Mark Chrudimsky celebrates THR Pro Modified victory with THR Trophy Girl Tiffany Vogel KYLE, TX (April 26, 2009)–Thunderhill Raceway (THR) welcomed the Texas Pro Modifieds and the Texas Pro Trucks to their well-maintained paved track in Kyle this past Saturday and Mark Chrudimsky and Cody Smith are glad they did.
Veteran driver Chrudimsky won the “DWIDUDE.com Pro Modified 50” while first-time truck driver Smith took home the winner’s trophy after the 50-lap Pro Truck main event.
Smith - driving a Pro Truck borrowed from front-running THR regular Shawn Paul Lehman, who missed the race to participate in his younger sister’s wedding ceremony - took the green flag from his pole position and led all 50 laps at the three-eighth mile, D-shaped oval, but it wasn’t as easy as it might seem.
DPS Texas State Trooper D.L. Wilson was the first of three drivers to give Smith a good run for the money, but on the seventh lap fast-qualifier Jason Marshall scooted by Wilson to take over second. No speeding ticket was issued after the pass and Marshall proceeded to make friends with Smith’s rear bumper and otherwise make life difficult for the leader.
After a caution period or two for minor spins, at mid race Marshall began to apply some serious pressure just as Wilson and hard-charging Cory Roper joined the front pair to make it a nice, tight foursome.
On the 29th circuit, Marshall got into Smith’s rear bumper a bit too hard and Smith’s truck went for a smoky spin to bring out the yellow caution flag. Track officials conferred and ruled that Marshall would have to move to the back of the field for the restart due to the contact.
But Smith’s worries were not over as the youngster soon had his mirror full of Wilson and Roper who were having a bit of a battle for second behind right behind him. Roper finally manages to squeak by Wilson for second, but not for long as Roper suddenly gets nearly sideways in turn four which gave Wilson the opportunity he needed to regain the runner-up spot.
All the dicing behind him had allowed Smith to gain a few truck lengths on the pair, but by lap 38 Marshall had worked his way back up to fourth and closed in on Wilson and Roper as the laps clicked down. And with two laps remaining Marshall banged his way past both Wilson and Roper to claim second.
Unfortunately, there were not enough laps for a photo finish showdown and Smith took the checkered flag a few truck lengths ahead of the fast-closing Marshall. Roper, Wilson, newlywed Lynn Hardy and 2008 Pro Truck champion Jim Albert rounded out the top five.
During the post race technical inspection, however, it was determined that both Marshall and Roper were too low to the ground and both were moved to the rear of the finishing order.
Pro Truck feature event results:
Finishing position, Truck number, Name, Laps completed, Qualifying time
1. 28 Cody Smith, 50 laps, QT 16.860
2. 6 D.L. Wilson, 50 laps, QT 16.725
3. 36 Lynn Hardy, 50 laps, QT 17.119
4. 31 Jim Albert, 50 laps, QT 17.028
5. 10 Greg Wade, 50 laps, DNQ
6. 3 David Lewien, 47 laps, QT 17.277
7. 14 Chris Roper, 32 laps, QT 17.224
8. 42 Jason Marshall, QT 16.401, Technical Infraction – too low
9. 04 Cory Roper, QT 16.864, Technical Infraction – too low
DWIDUDE.Com Pro Modified 50
Mark Chrudimsky has proven over the years that he can win in anything from a school bus to a Super Late Model and he showcased his racing savvy again Saturday night in winning the “DWIDUDE.Com Pro Modified 50.”
Fifteen of the low-slung Pro Modifieds lined up at the start with some of the best driving talent in Texas set to take the green flag after a brief shower cooled things down a bit.
Justin Long and his well-known teammate Joe Aramendia were on the front row with Chrudimsky and nationally-known hotshoe Tuffy Hudson poised in row two. Michael Umscheid, who set a new Pro Modified track record at 15.107 seconds in qualifying and racing legend Chris Davidson hunkered down in row three. Just behind them the always-aggressive John Heil and veteran John Paul Kliewer lined up in row four. Ian Webster, Jim Nides, John Schultz, Bob Slezinsky, Bubba Menard, Greg Baber and Jay Guthrie rounded out the stellar field.
At the drop of the green the whole field went side-by-side for a lap or two, but at the end of the second lap Nides and Slezinsky got together in turn one and they both spun to bring out the first caution flag of the race.
On the restart there was some bumper tag as the field took the green but everyone hung on with Long out first and Chrudimsky right on his bumper. The super quick Umschied took the inside line to worm past Aramendia taking Hudson and Heil along with him as Aramendia got hung out to dry in the high groove, falling back into line in the fifth spot.
It wasn’t long before Webster looped it down the back straight and the yellow waved on lap thirteen. Hudson unexpectedly pitted as the field circled slowly under the yellow. He did not return.
