“THE TORCH” BATTLED FOR FIRST RMCS LATE MODEL VICTORY

Source: Bill Adams
Date: 08/13/2006

Cooler temperatures prevailed over Meridian Speedway Saturday Night but the racing action was hot! Engineered Structures Incorporated (ESI) brought out the Rocky Mountain Challenge Series for the third of three races this season. Twenty drivers were on hand to do battle on the famed quarter mile oval in southwest Idaho.

Meridian, Idaho native, Bryan Warf qualified quickest of the 20 cars with a 13.524 second lap. This time was just .004 seconds slower than the track record for the series set by Boise’s Dave Minegar earlier this year. Minegar, the Series current points leader, was second quick followed by Nampa, Idaho’s Chris Ratteree and Meridian’s John Nesmith. Mike Murgoitio, a regular in the Western States USAC Sprintcar Series brought out his Late Model for the race and rounded out the top 5 qualifiers.

With the 20-car field completely inverted for the 75 lap main event Kuna, Idaho’s Jaramie Fuss took the lead at the drop of the green flag. Nick Gibson, Nampa, Id and Jentry Pisca, Meridian, Id made contact on the front stretch after receiving the green flag. Pisca lost steering control and stopped just short of the water barrels in turn one brining out the yellow and a restart. He pitted and did not make the field on the restart. Fuss took the lead on the restart. Kuna’s Dave Doan starting on the front row outside dropped back on the start. This allowed Star Idaho’s Tyler “The Torch” Monroe, who started 3rd to move to the outside and challenge Fuss for the lead. Monroe ran outside Fuss for a couple of laps before completing the pass for the lead on the forth circuit.

Kuna’s Craig Bell started 9th and was moving up through the pack on the top groove and was in 5th place by the 8th lap. Randy Hadlock, Elko, Nv, spun exiting turn 4 bringing out the caution flag. Quint Whitman, Nampa, Id moved under Fuss on the restart for the 2nd spot on the grid. Whitman moved under Monroe on the 14th lap for the lead, however, Doan spun to the infield bringing out the caution flag reverting the field back to the previous green flag lap giving The Torch back the lead.

Bell moved outside Nampa’s Chad Cannon on the restart for the 3rd spot as Monroe began to separate himself from the rest of the field. Monroe led Whitman by .7 seconds on lap 16. Bell moved under Whitman on lap 18 for 2nd and trailed Monroe by 1.638 seconds on the 19th lap. Bell was gaining about one-tenth of a second each lap as they moved away from the rest of the field. As Monroe reached approached slower traffic on lap 30 Bell had reduced the lead by half trailing Monroe by .8 seconds.

Boise’s Scott Durbin spun in turn 2 on lap 31 bringing out another caution and diminishing any lead that Monroe had. Monroe and Bell separated themselves from the field on the restart. Nampa’s Chris Ratteree running 3rd closed a huge gap between him and bell on lap 38. As the top 3 ran nose to tail the 4th place car of Warf lead a nose to tail two wide group of 8 cars most running on the lead lap battling for position. Warf broke free of this group and joined the top 3 in a nose to tail battle as they increased their lead over the other group. By lap 50 Monroe had caught the tail end of this group and started to pass on the outside. With this group running two wide passing was near impossible. Bell moved to the inside and was running side by side with Monroe. Bell moved in front for the lead on lap 57 while Warf went under Ratteree for the 3rd spot. Warf took second on lap 58. Monroe battled back as the cars in front of him gained a little momentum and he passed both Warf and Bell on lap 59 for the lead. Bell regained the lead on lap 61 and took Warf with him into 2nd. Monroe found a spot to drop in behind Warf. And ran there for 2 laps. On lap 63 with only Eagle’s John Wood still running on the outside of this group of cars, Monroe moved to the outside and past Warf for the 2nd position. “The Torch moved past Bell on lap 64 for the lead. Monroe followed Wood has he past Durbin than Whitman before he could drop down to the inside. Ratteree had passed Bell and was right on the tail of Monroe. Bell moved to the outside behind Ratteree and Warf moved out behind Bell as the leaders were Nose to tail passing the slower traffic.

With 3 Laps to go Wood and Ratteree made contact coming out of turn 4. Ratteree went hard into the front stretch wall, lost his brakes and came to a hard stop in the water barrels in turn 1. Ratteree was OK but the car was done for the night. After a 10 minute delay to dry the track Monroe led the field to the restart. As the green flag dropped Monroe bobbled coming out of turn 4. Bell quickly moved to the outside and the two were side by side as they crossed the line. Monroe managed to regain control and pulled slightly a head as they entered turn 1.

Bell stayed on the outside and the fans were on their feet as the field came around with two laps remaining. They all remembered two weeks ago in the last RMCS race at Meridian. Both these drivers were running one two when contact with 2 laps remaining caused Monroe to spin and they both went to the rear of the field for the restart.

