Fiberglass 500 Boat Race

The first of the three “Fiberglass 500” Qualifier Boat Races was held on a water-cannon, edge sprinkler, fire hoses, and water truck soaked track. The first three races this season will qualify racers for the final “Promoter’s Invitational Fiberglass 500” to be held during the October Classic.

The fleet of 12 cars dragging boats sailed in formation for a couple of laps and then let loose on each other’s boats. Several over-long tethers fell to the hungry prows of these pirates. Timber Cookson mercilessly crushed boats by turning them between her car and theirs.

Chris Johnson skillfully used the wall to shiver the fiberglass of many a skup. Cody Rickard wove in and out like a Welsh smuggler through a Spanish armada, spinning boats and cars into a track full of whirlpools.

However, most feared was the fast and nimble Shark driven by Thomas Humphrey. To the delight of the fans he cut through an orphaned boat right in front of the grandstands like a shark through a school of tuna. No boat, towed or not, was safe from this typhoon torpedo.

After a red flag to clear the worst of the front-stretch Sargasso, there was time for a green-white-checker. While others dove to the infield out of turn four to clear the reef of wrecks, the Shark saw only a boat between an outside car and the inside reef, and would have none of it. He went wide and cleaved his way through, up, and four-wheels-in-the-air over the boat, and the crowd went nuts. As the last lap was winding down, one of the largest boats was spun sideways in turn three while the Shark was on the backstretch. Everyone could hear the theme from “Jaws” as the Shark dug in and shot forward. He literally blew the much larger boat into two sets of swirling splinters.

When the storm winds finally subsided, the survivors made their way to the frontstretch to be judged by their fans. While there was huge support for the Shark of Humphrey, he had forgotten in his feuding-frenzy to protect his own boat, and was a fish without a fluke. Chris Johnson from Lakeport placed first, Cody Rickard from Roseville second, and Timber Cookson from Windsor third. However, the Sea Witch must always have her due for those that prove their favor, and Thomas Humphrey from Clearlake and his Shark were awarded the Most Aggressive Award.

The second “Fiberglass 500” Qualifier Boat Race will be held on July 18.

Jammers

Saturday was a special day for the Jammer class. Last Lakeport event, the first Jammer raffle was held, and the winner would get to drive an actual Jammer at the next Lakeport event. The raffle was won by Alisha Herron, age 14 from Kelseyville. Alisha says that she has been coming to Lakeport Speedway races “since I was in my mom’s tummy” and has always longed to become a racer. She begged her mother to buy her a raffle ticket and couldn’t stop saying “Do you think I’ll win?” all night, and she did.

Friday, she was fitted with a firesuit and helmet, given the #67 Jammer, and spent some practice time on the track. Saturday, she qualified seventh in hot laps. However, she and the rest of the class were surprised when they were told as they were getting ready to got out onto the track that the main event would be run backwards – clockwise turning right.

She was cautious at the start, staying high out of the way as she figured out the car and track in this new direction. She had some trouble exiting turn four into three where she kept slipping on the loose stuff up high and scraping the turn three wall. However, she recovered on the backstretch every time, and learned quickly enough to bring her car down the track further with each lap. By the end of the race, she was racing comfortably with the pack and finished fifth.

The Lakeport Speedway Jammer raffle is being held at every Lakeport event that is before a Jammer race.

Legends Cars Series

Jeremy Wood set the Legends Cars fast time of 13.662s. Twenty cars took the green for the Saturday main event. The first three laps were rough with three yellow flags in a row, but things quickly settled down with Phillip Morrisey in the lead. Johnny Morrisey took it from him in lap 13 only to lose it to Jeremy Wood two laps later. Wood crossed first followed by J. Morrisey, Dylan Albiani, P. Morrisey, and James Gilliland.

The Sunday main event started with J. Morrisey quickly taking the lead from Stanislov Osterland in lap four. James Gilliland worked on him for 10 laps, but Robby Czub finessed his way up past the both of them in lap 14. Lapped cars kept re-shuffling the pack, but no one could chase Czub down. A couple of last-lap spins created a mad scramble for the finish (they only race to the finish when a yellow is thrown on the last lap). Czub claimed the checkers, followed by Wood, Albiani, J. Morrisey, and Mackena Bell.

Modifieds

Defending champion Mark Marek from Lakeport set the Modified fast time of 12.661s. Chuck Pruett and Mike Smithhart battled for the 40 lap main event lead from the start, while Marek, Noel McCormack Jr. and Mike Sweeney jockeyed for third. Just as it seemed these two famous Lakeport veterans would settle this side-by-side ahead of all the youngsters, Smithhart’s rear-end blew with only seven laps to go. The groan of despair from the grandstands and pits was deafening.