It was back to business on lap 16 with Long, Chrudimsky, Umscheid, Heil, Davidson and Aramendia the top six at this point.
Shortly after racing resumed, Umscheid took a couple of long inside looks under Chrudimsky and nearly made it by at least twice, but Chrudimsky held his line and was able to hold second as the top four ran lap after lap nose-to-tail with each driver determined to advance if anyone bobbled.
At halfway it was still Long, Chrudimsky, Umscheid, Heil, Davidson, Aramendia, Schultz, Nides, Slezinsky, Baber, Menard, Guthrie and Kleiwer.
A few laps later Kliewer, Slezinsky and Baber all tangled and slid hard into the turn four tire wall in a huge cloud of tire smoke. Slezinsky hit the hardest and the track went red as the safety crew responded. Slezinsky was able to get out of the car on his own – a bit wobbly perhaps – but was taken to a local hospital for a checkup as a precautionary measure since he didn’t seem to be clicking on all eight after the hit. Later reports were positive with Slezinsky apparently in much better shape than his mangled Pro Modified.
During the red flag period lots of steam poured from Heil’s machine and he pitted after getting permission to leave the track during the red.
The top three jumped out quickly on the lap 32 restart with Davidson watching the action a few car lengths back in fourth. And he had a lot to watch as Umscheid worked Chrudimsky over hard.
Meanwhile Long was able to gain a few car lengths as he watched the excitement in his mirror.
Umscheid was unable to get by, however, so Chrudimsky turned his attention to Long, who seemed to be losing some of his handling as the laps clicked down.
With 10 to go, the track suddenly seemed to get a bit slippery and Long bobbled a bit coming off turn four. Chrudimsky got a good run down the straight and headed towards the inside line as the pair prepared to enter turn one. They made contact, Long spun and came to rest at the bottom of the track midway between turn one and turn two where Davidson, with no place to go slid - more or less gently - into the front of Long’s machine.
Race control ruled that Chrudimsky had the line and sent Long to the rear for the contact that brought out a caution. That gave Chrudimsky the lead with only ten laps remaining.
The next ten laps were a picture of clean, hard racing with two experienced drivers putting on a classic show for the good crowd on hand.
Umscheid stalked and studied Chrudimsky’s line for the next few laps and with five to go turned up the heat. He looked inside. He looked outside, then inside again, but Chrudimsky never wavered from his line.
Finally - on the last lap - Umscheid gave Chrudimsky a love tap coming off turn four, but Mark “The Wildman” Chrudimsky didn’t seem to notice and took the checkered with Umscheid right there next to him. A few car lengths back Davidson, Aramendia and Webster rounded out the top five.
Results of the “DWIDUDE.Com Pro Modified 50”
Finishing position, Car number, Name, Laps completed, Qualifying time
1. 39 Mark Chrudimsky, 50 laps, QT 15.394
2. 5 Michael Umscheid, 50 laps, QT 15.107 NEWTRACK RECORD
3. 41 Chris Davidson, 50 laps, QT 15.650
4. 42X Joe Aramendia, 50 laps, QT 15.584
5. 9 Ian Webster, 50 laps, QT 15.725
6. 14 John Schultz, 50 laps, QT 15.766
7. 22 John Paul Kliewer, 50 laps, QT 15.678
8. 42 Justin Long, 50 laps, QT 15.370
9. 8 Jim Nides, 50 laps, QT 15.732
10. 78 Greg Baber, 50 laps, QT 16.211
11. 98 Jay Guthrie, 49 laps, QT 16.273
12. 65 Bubba Menard, 46 laps, QT 15.895
13. 15 John Heil, 44 laps, QT 15.664
14. 26 Robert Slezinsky, 30 laps, QT 15.777
15. 7 Tuffy Hudson, 15 laps, QT 15.631
In other racing action at Thunderhill Raceway on Saturday, Charles Aikin hung on to win the 50-lap Texas Super Racing Series Allison Legacy feature over former Pro Truck champion Rusty Mirth and Charles Evans, Jr.
Mike Merrell wheeled his VW Scirocco to victory in the 20-lap Texas Pro Sedan feature after Tom Johnson, who dominated the first portion of the race, pitted during a caution period.
Mike Steinman snapped Lyndon Kirk’s win streak in the 20-lap NasKart main event. Richard Gonzales ran a steady race to finish second.
Allen Alexander outgunned points leader Clint LaFont to claim take the 40-lap ASA A-Line Super Stock feature win, Anthony Gordon took the Thunder Stock feature after apparent race winner David Sevilla, Jr., was deemed “too low” during a post race tech inspection, and J.C. Umscheid beat Brandon Gaither to the finish line in the 20lap Grand Stock event.
Photo by Jeff Garvin
