POPE BLESSED WITH FULL PLATE FOR ELMER'S 75

Source: BZ Zeller
Date: 06/02/2008

Kyle Pope’s return to his home track was a triumphant one as the Winchester driver won the Elmer’s Restaurant 75 Saturday night at the Douglas County Speedway an ASA Member Track in Roseburg, Oregon.

The event was part of the North State Challenge Series 15-race tour and its only stop in Roseburg.

Pope qualified second with a lap time of 15.470 seconds, just missing Howard Ford’s top lap of 15.423. With an eight-car invert, both drivers started in the fourth row of the 15-car grid. Pope, piloting his white No. 72, advanced through the front pack early and eventually assumed the lead on Lap 36 and led every circuit thereafter.

Saturday night also broke a string of bad luck for Pope. His truck broke down hauling his racecar to the season opener in Anderson, Calif. He didn’t finish the next race after being involved in a crash at Eureka, Calif. And had to miss the last race due to a corporate meeting.

“Things didn’t start off the best for us this season,” Pope said “But after winning Saturday night, I’m definitely going to focus on the next race and maybe the rest of the Series.”

The race nearly had a turning point on Lap 53 when Riley Watson, Wilbur, found a seam inside of Pope racing into Turn 1, overtaking the race leader momentarily. But, as Watson tried to steady his car out of the turn and into the backstretch, he collided into Pope and had to ease off the accelerator to right his No. 11 Late Model and watch Pope pull forward and reassume the lead.

“I got on the throttle too hard going into the turn and nearly lost it,” Watson said. “I nearly took us both out.”

Pope, who admitted he thought briefly he had lost his opportunity to win the race described his mistake.

“I kinda overdrove the corner and pushed up on the track,” Pope said. “He (Watson) had a run on me and got underneath. He was definitely faster than me and I knew I had to hold the inside. After we collided, I was a little mad and determined to win it though.”

A former regular competitor at the DCS, Watson now races full-time on the NSCS where he entered Saturday in sixth place in the points race and finished the night both second in the Elmer’s 75 and second in season points. Roseburg was the fourth stop on the NSCS tour.

“I’m having a great season and we nearly pulled off a win at our home track,” Watson said. “I know toward the end of the race we had a faster car, but I just couldn’t get around him (Pope).”

With the win, Pope receives $1,500 and moved into the top 10 of the points race.

Mark Pothoff, the 2007 DCS Late Model points champion, started on the pole, led the first 30 laps and finished third.

Ford, of Crescent City, Calif., exited the track during a Lap 31 yellow session and had to start from the back on the restart. The 2007 NSCS champ and 2008 points leader finished fifth and maintained his season points lead.

Roseburg’s Dale Roth was sixth and fellow local drivers Wade Koens and Bobby Edwards finished ninth and tenth respectively.

Mini Stock racer Rob Mueller set a track record during qualifying with a lap time of 17.673 seconds and then followed that performance up by winning the trophy dash and the 20-Lap main event.

Mueller, the reigning Mini Stock champ and current points leader started in the back of the 15-car field before he passed Grants Pass’ Dave Wilson on Lap 16 en route to victory. Wilson and Joe Forsman, Florence, finished second and third.

The Hornet division also featured a 15-car main event field. Jeff Solberg won the event with Chris Allmendinger and Doug Risley following in second and third place.

Gary Perry won his second straight Street Stock main. Amos Rhodes, Port Orford and Rick Jump, Grants Pass trailed the Winston driver to the checkered flag.

Clint Hatfield won the 15-Lap J-Car/Thunder Truck combination race.

Racing resumes Saturday featuring the Tuff Trucks, ASA Premier Late Models and Modifieds, Super Stocks, Mini Stocks, Oldtimers and Lady and Junior Stingers at the Douglas County Speedway.

You can reach Douglas County Speedway announcer/writer BZ Zeller by e-mail at stock23@aol.com.

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