Cajon Speedway results 2004-05-22

EL CAJON, CA (05/22/04). Rich Green and Rick Hagen were two of only a handful of street stock racers in a celebratory mood following Saturday night's NASCAR Dodge Weekly series contests at Cajon Speedway.

While that duo each won a 25-lap main event on the 3/8-mile paved oval, several other drivers could only shake their heads in dismay when they viewed the damage to their racecars resulting from a jarring wreck that concluded the second feature. The first feature had been an outstanding joust with battles all through the pack. But as Hagen was getting the white flag to start the final round of the second event, Rob Overman's engine detonated as he went into turn three. Overman's Grand Prix smacked the crashwall. In short order, Richard Hinze, Rob Freeman, and Neil Rodvold all piled in after losing traction on the slick racing surface. Several seconds later, Randy Buell came flying in and careened off Rodvold's idle mount. Overman was taken to Sharp Memorial Hospital with a probable concussion. He was reported in good condition Sunday morning.

Unfortunately that was the second pileup that resulted from a blown motor in the same corner Saturday night. The bomber stock main event was delayed for twenty minutes on the third lap after the motor in Mike McGlone Monte Carlo blew up. Randy Hart, who started the night as the point leader, Bill Holland, and Lyle Driscoll took the brunt of the contact in this one with Holland's Chevelle tweaked badly for the second time in three races.

Rodney Shaw led the 20-lap bomber stock main event wire-to-wire to claim his fifth career main event victory. But he eked out the win, nipping fast closing Brian Fitzgibbons by less than a half a car length. Marty Schmitt had an easy time in the pony stocks; he too led all the way in their 20-lapper. Charles Nevin picked up his first feature trophy in the factory stocks.

Green came from 11th starting position in the first street stock contest. With five circuits remaining in the 25-lapper, he was still back in third place behind Ivan Harrison and Overman. The battle was hot and heavy up front all race long as Harrison, Josh Green, Overman, Green, Kenny Hall, Eric Ferguson, Dave Arce, and Brian Collins bounced off each other, pushed each other around, and just battled door-to-door. Only one driver ended up going the wrong way. Green was knocked out of the chase on lap 18.

A shootout was set up Randy Buell spun on lap 19, rebunching the pack. As if the battles for first 4/5 of the race weren't enough, the lead pack with the remaining six drivers was just getting warmed up for the final five rounds. Green slipped past Overman on lap 21 and then dipped under Harrison exiting turn two on the next circuit. Harrison appeared to bounce off the wall and there was contact with Green. But no one lifted and no harm, no foul. Overman rode Hall's bumper all the way around the third and fourth turns during this time and again everyone was still going forward when they came off the corner. At the checkered it was Green, Harrison, Rodvold, Ferguson (who was smoking badly), Arce, Overman, and Collins.

"That was fun. That's what it's all about isn't it?" Green grinned as his Chuck Van Buren owned Monte Carlo was pushed off the scales following its post-race inspection. "I guess Doc is OK with it too because Ro (Doc's wife) came down and congratulated us. I tried to give him a lot of room. I think he went up and bounced off the wall when we bumped and banged down the backchute. It was tough -- he doesn't give us a whole lot of room. I always say it's never a move-over-and-let-me-go. It's make-em-work-for-it. It's fun when you can work for it and get it."

"The car was tight," Green continued. "It was really pushy in the middle. So way up on the outside was actually better because I didn't have to turn as tight. If I was down on the bottom, I had to burp the throttle to make the thing go around."

The second main event was much tamer except for its ending. Hagen led all the way and was over a quarter lap in front of Ferguson before the race-ending-melee. Collins was third ahead of Rodvold and Green.

Hagen was helped at least psychologically by over 100 sponsors and friends who attended the races for the first time. People from Century 21 All Service Realtors, First American Title Company, Cajon Hills Escrow Company, and San Diego Mortgage Network were on hand to root for "Rick the Racing Realtor."

"I thought I would just try for the 25-lap track record," Hagen said of his run. "If there were no yellows, I figured I had a chance. That's why I drove hard. As soon as a caution came out, I knew that was over. Then I figured I would just build up a cushion and see if anybody could come up and play. And they couldn't."

Hagen admitted he was lucky. A pea draw put him on the pole for the second race after he finished eighth in the opener. "The first one was the tough one," he explained. "I was lucky they drew the pea. We had no brakes going into the first race. But we had about 110 fans in the stands cheering for us. That made a big difference. It helped a lot."

A new rule put Schmitt on the outside of the front row for the pony stock contest. Effective Saturday all drivers in any division who timed in more than a second off the pace of the fastest qualifier were dropped to the rear of the pack for the night's races; previously this rule only applied to the Grand American modifieds. This change resulted in all but one of the slow heat cars in the ponys be lined up behind the fast qualifiers. Schmitt, who captured the quick heat, had the outside pole for the 20-lap feature and was never headed. Ed Hale ran second and took over the number one spot in the point standings. Earl "The Pearl" Downing had another fine run and came home third. Tim Beeney was fourth ahead of George "The Blackberry Bush Bomber" Behlman.

