I-37 Raceway, 8/28/10
admin | Aug 30, 2010 | Comments 0
By J M Hallas
Dinsmore Does Daily Double in Debut(of new car)
It didn’t take long for Kerrville’s Greg Dinsmore to find the set up on his new Harris chassis and return to early season form. After a month and a half of construction, waiting for parts and motor work Dinsmore debuted his new ride hot lapping mid week and parlaying that into a win Saturday night on it’s maiden voyage. Though with a support team of Bob Harris, multi-time Super Nationals winner John Logue and veteran IMCA hot shoe Jimmy Gustin you’d expect nothing less.
As green waved on the IMCA Modified 20-lap main event Carlton Leverett was first into tun 1, but it was Robert Liese jr. coming out of turn 2 with the lead. Dinsmore, quickly charging from the back, made quick work of the field getting by Liese to take the top spot on lap 2 followed by Liese, Bill Pittaway and Jamie Campbell. Marlin Samford moved in to battle with Campbell for fourth as Dinsmore began stretching out his lead.
Liese slipped off turn 2 giving Pittaway an opening to get the spot, while Samford and Campbell swapped fourth. Pittaway, in one of his older cars as his regular car is being prepared for the Super Nationals, pulled off on lap 4. Debris brought out the caution on lap 8 erasing Dinsmore’s big advantage. As Dinsmore got away on green, Liese, Campbell and Samford were three wide for second with Samford getting the spot.
At halfway it was Dinsmore edging away, Samford, Liese, Campbell and Bob Leinweber in the top five. Campbell got by Liese for third then grabbed second from Samford on lap 11. Leinweber had problems and pulled off but was close enough to the racing surface to bring out a lap 13 caution. Back under green It was Dinsmore easily inching away from Campbell going on to the checkers in the Sundowner RV, racetechinfo.com, Lowery Plumbing, QTI Graphics, Fast Shafts, Afco Shocks, CenTex Motorsports powered Harris Chassis.
“It’s pretty sweet,” replied Dinsmore. “This car was fast right of the box and has been awesome. I couldn’t ask for anything more. We ran it hard to get up front and when we got through went to the high side and just cruised around. The car was a bullet. The CenTex motor never missed a lick and had plenty of power.”
“We had a little issue with the shock on the rear end housing and it was tight in hot laps. We made a change and it was good to go. I put my old set up on this car even though Bob Harris will say otherwise. But I’ve won races here and up in Boone(Iowa) with this set up and I like it this way. It’s much better with forward bite than it ever was and rolls through the center good.”
“ Bob and John Logue want me to go to a floated set up, but right now I’m winning races and hate to change. We’ll see what happens up in Boone next month. The first night we’ll be able to tell. I talked to Jimmy Gustin too and he told me my set up should work just fine. He runs a similar set up, but not clamped. We ran some numbers and the shock was the part we questioned. Luckily Harris has a lot of people behind me and we all share information.”
“I’m hoping to go up to Boone put on a good show and represent Harris. You have to go to the front there, win your heat and finish in the top five of the main. Other than that you’re racing for points. The biggest thing is to draw good, race clean and race hard. There’s a lot of competition up there. I’ve got a lot of friends up there and we race each other hard, but clean. It’s a give and take thing.”
IMCA Modifieds
8g Greg Dinsmore
29 Jamie Campbell
67 Robert Liese jr.
c31 Marlin Samford
12 Bob Leinweber
24 Tracey Fink
3 Carlton Leverett
37 Bill Pittaway
38/80 Dennis Taylor—DNS
21 Jason Borlace–DNS
IMCA Modified heats
Heat #1
38/80 Dennis Taylor
67 Robert Liese jr.
3 Carlton Leverett
21 Jason Borlace
24 Tracey Fink
Heat #2
8g Greg Dinsmore
c31 Marlin Samford
37 Bill Pittaway
29 Jamie Campbell
12 Bob Leinweber
Blaylock Best in Sportmod Scramble
Despite running a limited schedule at I-37 Raceway the Blaylock’s seem to find their way to the front and/or Victory Lane. James Blaylock patiently worked his way forward on a tricky, dry slick track getting the top spot from Jesse James before halfway. Blaylock then held off James and Bill Pittaway in the final laps to score the win.
As the 14-car IMCA Southern Sportmod field took the green for their 20-lap feature, Tator Mason beat Robby Minten into turn 1. Minten on the high side got by coming out of turn 2 to lead lap 1 with Mason and Larry Jernigan side by side. Jernigan took the spot with James following to third. In the pack Ray Doyon III and Moe VanKirk got hooked together in a three wide battle on the back stretch. Doyon went around in turn 3 collecting Joe Spillman for an early caution.
On the restart James was now pressuring Minten for the lead, while Pittaway worked his way past Mason for third. James took over the point on lap 2 with Pittaway following to second and Blaylock moving up to fourth. Blaylock got around Minten for third on lap 3 while Johnny Torres came along to fourth. Pittaway and James were wheel to wheel for the lead on lap 4, with Blaylock looking to go three wide. James held off Pittaway who now had Blaylock along side.
