STOCKTON, California -- In the Western Late Model Division, 30-lap main event, close to 1,200 fans watched Pacific Grove's Dave Byrd take the lead on a restart in lap-26 hang onto it for the next four laps and earn his 44th career win.
Manteca's Guy Guibor held the lead through lap-25 of the HAVOLINE main event, Byrd said that he didn't think he was going to be able to beat Guibor, but that positioning on the restart gave him the edge he needed.
"Guy had the bottom on the restart and it was oily, very oily, like ice," said Byrd. "I had the top (outside) and that gave me a chance to get the momentum I needed."
Byrd said the win in the DODGE Weekly Series was needed, because he and his crew had been putting a lot of work into the car to get it back on par following a damaging collision that took place several weeks ago.
"You never know if you are going to be able to get it back to normal," commented Byrd. "We've been tweaking it day and night."
Before the start of the race, Byrd said that he believed that Stockton's Pete Anderson Jr., last week's main winner, was "going to be the man to beat." Anderson wound up with second, Guibor finished at third, Stockton's Joey Stearns took fourth and Lodi's Mike Garcia took fifth.
On Saturday, June 26 the NASCAR DODGE/SAVE MART 350, held every year at Infineon Raceway, will take place. Historically, Stockton 99 Speedway closes during the event. On Saturday, July 3, the Saturday following Infineon, Stockton 99 Speedways NASCAR events, including Western Late Model, Pure Stock, Pro-4 Trucks and Grand American Modified will resume. In addition to the regular competitive fields, there will be duel 100-lap races: the SRL Wild West Series and the HAVOLINE Western Late Model main. This 200-lap race night promises top-shelf family entertainment that race fans wont want to miss!
Adding to Stockton 99 Speedway NASCAR excitement Saturday night was Campbell's Chris Drysdale. In the Pro-4 Truck series Drysdale again set a track record during qualifying. He went on to win the trophy dash and ultimately the main for a division sweep.
"It's all bout my crew," said Drysdale. "They gave me the fastest truck out there, they made it easy to do what I did."
Drysdale took the lead in lap-10 and held it throughout the race.
Drysdale's big sister, Carrie Miller of Saratoga, played a key role in his dash event victory. In lap-2, Miller went into the wall just out of turn-2, the yellow flag that followed gave Drysdale the position he needed to capture the win.
In the main Salida's Dave Daniels took second, Miller took third, Milpitas' Ron Robeck took fourth and Lodi's Mike Curry took fifth.
It was the night before Father's Day, but that didn't stop Chad Holman from passing father David Holman for the win in the Pure Stock Division.
Son passed dad in lap-5, and then stayed in front of the pack for the win.
"I just stayed in front and kept Charlie (Clawson) behind me," said Holman.
Clawson was last week's main winner, the Modestan took second Saturday night. Stockton's Dave Ball took third, Stockton's Richard Harper took fourth and Galt's John Medina came in fifth.
The Grand American Modified Division race provided action and drama during and after the race. Newark's Ted Montague IV earned the victory, but immediately afterward Citrus Heights' Jay Linstroth, who took third in a car he hadn't raced before, protested.
NASCAR officials performed the tech-inspection on the infield, drivers' tempers flared, but in the end it was determined that Montague ran a clean race.
"The car is a really balanced setup," said Monatgue. "I lost power steering on the fifth lap, but was able to get through it. It feels great to finish first.
Galt's Jason Kerby took second, Modesto's Mike Beeler took fourth and Stockton's Chevy Collier took fifth.
The little speedsters didn't see any rough-and-tumble, and only one yellow flag popped up. In the end, Cupertino's Ryan Mosher earned the win.
Mosher started five deep and on the inside. By lap-23 he had worked his way up to second, then made a move that earned him first.
"I just got lucky and made it through the pack," said Mosher. "The yellow gave us a good run for the front."
San Lorenzo's Mark Bailey earned second, Sebastopol's Frankie Winchel took third, Elk Grove's Chuck Scott came in fourth and Sebastopol's David Winchel finished fifth.
On Saturday, July 3 track sponsors like CL BRYANT will once again welcome race fans to action at Stockton 99 Speedway. Stockton 99 Speedway is located at 4105 North Wilson Way. Traveling south on Highway 99, take the Wilson Way exit. The track is two blocks up the road just past the first stop light. On Highway 99 north, take the Cherokee Road exit, loop over the freeway to Newton Road and turn right. Drive one mile and turn left at the Wilson Way stoplight. From Interstate 5, get on the Cross-town Freeway and head east to Highway 99 north, then drive north on Highway 99 to the Cherokee Road exit. For information, call (209) 466-9999, or visit www.stockton99speedway.com.
