(WEST VALLEY CITY, UT): James Burman's dominance continued Saturday in the Aire Tech Super Stocks at Rocky Mountain Raceways. Burman picked up two wins Saturday night as the Super Stocks ran a double main to comply with the rules of NASCAR's Exide ShorTrack Series. The two wins Saturday brings his total to four wins in four races in 2000.
Burman had to survive a caution-filled night to pick up the two wins. In the first main, he started 10th in the 21-car field. He moved up quickly. He broke into the top five on lap three. Following a series of four cautions while trying to complete laps four and five, Burman showed his muscle. He took the lead from Tony Walters on lap six and led to the end of the shortened event. He crossed the line ahead of Jeremy Eaton, Dennis Thomas, Dave Fleishman and Walters.
Burman also started 10th in the second main. He broke into the top five on lap four and then took the lead from Walters on lap eight. Burman built up a lead of almost one and half seconds until a red flag was thrown on lap 10 for an accident involving Dave Fleishman and Austin Luttmer. Meanwhile, Dennis Thomas was moving his car to the front. Thomas was third when the red came out. He quickly moved around Walters on the restart and stayed on Burman's back bumper. Thomas took a couple of looks but was unable to make the pass. Burman crossed the line about a third of a second ahead of Thomas, Walters, Nick Parker and Bryan Wordelman.
In other action, Jim Waters held off a hard-charging Todd Ellison to pick up the win in the SLVRA Sprint Cars. This is Waters' first win in the series. Waters and Ellison were followed by Dave Fitzgerald, Mel Andrus Jr. and Ryan Burdett. Waters also won a heat race earlier in the night. Mike Baisch won the other heat race.
Dave Saunders made it two wins in two weeks. Saunders started on the pole and led the entire race as he barely held off the car of Lynn Hardy for the win in the PPG Modifieds. Michael Hale, James Campbell and Ron Moser rounded out the top five. Saunders and Hale won the heat races earlier in the night.
James Waters Jr. topped the field in the Pro 4 Late Model Lites. He was followed by Jason Sanchez, Keith Whetstone, Matt Harrell and Ken Pola. Norm Hatke and Sanchez won the heat races.
In the Three-Quarter Sprints, Roy Murphy came out on top, followed by Brady Swertfeger, David McCombs, Jamie Swertfeger and Burnie Hendrickson. Brady Swertfeger and Hendrickson won the heat races.
Friday saw round two of action in the Street Legal "Gambler" Series on the drag strip. For the second straight week, fans were treated to a near-perfect run. The near-perfect run came during the finals of the Street Legal Outlaw bracket. Charles Sturdevant and Bruce Coggins met to determine who would walk away with the trophy. Coggins won the first Street Legal Outlaw race two weeks ago, this time he'd have to settle for second.
Sturdevant got off the line better, and then he ran on his dial-in time on his way to the win. Sturdevant dialed in a 13.95 and ran 13.958 at 94.13 mph during the final round. That gave him the win and tied him with Coggins for the lead in the series point standings.
Brandon Albritton picked up his second consecutive win in the High School Eliminator class as he beat Jeromy Laws in the finals. Other winners Friday were: Chris Hall, Street Legal Heavy; Rob Hauck, Sound Warehouse Mini; Richard DaBell, Street Legal Truck; Dave Christensen, Street Legal Motorcycle; and Ron Merrill, Tri-City Polaris Snowmobiles.
The point leaders following Friday's race are: Hall, Street Legal Heavy; R. Mark Bremer, Sound Warehouse Mini; DaBell, Street Legal Truck; Stan Short, Street Legal Motorcycle; Albritton, High School Eliminator; and Rod Harris, Tri-City Polaris Snowmobiles.
Rocky Mountain Raceways is now gearing up for a big holiday weekend. The action starts Friday and runs through Monday with two drag racing events and one oval track event. On Friday, the Summit Racing ET Point Series makes its third appearance at the track in 2000. The drivers of the ET Series will then return on Saturday as RMR kicks off the major drag racing season with the Jet Car Spring Nationals. Saturday's show will feature eight of the best jet car drivers in the nation, along with the West Coast Top Sportsman, Federal Mogul Dragsters and the first run of the Snap-on Super Quick Shootout Series. The action shifts to the oval on Monday with action from the SLVRA Sprint Cars, Legends, Pro 4 Late Model Lites, CR England Pro Trucks, the Figure 8 Cars and the Wynn's Figure 8 Trains.
For more information on racing at RMR, call the track at (801) 252-9557 or
visit RMR on the web at www.rmrracing.com.
