PLEASANTON’S GILBERT GETS FIRST WIN

Source: Bragg/Altamont Motorsports Park Public Relations
Date: 05/17/2004

TRACY, California -- Altamont’s Double Trouble Night gave fans double the fun night! There were double Trophy Dashes and Double Main Events, which doubled the Points. The point’s race is already heating up, as Verg Beaty and Todd Bammer are only six points apart for the championship. Beaty did exactly what a well seasoned racer would do to win the main tonight as he quietly and methodically worked his way to the front through the pack to take home his second win of the year. Bammer had more trouble, ended up with a flapping hood and still came in second, and Doyal Moen of Modesto made it to third. Events were run straight up with fast qualifier taking the lead of the first Main Event and a totally inverted field for the second event. Manteca’s David Hulsey started off looking great for the first main, and got caught up right in front of the fans with several more AC Delco Late Models. Hulsey was the big loser and out for the night. Hulsey is running third in points. Jason Gilbert from Pleasanton won the first Main tonight, with Livermore’s Steve Dutton finishing second. Brian Koski also from Pleasanton finished third. Beaty was fourth and Bammer was fifth. On the second Main Tracy’s Mike France held the lead for three quarters of the race and then it started, messes all over the place. France ended up in the wall. Beaty had found his way to the front and Gilbert got caught up in a mess with several other drivers and didn’t take the checkered, leaving the finish as previously stated.

Mini Cup Jr. Stars ran two exciting main events without any cautions. Ms. Sarah Davis of Hollister won the first Trophy Dash and the first main. Brentwood’s Doff Cooksey who is first in the points race came in second. Jacob Gomes from Manteca was top qualifier, came in third. New kid on the block, Todd Ruby of Stockton was fourth and Dominic Portera from Morgan Hill was fifth. The second main had Danville’s Chris Oliveria taking the lead by midway with Scott Chapeta of Livermore and Cooksey running two-three. The just hooked up and took off. Ruby was fourth and Portera rounded it out.

Super Stocks took the quarter mile this evening with fans waiting for the “Big One”. The surprise was there was no “Big One”. They all looked like real pros. There was one caution in each main. Howard Poe who travels from Valley Springs lost a wheel and had a hard meeting with the wall. Pleasanton’s Chris Bammer picked up the win. Scott Winkler from Livermore, Rick Avila also of Pleasanton, Martinez’s Terry DeCarlo Jr. and Carl Edberg from Redwood City made the top five. The second main had their only yellow when Roger Medina of Hayward and Bammer did a little dance and ended up in the rear. Avila saw the window and went through, took the lead and never looked back for the win. Bammer made it back to second. Tracy’s own “Golden Boy” Matt Erickson finished third. Edberg and Rookie Mark Squadrino rounded out the top five.

Mini Super Trucks had one of only two divisions Double Main winners, as Redwood City’s Tom Moss picked up the double win. Moss was also fast time and is leading the points in this division. Just barely starting Ron Pestana lost power and had to leave the race laying down fluid. Moss never lost his lead. Bruegger, Ron Mardock from San Jose, “Rocket” Ray Bunn also from San Jose, and David Burchett held the first five positions in the first main. Ron Mardock was holding the front for most of the second main but Moss worked the outside groove and picked up the lead. Burchett pulled in right behind him and took second Bruegger was third, Bunn was fourth, and Mardock was fifth. Kudos to Patterson’s Kevin Earp first time out and took it home in one piece. Earp has been Burchett’s crew chief and has now thrown his hat… or truck into the ring!

Altamont’s Pro Trucks ran tonight with Mike Clarke of Pleasanton taking home the win. Clarke ran the front from green to checkered; he was also fast time tonight. Daly City’s Greg Leonard kept nipping away at him but took a well earned second. Castro Valley’s Ken Wright pulled right into third. Nick Williams of Tracy was fourth and Fred Kuntz from French Camp was fifth. Chris Bammer also ran this division tonight, First time on the “Fastest Half Mile in the West” and a totally different race machine. He did a job worth watching.