Shaw was not challenged in the bomber stocks until the closing laps of their 20-lapper. Other than the lap 2 pileup, the event ran non-stop. That made it difficult for young Fitzgibbons, who started 12th, to get to the leader. Fitzgibbons, who is just 21 years old and was barely born when the grizzled veteran Shaw turned his first laps, gained second place in the race on lap 14. But he just ran out of time trying to mow down the leader. Marty Lehrke finished third and moved to the top rung in the points chase. Hayden Smith was fourth ahead of David Whisenant.

The factory stocks only had one slowdown during their interesting 20-lapper. Glen Davis and John Krempp Jr. ran side-by-side for a couple of laps before Krempp took charge. Then vet John Robinson, who started tenth, diced with Krempp. Nevin, who sat just behind Robinson at the green, found himself on Robinson's bumper once again by lap 15. They ran even on laps 16, 17, 18, and most of 19 before Nevin was clearly out front just over a lap from the checkered. Nevin widened his lead to three lengths on the final round. Robinson remained in second ahead of Ryan Gay, Matt Arnold, and Krempp.

PIT NOTES: Keith Richardson will be defending the honor of the Cajon Speedway Fire and Rescue crew in the annual Firefighters' Destruction Derby that is scheduled for June 12. That DD benefits the San Diego Burn Institute. Fire Departments from all over the county have spent the last year preparing their cars for this fun filled crashfest that helped raise over $50,000 for the Burn Institute in 2003. If you would like to help sponsor Keith, please contact him at the track on Saturday night. -- Kudos to factory stocker Mike Landry, who won the consolation race and then came from last to sixth in the semi to transfer to the main event where he started last and finished 13th. Twas a busy night for the 25-year-old, who got in 50-laps of racing.

NASCAR DODGE WEEKLY SERIES RESULTS

STREET STOCK
Fast Time - Rick Hagen, Rancho SD; Time - :17.580.

Main (25 laps) - 1. Rich Green Jr., El Cajon; 2. Ivan Harrison, Santee; 3. Kenny Hall, El Cajon; 4. Eric Ferguson, El Cajon; 5. Dave Arce, Santee; 6. Rob Overman, San Diego; 7. Brian Collins, Oceanside; 8. Rick Hagen, Rancho SD; 9. Richard Hinze, Lakeside; 10. Rob Freeman, Santee; 11. Keith Donohou, San Diego; 12. Eric Sweetman, Santee; 13. Neil Rodvold, Lakeside; 14. Randy Buell, San Diego; 15. Tony Masey, El Cajon; 16. Josh Green, Lakeside; 17. Don Moore, Lakeside; Time - 18:22.35.

Main (23 laps) - 1. Rick Hagen, Rancho SD; 2. Eric Ferguson, El Cajon; 3. Brian Collins, Oceanside; 4. Kenny Hall, El Cajon; 5. Rich Green Jr., El Cajon; 6. Matt Arnold, San Diego; 7. Dave Arce, Santee; 8. Eric Sweetman, Santee; 9. Rob Overman, San Diego; 10. Richard Hinze, Lakeside; 11. Neil Rodvold, Lakeside; 12. Rob Freeman, Santee; 13. Randy Buell, San Diego; 14. Keith Donohou, San Diego; 15. Ivan Harrison, Santee; 16. Tony Masey, El Cajon; 17. Josh Green, Lakeside; 18. Don Moore, Lakeside; Time - 12:45.03.

PONY STOCK
Fast Time - Douglas Wright Jr., Santee; Time - :18.342.

1st Heat (8 laps) - 1. Rob Dinsmore, Ramona; 2. Douglas Wright Jr., Santee; 3. Jeff Josephson, San Diego; 4. Bill Parenteau Sr., El Cajon; 5. Shealynn Longwell, El Cajon; 6. Rick Lyon, San Diego; 7. Amber Lee, San Clemente; 8. Robert Minnick, El Cajon; 9. Phil Griffin, Santee; Time - 2:37.62.

2nd Heat (8 laps) - 1. Marty Schmidt, El Cajon; 2. Ed Hale, El Cajon; 3. George Behlman, Santee; 4. Darrell McKee Jr., San Diego; 5. Earl Downing, Spring Valley; 6. Russ Gregson, Santee; 7. Tim Beeney, Escondido; 8. Mike Weimann, Temecula; 9. Debi Chapman, Lakeside; 10. Len Cartwright, Lemon Grove; Time - 2:30.53.