Blaylock secured the spot as Kris Rye grabbed a top five spot on lap 5. Blaylock got beside James for the lead getting the position on lap 7. At the crossed flags it was still Blaylock out front tailed by James, Pittaway, Torres and Rye. The top four stay close until lap 12 when Blaylock began to creep away. Pittaway and Torres were in a good battle for third when yellow waved for Minten who got turned by Greg Rohmer, who was sent to the tail.
Blaylock got a good jump back under green while Jason Stanley looked inside Rye for fifth. Rye and Stanley raced side by side for a couple laps until Randy Yount and Minten tangled between turns 1-2 and brought out a caution. On the restart James tried the high side on Blaylock giving Pittaway a look low for second. After a brief side by side battle Pittaway got the spot, but had no time to mount a challenge on Blaylock in the Diamondback Transport, Bebo Graphics, The Spine & Orthopedic Institute of San Antonio, Central Ready Mix, Spreen Race Engines, HOT Chassis who eased on to the win.
“I was able to use the bottom and work my way up,” commented Blaylock. “I figured if it was good enough to work forward that it would be good enough to win. So I just stayed glued down there. We did a lot of work on the scales earlier today and had a real good baseline for the track.”
“We had it set up for a dry track in the heat race and had to fight it. We made a few minor adjustments during intermission and watched the track. We figured the track would come back to us as it dried out.”
“It’s a little lighter atmosphere running the weekly shows versus the big shows. You don’t have all the pressure of just trying to make the show. We aren’t running for points anywhere so it’s easier to have a good time and try some things hoping to learn about the car.”
“We’re looking to run the Sportmod Nationals at Kennedale next week and definitely looking forward to the big TMS Dirt Track show. Then we have a couple shows in Oklahoma we’d like to make.”
“I need to thank my dad for all the hours he puts in and send my best wishes to my wife who is doing her military training.”
IMCA Southern Sportmods
7b James Blaylock
37 Bill Pittaway
66 Johnny Torres
3j Jesse James
92 Jason Stanley
4$ Kris Rye
18 Larry Jernigan
51 Greg Rohmer
58 Moe VanKirk
12 Tator Mason
66y Randy Yount
4 Robby Minten
3D Ray Doyon III
44 Joe Spillman
99 Billy Meyer—DNS
18s Roger Strickland—DNS
IMCA SSM heats
Heat #1
3D Ray Doyon III
37 Bill Pittaway
58 Moe VanKirk
66 Johnny Torres
4 Robby Minten
51 Greg Rohmer
99 Billy Meyer
18s Roger Strickland—DNS
Heat #2
18 Larry Jernigan
4$ Kris Rye
3J Jesse James
12 Tator Mason
7b James Blaylock
66y Randy Yount
92 Jason Stanley
44 Joe Spillman
Wesley Skains beat Gary Hunter into turn 1 to grab the early lead in the Tator Plumbing Limited Late Model feature. Hunter fell in behind Skains with Chris Brock, Richard Bartosh and Craig Crawley in tow. Hunter and Brock raced side by side on lap 1 with Bartosh taking a look three abreast on lap 2. Brock had just eked past Hunter when he went around in turn 2 sending Hunter through the infield, while Jason Lawrence spun to miss the melee.
On the restart Skains pulled away with Lawrence getting fifth from Shane Moore. Brock quickly moved back up getting by Moore then Lawrence for fifth on lap 4. Lawrence would bring out a yellow on lap 7 when he spun in turn 4. Skains again jumped out on green and pulled away with Brock and Roger Baker battling for fourth. On the final lap Lawrence did a 360 in front the fourth place fight with Brock getting by Baker. Up front it was Skains in the S&S Bridge Painting, Covert Sheet Metal, Reid Graham powered, Harris Chassis taking the victory.
Tator Plumbing Limited Late Models
25x Wesley Skains
7 Richard Bartosh
10 Chris Brock
1 Roger Baker
14 Gary Hunter
18 Shane Moore
25 Jason Lawrence
6c Craig Crawley—Voluntary DQ
Limited Late Model heat winners; 25 Wesley Skains, 10 Chris Brock
The Street Stock 15-lap feature saw Justin Henley beat Greg Lackey into turn 1 for the lead. Dennis Hilla, Lackey and Mike Lyon were three wide for second, with Wade Jones looking on. AJ Wernette spun in turn 4 on lap 2 to start string of yellows. On the restart, Hilla slipped Lackey for second who spun in turn 2. The next try saw Jones look under Hilla for second but Kevin Hyland went around in turn 2. Finally back to green Hilla slipped high off turn 2 giving Jones and Lyon an opening to grab second and third.
Jones ducked inside Henley coming off turn 4 to take the point on lap 5, with Lyon and Henley side by side for second and Jason Campbell getting by Hilla for fourth. Hilla tried to battle back but spun in turn 2 to bring out a caution on lap 5. Just as the race went back to green, debris on the track brought the yellow back out. Back to racing Jones and Henley pulled away from Lyon, Campbell and Wernette who would loop it again for a caution on lap 6.
