LAS VEGAS - Lonnie Adamson of Salt Lake City, Utah was crowned the 2003 Supermodified Racing League (SRL) champion at the Open Wheel Extravaganza at the Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Saturday night.
Adamson missed the 40-lap feature event, but it didn't matter in the points race. He clinched the championship prior to the visit at the Bullring. "Another championship feels good. We had some bad luck this weekend; we'll move on and be alright," Adamson said.
Troy Reiger of Dinuba, Calif. won the 40-lap Supermodified feature event. Bobby Dalton of San Martin, Calif. held a strong lead until the halfway mark when Reiger challenged him for the lead. The three-time SRL champion took command from Dalton and maintained it to post a win. Birges finished second followed by Jim Tartaglia of Reedly, Calif. and Bob Bigiogni of Salinas, Calif.
"This track is really fast. It has tremendous corner speeds, so it makes it tough," Reiger said. "It was a good, clean, tough race tonight." Larry Gerchman of Lake Havasu City, Ariz. won the IMCA Modified season-finale feature to clinch the 2003 IMCA Modified track championship. In the 25-lap main event Don Williams led the field until lap 10 when he was involved in a racing incident with Ken Thompson. The lead was relinquished to Todd Stancliff who held off Gerchman until the halfway mark. Gerchman held off the field for the win. Stancliff finished second followed by Eric Bauer and Jerry Walton.
"It's been a great year for me," Gerchman said. "I won the championship at I-10 Speedway and then came up here and win it here too. I don't think that will ever happen again." Lee Hatch of Covina, Calif. won the 99-lap Mechanix Wear Speed Trucks main event. John Burritt of Sparks took the lead from Dan Digiacomo of Laguna Niguel, Calif. on lap 44 and maintained it until late in the race. Hatch moved to the inside of Burritt on lap 96 for the win. Burritt finished second followed by Digiacomo and Don Foreman of Las Vegas.
In Thunder Roadsters race action, Dale Dlugos held off a hard-charging 2003 track champion Dave Green for the win in the 25-lap feature. Dlugos took the lead on lap eight from Matt Ross and maintained it for his first main event win. Green finished second followed by David Anderson and Ross. Official results will be released Monday
Supermodified Racing League A-feature event UNOFFICIAL Results (40 laps): 1. Troy Reiger, 2. Jim Birges, 3. Jim Tartaglia, 4. Bob Bigiogni, 5. Ken Hamilton, 6. Mike Ford, 7. Jim Wysong, 8. Darren Rusconi, 9. Rich Castor Jr., 10. Joe Priselac, 11. Harold Evans, 12. Johnny Pickard, 13. Rick Veenstra, 14. A.J. Russell, 15. Bobby Dalton, 16. Kirk Wartman, 17. Jeff Russell, 18. Rob Carlotto, 19. Ray Stebbins
Stewart Motorsports IMCA Modifieds main event UNOFFICIAL Results (25 laps): 1. Larry Gerchman, 2. Todd Stancliff, 3. Eric Bauer, 4. Jerry Walton, 5. Randall Boren, 6. Wayne Morris Jr., 7. CJ Scherkenbach, 8. Ken Kulikowski, 9. Steve Piper, 10. Rick Taylor, 11. Chris Silva, 12. Errol Sharron, 13. Don Williams, 14. Kenny Thompson, 15. Stoney Gray, 16. Dan Eldredge
Thunder Roadsters main event UNOFFICIAL Results (25 laps): 1. Dale Dlugos, 2. Dave Green, 3. David Anderson, 4. Matt Ross, 5. Richard Rusin, 6. Barry Yost, 7. Tom Green, 8. Paul Green, 9. Mel Larson, 10. Randy Bowman
Mechanix Wear Speed Trucks main event UNOFFICIAL Results (99 laps): 1. Lee Hatch, 2. John Burritt, 3. Dan Digiacomo, 4. Don Foreman, 5. Kevin Fedderson, 6. Troy Decuir, 7. Robert Kroeker, 8. Scott Franchimone, 9. Lee Keach, 10. Donny Goodwin, 11. Jason Black, 12. Colin Dickerson, 13. Bobby Sayers, 14. Jeff Rocheleau, 15. TJ Clark, 16. Gary Bryant, 17. Spencer Clark, 18. Scott Rueschenberg, 19. Alan Sanchez, 20. Tom Lovelady, 21. Joey Mogar
