Elko, NV…Elko sensation Sam Coffelt and his Ford Pinto continued his torrid pace in the Mini Mods division as he raced to his fifth consecutive feature win Saturday night at Summit Raceway as all of the four point leaders added to their totals. Ward Amberson was the cream of the raceway’s coffee as he took his third I.M.C.A. Modified feature race of 2003 and a pair of Thorps, Brian (Pro Stocks) and Marnie (Gen-X), were successful in their feature events.
Coffelt, last year’s Rookie of the Year, beat former two-time division champion Chris Steensen. The tough Steensen won the heat race but was runner-up in the trophy dash to Coffelt. For Coffelt it was win number five, all in a row, and as able to add one point to use on the championship trail. His Pinto was fast all night long, due to his new ‘engine by Tony’. After a brilliant first half of this season that produced three victories, Steensen has run into a dry spell at Summit. Steensen didn’t make it easy for the winner, as he was right behind him, especially during the least four laps of the race. After Coffelt and Steensen it was defending champion Mike Fietzek in third, Steve Pruitt, Scott Coffelt, and young Trenton Ayers, son of Modified ace Nick Ayers. Just like the ads say, Marnie Thorp ‘had it her way’ in the Gen-X class. The ‘Queen of Speed’ from Spring Creek mowed down the competition as she completed a clean sweep as she took the feature, trophy dash, and heat race. John Levie finished second in the feature just ahead of Austin Senecal, Laura ‘Don’t call me Byron’ Greenwood, and Tom Senecal. For Ms. Thorp it was win number five at the quarter-mile clay track.
Brian Thorp continued his winning ways as he won his sixth feature in the Pro Stock event. The winner received a black flag earlier in his heat race for blowing too much oil on the track; otherwise, Thorp would have turned in another clean sweep. Bill Cornett finished in second place, Bernie Sethaler was third while Brad Green took fourth.
The Battle Mountain Boys swept the first three positions in the I.M.C.A. Modified feature race as many time Battle Mountain Raceway champion Ward Amberson became the first three-time winner this season. Earlier, Amberson hooked up with Nick Ayers in the trophy dash to produce one of the finest short races in recent memory. The raced wheel to wheel before Ayers got a great bite leaving turn four in final stanza.
Amberson took the lead over Randy Artz on lap eight as the two raced side by side for good. With his victory, Amberson lengthened his point lead to four over ‘The Ryndon Rocket’ Joe Rigsby. Following Amberson and Artz it was Ayers, Dan Basanez, long tow Paul Peterson from Wyoming, Rigsby, Terry “nine-lap’ Taylor, and Idaho’s Steve Henry.
Races return to Summit August 16 but race in Winnemucca this Friday and at Battle Mountain the next night.
SUMMIT RACEWAY AUGUST 2, 2003 RESULTS
I.M.C. A. MODIFIEDS
Heat: Randy Artz, Ward Amberson, Dan Basanez, Nick Ayers, Paul Peterson
Dash: Nick Ayers, Ward Amberson, Dan Basanez, Randy Artz
Feature Ward Amberson, Randy Artz, Nick Ayers, Dan Basanez, Paul Peterson Joe Rigsby, Terry Taylor, Steve Henry
ECAR PRO STOCKS
Heat: Bernie Sethaler, Bill Cornett, Brian Thorp, Brad Green DNS
Dash: Brian Thorp, Bernie Sethaler, Bill Cornett, Brad Green
Feature Brian Thorp, Bill Cornett, Bernie Sethaler, Brad Green
ECAR MINI MODS
Heat: Chris Steensen, Sam Coffelt, Scott Coffelt, Steve Pruitt, Mike Fietzek
Dash: Sam Coffelt, Steve Pruitt, Scott Coffelt, Chris Steensen
Feature Sam Coffelt, Chris Steensen, Mike Fietzek, Steve Pruitt, Scott Coffelt Trenton Ayers
ECAR GEN-X
Heat: Marnie Thorp, Tom Senecal, Austin Senecal, Laura Greenwood
Dash: Marnie Thorp, Austin Senecal, Tom Senecal, Laura Greenwood
Feature Marnie Thorp, John Levie, Austin Senecal, Laura Greenwood, Tom Senecal
