Four races, four different winners…for the PPG Modifieds, the 2000 season is starting out to be a diverse one. The series ran a double-header Saturday, bringing the total races for 2000 to four. In those four, four different drivers have visited victory lane. Saturday, it was Dave Saunders' and Jim Eaton's turn to win.
The double-header was run in order to comply with the rules of NASCAR's Weekly Racing Series. The PPG Modifieds are RMR's feature class in the Weekly Racing Series.
Saunders' turn at the front came early in the night during the first main event. Saunders started fourth in the 23-car field. He quickly jumped to the front, taking the lead from Tom Ault on lap five. He easily led from there to the finish, being slowed only by two brief cautions-one for a spin by Ault and another for a spin by point leader Michael Hale. Saunders crossed the line about 3.29 seconds ahead of Eaton, Roger Wilson, Gary Madsen and Lynn Hardy.
In the second main event, Eaton would not have to settle for second. Eaton lined up for the race in the fourth place spot, but problems with the car of Ault put Eaton on the outside of the front row for the start. That was all he needed to get to the front. Eaton and pole sitter Wilson jumped out to the front and ran the first lap side-by-side all the way around the 3/8-mile oval. Eaton edged Wilson at the line to lead the first lap and then he took the lead outright on the lap two. From there he took off. Eaton built up a lead of almost three seconds before a caution came out on lap 26 for an accident involving Hale, Saunders and Madsen. Eaton got a good restart following the caution and once again started to build up a solid lead. He lead by one and a quarter seconds before another caution came out with four laps remaining. Following the caution, Eaton wasn't able to rebuild that solid lead. He finished about half a second ahead of Wilson, James Campbell, Justin Westmoreland and Rick Ellison.
Earlier in the night, Jim Wysong won the PPG Modified trophy dash. Despite having problems throughout the night, Michael Hale maintained the series point lead.
In other action, James Burman Jr. continued his solid start to 2000 with a second consecutive win in the Aire Tech Super Stocks. Burman passed Shawn Card with six laps to go in the 25-lap race and led to the finish. Card stuck with Burman until troubles struck him with one lap to go. Card had mechanical problems and stopped on the backstretch unable to finish the race.
That gave Burman the easy win. He crossed the line nearly five seconds ahead of Dennis Thomas, Nick Parker, Stanley Webster and Michael Young. Burman also won his heat race. Webster won the trophy dash and Thomas won the other heat race.
Jeff Hillock topped the field in the Maverik Late Models. Zan Sharp, Paul Marconi, Joe Hood and Marty Zehr rounded out the top five. Hillock won the trophy dash. Gary Porter and Marconi won the heat races.
It was a clean sweep for Michael Schultz in the Legend cars. Schultz opened the night by winning the trophy dash. He followed that up with a win in his heat race and with a win in the main event. Doyle Olsen won the other heat race. In the main event, Aaron Lanningham, Olsen, Billy Osoro and Jeff Kelley rounded out the top five.
Ron Binstock topped the field in the AIS Super Mini Cups. He was followed by Michael Laing, Allen Mathis, Nathan Christensen and Dave Adamson. Laing won the night's trophy dash and heat race.
It was round two of racing for the Summit Racing ET Point Series on the drag strip Friday. Mark Tyacke ran a nearly perfect pass on his way to the Super Pro victory. Tyacke had a perfect reaction time and then ran within two-tenths of his dial-in time as he beat Matt Schoenfeld for the Super Pro trophy. Tyacke ran down the track in 8.296 seconds at 159.57 mph on his way to victory.
Other winners Friday were: Darrin Williams, Pawn Brokers Pro ET; Chris
Hopper, Sportsman ET; Rick Newport; ET Motorcycle; Neisha Mackay, Arctic
Circle Junior Dragster Major; Tanner Marshall, Arctic Circle Junior Dragster
Minor; and Rebecca Isbell, Arctic Circle Junior Dragster Rookie.
Following Friday's race, the point leaders on the drag strip are: Matt
Schoenfeld, Super Pro; Darrin Williams, Pawn Brokers Pro ET; E. Kent Gibbs,
Sportsman ET; Roger Bickmore, ET Motorcycle; Cody Perkins, Arctic Circle
Junior Dragster Major; Tanner Marshall, Arctic Circle Junior Dragster Minor;
and Jody Petitt, Arctic Circle Junior Dragster Rookie.