Monroe led by a car length as the field got the white flag. Bell moved outside of Monroe as they exited turn 2 trying to make the pass for the lead, Monroe pulled slightly ahead as they entered turn 3 and held on as they exited 4. Monroe crossed the line just ahead of Bell for his first victory in a Late Model car and a Touring Series. Warf finished right behind Bell followed by Minegar and Cannon.

ESI RMCS Results Qualifying: Bryan Warf – 13.524 Heat 1: Quint Whitman, Chris Ratteree, Jentry Pisca, Dan Buckley, Tom Hill Heat 2: John Newhouse, Warf, Jeramie Fuss, John Nesmith, John Wood Heat 3: Craig Bell, Mike Murgiotio, Dave Minegar, Scott Durbin, Nick Gibson 75 Lap Feature Event: Tyler Monroe, Bell, Warf, Minegar, Chad Cannon

The Pro Truck Series made their 2nd appearance of the year at Meridian Speedway Saturday Night. These trucks always provide exciting racing action and Saturday night was no exception.

Ralph Kincheloe broke the track record for this division when he qualified with a 14.506 second lap. Kincheloe set the record the first time the series ran at Meridian in May with a 14.828.

Eric Jensen led the first 6 laps of the 40-lap main event before Kevan Larson took the lead after starting in the 8th position. Once in the lead Larson took off, at one point in the race he had amassed an eight second lead over the other trucks. Several cautions slowed the race and Larsons lead. He held off a challenge from Kincheloe on the last restart, with 5 laps remaining, for the victory.

Pro Truck Series Results: Qualifying: Ralph Kincheloe – 14.506 Trophy Dash: Dan Kayle B heat: Steve Fisher, Ken Kennedy, Eric Jensen, Wayne Gunderson, Greg Reitsma A heat: Kenny Vandaham, Kayle, Alan Larsen, Kincheloe, Dan Pehrson Main Event: Kevan Larson, Kincheloe, Kayle, Larsen, Vandaham

For the first time this season Kale Freedman did not qualify quickest in the Mulder’s Auto Machine Late model Lites division. He even failed to qualify in the top 5. Freedman qualified 6th quick behind Jim Bailey, Rob Powers, Shaun Tubbs, Kenny Chandler and Joe Barton. Freedman qualified with a 14.428 compared to Bailey’s 14.154. Last time out for this division freedman lost a water pump belt early in the race and completed the race losing the lead on the last lap when his engine lost power. Freedman’s crew spent the last few weeks replacing that engine.

In the 35 lap main event Jeff Hill won his first main event in this division. Hill moved up from the Mini Stock division at the start of the 2006 season. His win in this race placed in 1 point in front of Shaun Tubbs, with 3 races remaining in the season, for Rookie of the year honors.

Mulder’s Auto Machine Late Model Lite results:

Qualifying: Jim Bailey – 14.154

Trophy Dash: Kenny Chandler

B heat: Victor Clark, Mike Bailey, Ron Hayes, Jeff Hill, Jordan Fitch

A heat: Matt Wolfkiel, Kale Freedman, Joe Barton, Rob Powers, J. Bailey

Main Event: Hill, Wolfkiel, Barton, Powers, Freedman

The point’s battle in the Idaho Center for Professional Truck Driving Street Stocks has opened up a little bit after Saturday nights results. Going into the race Vince Spinazzolo and Larry Williams were tied for the lead and the top 9 drivers were within 100 points of each other. Problems affected almost every driver Saturday night, which separated the drivers by a few more points.

The leaders, Williams qualified 3rd while Spinazzolo qualified 10th. Accidents in the main event caused several of the top runners problems and the top six are now separated by 91 points with 7th place 113 points back.

Spinazzollo went on to win his first main event of his career earning the most points for the night giving him sole possession of 1st place. Pat Stirm’s 4th place main finish helped propel him from 3rd to 2nd 15 points behind Spinazzolo. Williams’ twelvth place finish dropped him down to 3rd in the points 34 points back. While Terry Lydell’s sixteenth place finish dropped him back to 5th 72 points back. Darrell Lankford who dropped from 1st to 5th after the last race when he crashed in practice moved up on spot after finishing the main in 8th place. Brian Hyde remains in the sixth spot in the standings but lost 34 points to the leader finishing 11th in the main event.

Idaho Center for Professional Truck Driving Street Stock Results:

Qualifying: Steve Bosselman – 15.670

Trophy Dash: Darrell Lankford

B heat: Tyler Monroe, Brian Hyde, Brett Buchanon, Jeff Pritchett, Phillip Zubizareta

A heat: Greg Croasdale, Pat Strim, Terry Lydell, Jaramie Fuss, Larry Williams

Main Event: Vince Spinazzolo, Monroe, Shawn Hansen, Strim, Aaron Baker

The Thunder stocks were also in action Saturday Night. Roy Cleaver won his second race of the year.

Thunder Stock Results

Main Event: Roy Cleaver, Darrell Stogsdill, Brandon Davis, Dion States, Matt Hart

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