VANDER VEER, AND THE DUKES - “KING OF THE HILL” CHAMPIONS

The B.C.R.A. Midget main event and the heat race were won by John Sarale of Stockton. The fast time of 12.478s was set by points leader Justin Grant of Ione in but one qualifying lap as he spun out in the second. For details of this race, see the B.C.R.A. article at “http://www.BCRAracing.com/Midgets”.

Forrest Kuecker won the Late Model main event after the two leaders took themselves out, and the heat race. Sean Caturegli of Cloverdale set the fast time of 13.266s. The final Late Model points race will be held at the Lakeport Speedway October 21 during the October Classic.

Andy Vander Veer of Santa Rosa was crowned the “King of the Hill” Bonus Bomber champion 219 points ahead of second place George Mavrakis of Cloverdale. Mavrakis won the main event in a last lap pass, and the trophy dash. Jared Martin of Ukiah set the fast time of 14.862s.

The team of Ron Duke Jr. and Sr. of Redwood Valley were crowned the “King of the Hill” Bomber champions 98 points ahead of second place Shelby Helm of Ukiah. Ron Duke Sr. ran this final points race after Junior made the mistake of pointing out that they had both won four races. Duke both won the main event and set the fast time of 15.561s.

2007 “King of the Hill Challenge Series” Lakeport / Ukiah Champions Late Models Last race October 21

Modifieds Terry McIntire Mini-Stocks Robert Schmidt Bonus Bombers Andy Vander Veer Bombers Ron Duke Jr. / Sr.

Late Models The Late Model main event field of seven cars was led to the green by Jeremy Donahoo and David Furia. Furia took the outside lead followed by Sean Caturegli and Blair Aiken as the slower Donahoo pushed the inside line of Andrew Snider and Forrest Kuecker back.

In lap three, Caturegli swung outside Furia in turn one and completed the pass for the lead in turn four. Snider and Kuecker both passed Donahoo for fourth and fifth. In four laps, Aiken, Snider, and Kuecker shuffled Furia back.

In lap eight, Snider held a low line behind Aiken. Aiken got loose in turn two and drifted wide allowing Snider to take the inside lane and pass him for second. Kuecker tried to follow but had to back off as Aiken fished loose in turn four and recovered on the frontstretch.

Caturegli had a six car lead as Snider chased him down. Kuecker tried many different lines but always found Aiken in front of him. In lap 16, Kuecker managed to dive inside as Aiken drifted outside in turn three. Aiken fought back on the frontstretch forcing Kuecker to stay low and tight into turn one, but Kuecker held on to pass him for third.

Snider had caught up to Caturegli and they both lapped Michael Swaney. Snider kept a tight inside line as Caturegli tried to use the whole track to stay ahead. In lap 20, Snider snuck his nose inside and moved up even with Caturegli on the frontstretch. Caturegli poured it on through turns one and two and shot ahead of Snider again.

In lap 23, Kuecker had caught up to the leaders and they ran nose-to-tail. As they were about to lap Donahoo, Caturegli and Snider touched in turn four spinning Caturegli for the only caution of the race. This sent the two leaders to the back of the pack.

Kuecker and Aiken led the restart and Kuecker surged into the lead. Caturegli was outside Furia but lost ground into turn one and fell back outside and then behind Snider. In the remaining laps, Kuecker stretched his lead on Aiken, and both Snider and Caturegli passed Furia but ran out of laps to chase down the leaders.

Kuecker finished first, followed by Aiken, Snider, Caturegli, and Furia. Snider won the trophy dash.

Bonus Bombers Jerry Crapo and Bill Mucci led the seven car Bonus Bomber field to the green flag. Crapo took the inside lead and Eric Johnson, Mikey Lovell, and Jared Martin followed as the slower Mucci pushed George Mavrakis and Andy Vander Veer back on the outside.

In lap six, Lovell passed Johnson for second and, two laps later, Martin followed. However, in lap eight, Lovell spun on the frontstretch causing a yellow and had to retire to the pits. The restart was called off when Martin also spun on the frontstretch putting him to the back.

Johnson and Vander Veer led the pack to the green and Vander Veer took the outside lead. Mavrakis powered by on the outside of Crapo for third, and continued two laps later outside Johnson for second.