Two divisions of open wheel series also competed tonight. Northern California Modified Association Sprints had Series Points’ leader Pat Ariaz of Manteca win both mains. Modesto’s Ed Amador took second in the first main. Only one point separates Ariaz and Amador. Rookie John Silva of Tracy, Concord’s Bert Siverling, and Steve Amador of Patterson rounded out the top five. The second main had Steve Amador, who won his first trophy dash ever, start on the pole. Ariaz started sixth and just worked it. Don Hicks also of Patterson in his first race since an incident he had with the wall early in the season came in third. Ed Amador was fourth and Siverling was fifth.

Spec Motor Modifieds had an interesting outcome. The first Main was won by Mark Schrader from Martinez and series points leader Glen Cook of Fremont came in second. The second main had Cook take the win and Schrader come in second. Schrader won his Trophy dash and Cook was fast time. Filling the third, fourth and five spots for main #1 were Dino Fry, Jr., George Connor and Mike Bledsoe. Third fourth and fifth in main #2 were Fry, Connor and Joe Rodriguez.

Next week Altamont Motorsports Park will feature the ACDelco Late Models, CASA Sprintcars and Groth Bros. Chevrolet Baby Grands on the big ½ mile oval. The sizzling ¼ mile has Super Stocks and the Mini Cup Jr. Stars next Saturday. Altamont will also feature “Hot Dogs”. Yes… HOT DOGS… one free with every paid admission! So join us next Saturday night for great racing and a hot dog too!

1st Main - ACDelco Late Model: 1. Jason Gilbert, Pleasanton 2. Don Campbell, Campbell 3. Brian Koski, Pleasanton 4. Verg Beaty, Ceres 5. Todd Bammer, Pleasanton

2nd Main - ACDelco Late Model: 1. Verg Beaty, Ceres 2. Todd Bammer, Pleasanton 3. Doyal Moen, Modesto 4. Ryan Philpott, Tracy 5. Todd Carnahan, Livermore

1st Main - Spec Motor Modified: 1. Mark Schrader, Martinez 2. Glen Cook, Fremont 3. Dino Fry, Hayward 4. George Conner, Martinez 5. Mike Bledsoe, Concord

2nd Main - Spec Motor Modified: 1. Glen Cook, Fremont 2. Mark Schrader, Martinez 3. Dino Fry, Hayward 4. George Conner, Martinez 5. Joe Rodriguez, Brentwood

1st Main - NCMA Sportsman Sprintcars: 1. Pat Ariaz 2. Ed Amador 3. John Silva 4. Burt Silvering 5. Steve Amador

2nd Main - NCMA Sportsman Sprintcars: 1. Pat Ariaz, 2. Ed Amador 3. Don Hicks 4. Ed Amador 5. Burt Silvering

Main - Pro Truck: 1. Mike Clarke, Pleasanton 2. Greg Leonard, Daly City 3. Ken Wright, San Leandro 4. Nick Williams, Tracy 5. Fred Kuntz, Stockton

1st Main - Super Stocks: 1. Chris Bammer, Pleasanton 2. Scott Winkler, Livermore 3. Rick Avila, Pleasanton 4. Terry DeCarlo Jr., Martinez 5. Carl Edberg, Redwood City

2nd Main - Super Stocks: 1. Rick Avila, Pleasanton 2. Chris Bammer, Pleasanton 3. Matt Erickson, Tracy 4. Carl Edberg, Redwood City 5. Mark Squadrito, Livermore

1st Main - Mini Super Truck: 1. Tom Moss, Redwood City 2. David Burchett, Tracy 3. Walt Bruegger, Hayward 4. Ray Bunn, San Jose 5. Ron Mardock, San Jose

2nd Main - Mini Super Truck: 1. Tom Moss, Redwood City 2. Walt Bruegger, Hayward 3. Ron Mardock, San Jose 4. Ray Bunn, San Jose 5. David Burchett, Tracy

1st Main - Mini Cup Jr. Star: 1. Sarah Davis, Hollister 2. Doff Cooksey, Brentwood 3. Jacob Gomes, Manteca 4. Todd Ruby, Stockton 5. Dominic Portera, Morgan Hill

2nd Main - Mini Cup Jr. Star: 1. Chris Oliveira, Danville 2. Scott Chapeta, Livermore 3. Doff Cooksey, Brentwood 4. Todd Ruby, Stockton 5. Dominic Portera, Morgan Hill

See Also .:

• Altamont Motorsports Park Track Page

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