2003 SPEED TRUCK CHALLENGE FINALE

BLYTHE, California -- The Mechanix Wear SPEED TRUCKS came roaring into Blythe to run their final race of the 2003 season at the Lucas Oil I-10 Speedway. Forrest Lucas, the owner of Lucas Oil Products, mingled with the racers and race fans and could not resist driving the #61 rental car provided by Another Mobile Fleet Service in the Pure Stock Main Event.

The Mechanix Wear SPEED TRUCK 99-lap Main Event featured 14 starters. Joey Mogar (16) started on the pole position with Dan Digiacomo (31) to his right. Robert Kroeker (58) started in the second row with Keith Cummins (29) to his right and John Burritt (21) and Lee Hatch (91) finished out the third row. At the green flag Mogar pulled out into the lead, but debris on the track forced a restart. On the restart, it was Mogar again taking the lead position with Digiacomo and Kroeker in 2nd and 3rd. By the 5th lap, Burritt had systematically maneuvered his way up to 1st place followed by Kroeker, Hatch, and Mogar (16). On lap 13, Alex Pruett (02) went into the wall in front of the grandstands and was towed into the pits. After the restart, Burritt retained the lead but was closely followed by Hatch and Kroeker. A few cars back, Kenny Smith (43) was challenging Donny Goodwin (33) for 5th place, a battle that would continue over several laps. Meanwhile, Burritt and Hatch pulled away from the pack. Hatch continued to threaten Burritt and eventually squeezed by Burritt on the inside to take 1st place on lap 33. On lap 42, Amy Elizondo (01) spun out in turn 2 and moved to the rear for the restart. At the green flag, Gary Bryant (94), who had been in 3rd place, quickly fell back to 10th with what looked like engine trouble. It was now Hatch, Burritt, Kroeker, Goodwin, Smith, and Mogar. Smith put a bumper-to-bumper challenged on Goodwin for 4th place over several laps. Elizondo spun out again in front of the grandstands, which sent her to the pits because of the 2-spin rule for the Speed Trucks. At lap 60, it was still Hatch and Burritt out in front and Smith continued to put heavy pressure on 4th place Goodwin. But Smith’s spinout between turns 1 and 2 brought that battle to an end since Smith restarted at the rear. At lap 58 it was still Hatch and Burritt in 1st and 2nd followed by Kroeker and Digiacomo, with Digiacomo mounting a battle for 3rd. With only nine laps remaining, Kroeker, Digiacomo, and Goodwin were bumper-to-bumper for the 3rd, 4th, and 5th positions. A yellow flag came out on lap 92 and on the restart both Digiacomo and Goodwin got by an unfortunate, sleeping-at-the-wheel Kroeker. At the checkered flag Hatch rolled across in first place followed closely by Burritt in 2nd. Digiacomo, Goodwin, Kroeker, Mogar, and Smith came across in 3rd – 7th. For the record, Hatch had enough points prior to the race to secure the 2003 Championship by simply starting in the race but demonstrated his competitive spirit and expert driving skills by winning yet another race. Congratulations to Lee Hatch (91) who is the winner of the Mechanix Wear 2003 Speed Truck Challenge.

