, was fourth.
Lodi's Michael Wendt gained the upperhand on the third-caution restart at the midway point of the Pure Stock main event. Wendt, who holds the track record in his division, led the final 15 laps for his first win of 2003.
The 30-lap race had five lead changes.
Stockton's Gary Shafer Jr. had won four of the previous five races, but suffered an early exit. Shafer Jr. departed after a three-car wreck with Galt's John Medina and Stockton's Tom Dahl abruptly ended his night. Chad Holman of Stockton placed second and Jeff Ahl of Lodi finished third.
Tracy's Brandon Trevethan became the fourth different Pro 4 Truck driver in as many races to grab the winner's circle this season. Trevethan took his first lead from Lodi's Mike Curry on lap 5 and never looked back in the 25-lap main event.
Ron Robeck of Milpitas was second and Saratoga's Carrie Miller finished third.
Points leader Brett Barney of Rohnert Park did not race.
In a two-car battle, Cupertino's Ryan Mosher eventually overtook Elk Grove?s Steve Fensler Jr. in the Legends 30-lap main event. Mosher led 14 laps including the final nine, after exchanging leads with Fensler Jr. for most of the race.
Fensler Jr. led one lap before Mosher gained the lead on lap 7. But Fensler Jr. regained the lead on lap 12, and stayed in front until lap 21 when Mosher forged ahead for good.
Frankie Winchel of Sabastopol placed third and Pete Currin of Redwood City was fourth. The large Stockton crowd witnessed a very efficently run program and great side by side racing action.
Next Saturday, Stockton 99 Speedway will celebrate "U.S. ARMY NIGHT". Western Late Models, Grand American Modifieds, Pure Stocks and Pro 4 Trucks will headline an evening of celebration for America's armed forces.
- Top Qualifier
- Eric Schmidt, 14.140
- Dash
- 1. Dave Byrd 2. Pete Anderson Jr. 3. Schmidt 4. Phil Perry
- Main
- 1. Tracy Bolin 2. John Moore 3. Schmidt 4. Byrd 5. Harry Belleto 6. Larry Hoover 7. Scott Masellis 8. Walt Haas 9. Danny Guibor 10. Mike Garcia 11. Harold Rieker 12. Perry 13. Anderson Jr. 14. Gary Glenn 15. Dwight Pilcher
- Top Qualifier
- Jay Linstroth, 13.955
- Dash
- 1. Angelo Queirolo 2. Kyle Gottula 3. Linstroth 4. Mike Regelman
- Main
- 1. Linstroth 2. Regelman 3. Gottula 4. Queirolo 5. Jason Philpot 6. Chris Mays 7. Buzz Devore 8. Sam Solari 9. Danny Contessotto 10. Gary Glenn 11. Joey Stearns 12. Stewart Cullom 13. Aaron Young 14. Ted Montague 15. Tim Smith
- Top Qualifier
- Gary Shafer Jr., 17.085
- Heat 1
- 1. Aaron Shankel 2. Dave Ball 3. David Sullivan 4. Brian Vosburg 5. Mike Huff 6. Tom Gutsch 7. Brian Vosburg Jr. 8. Jeremy Hoff
- Heat 2
- 1. Joe Allen 2. Jerry Madden 3. Chet Hopkins 4. Brian Miller 5. Ray Bird 6. Chris Norton 7. Kurt White 8. Jacob Cordoza
- Dash
- 1. Chad Holman 2. Shafer Jr. 3. Tom Dahl 4. John Medina
- Semi
- 1. Miller 2. Vosburg 3. Norton 4. Gutsch 5. Bird 6. Tony Smith 7. Vosburg Jr. 8. Hopkins 9. Hoff 10. Cordoza 11. White 12. Sullivan 13. Huff
- Main
- 1. Michael Wendt 2. Holman 3. Jeff Ahl 4. Johnny Bird 5. Shankel 6. Tom Bolin 7. Ball 8. Madden 9. Medina 10. Miller 11. Boyd Camper 12. Kannai Scantlen 13. Cordoza 14. Charlie Clawson 15. Vosburg 16. Bob Simpson 17. Shafer Jr. 18. Dahl
- Top Qualifier
- Carrie Miller, 16.165
- Dash
- 1. Michael Brooks Jr. 2. Miller 3. Brandon Trevethan 4. Gary Franks
- Main
- 1. Trevethan 2. Ron Robeck 3. Miller 4. Randy Jahoda 5. Brooks Jr. 6. Mike Curry 7. Robin Ailes 8. Todd Lewis 9. Shane Dreher 10. Bruce Hopper 11. Dave Wright
- Top Qualifier
- Ryan Mosher, 15.801
- Heat 1
- 1. Mosher 2. Steve Fensler Jr. 3. Kelly Martin 4. Rick Andrews 5. Mike Hoffman 6. Peter Currin
- Heat 2
- 1. Frankie Winchel 2. Pat Appleby 3. Mark Bail 4. David Winchel 5. Hank Smedley 6. Richard Appleby
- Heat 3
- 1. Rob Lathrop 2. Gerald Crawford 3. Jack Humphrey 4. Donny Stone 5. William Crisp
- Dash
- 1. Mosher 2. Fensler Jr. 3. F. Winchel 4. P. Appleby
- Main
- 1. Mosher 2. Fensler Jr. 3. F. Winchel 4. Currin 5. Smedley 6. Lathrop 7. Bail 8. R. Appleby 9. Crawford 10. Humphrey 11. Crisp 12. P. Appleby 13. Hoffman 14. Stone 15. Andrews 16. Martin 17. D. Winchel
