Log-In .: Register

CLAWSON SETS NEW PURE STOCK QUALIFYING RECORD

STOCKTON 99 SPEEDWAY

Source — Stockton 99 Speedway Public Relations

Date Posted — July 18, 2004

| More

STOCKTON, California -- Stockton’s Joey Stearns captured his first HAVOLINE Western Late Model 30-lap main event win in the DODGE Weekly Series at Stockton 99 Speedway.

“Words can’t explain it,” said Stearns, with regard to how he felt following the win. “The win is huge!”

Stearns has been racing on and off for 13 years, this is his rookie Western Late Model Division season. He is in the hunt for Stockton 99 Speedway’s NASCAR Rookie of the Year position, that’s why Saturday’s win was important to his team.

The area’s fastest, and only, quarter-mile NASCAR oval saw no Western Late Model heats, dashes or qualifiers Saturday night, so Stearns started at the pole through luck of the draw.

Stearns and Lodi’s Mike Garcia battled it out through the first three laps, when Stearns grabbed his first lead of the evening.

The race ran clean through lap-17, by that time it looked as if track leader Dave Byrd, of Pacific Grove, was going to begin to make a challenge for first. Byrd started the race four deep on the outside, drifted as far back as seventh at one point and then maneuvered back into fourth. Then, a debris caused caution flag lined up Stearns at the pole, Manteca’s Guy Guibor at the outside pole and Byrd in the outside second position. When green waved, it looked as if a new race was starting.

By lap-20 Guibor had snatched the lead, then another yellow waved when Garcia caused himself and Modesto’s Harry Belletto to spinout coming out of turn-2. On the restart, Guibor was at the pole, Stearns was at outside pole and Byrd was just behind Stearns.

But fans expecting to see Byrd use the restart to his advantage -- as he usually does -- were surprised when Stearns grabbed the lead in lap-21. Byrd eventually drifted back to a seventh finish.

Then, Stockton’s Harry Crawford caused another yellow when he stalled on the back stretch. At the restart Stearns jumped into first and held it through the checkered flag.

Guibor finished the race in second, Turlock’s Chris Monez took third. Stockton’s Pete Anderson Jr. earned fourth and Chowchilla’s Eric Humphries finished fifth.

Pure Stock

Pure Stock fans witnessed record breaking action Saturday night when Modesto’s Charlie Clawson set another record in qualifying of 16.609.

Clawson thought he had broken his previously held record last week, but a tech inspection revealed a few too many cubic inches under the hood, this week Clawson checked out OK and the new record now stands.

Stockton’s Kannai Scantlen captured the win in the NASCAR Pure Stock 30-lap main, his third win of the season.

“Last time I was here I blew an engine,” said Scantlen. “I had some good luck and good track position, Clawson was the only other competition and he fell out early.”

Scantlen started five deep on the inside. He gained the lead on lap-11 and held it through the race.

Scantlen’s maneuvering through the pack wasn’t the only exciting piece of NASCAR Pure Stock action Saturday night. Two drivers, Stockton’s Jim Vosberg and Lodi’s David Sullivan, held the lead at one point, and Clawson, who started five deep on the outside, was caught up in a back stretch spin before he eventually clawed his way to a second place finish.

Jim Vosberg finished in third, Brian Vosberg ended at fourth and Stockton’s Dave Ball finished fifth.

There was no Pro-4 Trucks, Grand American Modified or Legends racing Saturday night. In place of these Stockton 99 Speedway regular divisions were the Bay Cities Racing Association’s (BCRA) Midget Championships, Vintage Midget exhibition runs and USAC Ford Focus Midgets.

Thomas Messeraull won the BCRA 30-lap main, Brad Gard came in second, Garratt Boyden finished third, Scott Pierovich ended in fourth and Pete Davis took fifth.

Bradley Galadrigli took first in the USAC race, Chase Barber finished second, Bobby McGowan finished third, Josh Lakotos ended at fourth and Bobby Michnovich took fifth.

On Saturday, July 24 Dodge Weekly Series Western Late Model, Pure Stock, Pro-4 Trucks, Grand American Modified and Legends racing will return to the fastest NASCAR quarter-mile oval west of the Mississippi.

Official qualifying runs start at 4:30 p.m. Dashes, heats and preliminaries start at 6 p.m. five big main events to follow. Admission to the area's only NASCAR Saturday night family entertainment is $12 for adults, children 5 and under free, juniors and seniors are $10, children 6 to 12 are $5 and family packages for two adults and up to four kids under 12 are $29.99. VISA and Master Card are always welcome.

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.

July 10 Summary

Western Late Model 30-lap Main

1. Joey Stearns (Stockton)

2. Guy Guibor (Manteca)

3. Chris Monez (Turlock)

4. Pete Anderson Jr. (Stockton)

5. Eric Humphries (Chowchilla)

6. John Moore (Granite Bay)

7. Dave Byrd (Pacific Grove)

8. Harry Belletto (Modesto)

9. Robert Knittel (Lodi)

10.Mike Garcia (Lodi)