ERIE, Colorado -- Jerry Robertson continues to manhandle the Horizon Banks Late Model field at Colorado National Speedway, and continues to add his name to the track’s record books. On Saturday night at the 3/8 mile paved oval, Robertson won his seventh NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series feature event in nine starts. On the way to his victory in the “Waste Management Shoot-Out”, 42-year-old Robertson also broke the long-standing mark for the division’s fastest run regular-length 40 lap race. The Arvada, CO star covered the distance of the caution-free contest in just 11 minutes, 9.24 seconds for an average speed of 80.69 MPH. He eclipsed the old record – Richard Burton’s standard set in 1997 – by over 30 seconds. It was just a week ago, during the holiday weekend special event, that Robertson set a new speed record in the 125 lap category.
From the outside of the second row, Robertson followed Steve Yackey to the front of the pack. After a three-lap side-by-side duel, Robertson secured the lead on the eighth circuit, with Bear Lynch in pursuit. Lynch’s machine looked to be up to the task of challenging Robertson, and he was momentarily able to pull alongside. By about the three-quarter mark of the race however, the leader began to open up the interval, and it grew noticeably near the closing laps. The familiar Dunlap’s Trailers Chevrolet Monte Carlo owned a ten-length edge at the stripe.
Lynch turned in another fine run to take second. While he missed two races earlier this year and is out of the championship fight, Lynch has now compiled one win, three runner-up showings, and a third. Rick Smith charged hard near the end and nearly caught Lynch; his third place performance marked his fifth consecutive top-five award. Roger Avants, seemingly star-crossed the past few weeks, was back in form to take fourth. Yackey fell back to fifth, but a disputed part was found on his mount during the post-race inspection and his finishing position is posted as unofficial until the issue is resolved.
The first three drivers in the title battle remain the same, but Robertson continued to pad his lead. With Backman finishing the race in seventh (possibly sixth, contingent upon the Yackey decision), he now trails by 82 points (542 to 460). Smith is 90 marks behind Robertson.
In the Sunoco Grand American Modified division, Ed Vecchiarelli started 13th on the grid, but still found his way to the front to claim victory number four on the year. Ronnie Stringfellow, who broke while leading during last week’s event, held the top spot for much of the 30 lapper. Shortly past the halfway point, Vecchiarelli moved up to third, chasing Ed Vecchiarelli, Jr. for the next spot. The eventual winner made the pass for position on lap 22, but just afterwards, the younger member of the father-son team spun and fell out of contention. Vecchiarelli then set his sights on Stringfellow, and powered past him with four laps remaining. At the checkered flag, Vecchiarelli owned a six length advantage, as Stringfellow had his hands full holding off point leader Joel Hansen for runner-up honors. Robert Martin and leading Rookie-of-the-Year candidate Darren Robertson completed the top five.
Dave Roe took his third straight trophy in the Four Seasons Heating Figure-Eights. Harry Bragg led early on, but had a run-in with oncoming traffic in the “X” and lost several positions. Dave Smith took over, but could not fend off Roe’s assault. Smith surrendered the top spot with nine circuits left, but stayed within striking distance the rest of the way and finished one length back. Al Duran took third, while Bragg recovered to take fourth. Point leader Lancer Proctor was next across the line.
The fifth Legends Car Series race of 2004 saw Danny Medina take his fifth victory, and also saw Jay Sant post his fifth second place effort. Sant once again tucked in to a tight draft behind Medina, but was unable to offer a serious challenge. Third in the rundown went to Anthony Medina, trailed by Barry Dykes and Terry Plummer. Colorado National Speedway’s next scheduled NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series event will be the “Northern Colorado Saturday Night Blow-Out” on July 17. The line-up will include the Horizon Banks Late Models, the Snap-On Tools ProTrucks, the Dunlap’s Trailers Sportsman, the Renegade Promotions Super Stocks, and another running of the wild and crazy Trains.
