InsideGroove - Race Report

BIGGEST CAREER WIN FOR PART TIME RACER KEARNS

San Jose, CA --

In just his third event of the 1999 season, Chris Kearns from Santa Maria led the final 14 laps to win Saturday night's 20 lap open comp street stock A Main as part of the Dirt Track Nationals at San Jose Speedway. Kearns races a unique Ford Mustang using a 302 ci engine and builds his entire racing season around the San Jose open that is promoted by George Steitz and Rick Farren. Kearns was quick to thank wife Lorinda for her cooperation with his racing and his sponsors Willi's Insurance, Auto Attire and Greater Fuel Condition. Also coming in for praise were his crew of Tommy Preast, David Geisman and Tim Randolph. The late race challenge was provided by Thunderbowl Raceway star Karl Noland Jr from Porterville who was a $800 runnerup to Kearns' $1,200 win. Eddy Juster made a rare start and collected $500 for his third place run as Merced's Bobby Smith ran fourth ahead of two-time defending race champion Kurt Slama. Smith won $300 and Slama $250. Slama was driving the Toby Ezell Camaro, which is the same car that Slama won the 1998 event in when it carried a station wagon body. Five more street stocks joined the action on Saturday only to give that division a 55 car count for the weekend.

Steve Dempsey's weekend ended with his heat win on Friday night, so there were five transfers from the B Main tonight and two from the C Main to give the 20 lapper a 22 car grid. Friday night preliminary feature winner Bryan Burnes started on the pole and led the first 2 laps. Dennis Pelphrey made contact with the front wall on the first lap as Rick Watterworth settled into second over Raymond Noland. On lap 3, both Watterworth and R Noland got underneath Burnes to take over the 1-2 slots and a spun Mike Calhoun was hit by Steve Dietrich with Ed Perry retiring. Kearns beat R Noland to a lap 4 yellow to take over second, but the restart saw Kearns and Watterworth making contact. Watterworth careened into R Noland and that sent R Noland spinning. Nose work off the Slama car forced a lap 6 yellow and Slama was sent to the rear for the restart. Burnes spun out of third as Kearns now led Watterworth, K Noland Jr, Juster and Pelphrey. Toby Randolph slowed with a flat for a lap 10 yellow and Dietrich fell out. K Noland Jr took over second on the green and Calhoun was eliminated in a tangle with Tim Randolph. Tim Haskins dropped out and Cindy Clark slowed with a flat before a lap 16 red flag when an out of shape Robby Jeppesen sent Tim Ragsdale flying onto the top of the front stretch fence. Ragsdale rode the top of the fence for several yards before finally settling back down onto the front stretch. His car suffered heavy damage and the red again flew on the restart when Watsonville $5,000 winner Doug Hagio spun and was hit by Slama, Jeppesen, Burnes and Tim Randolph. Jeppesen and Johnny Cardoza were late dropouts as the final four laps ran without a caution with Kearns maintaining his solid lead over K Noland Jr. Watterworth was smoking heavily over the final rounds as he faded with Juster third ahead of Smith, Slama, Watterworth, Gary Sorgrdrager, Clark and Pelphrey as the American Stock of Chris Juhl ran 10th.

Watterworth won the dash for the 8 heat race winners were K Noland Jr second ahead of Pelphrey and Cardoza. Ragsdale took the lead from Dietrich on lap 2 and won the 15 lap B Main with Haskins second from lap 4 on. Tim Randolph advanced to a third as some late passes netted fourth for Clark, who had come through the C Main. Dietrich hung onto the final transfer slot with his fifth. Steve Ewbank ran top five for much of the race with the Tim Clark track title car from Watsonville before fading to a 10th place finish. Eric Jacobsen led the first 4 laps of the C Main before his engine began to seize. Hagio led the next two laps, but was passed by eventual winner Toby Randolph. Hagio ran second ahead of John Harville and Clark. The arrival of the five new cars allowed for a D Main that was won by the MoPar of Mitch Enos ahead of Mark Odgers and Travis Sugden.

Summary Dash-Rick Watterworth, Karl Noland Jr, Dennis Pelphrey. D Main-Mitch Enos, Mark Odgers, Travis Sugden, Mitchell Lettunich, Duke Hass, Nathan Schleth, Leroy Capote II. C Main-Toby Randolph, Doug Hagio, John Harville, Cindy Clark, Eric Jacobsen, Ken Gregg, Shawn McCoy, Sugden, Rich Barbaccia, Mike Franco Sr. B Main-Tim Ragsdale, Tim Haskins, Tim Randolph, Clark, Steve Dietrich, Dave Hill, Gregg, Pat Couch, Chris Messmer, Steve Ewbank. A Main-Chris Kearns, K Noland Jr, Eddy Juster, Bobby Smith, Kurt Slama, Watterworth, Gary Sorgrdrager, Clark, Pelphrey, Chris Juhl, Raymond Noland, Johnny Cardoza, Hagio, Robby Jeppesen, Ragsdale, Tim Randolph, Bryan Burnes, Mike Calhoun, Toby Randolph, Haskins, Dietrich, Ed Perry.

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