Source: Moss/NSC Media
Date: 08/01/2005

EUREKA, California -- Rookie Derek Thorn continued his late-season surge, winning his second NSCS race in a row, in dominating style, at Redwood Acres Raceway on Saturday night. He also won his 5th fast time award enroute to his 3rd consecutive top five finish. 2004 Champ Bill Binns was a strong second with veteran Howard Ford close behind in third. Kelseyville rookie Darin Snider and Upper Lake's Jim Stillman Jr both enjoyed career high finishes of fourth and fifth respectively. Point leader Mike Doss' great string of eight consecutive top five runs was broken when he blew a freeze plug and was forced to retire early.

Thorn, the first to qualify, gave the 15-car field something to shoot at, timing in at 15.589. Ford was second quick with a 15.635 while Doss ran a 15.699. Roseville's Josh Bews posted a 15.741 to Binns' 15.792 and Junior Roddy's 15.820. Thorn and Ford opted not to start the dash setting the field at Roddy, Binns, Bews and Doss. Roddy would win from the pole. Jeremy Hopkins experienced engine woes and was unable to qualify. Local Sportsman driver, Marty Walsh, renumbered his car to Hopkins' #j15 and had a good run, collecting 8th place owner points for car owner Blair Aiken.

Thorn drew a 6 for the inversion handing Roddy the pole with Binns alongside. The first caution flag flew on lap 2 when Ferndale's Dennis Del Biaggio broke a rear-end gear and came to a stop on the track. Binns assumed the lead after edging out Roddy at the flagstand. Binns would have things his way in the first half of the race, stretching his lead to 10-12 car lengths, at times, over Doss, Thorn, Ford, Roddy, Bews and Medford's Ken Scales. After a lap 33 yellow for an Eric Graham spin, the top four were able to break away from the second pack and ran nose-to-tail. Just past the midway point in the 75-lapper, Doss lost a freeze plug and all of his water entering turn one. In the blink of an eye, Roddy, Bews and Scales hit the water and went straight into the wall. "I saw it happening, there was just no time to stop," Bews would say later. Roddy suffered the most damage and was towed away. Scales was able to continue and the skeleton of Bews' car returned to the race on the lead lap. Just after the restart, Thorn was able to get his nose under Binns and cleared him on lap 43 to take the lead. While Thorn stretched his lead over Binns and Ford, Snider moved into the fourth position and Stillman got by Graham and Scales for fifth. Ford made repeated attempts to get by Binns in the final laps but was unable to mount a serious challenge. Thorn drove a patient race, waited for the right time to make his move, and cruised to the hard-earned victory.

Doss' misfortune allowed Binns and Thorn to close the gap in the championship point chase, with three races remaining, though the top five of Doss, Binns, Thorn, Bews and Randy Houston remain unchanged. The next race is at Lakeport Speedway on August 13th.

Dash-Roddy Binns, Bews, Doss

Main-Thorn, Binns, Ford, Snider, Stillman Jr, Scales, Graham, Walsh, Hank Hilton, Bews, Mike Peters, Doss, Roddy, Del Biaggio

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