Main (18 laps) - 1. Marty Schmidt, El Cajon; 2. Ed Hale, El Cajon; 3. Earl Downing, Spring Valley; 4. Tim Beeney, Escondido; 5. George Behlman, Santee; 6. Russ Gregson, Santee; 7. Darrell McKee Jr., San Diego; 8. Douglas Wright Jr., Santee; 9. Jeff Josephson, San Diego; 10. Len Cartwright, Lemon Grove; 11. Rob Dinsmore, Ramona; 12. Debi Chapman, Lakeside; 13. Bill Parenteau Sr., El Cajon; 14. Mike Weimann, Temecula; 15. Shealynn Longwell, El Cajon; 16. Robert Minnick, El Cajon; 17. Rick Lyon, San Diego; 18. Phil Griffin, Santee; 19. Amber Lee, San Clemente; Time - 11:56.59.

BOMBER STOCK
Fast Time - Scott Denton, Fallbrook; Time - :20.122.

1st Heat (8 laps) - 1. Rodney Shaw, El Cajon; 2. Darrell Moore, Ramona; 3. Brandon Haag, Santee; 4. Lyle Driscoll, Lakeside; 5. Michael Burford, Ramona; 6. Bob Underwood, Spring Valley; 7. Perry Humphries, San Diego; 8. Dave Ensall, Lakeside; 9. Mitch Lance, El Cajon; Time - 2:47.17.

2nd Heat (8 laps) - 1. Hayden Smith, San Diego; 2. Kevin Gantz, Spring Valley; 3. Randy Hart, National City; 4. Scott Denton, Fallbrook; 5. David Whisenant, Murrieta; 6. Mike McGlone, Fallbrook; 7. Marty Lehrke, San Diego; 8. Brian Fitzgibbons, El Cajon; 9. Bill Holland, El Cajon; Time - 2:46.75.

Main (20 laps) - 1. Rodney Shaw, El Cajon; 2. Brian Fitzgibbons, El Cajon; 3. Marty Lehrke, San Diego; 4. Hayden Smith, San Diego; 5. David Whisenant, Murrieta; 6. Kevin Gantz, Spring Valley; 7. Brandon Haag, Santee; 8. Darrell Moore, Ramona; 9. Bob Underwood, Spring Valley; 10. Michael Burford, Ramona; 11. Perry Humphries, San Diego; 12. Dave Ensall, Lakeside; 13. Randy Hart, National City; 14. Mike McGlone, Fallbrook; 15. Bill Holland, El Cajon; 16. Lyle Driscoll, Lakeside; 17. Scott Denton, Fallbrook; Time - 28:10.78.

FACTORY STOCK
Fast Time - J.R. Trent, Jamul; Time - :21.320.

Dash (4 laps) - 1. Ryan Gay, El Cajon; 2. J.R. Trent, Jamul; 3. David Liedike, El Cajon; 4. Matt Arnold, San Diego; Time - 1:26.70.

1st Heat (8 laps) - 1. Glen Davis, La Mesa; 2. John Krempp Jr., El Cajon; 3. Jacob Schneider, Escondido; 4. Kevin Krueger, Fallbrook; 5. Paul Bethel, San Diego; 6. Ed Valenzuela, Santee; 7. Curtis Reiter, El Cajon; 8. Keith Krueger, Fallbrook; Time - 2:57.54.

2nd Heat (8 laps) - 1. Pat Bradley, San Marcos; 2. John Robinson, Ramona; 3. Matt Arnold, San Diego; 4. Charles Nevin, El Cajon; 5. J.R. Trent, Jamul; 6. Lee Harbin, El Cajon; 7. Ryan Gay, El Cajon; 8. David Liedike, El Cajon; Time - 2:54.37.

Consolation (15 laps) - 1. Mike Landry, Lakeside; 2. Ryan Spencer, Riverside; 3. Robin Tutterow, Santee; 4. Justin Schultze, San Diego; 5. Michelle Compaux, El Cajon; Time - 9:22.80.

Semi (15 laps) - 1. Jim Tucker, Spring Valley; 2. Aaron Reid, El Cajon; 3. Mike Ellis, Lakeside; 4. Martin Kepler, El Cajon; 5. Blaine Sharp, Jamul; 6. Mike Landry, Lakeside; 7. Tony Cortes, El Cajon; 8. Bryan Bonito, El Cajon; Time - 5:48.59.

Main (20 laps) - 1. Charles Nevin, El Cajon; 2. John Robinson, Ramona; 3. Ryan Gay, El Cajon; 4. Matt Arnold, San Diego; 5. John Krempp Jr., El Cajon; 6. Jacob Schneider, Escondido; 7. Mike Ellis, Lakeside; 8. Tony Cortes, El Cajon; 9. Ed Valenzuela, Santee; 10. Pat Bradley, San Marcos; 11. Lee Harbin, El Cajon; 12. Paul Bethel, San Diego; 13. Mike Landry, Lakeside; 14. Keith Krueger, Fallbrook; 15. J.R. Trent, Jamul; 16. Aaron Reid, El Cajon; 17. Blaine Sharp, Jamul; 18. Curtis Reiter, El Cajon; 19. Martin Kepler, El Cajon; 20. David Liedike, El Cajon; 21. Glen Davis, La Mesa; 22. Bryan Bonito, El Cajon; Time - 24:32.92.

-cs-