Leading from lap 11 on, Dan Holtz won his second straight 75 lap NASCAR Late Model feature at Mesa Marin Raceway Saturday night. Mike Duncan finished 2nd to protect his early season point lead. Gene Fife also collected a second straight win in the 25 lap Modified Stock main event. Mike White won the 25 lap street stock main and snapped the winning streak of Mike Riale in the process.
The Holtz team struggled to repair a hole in the oil pan in time to make a qualifying run and posted fast time honors with his 18.831 effort on the paved half-mile. Barry Bradshaw was the dash winner and heat wins went to Rex Calderwood and Brian Branson. Holtz uses a Jim Watkins engine and he grabbed the lead on lap 11 of the 75 lap main. The 75 lapper started 17 cars. The six car inversion had put Branson on the pole and he led three laps before Jason Small took over. Holtz used an inside pass in turn 1 to take the lead on lap 11. At the 30 lap mark, Holtz led Small, Duncan, Branson, Bradshaw and Charlie Watler. Steve Reaves cut down a right front tire and hit the wall hard for a lap 39 caution with Bradshaw now in fourth. The final caution came on lap 56 when Bobby Aldridge hit the wall running sixth. After trying an outside run at J Small, Duncan tapped him and then drove underneath for 2nd. Bradshaw followed Duncan's move to take over third. Bradshaw tried to get underneath Duncan on each of the closing laps, but Duncan held off the strong challenge to finish 2nd with Small fourth ahead of Branson, Kevin Small, Calderwood and Jeff Latimer.
The modified stocks had a 7 car field and Fife was fast timer at 20.580 seconds. Brian Richardson posted wins in both the dash and heat race. Richardson also led early in the 25 lapper, but Fife got underneath him in turn 3 on lap 12. Shane Thompson ran second until a lap 7 yellow flag when he was forced to pit with a loose gas cap. Fife led the rest of the way with Richardson second as Howie Smith ran third ahead of Kevin Sevenich and Thompson. Riale was the fastest of the street stocks with his 23.028 lap, but White took dash honors. Former Bakersfield Speedway dirt track star Paul Menees won the heat in front of J R Garcia. White grabbed the lead on lap 6 of the 25 lap main and won with point leader Riale in second. Albert Sallie was third ahead of Menees and Robert Faihtinger. One of the reasons for the reduced car counts in the street stocks was the introduction of a restrictor plate, but that rule was revoked this week and 13 cars started the 25 lap main.
In the 911 Race for Youth action, Bob Bivens from the Bakersfield Police Department won both the heat and 12 lap feature. Shane Fraley of Kern County Fire was second in the main ahead of Dan Gates of the Kern County Schools with Kern County Sheriff David Barker in fourth ahead of Bob Miller from the District Attorney's Office.
Summary Street Stock Fast Time-Mike Riale 23.028 Dash-Mike White. Heat-Paul Menees, J R Garcia, Mark Tenhet. Main-White, Riale, Albert Sallie, Menees, Robert Faihtinger. Modified Stock Fast Time-Gene Fife 20.580 Dash-Brian Richardson. Heat-Richardson, Fife, Kevin Sevenich. Main-Fife, Richardson, Howie Smith, Sevenich, Shane Thompson. Late Model Fast Time-Dan Holtz 18.831 Dash-Barry Bradshaw. Heat 1-Rex Calderwood, Leslie Lipscomb, Jeff Latimer. Heat 2-Brian Branson, Kevin Small, Bobby Aldridge. Main-Holtz, Mike Duncan, Bradshaw, Jason Small, Branson, K Small, Calderwood, Latimer.