Mavrakis chased Vander Veer down as the other strung out. Vander Veer used the whole track to try to stay ahead of Mavrakis, but Mavrakis was on his tail in only a few laps. Vander Veer continues to use the whole track to stay ahead and was eventually shown the pink “Miss Piggy” flag telling him to keep to one lane.

In lap 24, Mavrakis made his move outside of Vander Veer but broke loose exiting turn four and dropped back a full car length. As he tried to catch back up, he kept drifting loose and fell back to two and a half car lengths. He finally got it back together and reached Vander Veer in lap 26.

Vander Veer was, again, using the whole track to stay ahead and Mavrakis could not move to either side. In lap 29, Mavrakis gave Vander Veer a tap in turn one, breaking him loose in turn two, and causing him to fish-tail down the backstretch. Mavrakis moved up on the inside down the backstretch and passed him for the lead in turn three.

Mavrakis took the white flag cleanly ahead of Vander Veer, who whipped the ponies to catch up but spun in turn two into the backstretch infield. Mavrakis sailed to the checkers followed by Johnson and then Vander Veer. Crapo finished fourth and Mucci fifth. Vander Veer won the heat race.

Bombers The Bomber main event started with a full field of 18 cars. Shawn Kennedy and Mike Porter transferred in from the B-Main. Mike Bray and Eric Hernandez brought the pack to the start and surged out side-by-side a full car length ahead of Ron Portlock and Andy Norton.

Jimmy Sorrels wove around Norton and then Portlock for third as Norton dropped back behind Jon Waner. Thing were getting squirrelly in the back. Ron Duke Sr. wove through deftly up from 16th to ninth place behind Anthony McCoy. Robert Byers was losing ground and Randy Portlock had to dive three-wide between Byers and George Abella.

By lap five, Hernandez was in the lead ahead of Bray, Ron Portlock had passed Sorrels for third, and Rick Tommila was outside in fifth between Sorrels and Waner. McCoy, Duke and Randy Portlock had moved up behind Scott Sabol who, subbing for Manya Tenney, was in seventh. Abella spun on the frontstretch but recovered in the back.

Hernandez stretched his lead to four car lengths as Ron Portlock passed Bray on the outside for second. The outside line of Tommila, Sabol, and Duke all eventually followed outside Bray, Sorrels, and Waner, and then shuffled Ron Portlock on back to sixth outside Randy Portlock and Waner. McCoy had to retire to the pits with technical problems.

Hernandez had two car lengths on Tommila as Duke swung outside Sabol and passed him in lap 18 for third. Byers, after dropping back to 15th, had climbed his way back up to ninth behind Waner. Mike Porter and Keven Brackett were lapped and this compressed the top five back together nose-to-tail.

In lap 23, Duke swung outside Tommila, passed him for second, and kept going outside Hernandez for the lead. Sabol and Randy Portlock both tried to follow when Brandon Powers spun in turn four for the only caution of the race.

Duke and Hernandez led the restart ahead of Tommila and Sabol. Duke easily took the inside lead through the backstretch. Hernandez got loose in turn four, was passed by Sabol and then Tommila, and recovered on the outside of Randy Portlock.

By lap 27, Duke stretched his lead on Sabol, Randy Portlock passed Hernandez on the inside and then Tommila on the outside, and Waner followed past Hernandez into fifth. Byers and Shelby Helm, battling for sixth after lapping Brackett, also passed inside Hernandez and battled for fifth.

At the white flag, Waner got inside Tommila and passed him on the backstretch. Helm, ahead of Byers, tried to follow but came up short.

At the finish it was Duke followed by Sabol, Randy Portlock, Waner, and Tommila. Randy Portlock won the trophy dash, and Kennedy, Ron Portlock, and Randy Portlock the heat races.

Coming Up This Saturday September 15th, the Lakeport Speedway will host the Marlene Baker Memorial Bomber Bash #12 and the Asphalt Boat Nationals. Bombers and Bonus Bombers will come flooding in to race 50 laps for the $500 first place prize.

After all of the Bombers, the final Boat Race of the season will be held. This event attracts so many boat racers that heat races will have to be held to set the field for the main event. As always, racers must drag boats on a water cannon soaked track, taking out other boats while defending their own. It's maritime mayhem on the high asphalt.

Racing returns to the Ukiah Speedway September 22 with the Ukiah Bomber Bash. Bombers and Bonus Bombers come from all over to contend for the grand prizes. Featured will be the WestCar Late Models.

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