Hot Action at Thunderhill Raceway on Saturday night

Hot Action at Thunderhill Raceway on Saturday night

By: J M Hallas

Kyle, TX (July 28, 2008) - The start of the always competitive 40-lap ASA A-Line Super Stock feature race at Thunderhill Raceway (Kyle, TX) on Saturday night (July 26) started with Bobby LaFont and Greg Rohmer jumping out front. Chris Birmingham fell into the third position as the top five sorted out single file. As the pack stayed paired off, Clint LaFont got around Rodney Rodriguez for fourth. Caution waved on lap 6 when Brent Reeves and Terry Tschoerner tangled in turn 2. Once back to green, C. Lafont got past Birmingham for third.

Coming through the field – like a hot knife through butter – were Keith Garrett and multi-time class champ, Cary Stapp, who was glued to his bumper. As the top three inched away, the Garrett/Stapp duo picked off spots, making their way to the top five by lap 11. As C. LaFont and Rohmer battled for second, the two made contact sending Rohmer around and C. LaFont to the back. On the restart Rodriguez looped in turn 4 bringing the yellow right back out.

The top cars had just started to pull away when Rohmer had the rear axle break on lap 15, sending him around in front of the field. It didn’t take long after the green waved again before Garrett was knocking on the door for the lead. Garrett got alongside and passed by B. LaFont for the lead on lap 19, with Stapp following in his tracks. In the field, Duane Toyne and Tracy Tschoerner had their own personal battle going on for fifth as they swapped the spot.

Up front, it continued to be the Garrett-Stapp show as they pulled away to settle it between themselves. During the fight, the top two had some bumper contact, but Stapp, in a class move, backed off and allowed Garrett to regain control. It came down to a final lap shootout, with Stapp giving Garrett his best move out of turn 2, but he came up a little short, with Garrett hanging on to snag the victory.

Jason Stanley got the point at the start of the 30-lap Thunder Stock feature, while the rest of the field stayed door-to-door. Contact in the battle for second stacked up the field, with Joey Tschoerner getting spun in the back. Under the yellow, Stanley pulled off from the lead with a broken rocker. This handed the lead over to Anthony Gordon for the restart. Gary Chancellor challenged Gordon for the lead as green waved, but Chancellor had Kevin Bowen looking inside him at the same time.

Bowen got inside Chancellor for second, then alongside Gordon for the lead, taking the top spot on lap 12. Chancellor and Jeff Smith got by Gordon on lap 12, with Steve Joyce trying to take fourth from Gordon and making contact, causing a spin for a yellow. Once back to green, the top six broke into three two-car battles as the race wound down. In the final laps, those battles closed up. At the checkers, it was Bowen taking the win.

As green waved on the 17-car, 25-lap Grand Stock feature race, Michael Weaver got a big jump to the lead while the pack tried three wide. Richard Fitch and Floyd Reed got by Marcia Moore for fourth and fifth. By lap 5, the Team Aramendia freight train was on the move to the front, led by Homer Pitner. Russell Vickery got the lead away from Weaver on lap 8 as the top three ran nose to tail.

Team Aramendia continued to march forward, putting Mike Farish, then Weaver in their wake. Pitner caught and was looking high on Vickery for the lead, getting past him on lap 18. Once clear of other competitors, James and Carolyn Aramendia started their own little fight for second, running side by side on lap 20. Carolyn got the best of her brother-in-law James for second, while teammate Pitner was taking the checkers.

The Texas Pro Sedan feature began with Mike Merrell grabbing the lead as the green flag waved. Merrell and several other front runners spun on lap 1 after fluid was laid on the track. Once back to green, Jesse Sandoval faded from second, giving way to Tom Johnson, Lalo Leal, Lisa Sandoval and Ozzy Osburn. Mike Knotts, in a borrowed car, worked his way up to a top five spot by lap 5.

Knotts then began to challenge L. Sandoval for fourth. Up front Leal caught Merrell for the lead as they ran up into traffic. The two went three wide around a slower car, with Leal getting the point on lap 14. From there, Leal was able to pull away from the field and lap up to fourth on his way to the win.

Thunderhill Raceway’s 3/8TH-mile, D-shaped asphalt track was a homecoming of sorts for the Texas Super Racing Series Late Models after a month off. The Texas-based touring series held its 7th event of the year, the “Tommy Darity 75,” in memory of a lost friend and racer.

