Legends at Texas Motor Speedway

FORT WORTH-DALLAS (Aug. 26, 1999) - A full moon notwithstanding, race winners and champions were crowned in the final Thursday Night Stampede auto racing program at Texas Motor Speedway. In addition, radio legends displayed their driving "talents," human cannonball Rebecca Smith completed her daredevil flight and a marriage proposal was given and accepted.

Champions in each racing division were determined. Sparky Grape, Fort Worth, wrapped up the Legends Pro Division title with his sixth feature win while Robert Merino, Plano, claimed his first Thursday Night Stampede Masters championship for drivers over 40.

Scott Evans, Richardson, parlayed a third-place finish into a three-point victory margin for the Stampede Legends Semi-Pro crown over Casey Smith, Austin, who won his sixth 20-lap main event but finished runnerup in the point tally. Ryan Lawler, Colleyville, logged a sixth 12-lap Bandolero feature win and walked away with the Bandolero Bandits crown for drivers 8 to 11. Derek Shumaker, Conroe, edged Kevin Trammell, Dallas, for the Bandolero Young Guns (age 12-16) title.

Two Metroplex radio legends, 96.3 KSCS Radio morning man Terry Dorsey and WBAP talk show host Mark Davis renewed their third annual Legends Cars Grudge Match. Dorsey jumped into an early lead before Davis brought out the yellow with a third-lap spinout.

On the restart, "Dirt Devil" Davis took to the grass infield of turn one on the quarter-mile asphalt track to whisk the lead away from Dorsey. Despite driving high in the final two corners, Davis held off a late charge by Dorsey to keep his win streak alive.

"Yeah, I gave it my best shot but there’s always next year," Dorsey said afterwards. "I kind of expected Mark to have something up his sleeve. I think he was trying to lull me into a false sense of security with that spinout move, only to kick up dust as he was bumping around in the infield and passing me."

"A worthy opponent, Mr. Dorsey," said the humble winner in victory lane. "But I would, however, like to point out that WBAP was the Thursday Night Stampede radio champion for 1999.

"He had me worried at first," Davis continued. "It would appear he’s been practicing more this year. I’m glad my move worked and we both didn’t end up in the grass."

Legends driver Eric Luebbert, Roanoke, used the closing Stampede program to "pop the question" to his girlfriend Julie Knolton of North Richland Hills. Luebbert recruited four other Legends drivers to hold up signs at the start-finish line, "Julie, Will You Marry Me?" His proposal was tearfully accepted by his surprised bride-to-be.

Feature race winners in addition to Grape, Smith and Lawler were Steve Kidwell, Southlake, in the 20-lap Masters headliner and Terry Crunk, Colleyville, in the Chargers main event. Smith’s triumph was his 20th Semi-Pro victory of the season in Texas.

Aerial daredevil Rebecca Smith blasted 80 feet through the air to officially end the most successful Thursday Night Stampede season in the three-year history of Texas Motor Speedway. The next Legends and Bandolero races at the facility will be Sept. 4-5 at Lil’ Texas Motor Speedway.

THURSDAY NIGHT STAMPEDE AUTO RACING RESULTS TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY, FORT WORTH, TX THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 1999

LEGENDS CARS

PRO DIVISION

Feature (20 laps): 1. Sparky Grape, Fort Worth; 2. Michael Hansen, Plano; 3. Bob Odom, Grapevine; 4. Jesse Turlington, Wichita Falls; 5. Jeff Russell, Colleyville; 6. David Umscheid, Cedar Park; 7. Andrew Anderson, Fort Worth; 8. Steve Gottsacker, University Park; 9. Greg Venable, Arlington; 10. Eddy Wallace, Round Rock.

MASTERS DIVISION

Feature (20 laps): 1. Steve Kidwell, Southlake; 2. Jimmy Spillar, Austin; 3. Les Bunte, Austin; 4. Ron Trammell, Dallas; 5. Mike Nowels, Lewisville; 6. Robert Merino, Plano; 7. Burney Gibson, Dallas; 8. Dick Hipple, Justin; 9. Rick Billingsley, Arlington; 10. Lee Carrico, Hurst; 11. Al Seeley, Dallas; 12. David Nelson, Austin; 13. Bob Lowe, Colleyville.

SEMI-PRO DIVISION

Feature (20 laps): 1. Casey Smith, Austin; 2. Blake Hansen, Plano; 3. Scott Evans, Richardson; 4. Bradley Riethmeyer, Hutto; 5. J.C. Umscheid, Cedar Park; 6. Pat Pennington, Richardson; 7. Buddy Goudy, Benbrook; 8. Hal Collins, Irving; 9. Josh Whitton, Carrollton; 10. Josh Gilbert, Grapevine; 11. Brad Slack, Fort Worth; 12. Eric Luebbert, Roanoke; 13. Mitch Cook, Irving; 14. Ronnie Hall, Alvord; 15. Scott Anderson, Austin; 16. Rod Slack, Fort Worth; 17. Jared Whitton, Carrollton; 18. John LaBard, Plano.

CHARGER DIVISION

Feature (20 laps): 1. Terry Crunk, Colleyville; 2. Garner Draper, Plano; 3. Billy Potts, Graham; 4. Bob Zito, DeSoto; 5. Scott Merino, Plano; 6. Paul Collins, Irving; 7. Trevor Seeley, Dallas; 8. Matt Cook, Irving; 9. Bill Stephens, Southlake; 10. Mike Marella, Aubrey; 11. Jay Alston, Fort Worth; 12. Zack Keller, Spring; 13. David Compton, Arlington; 14. Ryan Lawler, Colleyville; 15. Jim Kersey, Fort Worth.

BANDOLERO CARS

Feature (12 laps): 1. Ryan Lawler, Colleyville; 2. Derek Shumaker, Conroe; 3. Kevin Trammell, Dallas; 4. Andrew Lewis, Coppell; 5. Mark Merino, Plano; 6. Ben Pigeon, Abilene; 7. Blake Pigeon, Abilene; 8. John Gottsacker, University Park; 9. Brent Seeley, Dallas; 10. Kayla Hontz, Hurst; 11. Billy Adams, Colleyville.