The Lucas Oil LATE MODELS raced in their second event of the 2003-2004 Winter Blast. The 35-lap event featured David Ross (57) starting on the pole position with Richard Kerr (56) to his right. Glen Burke (96) and Mark Schriner (82) populated the second row while Byan Becker (19) and Jimmy Rouse (09) sat in the third row. At the green flag, Kerr quickly moved passed rookie Ross on the outside to take the lead position. After the first lap, it was Kerr in the lead followed by Schriner, Ross and Burke. On the 2nd lap, Rouse went into the wall in front of the grandstands and was pulled into the pits under a yellow flag. At the restart, Burke was able to get around Ross and move into 3rd place. On lap 4, Sherry Rivera, a new driver in the Late Model division, spun out in turn 1 and restarted at the rear. At the restart it was Kerr, Schriner, Burke, Ross, Becker, and youngster Shawn Steel (52). For several laps, Schriner challenged Kerr for 1st place. On lap eight, Ross miscalculated and allowed Becker, Layman, and Richard Hooper (16) to pass, moving him quickly from 4th to 7th. On lap 12, Becker spun out between turns 2 and 3 trying to pass with Burke going sideways into Becker. Both were sent to the rear for the restart. On lap 12, John Atwood (15) ran into the rear of Ross coming out of turn 4. Ross was forced into the wall and Burke skidded into Becker trying to stop. Ross was finished for the night while Burke and Becker sustained minimal damage and were able to continue. At lap 13, Kerr was still in the lead followed by Schriner, Steel, and rookie Andrew Murphy (70). Richard Hooper (16), last season’s champion, got by Bobby Keirns (86) to take over 5th place. Schriner continued to mount a close-quarter’s attack on Kerr but wasn’t able to dislodge the quiet-mannered leader. Towards the end of the race Kerr finally pulled away from Schriner and received the checker flag for a win. Schriner, Steel, and Hooper finished in 2nd, 3rd, and 4th respectively.

Seven SPORT TRUCK drivers from the Inland Empire showed up to race in a 20-lap Main Event. Danny Gutierrez (97) started on the pole position with Roberto Calvera (18) to his right. Karl Roth (24) and Jeff Jones (02T) sat in the second row. At the green flag, Gutierrez pulled into the lead followed by Calvera and Jones. Roth spun out in turn 2 and stalled, bringing out a yellow flag and the tow truck. At the restart it was Gutierrez, Jones, and Rick Hinkle (82). By the fourth lap, Ziggy Zibulski (13) moved his way up from 6th to 4th. On lap 7, it was still Gutierrez followed by Calvera, Zibulski, and Roth. On lap 16, Gutierrez went wide and both Calvera and Zibulski were able to drive underneath to take over 1st and 2nd places. Gutierrez then went into the wall coming out of turn 2 and was finished for the day. Calvera received the checkered flag and was followed by Zibulsky, Jones, Jim Belter (75), and Hinkle.

The Sunoco Fuel PURE STOCKS raced in a 30-lap Main Event to conclude the afternoon racing at the Lucas Oil I-10 Speedway. Randy Forbis (64) started on the pole position with Michelle Rouse (90) to his right. Jacob Forbis (46) and Don Olmsted (79) sat in the second row. At the green flag, Randy Forbis and Michelle Rouse drove side-by-side going into turn 2. Because of the close quarters, several cars got involved in a collision, which resulted in a restart. At the green flag, Michelle Rouse was able to pull into the lead, followed by Randy Forbis, Jimmy Rouse (09), John Kelley (11), and Rick Layman (b52). On lap 5, Mark Barth (8) and Jennifer Hope (9) spun out going into turn 2. After the yellow flag, both were sent to the rear for the restart. Michelle Rouse continued to hold the lead until lap 8 when Jacob Forbis nudged by her on the outside. The first four cars drove several laps 2x2 until Ryan Kerr (56) spun out in turn 4, necessitating a single-file restart. At the green flag, Jacob Forbis was in first place followed by Michelle Rouse, Layman, Jimmy Rouse, and John Kelley. On the next lap Michelle Rouse drove past Jacob Forbis to take over the lead position. On lap 9, Jacob Forbis apparently blew and engine coming out of turn 3 and David Rice (81) stalled during the yellow flag. Both vehicles were towed into the pits. At the restart, it was now Michelle Rouse followed by Layman, Jimmy Rouse, Dusty Hope (33), and Justin Good (25). For several laps Layman launched an attack on Michelle Rouse on the outside. Rouse held her ground driving on the inside lane. Good spun out and crashed into the wall between turns 3 and 4 and restarted in the back. After the restart, Layman was able to power around Michelle Rouse to take 1st place. At the checkered flag, Layman held on for a 1st place finish followed closely by Michelle Rouse, Jimmy Rouse, Dusty Hope, and John Kelley.

