InsideGroove - Race Report

SMOTHERMON FENDS OFF INVADER JACOBSEN AT BAKERSFIELD

Bakersfield, CA --

Fighting off a strong challenge from Watsonville invader Eric Jacobsen, Porterville's Steve Smothermon won his second straight 20 lap IMCA Modified main event at Bakersfield Speedway Park Saturday night. With his pair of wins, car builder Smothermon has built an early season six point lead over rookie Troy Morris Jr. The busy Jacobsen has already posted wins in Hanford, Chowchilla and Merced with his Joe Carr chassis. Making a late charge around both Bryson Lynch and leader Ricky Spicer, Mark Hogue won the 20 lap American Stock main event. Not even knowing that he had won, Hogue drove to the inspection area instead of stopping to collect his awards. With the win, Hogue jumped from 7th to 2nd in points, just six behind point leader Joe Goatcher, who was 6th.

For the second straight race, the IMCA Modifieds had an 11 car turnout and Buck Cox won the first heat over Rick Jenkins and newcomer Kevin Borges. Jacobsen started last in heat 2 and won with an aggressive outside groove style with pole starter Gary Dutton second. The top 8 from the heat action were inverted off their point averages at the front of the main event grid, putting Smothermon and Jacobsen in row 4. Buck Cox started on the pole and led the first six laps. Jacobsen was fifth on the first lap, but then tangled with Mike Scott and was sent to the rear on the restart. Dutton pitted from second when Scott spun for a lap 2 yellow and Cox led Troy Morris Jr and Smothermon on lap 3. Jacobsen again quickly struck to fourth with Kenny Farris breaking a motor for a lap 5 yellow flag. Smothermon took second from Morris on lap 6 and the lead from Cox on lap 7 with a strong run off of turn 2. Jacobsen worked his way around Cox on lap 10 to take over second, but was a full straight back of leader Smothermon. Morris spun on lap 14 for a yellow flag, but fifth place Rick Jenkins was sent to the rear for spinning Morris and Morris restored to 4th. Having to get around the lapped car of Scott in those final six laps hurt Jacobsen's chances of overtaking Smothermon. Smothermon was able to beat Jacobsen to the checkered flag with Cox third despite late race engine woes. Morris ran fourth over Borges and Roger Varner. Opening race runnerup Jason Selvidge was absent.

There were 22 American Stocks on hand and heat winners were Lynch, Hogue and Spicer, all from the front row. Nineteen cars were able to start the 20 lap feature. Spicer started on the pole and took a quick lead over Lynch and Bunny Howell. Robert Boardman was blackflagged after a first lap spin by Amanda Wheeler. Hogue had started sixth and he took fourth from Eric Farris on lap 3. Hogue got around Howell for third on lap 11 and Wesley Allen was fourth on lap 13 with Farris pitting. The overheating Howell was the next car to drop out. Leader Spicer had problems with the slower traffic and briefly lost the lead to Lynch on lap 18. Spicer regained the spot only to see Hogue pass them both on lap 19 with a pair of outside moves for the win. Spicer ran second over Lynch, Allen and Robert Smith. David Wolford banged his way to a sixth only to be disqualified for rough driving and awarded no points. Wolford had been running second in points to Goatcher, who gained sixth with the DQ. Hogue closed to within six points of Goatcher as R Smith took over third, just one point ahead of Chett Reeves.

Summary American Stock Heat 1-Bryson Lynch, Eric Farris, Mike Lee, Joe Goatcher, Robert Smith. Heat 2-Mark Hogue, Bunny Howell, Chett Reeves, Tyler Funke, Robert Boardman. Heat 3-Ricky Spicer, Neil Danner, Johnny Morales, Wesley Allen, David Wolford. Main-Hogue, Spicer, Lynch, Allen, Smith, Goatcher, Reeves, Morales, Bill Cleeland, Funke, Farris, Howell, Danner, Lee, Amanda Wheeler, Jeremy Dean. IMCA Modified Heat 1-Buck Cox, Rick Jenkins, Kevin Borges, Mike Scott, Roger Varner. Heat 2-Eric Jacobsen, Gary Dutton, Steve Smothermon, Troy Morris Jr, Kenny Farris. Main-Smothermon, Jacobsen, Cox, Morris, Borges, Varner, Jenkins, Scott, Bill Gates, Farris, Dutton.

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