“MOD SQUAD INVADES TUCSON RACEWAY PARK”

The Super Clean Lucas Oil Modified Series visits Tucson Raceway Park for 75 laps of high speed non stop action. The hottest regional series in the West brought twenty ground pounding Modifieds to the multi-groove high banks on June 14th 2008.

The evening started off with temperatures in the low 100’s and the large field of Modifieds competing for fast time honors. When qualifying was complete the current point leader, Jimmy Dickerson was on top followed by Andrew Phipps and Billy Johanneck. What I find fascinating about the Modifieds is a tremendous amount of creativity in the construction of the cars resulting in no two looking alike. The Lucas Oil Modified Trophy Dash staged the six fastest for six laps and at the completion, pole sitter Chris Gerchman was in Victory Lane with the Jim Beam girls.

The INEX Bandoleros were next up and Austin Trebilcock would take the win in heat one over Greysen Weaver and Houston Franco. The Bomber Lite heat was all Kyle Milburg followed by Karl Griggs and Lyle Gallegos. The TRP Bombers were up next and Bob Davis would streak to another heat win with Shawn Perrin and Enrique Durazo in tow. The INEX Legends were relegated to demonstration status and Suave Brachowski would demonstrate why he won last year’s championship with Rob Ashley back in a rented seat after loosing his own car to thieves in Phoenix.

During intermission a group of Tucson’s Formula V competitors (yes! Volkswagen road race cars) took to the banks for a few laps to evaluate racing in the future.

The Spectator Drags followed intermission and it came down to a shoot out between a Black Camaro and a Yellow Corvette. These two fans from the stands ran both directions on the raceway and at the end; the Vette driven by Chris Faubion took the trophy and the bucks by 8 inches over Mark Martin (not the cup driver)!

The INEX Bandoleros (kids 8-12) challenged the oval next and the layout of the raceway put smiles on their faces. In the end it was “Racin Greysen” Weaver over Austin Trebilcock and Houston Franco returning after a two year layoff.

The TRP Bomber Lites are never short on excitement but tonight Jason Davis sporting a new retro paint job had the field covered with Gallegos in a heated battle with John Cowser taking second. Davis’s paint scheme was just like his fathers race car of years ago, Happy Fathers Day!

The TRP Bombers had the fans on their feet for all twenty laps as Brad Kleifgen took the lead early and would stretch it out while 2007 Champion, Shawn Perrin battled side by side with Rookie, Enrique “The Bomb” Durazo for most of the race. With five to go, Perrin got free of Durazo and set out after Kleifgen whom had gotten real loose and was just holding on. With two to go, Kleifgen took a defensive line slowing him down and allowing Perrin to get along side. Perrin was at full lock sliding sideway within inches of Kleifgen to the thrill of the crowd. At Tony Helm’s checkers it was Kleifgen pulling off his first win to the delight of the crowd with Perrin second and Durazo third. The INEX Legends ran a quick ten laps and Suave Brachowski would again dominate over Rob Ashley and Robert Scott working out some gremlins on the grey ghost #11.

It was time for the Main Event and it was great to see a full straight away full of 700 horsepower beasts. The #5 pill draw would put San Diego’s Danny Gay on the pole with Tim Morse alongside. With only two laps in the books the yellow was brought out by a single car spin in turn two. When racing resumed, Gay would pace the field out front followed by Billy Johanneck and point leader Dickerson. Lap ten would be Johanneck's turn out front and on lap fifteen Dickerson would drop Gay yet another position taking second and on lap twenty seven Dickerson would slip by Johanneck on the bottom. While Dickerson lead Johanneck by inches it appeared as though the veteran Gay was pacing himself for the long run as he had dropped back to fourth behind Las Vegas race winner Andrew Phipps. On lap forty two the night was over for Vail, Arizona’s Jerry Thitchener as he made heavy contact with the turn one wall bringing out the caution allowing hundreds of fans the opportunity to line up for the $2.00 Fat Tire amber ale Yellow Light Special.

With the fans enjoying a cold one, racing would resume for just one lap as second running Johanneck would break a distributor and end his night with a DNF. More caution laps; more Fat Tire! On the restart the patient Gay decided it was time to go and he would seize the lead again from Dickerson whom had Phipps to fend off. Gay would lead until lap fifty two when Dickerson would again take point. Over the next twenty laps Dickerson and Gay would swap positions a couple of times a lap while racing side by side while Phipps patiently waited for a mishap between the teammates. At the end, Dickerson would find a little breathing room (two car lengths) while Gay had his mirror full of Phipps. With Round 4 of the Super Clean Lucas Oil Modified Series complete, it was time to spend some time with the competitors and fans in TRP’s pits and make plans for the series return!

Thanks you Lucas Oil, Jim Beam and of course, Super Clean!

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