BAKERSFIELD, California -- The champagne was flowing Saturday night in the winners circle as the 2003 track champions were crowned. Dan Holtz won his second Mesa Marin Raceway Super Late Model Championship Saturday night in the CARQUEST Auto Parts 75 main event. With his 41 points lead going into the season finale, Holtz needed to start the race in order to win his championship. Holtz ended the season with five wins, seven top five finishes and seven top ten finishes. Las Vegas driver Ray Hooper, Jr. finished the year in second place. Kevin Thompson drove into second place for the night in front of Mike Mason making his second start in the Super Late Model Division. Brett Landes took home rookie of the year honors with six top five finishes.
Brandon Miller drove into victory for the second time this year winning the Late Model 75 lap main event. Brian Richardson claimed his first championship during last weeks race and blew and engine during tonights event. David Mayhew scored his first top five of the season placing second. Rookie of the year honors went to #13 Josh Horn as he placed third tonight coupled with Devlin Autrys mixup in an earlier accident. Mike Riale finished the year second in points behind Richardson with Horn and Autry to follow.
In the Street Stock Division, David Hutchins Jr. won his first championship by placing second on the evening. Lloyd Wren Jr. won his eighth race of the season but with Hutchins finishing right behind him the trophy went to Hutchins. Darren Reed drove his #38 machine into third place for the night and finished in that spot for the season. Rookie of the year honors went to the #40 of Greg Puskarich who amassed nine top five finishes and 12 top ten finishes.
The ChevronTexaco High School Racing Series saw Shafter High Schools Brandon Davidson pick up his first win and Shafters third of the season. However, with North High School taking a ten point lead into tonights final race paired with Alan Wiskerchens third place finish, North High took home championship honors. John Salgado of Delano High School finished in second place tonight giving his team their eighth top five of the season. Delano finishes the season in third place with Tehachapi High School taking the runner up place for the season.
The Bakersfied Police Department took home their first Mesa Marin Raceway Championship after trailing the Kern County Parks and Recreation Department by 12 points going into the night. A wreck less than halfway through the fifteen lap main event saw the #7 machine driven by Chad Cornelson taken to pit road. Brian Rauser of the Kern County Superintendent of Schools crossed the checkered flag in second place with Dave Gillis driving the Kern County Building Departments machine into third place.
