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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Fensler takes $3000 “Tribute to American Graffiti”
Altamont
opener
Steven
Blakesley / Westcar Late Model Series
 Tracy,
Calif. – Jason Fensler showed again why he is a force to be reckoned
with in the West Coast late model scene, putting on a dominating
performance to win the Noceti Grupe Inc. “Tribute to American
Graffiti” at Altamont Motorsports Park on Sunday.
The weekend’s
events were round one of the Big Dog series, and the first points
race of the year for
Altamont,
NASCAR, and Westcar points. More than $40,000 in awards were posted
for the two-day, four-division program.
An outstanding
field of 30 late models took the green flag for the 125 lap feature.
Fensler, coming from third position, passed pole sitter Michael
Wendt to lead the first lap.
Fensler led
the opening 32 laps which ran caution free. Another caution flew on
lap 37 when Bobby Hodges of
Carson City,
NV
tangled with Steve Yatsko. Hodges was running fifth at the time and
dropped to the rear.
On the
restart, Hodges began picking his way through the pack while a
tremendous battle throughout the top-ten wowed fans.
Fensler and
Chris Bammer pulled away from the pack as the battling ensued.
Nascimento
Motorsports drivers Greg Potts of Manteca, CA and Dallas Glen of
Fresno, CA, along with 2007 Rookie of the Year Doff Cooksey of
Brentwood, CA and 2005 champion Jason Fensler of Pleasanton, swapped
spots multiple times throughout the opening 100 laps.
Hodges clawed
his way up to eighth by the lap 80 caution, which set-up for a 20
lap run to the lap 100 break.
The race
shifted on lap 95 suddenly, when a caution flew for debris. As
Gilbert slowed crossing the line, Potts slammed into him, sending
his car violently over the top of Gilbert’s and ending both drivers’
afternoons.
Racing resumed
on lap 100 after the scheduled fuel stop with 22 cars answering the
call for the 25 lap sprint to the finish.
Cooksey
restarted third but had a brilliant restart and moved inside of
Bammer entering turn three. But Cooksey spun, sending a cloud of
tire smoke over the field of cars.
When the smoke
cleared, Cooksey, Chris Crompe, and 2007 Truck champion Ron Robeck
emerged with serious damage. After a red flag to clear the destroyed
Robeck entry, racing resumed.
Fensler held
the point over Bammer, Hodges, Glen, and James Weston of Goleta on
the restart.
Guy Guibor of
Manteca
passed Weston on lap 107 to move into fifth. Hodges completed his
dramatic run to the front as he made a pass on the outside of Bammer
on lap 120, but Fensler was in control.
Leading every
lap, Fensler cruised to a three second lead and the $3000 win over
Hodges, Bammer, Glen, and Guibor. Weston, Troy Shirk, rookie Casey
Scheier, Andrew Livengood, and Rudy Marquez rounded out the top-ten.
Saturday’s
Late Model heat race winners were Wendt, Cooksey, Bammer, and
Fensler.
Hodges, the
leading Westcar competitor, scored a full 100 points in his campaign
for the Westcar championship.
The Westcar
Late Model Series will next run at Ukiah Speedway in Ukiah, CA for
the Ukiah 100 on April 19.
Westcar Series
is online at
www.westcarseries.com
Finishing results for “Tribute To American Graffiti” Big Dog 125 at
Altamont
Note: Bolded entries are cars earning Westcar points
1. 5x Jason Fensler Five Star Bodies
Modesto, CA $3000
2. 89 Bobby Hodges
Nevada Automotive Test Center Carson City, NV $2000
3. 18 Chris Bammer Moeller Bros.
Pleasanton, CA $1500
4. 21
Dallas
Glen Nascimento Motorsports
Fresno,
CA $1250
5. 61 Guy Guibor Vern’s Towing Manteca, CA $1000
6. 15 James Weston Auto Pro Racing Engines
Goleta, CA $750
7. 777
Troy
Shirk Eldorado Hotel Casino
Oakley,
CA $600
8. 78 Casey Scheier Speedzorb Stockton, CA $500
9. 4 Andrew Livengood West Construction
Richmond, CA $475
10. 2 Michael Wendt Wendt & Sons Construction
Lodi, CA $450
11. 67 Rudy Marquez Marcelas Restaurant
Modesto, CA $425
12. 35 Greg Hock Hock Construction Tracy, CA $400
13. 4
Brandon
Trevethan Krane Tec Galt, CA $375
14. 31 Mark Squadrito Manteca Roofing Livermore, CA $375
15. 51 Carlos Vieira Allied Packaging
Merced, CA $375
16. 11 Ryan Thomason Pete’s Gear Shop Castro Valley, CA $375
17. 3x Chet Danburg Horseshoe Club
Carson City, NV $350
18. 86 Tim Spurgeon
Speedzorb Danville, CA $350
19. 57 Doff Cooksey Ariel Control
Brentwood, CA $350
20. 44 Jason Gilbert AltamontRacingGear.com
Pleasanton, CA $350
21. 05 Justin Philpott Taxbrain.com Tracy, CA $325
22. 23 Chris Crompe CheapRaceCarParts.com Nipomo, CA $325
23. 12 Greg Potts Nascimento Motorsports
Manteca, CA $325
24. 73 Ken Benhamou SAS German Auto San Ramon, CA $325
25. 3 Ron Robeck Adler’s Auto Body Manteca, CA $300
26. 5u Al Vogel Vogel’s RV Ukiah, CA $300
27. 34 Steve Yatsko Pacific Motorsports
Pleasanton, CA $300
28. 5 Brian Koski Groth Bros.
Pleasanton, CA $300
29. 81 Reinie Naeb AltamontRacingGear.com Jackson, CA $300
30. 9 Lisa Riordan Dick’s Smart Cars Scotts Valley, CA $300 |
