Bakersfield, CA – It was a good night for the current championship point leaders at Mesa Marin Raceway tonight. All three leaders coming into tonight’s event, Dan Holtz – Super Late Model, David Hutchins – Street Stock, and Leonardo Bagnis – Cal Spas SuperMoto USA were victorious and extended their points lead. In Super Late Model competition, Dan Holtz set fast time at an 18.68, and then started sixth in the main event. Brett Landes and Mike Mason lead the field to the green flag, with Mason jumping out to the early lead followed by James Bruncati, Landes, Johnny Antonino and Ray Hooper, Jr.. Just past midway of the fifty lap feature Holtz had marched his way to the point, chased by Hooper, with Mason and Antonino battling for the third position. With five laps to go Mason and Antonino made contact entering turn three, with Mason ending up spinning and touching the wall. This incident set up the classic green-white-checker dual to the finish. Hooper closed on Holtz, but the 2001 Super Late Model champ would claim his fourth win of the year, with Hooper second, Antonino third, Landes and Bruncati rounding out the top five.
The Street Stocks competed in twin main events tonight, as Hutchins and Lloyd Wren were separated by just two points entering the night. As the green flag dropped on the huge field of Street Stocks, things quickly took a turn for the worst for the series point leader as Hutchins’ hood on his #0 Chevy popped open and blocked his view out the wind shield. This looked to be the break that would give Wren a big boost in the championship race as he moved past Shane Thomas for the lead and looked to be on his way to his seventh win of 2003. But on lap 17, the race and the championship outlook changed as Wren slowed coming off turn 2, Thomas and Hutchins, who was now down a full lap collided trying to avoid the slowing car of Wren. Wren retired to the pits. When the dust settled it was Greg Puskarich who inherited the lead and held on for his first win of the season, followed by Darren Reed, Randy Tucker, Mike George and Mark Kuhar.
In the second Street Stock main event, it looked to be all Hutchins and Wren once again, until Wren slowed once again which gave Hutchins the win unchallenged. Thomas finished second, with Jaron Parks, Howie Smith and Puskarich rounding out the top five.
In Cal Spas SuperMoto USA competition, everyone got a scare early in the day when the Sportsman division point leader Ernie Lyles crashed hard over the jump and was transported to Kern Medical Center with a broken femur. Cole Cates won the Sportsman heat race and Rick Pearce scored the win in the Open/Pro heat race. In the Sportsman main event, Cole Cates continued his winning form as he beat Ed Coffey to the line for the win, followed by Cliff Sullivan, Scotty Nakamura and Dave Lopez. In the Open/Pro main event, it was Pearce out front early on chased by Casey Yarrow and Bagnis. Bagnis soon moved past Yarrow then began to reel in Pearce. Pearce then suffered a flat rear tire, which handed the lead to Bagnis who went on to his fifth win of the season. Yarrow was second, Jeff Harrington was third with his first podium finish of the year, Cates was fourth and Coffey was fifth.
Liberty High School scored their first win in the ChevronTexaco High School Racing Series and the Bakersfield Police won over the Bakersfield Parks and Recreation Department in the Auto Club 911 Race for Youth Series.
Next week at Mesa Marin it’s the NASCAR Late Models, Street Stocks, ChevronTexaco High School Racing Series and the annual “Real Political Race” featuring State and local politicians battling it out on the “West’s Fastest Half-Mile”.
