Final results currently unofficial due to protest on Robertson’s car
Because of rain-outs earlier this season, Colorado National Speedway held a rare doubleheader for the Horizon Banks Late Models during Saturday’s “Craftsman Tools Night of Thunder”. The division’s two hottest drivers – Jerry Robertson and Roger Avants – split the honors in the twin 40 lap NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series feature events at the 3/8 mile paved oval. Current point leader Robertson, of Arvada, CO, notched his eighth win of the year. Meanwhile, Avants scored his third; the Littleton, CO driver has taken all three victories within his last five starts. Final results for both races remain unofficial at press time however, since Robertson’s machine is undergoing a detailed inspection following a protest made by another competitor.
In the opener, 42-year-old Robertson started on the outside of the front row and led from flag to flag. Scotty Backman overhauled pole-sitter Steve Yackey for the runner-up slot on lap six, with Rick Smith following. Robertson enjoyed an eight length advantage throughout most of the run, but Backman gained ground during the closing stages and cut the margin in half at the finish. Smith, Avants, and Bruce Yackey completed the top five. Robertson covered the distance aboard his Dunlap’s Trailers Chevrolet Monte Carlo in 11 minutes, 8.63 seconds for an average speed of 80.76 MPH, marking the fastest standard-length 40 lap race ever held for the division. Robertson had held the previous record (80.69 MPH), which he set on July 10th.
While Avants started tenth in the night-capper, the 52-year-old went on to trounce the field. By the sixth circuit, he was already up to third, and then quickly reeled in the two front-runners. Powering ahead of Darren Crocker for second on lap nine, Avants needed just one more go-round to make the winning move on Joe James, Jr. As the race neared the three-quarter mark, Cris Muhler secured second from James, but only held the position briefly before 13th-place-starter Robertson went past. At the checkered flag, Robertson was more than a full straightaway behind Avants’ McDonald’s Chevrolet Monte Carlo. Muhler’s third place performance was his best of the season, while Bruce Yackey made a late charge to finish fourth, and James fell to fifth.
Should Robertson pass his inspection, he will own an 88 point lead on Backman (754 to 666). Yackey continues in third, trailing first place by 98 marks.
In Snap-On Tools ProTruck results, Rick Runkle cruised to his second career division victory; his first was over four years ago. Mike Sandoval was running in second early-on, but momentarily lost control and forced the rest of the field to slow. While the scramble went on behind, Runkle opened up sizable margin that he would never relinquish. Paul Deines, who had come up from deep in the pack, edged point leader John Luck by inches in the battle for second. Zach Morris crossed the stripe in fourth to earn his highest finish of the year, with Billy Harkins in fifth.
Round six for the Legends Car Series was identical to the other five, as Danny Medina narrowly outran Jay Sant for the victory. Medina went from 12th to first in just the first four laps, but a run-away was prevented when early leader Jon Krizman blew his engine and brought out the caution. Sant was second on the restart and challenged Medina the rest of the way, but came up a car length short. Anthony Medina took a close third, with Terry Plummer and Barry Dykes following.
Lance Bailey came out on top in the Renegade Promotions Super Stocks for his second win of 2004. Bailey encountered heavy lapped traffic during the mid-sections of the race, allowing Brett Hajek to close the gap. At the end however, Bailey was able to out-pace Hajek by six lengths. Dennis Edwards, point leader Jeremiah Pepping, and Darrell Smith were next in the order.
The NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series, will make their annual appearance at the speedway next Saturday night, August 21st, in the "United Power / Touchstone Energy 150". Over $50,000 will be on the line for the touring division, while support race action will include the Sunoco Grand American Modifieds, the Four Seasons Heating Figure-Eights, and another running of the Trains. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(August 14) - Results from the "Craftsman Tools Night of Thunder" NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series event, held Saturday at Colorado National Speedway.
HORIZON BANKS LATE MODELS
QUICK TIME:
Scotty Backman, Parker
TROPHY DASH:
Bruce Yackey, Greeley
FEATURE #1 (Unofficial):
1. Jerry Robertson, Arvada
2. Scotty Backman, Parker
3. Rick Smith, Gering, NE
4. Roger Avants, Littleton
5. Bruce Yackey, Greeley
6. Ken Walter, Littleton
7. Steve Yackey, Greeley
8. Cris Muhler, Erie
9. Bear Lynch, Denver
10. Dan Savage, Aurora
FEATURE #2 (Unofficial):
1. Roger Avants, Littleton
2. Jerry Robertson, Arvada
3. Cris Muhler, Erie
4. Bruce Yackey, Greeley
5. Joe James, Jr., Denver
6. Scotty Backman, Parker
7. Dan Savage, Aurora
8. Steve Yackey, Greeley
9. Rick Smith, Gering, NE
10. Darren Crocker, Littleton
SNAP-ON TOOLS PROTRUCKS
QUICK TIME:
Paul Deines, Longmont
TROPHY DASH:
Mike Bowen, Centennial
FEATURE:
1. Rick Runkle, Lakewood
2. Paul Deines, Longmont
3. John Luck, Colo. Springs
4. Zach Morris, Castle Rock
5. Billy Harkins, Lakewood
6. Troy Witthar, Broomfield
7. Mike Bowen, Centennial
8. Jimmy Donaldson, Arvada
9. Beau Kellogg, Evergreen
10. Chris Leaf, Kersey
LEGENDS CAR SERIES
QUICK TIME:
Jay Sant, Parker
TROPHY DASH:
Danny Medina, Colo. Springs
FEATURE:
1. Danny Medina, Colo. Springs
2. Jay Sant, Parker
3. Anthony Medina, Colo. Springs
4. Terry Plummer, Loveland
5. Barry Dykes, Loveland
6. Nick Cooper, Watkins
7. Nick Rozack, Denver
8. Jerry Jackson, Parker
9. Stacee Sparks, Aurora
10. Paul Harder, Windsor
RENEGADE PROMOTIONS SUPER STOCKS
TROPHY DASH:
Brad Herch, Arvada
FEATURE:
1. Lance Bailey, Longmont
2. Brett Hajek, Longmont
3. Dennis Edwards, Golden
4. Jeremiah Pepping, Lakewood
5. Darrell Smith, Littleton
6. Brad Herch, Arvada
7. Robbie Schneider, Gilcrest
8. Mark Sopr, Cheyenne, WY
9. Matthew Long, Longmont
10. Matt Franco, Scottsbluff, NE
