Monday, May 4, 2015

Point Leaders Vogt, Ryland Score Third Victories At Chowchilla

First of all...



Don's California Racing Recollections:  Best Of The Blog And Beyond

Available via print on demand at Lulu in Hard Cover or Paperback



Just A Kid From The Grandstands:  My Time In Auto Racing

Available on Lulu in Paperback And Hard Cover



Also, what could be a series of informative books...

Short Track History Project at Gofundme

Additional info on the Short Track History Project  HERE


The Weekend Review Edition On The DCRR Racing Radio Show. 
This one ran a little long


Note:  The results that we got from Late Model Racer for this show for Spec Sprints at Petaluma were actually the first heat race and not the Main Event as listed on the site.  It didn't look right to me, but it was late and I went with it.  The win actually went to Adam Christian ahead of John Clark , Klint Simpson, Sparky Howard and Scotty Dupont.



Point Leaders Vogt, Ryland Score Third Victories At Chowchilla

2014 track champion Josh Vogt gained the point lead with a strong victory in the IMCA Modified Main Event Sunday afternoon at Chowchilla Speedway.  Holding off the threats of Keith Brown Jr. during the first half of the race, Fred Ryland won the 20 lap IMCA Sport Modified Main Event.  Bruce Nelson led all the way to win the Hobby Stock feature, and Chris Corder grabbed his first Mini Stock feature victory since January.

Josh Vogt started his night off with an eight lap IMCA Modified heat race win in front of Kyle Wilson.  Vogt started on the pole for the feature with four time Antioch champion Troy Foulger starting last.  Darrell Hughes II retired with mechanical issues just before the race started.  Vogt led from the start ahead of Danny Luukkonen and Wilson.  Wilson made a Turn 2 pass on Luukkenon to take over second, and Foulger was third on lap four.  John Osgood III spun for a lap 13 caution flag, and Foulger rode the high line around Wilson for second.  Foulger's second place run ended when he stalled in Turn 4 for a lap 16 caution flag.  Vogt led Wilson and Bill Egleston on the restart.  Vogt would take the checkered flag ahead of the pack for his third straight win.  A low pass in Turn 4 of the final lap gained Egleston second from Wilson.  Luukkonen was fourth ahead of Osgood.

Late arrival Keith Brown Jr. followed up his IMCA Sport Mod feature win last time out by holding off Fred Ryland to win the heat race.  Brown ended up starting in the third row outside in the feature as F. Ryland had a front row start.  Ryland raced into the lead at the start as Brown was into second immediately, followed by Josh Gish.  After a lap five caution flag for a Natasha Dodd spin, Brown challenged F. Ryland hard for the lead on the restart.  Brown's somewhat aggressive play for the lead ended with a mechanical failure as he stalled in Turn 4 for a caution flag after ten laps.  F. Ryland led the restart with his wife Patti Ryland charging into second. The Ryland 1-2 finish saw Fred collecting his third feature win at Chowchilla with Patti enjoying a nice debut in second.  Gish, Dodd and Marissa Odgers rounded out the Top 5 finishers.

The Hobby Stocks ran two heat races with Kevin Joaquin winning his heat race ahead of Bruce Nelson.  Travis Avila won the other heat race ahead of Kodie Dean.  The Main Event was restarted after Avila spun in Turn 4, and Dean did front end damage to his car when he hit the spun car.  Jennifer Corder was caught up in the crash as well, ending the race for both Dean and Corder.  Nelson led point leader Joaquin for two laps before Joaquin spun in Turn 4 for a caution flag.  The track went with a single file restart as Nelson led Alvin Ince and Avila.  Ince spun from second on lap six, and Avila spun from the spot on lap eight, handing second to Michael Shearer.  However, Nelson was not to be denied as he sped home to the victory ahead of Shearer, Ince, Joaquin and Avila.

Chris Corder won the Mini Stock heat race ahead of Brian Widdowson, who was driving the Corder team car.  Alisa Caldwell's night ended in a heat race crash.  Track officials elected to run the Main Event in the opposite direction, and Corder started back in the third row.  Front row starter Mike Congdon led a lap ahead of Natalie Waldrop and Jadon Harrington.  An outside move on the back stretch on lap two gained Corder the lead with Alex Odishoo grabbing second in Turn 4.  A lap three caution flag flew for debris, and the restart needed another yellow after Congdon and Nick Sagmiller got together.  Congdon was not too pleased with the incident, but he restarted in the back as Corder led Odishoo and Harrington.  Following a lap eight caution flag, Odishoo passed Corder briefly on the restart, though Corder regained the lead before the lap was completed.  Odishoo's motor started misfiring, and an outside move on the back stretch gained Harrington second from Odishoo.  Congdon quickly moved into third. There was no stopping Corder as he went on to score the much needed victory ahead of Harrington, Congdon, Widdowson and Odishoo.

Racing returns to Chowchilla Speedway on May 17.  The Sunday afternoon race will include IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Modifieds, Northern All Stars Hobby Stocks and Mini Stocks.  For more information, check the official Oval Motorsports Website.