EL CAJON, California -- David Beat and Hector Leon have already been crowned the late model sportsman and the pony stock champions at Cajon Speedway for 2003. The remaining four divisions the Grand American modified, street stock, bomber stock, and factory will have their 2003 title chases settled this Saturday night.
It will mark the final points night of the year for the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series at the 3/8-mile paved oval. But it will not be the last event of the year. The late model sportsman return for their annual Budweiser 100 open competition event on October 4. The season will conclude with a factory stock enduro on October 11. The late model open event is expected to draw entries from other tracks in Southern California and Nevada. Among those expected is Las Vegas champ Chuck Trickle.
But first the final battle for points must be run. Race time is 6:45 PM. Qualifying starts at 5:15 pm. The gates will open and practice commences at 4:00. Admission prices are $10 for adults on the east side and $9 on the west side. Kids from 6 12 are only $3. Children under the age of 6 are free when accompanied by an adult.
Double points will be on the line in all divisions. That means any single driver could pick up as many as 147 markers this time around. Each main event is also being extended by five laps. That means the open wheeled modifieds and street stocks will go 30 rounds apiece while the bomber stocks, pony stocks, and factory stocks will battle through 25 circuits.
In the Grand American modifieds, Jimmy Dickerson, Mike Salm, and Mike Jackson are seeking honors. Only 25 markers separate this trio. Eric Ferguson leads the street stock chase comfortably by 71 markers but Rich Green and Richard Hinze still harbor title hopes. Greg McCown and Rick Hagen have been going at it tooth and nail all season long in the bombers. Hagen is just 38 tallies ahead of McCown as each seeks his first title. In the factory stocks Vernon Gilmore will be looking for a miracle to overtake defending champion Matt Arnold, who is 116 tallies out front.
If the on-track suspense is not enough, Saturday will also mark the final destruction derby of the season. A big payoff is awaiting the top three finishers in that crashfest. First place will pay $1500 with second and third earning $800 and $500 apiece in the annual event sponsored by many of the automobile recyclers of San Diego County.
CAJON SPEEDWAY POINT STANDINGS
Late model sportsman - Final 1210 David Beat 1084 John Manke 1037 Danny Gay 961 Ron Overman 916 Stephen Peace 848 Jerry Gay 743 Bob Wickey 703 Claude Bell 619 Mike Mendenhall 609 Scott MosesGrand American modified 600 Jimmy Dickerson 586 Mike Salm 575 Mike Jackson 504 Doug Catania 468 Pat Garity 450 Scott Brown 340 Andy Papp 332 Douglas Carpenter 323 Lou Tompkins 322 Matt Pate
Street stock 1126 Eric Ferguson 1055 Rich Green Jr. 1023 Richard Hinze 974 Dave Arce 726 Mark Holland 693 Rob Freeman 666 Jason Pontsler 655 Rob Overman 647 Ivan Harrison 632 Gordon Anderson
Pony stock 1298 Hector Leon 1115 Marty Schmidt 875 Ed Hale 873 Douglas Wright Jr. 810 Ty Tipton 629 George Behlman 601 Russ Gregson 601 Darrell McKee Jr. 563 Thomas Winter 560 Chris Vaughn
Bomber stock 988 Rick Hagen 950 Greg McCown 807 Scott Denton 750 Hayden Smith 706 Brian Fitzgibbons 669 Marty Lehrke 547 David Whisenant 534 Randy Hart 476 Chris Boyer 458 Bill Holland
Factory stock 546 Matt Arnold 430 Vernon Gilmore 300 Pat Bradley 289 Ryan Gay 279 J.R. Trent 277 Brian Fitzgibbons 270 Blaine Sharp 242 Lyle Driscoll 232 Ernest Teixeira 200 Rich Crutchfield