Racers and fans need to mark their calendars for the huge racing event planned for November 29. The event will be sponsored by KC Automotive Machine Shop in Blythe, CA. The Bud Light PRO-4’s, Sunoco Fuel PURE STOCKS, EZ-UP LEGEND CARS, and BANDOLEROS are schedule to run. The PRO-4’s, PURE STOCKS, AND LEGENDS CARS will race in 50-lap Main Events. In addition, the PURE STOCKS will be racing for double points!

Residents in Blythe will be happy to learn that the 4H and FFA will be selling tickets for the Thanksgiving 150 as part of the fund raising promotion supported by the Lucas Oil I-10 Speedway. Residents are encouraged to support the local 4H and FFA by purchasing their pre-race tickets from youngsters in these two organizations.

Fastest Times: Lee Hatch (91) at 14.885, John Burritt (21) at 14.935, and Kieth Cummins (29) at 15.177. Trophy Dash: Lee Hatch (91), John Burritt (21), Robert Kroeker (58), Keith Cummins (29), Dan Digiacomo (31), and Joey Mogar (16). Main Event: Lee Hatch (91), John Burritt (21), Dan Digiacomo (31), Donny Goodwin (33), Robert Kroeker (58), Joey Mogar (16), Kenny Smith (43), Keith Cummins (29), Rob Ferguson (50), Bobby Sayers (2), Gary Bryant (94), Jeff Rocheleau (13), Amy Elizondo (01), and Alex Pruett (02).

Trophy Dash: Ziggy Zibulski (13), Jeff Jones (02T), Jim Belter (25), Spencer Samaro (20). Main Event: Robert Calvera (18), Ziggy Zibulski (13), Jeff Jones (02T), Karl Roth (24), Jim Belter (75), Rick Hinkle (82), Danny Gutierrez (97), Spencer Samaro (20).

Fastest Times: Mark Schriner (82) at 15.565, Justin Fisher (95) at 15.612, and Glen Burke (96) at 15.752. Trophy Dash: Richard Kerr (56), Mark Schriner (82), Glen Burke (96), and Justin Fisher (95). Heat 1: Shawn Steel (52), Richard Hooper (16), Andrew Murphy (70), Bobby Keirns (86), Paul Crutcher (0), and Sherry Rivera (28). Heat 2: Ryan Becker (19), Richard Kerr (56), Jimmy Rouse (09), Mark Schriner (82), Glen Burke (96), and David Ross (57). Main Event: Richard Kerr (56), Mark Schriner (82), Shawn Steel (52), Richard Hooper (16), Ryan Becker (19), Andrew Murphy (70), Bobby Keirns (86), Glen Burke (96), John Atwood (15), Paul Crutcher (0), Sherry Rivera (28), David Ross (57), and Jimmy Rouse (09).

Fastest Times: John Kelley (11) at 17.406, Brian Faulkner (2) at 17.534, and Rick Layman (b52) at 17.535. Trophy Dash: Jimmy Rouse (09), Brian Faulkner (2), Rick Layman (b52), and John Kelley (11). Heat 1: Justin Good (25), Mark Barth (8), David Rice (81), Richard Kerr (56), Dusty Hope (33), Forrest Lucas (61), Curt Larson (07), Jennifer Hope (9). Heat 2: Rick Layman (b52), John Kelley (11), Randy Forbis (64), Michelle Rouse (90), Don Olmsted (79). Main Event: Rick Layman (b52), Michelle Rouse (90), Jimmy Rouse (09), Dusty Hope (33), John Kelley (11), Mark Barth (8), Brian Faulkner (2), Jason Butler (71), Don Olmsted (79), Justin Good (25), Forrest Lucas (61), Jennifer Hope (9), Randy Forbis (46), David Rice (81), Ryan Kerr (56), Curt Larson (07).