In the series’ first six events, TSRS has seen but one fast qualifier – former USRA Super Late Model champion and current TSRS points leader, Heath Stewart. However, it was former TSRS champion Chris Schild in the Splash Water Systems/Double Oak Construction/Schild Motorsports who laid down the best Lap with a time of 15.341 seconds. Stewart was second fastest with Jake Kruger, Robert Barker, Brian Moczygemba and Lloyd Alexander the top six qualifiers headed to the draw for invert.

“I have no idea where that Lap came from,” commented Schild. “We kept it in the shop over that break we had, changed oil, put new plugs in and brought it out. It liked it. The little break we had between practice and qualifying gave the track a chance to cool a little and we changed tires, so we picked up some from practice times.”

But like an animal on the hunt, Stewart stalked his competition early in the 75-Lap feature event, patiently waiting for his opportunity. Stewart jumped on the chance during Lap 13 when leader Robert Barker left the bottom open; Stewart grabbed the point on Lap 14. Schild tried to hang with Stewart during the middle portion of the race but he eventually gave way to Cody Smith late. After a late caution Stewart was able to hold off Smith to grab his fourth victory of the season.

“This is a race I wanted to win,” Stewart stated. “Tommy Darity helped me out a lot. When I first started racing he was there telling me what I was doing wrong, and what I was doing right. He was a good friend of the family and it was nice to win the race in his honor.”

“We just had a good car tonight. After qualifying I told J.R. (Croomer) we didn’t get the pole but the car had a lot of bite. The car was pretty neutral and would roll through the corners good. It may not have turned the fastest times, but it was consistent. It was the best car we’ve had this year. We focused on a long run car during practice. That’s what you need to win the race, not the pole speed. I’d rather have a car like this than those I set fast times with.”

After the top six re-draw for invert, Barker and Lloyd Alexander led the 20-car TSRS field to green. The top eight sorted out single file, with side-by-side racing continuing in the back half of the field. By Lap 5 the top three of Barker, Stewart and Schild put some distance on Smith.

Stewart began putting the pressure on Barker, who was having trouble staying in the preferred bottom groove. After a couple quick looks inside, Stewart was able to get the nose inside Barker. Barker tried to hold off Stewart on the high side, but to no avail. Schild followed Stewart by Barker for second. Heather Ables spun on Lap 14 to bring out the first caution.

Coming to the restart, Jason Hollander got turned around as the middle of the pack stacked up going into Turn 3. The next restart attempt saw Brian Moczygemba get into - and spin – Lloyd Alexander, causing a multi-car melee behind them. Alexander was given his spot back, with Moczygemba sent to the tail. Third time was a charm as racing resumed with youngster Jake Kruger getting by Alexander for fourth.

Barker’s woes continued as he gave up spots to Smith, Kruger and Adam Haugh on consecutive Laps coming to halfway. At the crossed flags it was Stewart and Schild with a gap on Smith and Kruger, while Haugh rounded out the top five. The yellow waved on Lap 42 when Michael Cullen spun and collected Allen Alexander. During caution, Barker pitted his ill handling machine.

Once back to green the top five inched away from Lloyd Alexander who was now being pressured by Bobby Teer, Jr. Smith was able to get under Schild on Lap 49 to grab second. A spin by Hollander on Lap 50 brought the yellow back out. On the restart Teer got inside L. Alexander for sixth. Leland Waddell tried to fill the hole about the same time L. Alexander was trying to close the door. The two got hooked up with both ending up in the infield, but continuing without caution.

Yellow did wave on Lap 59 when Moczygemba spun and got tagged by A. Alexander who was a victim for the second time. During the caution, Waddell caught up with L. Alexander and dumped him in turn 1, then high-tailed it for the pits. On the restart with ten to go, Stewart got a good jump on Smith who now being pressured for second by Schild.

Stewart kept inching away while Smith, Schild and Kruger ran nose to tail for second. In the battle for fifth, Haugh and Teer continued to battle it out. Moczygemba and Ables tangled on Lap 73 setting up a green, white, checkered shootout to the finish. Stewart got a half car length on Smith as green waved and full car length as the white flag waved. Smith never got close enough to mount a serious challenge as Stewart in the Southside Wrecker, Gen-Tech Generators, Lozano Brothers Race Engines, Lefthander Chassis grabbed the checkers.