30-lap Main: 1. Dave Byrd (Pacific Grove) 2. Pete Anderson Jr. (Stockton) 3. Guy Guibor (Manteca) 4. Joey Stearns (Stockton) 5. Mike Garcia (Lodi) 6. John Moore (Granite Bay) 7. Danny Contesotto (Stockton) 8. Buzz DeVor (Stockton) 9. Chris Monez (Turlock) 10. Gary Shafer Jr. (Stockton) 11. Larry Hoover (Turlock) 12. Dwight Pilchar 13. Eric Humphries (Chowchilla) 14. David Hogue (Elk Grove) 15. Chad South (Dallas, TX) 16. Jerry Crawford (Stockton)
Dash: 1. Byrd 2. Guibor 3. Anderson Jr. 4. Moore
Top Qualifiers: Moore 14.440, Byrd 14.522, Anderson Jr. 14.566, Guibor 14.581, Garcia 14.643, Stearns 14.718
30-lap Main: 1. Chad Holman (Stockton) 2. Charlie Clawson (Modesto) 3. Dave Ball (Stockton) 4. Richard Harper (Stockton) 5. John Medina (Galt) 6. Tom Mosher (Manteca) 7. David Holman (Stockton) 8. Bob Simpson (Stockton) 9. Tom Dibble (Sonora) 10. Ton Dahl (Stockton) 11. Tony Smith (Angels Camp 12. Steve Brown (Lake Comanche) 13. Nick Smith (Angels Camp) 14. David Sullivan (Lodi) 15. Steve Bryant (Stockton) 16. Michael Brooks Jr. (Manteca) 17. Kurt White (Napa) 18. Ken Ratcliff (Stockton) 19. Joe Drake (Stockton)
B-Main 8-lap: 1. Joe Drake (Stockton) 2. Michael Brooks Jr.(Manteca) 3. Sheila Wall (Oakdale), 4. Danny Snow (Stockton) 5. Kurt White 6. Stephen Geiser (Brentwood) 7. Sean Drake
8-lap: 1. Dave Ball (Stockton) 2. Chad Holman (Stockton) 3. Steve Bryant (Stockton) 4. Bob Simpson (Stockton)
Dash: 1. Medina 2. Clawson 3. Harper 4. Ratcliff
Top qualifiers: Clawson 16.635, Ratcliff 17.049, Medina 17.159, Harper 17.210, Bryant 17.255, Ball 17.354
30-lap Main: 1. Chris Drysdale (Campbell) 2. Dave Daniel (Salida) 3. Carrie Miller (Saratoga) 4. Ron Robeck (Milpitas) 5. Mike Curry (Lodi) 6. Brandon Trevethan (Tracy) 7. Shane Dresher (Livermore) 8. Todd Lewis (Riverbank) 9. Paul Murarik (Stockton) 10. Randy Jahoda (Tracy)
Dash: 1. Drysdale 2. Curry 3. Daniels 4. Miller
Top qualifiers: Drysdale 15.478, Daniels 15.638, Miller 15.759, Curry 15.788, Robeck 15.800, Jahoda 15.936
30-lap Main: 1. Ted Montague IV (Newark) 2. Jason Kerby (Galt) 3. Jay Linstroth (Citrus Heights) 4. Mike Beeler (Modesto) 5. Chevy Collier (Stockton) 6. Kenny Bond
Dash: 1. Kerby 2. Beeler 3. Linstroth 4. Montague
Top qualifiers: Montague IV 14.488, Kerby 14.543, Beeler 14.767, Linstroth 15.013, Collier 15.063, Bond 16.011
30-lap Main: 1. Ryan Mosher (Cupertino) 2. Mark Bailey (San Lorenzo) 3. Frankie Winchel (Sebastopol) 4. Chuck Scott (Elk Grove) 5. David Winchel (Sebastopol) 6. Fred Celement (Stockton) 7. Rick Andrews (Santa Clara) 8. Jake Jackson 9. Terry Miller (Ripon) 10. Jack Humphrey (American Canyon) 11. Kelly Martin (Modesto) 12. Ron Blevins (Modesto) 13. Martin McKeefery (Milpitas)
Dash: 1. Mosher 2. Bailey 3. Winchel 4. Scott
Heat 1: 1. Mosher 2. Bailey 3. Martin 4. Clement 5. Humphrey 6. Jackson 7. Miller
Heat 2: 1. F. Winchel 2. D. Winchel 3. Scott 4. Andrews 5. McKeefery 6. Blevins
Top Qualifiers: F. Winchel 15.857, Bailey 15.889, Scott 15.908, Mosher 15.945, D Winchel 16.065, Clement 16.142