Marek used his renowned restart acceleration to swing outside Pruett into the lead. McCormack managed a last-lap pass into second. Unfortunately, both Pruett and David Furia were disqualified for missing post-race technical inspection. Sweeney finished third followed by points leader Dustin DeRosier and Mike Sullivan.

Bombers

The Bomber fast time of 14.212s on Saturday and 14.299s on Sunday was set by Roman Rose from Lakeport. Drew Smith and Jimmy Shankles could not make the main event due to technical difficulties. Brenton Smith took the initial lead and Roman Rose followed around him in lap four. Mike Rose from Lakeport (driving for Dylan Rose) stayed tucked in behind him until, in lap 18, they were about to lap Andrew Snider (driving for Brad Laird) in turn two. Snider drifted high as R. Rose approached to pass high, and M. Rose dove low pinning R. Rose high behind Snider to take the lead to the end. Smith finished third followed by Keven Brackett (driving for Brandon Verde) and Snider.

Two early yellows that retired Drew Smith, damaged Jimmy Sorrels, and sent Brenton Smith and Kevin Brackett to the back allowed R. and D. Rose to restart up with leader Theresa Sorrels. R. Rose took the lead one lap later and things settled with D. Rose tucked in behind. When Chuck Hackbarth spun out in lap 18, R. Rose was slow to restart allowing D. Rose to take the lead by a full car length. Another yellow three laps later put them side-by-side, and this time R. Rose took off with the lead all the was to the checkers. Unfortunately, R. Rose was disqualified after an incident in the pits, placing D. Rose first followed by Gino Buchignani, Brenton Smith, Keven Brackett, and Snider.

The Ukiah Speedway hosted the “King of the Hill Challenge Series” #7 last Saturday night featuring the Airport Auto Brokers Late Models, the Legends Car Series, and the Bandoleros. King of the Hill racing included Modifieds, Street Stocks, and Bombers.

The Late Model fast time of 12.464s was set by Mike Lovell, who also won the trophy dash. The 75 lap main event started with a packed field of 19 cars. Clay Caturegli immediately took the lead from Jimmy Stillman who settled in third behind Berndt Akerstrom. The leaders started lapping cars in lap 14, and the yellows stared to fly in lap 32. Behind the leaders, these long and powerful stock cars started spinning, tangling, hitting the wall, and flying over the berms. When time finally ran out in lap 61, Caturegli finished first ahead of only eight cars. Stillman crossed second followed by Mike Lovell, Mike Doss, and Kevin Ostern.

David Winchel from Sebastopol set the Legends Cars fast time of 14.665s in hot lap sessions. Cody Martin, who started eighth, took the lead of the main event in lap four. He battled with James Gillaliland throughout the race until a yellow put Martin to the back in lap 26. Gillaliland from Santa Rosa finished first followed by Stamislov Osterlund, Martin, Bill Kistemmacher, and Steve McLean.

The Modified fast time of 13.193s was set by Darrin Knight from Kelseyville. Points leader Dustin DeRosier took the lead in lap two from Mike Sweeney. Noel McCormack Jr. from Lakeport came up from seventh to take the lead in lap 11 and kept it ahead of Knight and DeRosier to the end. Terry McIntire and Caturegli finished fourth and fifth. McCormack becomes the fifth different winner after five races in this highly competitive class.

Andy Vander Veer from Santa Rosa set the Street Stock fast time of 14.286s in hot lap sessions. He quickly took the lead in the main event, and Ron Duke Sr. just couldn’t hold his grip on the track well enough to overtake him. The real duel was between Jared Martin and Scott Sabol for third until lapped traffic set Sabol back to finish fourth ahead of Wade Coleman. This strong showing by the top three has brought Vander Veer within eight points of Mikey Snider.

The Bomber fast time of 14.821s was set by Terry Pittman from Redwood Valley (driving for Richard Page). The main event looked to be a repeat of last week, with the Smith brothers locked in an equal side-by-side battle ahead of the Roses while Casey Saunders led. However, Drew Smith succumbed to the technical issues that had plagued him all day. Just as it seemed Roman Rose and Mike Rose (driving for Dylan Rose) were on their way, a yellow flag sent them both to the back. M. Rose slowly made his way back up, but Roman kept getting the bad end of the yellows until lap 32 when a couple of yellows allowed him to leapfrog into third behind M. Rose. Brandon Powers led most of the race until his tire was popped in a tangle with Charlie Tour in lap 25. C. Tour crossed first but was not running for points due to tech issues. M. Rose from Lakeport won, followed by R. Rose, Brandon Verde, George Abella, and B. Smith.

Darin Silva from Ukiah (age 14) set the Bandolero fast time of 15.817s in hot lap sessions. He quickly took the main event lead in lap three, but eventually fell to the steady pursuit of Hunter Larue in lap 14. Larue from Napa finished first followed by Silva, Tim Buzzard Jr., Chris Crow, and JayCee McLean.