CHESTER CLOSES LID ON FIRST WIN AT MAGIC VALLEY SPEEDWAY

Source: Magic Valley Speedway Media/lb
Date: 07/13/2008

TWIN FALLS, Idaho – With the exception of the Jonathon Gomez with the Super Stocks, it was an evening of new faces in Victory Lane at Magic Valley Speedway Saturday night.

Rookie Cliff Chester captured his first main event win in the Pepsi Premier Series while Jeff Pohlman gathered the win with the Intermountain Pro Trucks. Spencer Meyer reeled in his first main event win of the season in the Magic Valley Pipe Thunder Stocks division.

Pepsi Premier

As soon as the green flag flew on the feature division race, driver Stevie Fisher began putting a cushion between him and the 15 other contestants in the event. A caution at lap five involving Scott Gilligan, Sam Harris Jr. and Mike Greco bunched the pack back together for the restart - and soon Fisher had Kris McKean nipping at his heels. At lap 20 McKean managed to get around Fisher – but in the meantime Chester had his sights set on the No. 3 car of McKean.

Attempting to make the pass on McKean on the high side and having to deal with lap traffic along the way, Chester finally got his shot at lap 40 and the number 22 was lighted up at the top of the scoreboard. McKean was far from conceding however and continued to pressure Chester until getting loose exiting turn four with five laps to the checkered flag. Jonathon Gomez, who had been looking for his second win on the night, began to take on McKean in the final laps – but neither could catch Chester who knew he had the car to beat.

“I knew I had the winning car in practice tonight,” Chester said. “Although he (McKean) was faster in one part of the track and I was faster in the other. Once I got around McKean and Greco I knew it would be had for anyone to catch me at the last there – as long as drove a reasonable speed and kept the car straight.”

Chester credited a great deal of extra time spent with the car during the week as the key to his win this evening.

“I was tired of running last and not knowing what was happing during the race,” he said. So we came out here and practiced Wednesday night - and ran 50 laps at a time until we figured out the right set up.”

Budweiser Super Stocks

Jonathon Gomez made a move for the lead at lap four of the 25-lap main event race and quickly squirreled away ground in front of the rest of the pack. While Gomez was enjoying his lead Kris McKean and Jeff Pohlman fought their own battle, with Pohlman not so subtlety letting McKean knew he was right there with him. In the end McKean held on for second while Gomez continues to dominate in the division.

Magic Valley Pipe Thunder Stocks

Spencer Meyer was the newest main event winner in the division – but it did not come easily as Meyer had to dig in to get to the front at lap 18 of the 25-lap contest.

Greg Sparks was the leader early on, but Rob Roche took control of the crowd at lap four. Roche continued to hold his ground but Sparks, Stacey Jensen and later Meyer each made their challenge for the lead position. Once Meyer took over points leader Steve Edens became Meyer’s biggest concern, but Meyer was able to hold him off for the win.

Intermountain Pro Trucks

A truck series rookie took his place towards the rear of the field for the main event race – but evidently Jeff Pohlman is a quick learner.

Pohlman wheeled his way to the lead at lap 18 after sneaking under race leader Scott Luttmer. Just two laps later Pohlman had managed a six-truck lead on the field – but point boss Kenny Vanderham was closing in quickly. As the remaining laps wound down, Pohlman was able guide his truck around the track like a veteran had soon had a first main event win to go along with his first start in the division.

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