Jones got a good jump on green, but Henley closed back in as Lackey worked his way to the top five getting by Leland Frautschi on lap 7. Henley got the nose inside Jones on lap 7 going into turn 1 and the two played bumper tag in turn 3. The contact was hard enough to send Henley to the pits on lap 8. Frautschi brought out a lap 11 yellow when he stalled and fell short of making it to pit exit. Once back to green Jones and Lyon got away from Campbell, Hilla and Lackey.
As Hilla and Campbell battled the two made contact in turn 4 to bring out the final yellow on lap 12. The top five all stayed nose to tail on the restart with Jones beginning to inch away on lap 13. At the checkered flag it was Jones in the Opiela Mechanical, Mission Racing, SABFI, Jeff’s Auto Rebuilders, Camaro adding another win to his yearly total.
Street Stocks
41 Wade Jones
40 Mike Lyon
9 Jason Campbell
41g Greg Lackey
37 AJ Wernette
2x Dennis Hilla
31 Leland Frautschi
96 Justin Henley
72 Kevin Hyland
Street Stock Heat winners; 96 Justin Henley, 41 Wade Jones
Charlie Henley grabbed the early lead in the 18-car, 20-lap Pure Stock feature trailed by Brandy Ramzinski, Jerry Jones and Aaron Leddy. Leddy and Frank Okruhlik got past Jones on lap 1 for third and fourth. Leddy passed Ramzinski for second and was looking inside Henley for the lead on lap 2. Leddy took the top spot on lap 3 with Okruhlik coming to second and Marc Roy getting fourth from Henley. Leddy and Okruhlik had just started a side by side battle when a multi-car melee in turn 2 brought out a caution.
On the restart Okruhlik looked low on Leddy, while Roy was trying up top on Ramzinski for third. Ray Radicke stopped in turn 4 as the lead pack charged in. All were able quickly scatter to avoid Radicke as the yellow was shown. Back under green the side by side battle for the lead resumed between Leddy and Okruhlik. Okruhlik was able to sneak by for the lead on lap 6 as the top three distanced themselves from the field.
As Okruhlik began to inch away from Leddy and Roy, Ramzinski, Jones, Janel Hilla and Eric Watson were slugging it out for fourth. Okruhlik was able to put some distance on Leddy and Roy as he diced through lapped traffic, while Hilla and E. Watson got past Jones. In the closing laps Hilla got around Ramzinski for fourth, but no one had anything for Okruhlik who took the checkers in the Odie Racing, Ximenex Trucking, Chevy.
Pure Stock
99 Frank Okruhlik
93 Aaron Leddy
24 Marc Roy
7x Janel Hilla
88 Brandy Ramzinski
95 Jerry Jones
43 Eric Watson
15 William Cavender
3 David Sevilla
66r Rick Snyder
3d Talon Minten
1 Charlie Henley
19 Freddy Geirisch
27 Emet Sevilla
77 Ray Radicke
13x Gary Chain
44 James Watson
02 Philip Haywood
Pure Stock heat winners; 1 Charlie Henley, 93 Aaron Leddy, 88 Brandy Ramzinski
In the Front Runner 15-lap feature James Samford got out to the early lead followed by Charlie Earnhardt III, Amber Clay and Nick Hencey. Hencey got past Clay for third as Earnhardt pressured Samford for the lead. Samford got sideways in turn 4 and was finished off by Earnhardt to bring out a caution on lap 4. Hencey pitted from third but was black flagged on his return for speeding in the pits. On green Earnhardt pulled away from Steven Stanley, Clay, Corey Samford and Kenneth Wright working his way up to fifth.
C. Samford slowed with a flat and pulled off giving way to Wright who took third from Clay on lap 7. Wright, in his first appearance at I-37, then got second from Stanley on lap 10, but was nearly a half track behind Earnhardt. In the pack Clay, Cindy Snyder, Richard Whitehead and Cameron Smith had their own fight going on for fourth. Whitehead emerged from that scrum with the spot with Snyder puling off with trouble. Back up front it was Earnhardt in the Earnhardt & Sons Automotive sponsored car taking the victory.
Front Runners
33 Charlie Earnhardt III
68 Kenneth Wright
96 Steven Stanley
67 Richard Whitehead
35 James Samford
13 Cameron Smith
98 Amber Clay
57 Trevor Bettis
113 Hailee Marcx
66c Cindy Snider
55 James Samford
911 Nick Hencey—BF(speeding on pit lane)
12 Roy Easler jr.—DNS
4 Johnny Japora–DNS
Front Runner heat winners; 4 Johnny Japora, 911 Nick Hencey
Related posts:
- I-37 Raceway, 4/24/10
- I-37 Raceway Results 3/27/10
- I-37 Raceway Opening Night, 3/13/10
- Kennedale Speedway Park, 7/24/10
- I-37 Raceway, 8/8/08
Filed Under: Racing News
