InsideGroove - Race Report

SMOTHERMON AND COX TIE FOR BAKERSFIELD CHAMPIONSHIP

Bakersfield, CA --

Forced to change a transmission after hot laps, Jeff Miller raced to victories in both his heat race and the 20 lap feature for the IMCA Modifieds Saturday night at Bakersfield Speedway Park. The $300 feature win was his third and Buck Cox used his third place finish behind Gary Dutton to move into a tie for the track championship with Steve Smothermon, who had a flat tire and ran 8th. This was the final point event at the track for the IMCA Modifieds in 2001. Ricky Spicer won his first 20 lap American Stock feature and moved into fourth in track points in the process. He led just the final five laps after Mark Hogue dropped out while leading. Chett Reeves finished second and expanded his point lead to 69 points over Joe Goatcher.

The IMCA Modifieds had a 12 car turnout and Miller won the first heat over back row starter Smothermon. Troy Morris Jr won heat 2 in front of Kenny Farris. All 12 cars were able to start their 20 lap feature with Miller on the pole. Miller raced into the lead over Farris and Mike Scott as a broken tie rod took out Jim Deines on the first lap. Scott and Dutton both passed Farris on lap 2 and Dutton was second on lap 3. Cox started 8th, climbed into fourth on lap 4 and passed Scott for third on lap 8. Smothermon was riding in fifth place and he passed Scott for fourth on lap 11. On lap 12, Steve Morrison got sideways and collected Smothermon, who had to pit with a flat tire. Smothermon just made it back for the restart, but he was 99% of a lap behind the top runners. The remainder of the race ran without a yellow flag and Smothermon had just caught the 7th place car when the checkered flag fell. Miller led all 20 laps with Dutton in second. Cox ran third over Scott, Morris, Bill Gates, Farris and Smothermon with the five position difference between Cox and Smothermon exactly what was needed to result in the championship tie. Rookies Morris and Scott ran 3-4 in points with Dutton fifth.

The American Stocks had an all-time high of 25 cars. Spicer completed his perfect night with a win in the first heat ahead of Robert Smith. Warren Smith beat Richard Graves in heat 2 and Amy Hedden won heat 3 from the outside front row over Hogue. The top four from each heat advanced to the 20 lap feature and Jeremiah VanScoy led the final 9 laps to win the 10 lap B Main over Goatcher and Danny Gott. Third ranked Bunny Howell had car problems in the B Main, but got a ride in the Graves car for the A Main event. Outside front row starter W Smith led the first lap of the 20 lapper over Hogue. Hogue took over on lap 2 and W Smith dropped out on the caution when David Wolford spun. Goatcher pitted with a flat and Spicer settled into second over Reeves. Tom Klamorick moved into fourth on lap 5 and Hedden was fifth on lap 6. The 20 lapper was run without a yellow flag after lap 2. Hogue fell to third behind Spicer and Reeves on lap 16 and dropped out. Spicer led at the checkered flag over Reeves. Third place Klamorick was disqualified when he refused the vacuum test at the post race inspection. This gave third to Hedden over Mike Lee, R Smith and Craig Houk. Reeves came out of the night with a 69 point lead over Goatcher. Howell is 17 more points back. Spicer is five points back of Howell and a single point ahead of R Smith. Lee is sixth, just 10 points back of Howell.

Summary American Stock Heat 1-Ricky Spicer, Robert Smith, Chett Reeves, Tom Klamorick, Danny Gott. Heat 2-Warren Smith, Richard Graves, David Wolford, Perry VanScoy, Jeremiah VanScoy. Heat 3-Amy Hedden, Mark Hogue, Mike Lee, Bart Wilburn, Walt Farris III. B Main-J VanScoy, Joe Goatcher, Gott, Roy Degeer, Don Mead, Johnny Morales, Craig Houk, Farris, Bunny Howell, Christine Carl. A Main-Spicer, Reeves, Hedden, Lee, R Smith, Houk, P VanScoy, Morales, Howell, Wilburn, Farris, Hogue, Carl, Gott, Mead, J VanScoy, Wolford, Goatcher, W Smith. IMCA Modified Heat 1-Jeff Miller, Steve Smothermon, Gary Dutton, Jim Deines, Lin Deines. Heat 2-Troy Morris Jr, Kenny Farris, Mike Scott, Buck Cox, Paul Stancliff. Main-Miller, Dutton, Cox, Scott, Morris, Bill Gates, Farris, Smothermon, Stancliff, L Deines, Steve Morrison, J Deines.

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