RICHARDSON AND DEGEER TAKE TWIN LATE MODEL MAINS AT MESA MARIN OPENER

Source: Dave Grayson
Date: 04/04/2005

BAKERSFIELD, California -- Eric Richardson and Roy Degeer won the twin NASCAR Late Model 50 lap main events, April 2nd, at Bakersfield's Mesa Marin Raceway. The event officially opened season number 28 at the half mile oval.

It was a case of the two drivers trading places. Richardson won the first race, with Degeer second, and then followed Degeer under the checkers at the end of the second race. The first main event resembled an old fashioned demolition derby. The second race was considerably more civilized.

In the first race Mike Lay and Glen Burke led the starters under the initial green flag. The field made it to turn one when the first, of many, problems presented itself. Brian Richardson got into the back of Mike Alexander. The rear sheet metal clip on Alexander's car was knocked loose and large sheets of debris literally flew through the air and landed on the track. It was a sign of things to come.

Six yellow flag laps later the race resumed with Lay in the lead. Burke took the point three laps later and held it to lap 13 when Jeff Smith, Eric Richardson and Degeer passed him. It was apparent, at this point in the race, that this trio of drivers were going to be the major factors at the end of the race.

The second yellow flag flew on lap 18 due to a hard turn one crash that involved drivers Gene Fife, Lay, Robby McLaughlin and Lloyd Wren JR. The field only made one lap when the third yellow came out due to a spin by Kyle McDermott.

The race resumed under green again on lap 32 and Smith paced the field for another five laps before Eric Richardson made his winning move. Going into turn three, on lap 37, Smith wiggled high and left just enough room for Richardson to work his way by him on the lower side. The two cars made some slight contact, going into turn four, and Smith went high in the turn and found himself shuffled back to fifth place. Apparently something was wrong with Smith's car because, going into turn one, he came down across the track into the direct path of two other cars who hit each other driving to avoid him. That brought yet another yellow.

The green flag returned on lap 45 and only lasted one lap when Lloyd Wren JR and A J Destefani hit each other and went crashing into the backstretch wall. The severity of the crash prompted officials to stop the field with a red flag. Neither driver was injured, but their cars sustained major crash damage and were through for the evening.

Once again the effort to restart this race only lasted one lap. This time Brian Richardson slammed hard into the backstretch wall. He was running third at the time and was trying to overtake Degeer for second.

That set up a green-white-checker finish. Eric Richardson ran out the final two laps to claim the win with Degeer right on his bumper. Cody Pruitt, Michael Burrow and Glen Burke completed the top five.

After parking his Richland Chevrolet/Green Frog Market Monte Carlo in victory lane, a very happy Richardson commented on his lap 37 winning move and said "I didn't know if I had anything for him, (Jeff Smith), but I got to him. He was fighting his car and I was fighting mine. We got underneath him when he got a little loose and we took advantage of it."

This wild and wooly 50 lap feature had six yellow flags, and red flag, that consumed 29 laps.

Prior to the start of the second 50 lap feature, Roy Degeer's team made a smart call by changing right side tires. That tire change helped him completely dominate the race.

Michael Burrow and Cody Pruitt shared the front row for the second main event. Burrow led the first ten circuits before Degeer passed him to take command of the race for good.

In an event that was considerably more civilized that the first feature, Degeer's race rhythm was only disrupted one time when the yellow flag came out due to oil on the track from a blown engine.

Degeer finished the race approximately 15 car lengths ahead of Eric Richardson. Mike Alexander, Cody Pruitt and Kyle McDermott completed the top five.

Degeer parked his Viceroy Homes Ford Taurus into victory lane and began the process of celebrating his first ever NASCAR late model win at Mesa Marin Raceway. Commenting on the difference between the two races he ran that night, Degeer smiled and said "I guess we weeded out some of the cars that were a little rusty from the winter lay off."

Commenting on the changes made to his car, between the two races, he said "we put new right sides on it and we backed out a quarter turn on the sway bar to try to loosen it up a little bit and it just hit perfect in the turns."

In the preliminary events Jeff Smith and Mike Lay won the heat races while Brian Richardson won the trophy dash.

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