InsideGroove - Race Report

PORTERVILLE'S SMOTHERMON OPENS BAKERSFIELD WITH WIN

Bakersfield, CA --

A challenger for the track championship every season, Porterville race car builder Steve Smothermon led the final 14 laps to win the 20 lap IMCA Modified main event Saturday night as Bakersfield Speedway opened it's 2001 season. Rick Jenkins spun running second with just a couple laps left and former super street stock ace Jason Selvidge made his modified debut with a strong second place run ahead of Bill Gates. Infrequent competitor Tom Klamorick led the final 9 laps enroute to his first ever 20 lap American Stock feature win. Robert Smith ran second over Mark Hogue.

A midweek rainout of the season opener at nearby Ventura Raceway improved the IMCA Modified car count to 13 cars. Smothermon won the first heat over Buck Cox and Jenkins. Gary Dutton took heat 2 with Ventura regular Chris Tonoli second over Troy Stone. California State Championship hopeful Stone lost an engine on the final lap of his heat in the former Mike Johnson driver Larkins' chassis. Randy McGraw also lost an engine late in his heat to leave just 11 cars able to start the 20 lap main event. Troy Morris Jr and Jenkins shared the front row and Jenkins led the first 6 laps. Third starter Smothermon quickly gained second and Cox pitted on the first lap. Dutton had moved into fourth behind Morris on lap 3, but stalled for a lap 5 yellow. Selvidge had struggled in his heat, but he moved into fourth on the restart. When Jenkins spun in a tangle with Morris after losing the lead to Smothermon, Jenkins was restored to second and Morris restarted in the rear. This moved Selvidge into third and Tonoli pitted with a flat on lap 14 to move Morris back into fourth. Jenkins spun for the final yellow on lap 18 and Mike Scott lost an engine and pitted. Smothermon led Selvidge over the final two laps for the win with Gates third over Morris, Merced visitor Johnnie Baptista and Jenkins.

The third year American Stock division had the night's biggest turnout with 20 cars in action. Robert Smith won heat 1 from the pole over Klamorick. Joe Goatcher won heat 2 from the pole with Bunny Howell second. Chett Reeves became the third driver to win his heat from the pole in heat 3 with Hogue second. Only 15 of the field survived to start their 20 lap main event. Smith started on the pole and led 3 laps before Reeves took over. Klamorick took third from David Wolford on lap 5 and a tangle between leaders Reeves, Smith and Klamorick forced a lap 7 yellow. Reeves restarted in the rear after pitting and Smith now led Klamorick and Hogue. Klamorick took the lead from Smith on lap 12 and paced the final 9 laps. Smith hung on for second over Hogue, Wolford, Goatcher and Reeves. Johnny Morales was 7th ahead of Neil Danner. Dale Gressman, a 73 year old racing in his first race ever, ran 11th.

Summary American Stock Heat 1-Robert Smith, Tom Klamorick, Walt Farris III, Eric Farris, Perry Vanscoy. Heat 2-Joe Goatcher, Bunny Howell, David Wolford, Neil Danner, Dale Gressman. Heat 3-Chett Reeves, Mark Hogue, Bryson Lynch, Johnny Morales, Mike Lee. Main-Klamorick, Smith, Hogue, Wolford, Goatcher, Reeves, Morales, Danner, Chris Stille, Howell, Gressman, E Farris, Vanscoy, Lynch, Lee. IMCA Modified Heat 1-Steve Smothermon, Buck Cox, Rick Jenkins, Troy Morris Jr, Mike Scott. Heat 2-Gary Dutton, Chris Tonoli, Troy Stone, Johnnie Baptista, Bill Gates. Main-Smothermon, Jason Selvidge, Gates, Morris, Baptista, Jenkins, Kenny Farris, Scott, Tonoli, Dutton, Cox.

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