InsideGroove - Race Report

HUGE NIGHT FOR ADAM CRIPPEN AT USA RACE PARK

Tucson, AZ -- After charging from last starting to a win in his heat race, Tucson’s own Adam Crippen drew the pole for the feature action and fought off the challenges of SWDRA point leader Lonnie Parker Jr to score a $1000 win Saturday night at USA Race Park. It was the first win for A Crippen since he moved to Ford engines in 2006 with his Rocket Chassis sponsored by his Hobbytown USA business. The victory snapped a five race winning streak for Parker in the SWDRA point events. A Crippen’s huge night also included a second place run in the Barnett Harley Davidson dirt modified feature behind R C Whitwell and in front of Texas invader Christy Georges. The drivers faced tough track conditions as the track water truck had broken down. Parker won his heat from 4th and came from fifth to get the $500 second in the feature run in his Baker powered Rocket. The third heat winner, Mark Fowler, started outside front row and finished a $400 third in the feature to give Rocket Chassis a sweep of the top three positions. Fowler had won his heat race from fifth. Talented dirt late model rookie Ted Robinson ran fourth and Ford powered Karl Tipton got his best result to date with his new car in fifth. Both A Crippen and Tipton use Kuntz Ford engines and Robinson runs a Gaerte powered GRT for Keith Ames.

A 20 car field appeared and they were split into three heat races. A Crippen started 7th in heat 1 and chased down pole starter Randy Anderson for the win. Anderson ran second ahead of 4th starting Tipton. Jerry Fincher was back in his own car and Bruce Duckett drove his to a 4th in heat 1. Parker Jr came from 4th to capture heat 2 over sixth starting Keith Noyes and outside front row starter Brad Williams. Pole starter Randy Carder ran fourth in his Ford. Fowler drove the Jeff Manka owned mount from fifth to win heat 3 over 4th starting Robinson and pole starter Ron Pyle. The top 9 from the heat action participate in the redraw for the front 9 starting slots in the feature action. A Crippen and Fowler drew the front row with Robinson and Pyle in row 2 ahead of Parker Jr, Anderson, Noyes, Tipton and Williams. A Crippen has been very fast in 2006, but also snakebit. He followed up his improved recent efforts with a win from the pole as Parker Jr battled to second ahead of Fowler, Robinson, Tipton, Carder, Williams and Duckett. Keith James and Anderson rounded out the top ten with Bill Goodwin 11th in third car out of the Tipton-Carder stable. Dennis Crippen, father of the race winner, ran 13th behind Wes Hall.

Next action for SWDRA is July 8 and the July 15 date at Canyon Raceway was cancelled, leaving the Arizona teams free to support either the big two day show in Ely, Nevada or the $1500 to win at Perris CA on that weekend.

Summary Heat 1-Adam Crippen, Randy Anderson, Karl Tipton, Bruce Duckett, Harry Harris, Tommy Hussak III, Bill Goodwin. Heat 2-Lonnie Parker Jr, Keith Noyes, Brad Williams, Randy Carder, Jerry Fincher, Lonnie Parker Sr, Wes Hall. Heat 3-Mark Fowler, Ted Robinson, Ron Pyle, Keith James, Dennis Crippen, Bill Farrington. Main-A Crippen, Parker Jr, Fowler, Robinson, Tipton, Carder, Williams, Duckett, James, Anderson, Goodwin, Hall, D Crippen, Farrington, Noyes, Harris, Parker Sr, Hussak, Pyle, Fincher.

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