Ensign, Simpson, Woodward Have the Right Recipe on Lumberjack’s Restaurant Night
By Devin Mayo
It was a humid, cool, and breezy night at Petaluma but that didn’t stop the fast and furious action at the Petaluma 3/8th’s. The Pit Stop USA Winged 360’s returned to the Petaluma Adobe with 15 cars. Jake Haulot went straight to the top of the qualifying order with a time of 12.770. Two heat races would decide the starting order of the A Main, with Klint Simpson and Bradley Terrell picking up the heat race victories. Jake Haulot and Kurt Nelson would lead the field to green. Nelson would take the lead on the first lap but would end up having a left rear go down and would make a return to the 3/8th’s. A red and couple of yellows would bunch the field back up with Geoff Ensign making a charge for the lead on Haulot. Halfway through the main, Ensign would throw a slider on Haulot and would take the lead. Ensign would go on to win his first feature of the season with Haulot 2nd, Terrell in 3rd, Riley Matson 4th, and Simpson rounding out the top 5.
The Pit Stop USA Spec Sprints also made their return to the Adobe surface in preparation for the Hunt Series event next weekend. Twenty spec sprints signed into the pits with Simpson clocking in quick time. Three heat races saw Joe Stornetta, Simpson, and Korey Combs picking up victories. Stornetta and Combs would lead the field to green with Stornetta pulling away with Simpson following pursuit. A yellow would bunch the field back up and Stornetta made one mistake and Simpson would capitalize and take the lead. Simpson and Stornetta would battle all the way to the end with Simpon picking up the victory, Stornetta finishing in a close 2nd and Jared Morrison rounded out the podium.
The General Hydroponic Dwarf Cars had a nice field of 17 cars with Thomas Lieby, Dave Mosier, and Mike Corarso picking up heat race victories. The shortened A Main saw Mosier climb up to the lead within the first few laps of the race. Lieby came from the back of the field to finish 2nd with Carroll Mendenhall finishing 3rd in the race shortened 17 lap A feature.
The Lumberjack Restaurant Super Stocks a small but mighty field of 9 cars that put on a heck of a show. Steve Studebaker took the only heat race Saturday Night. Long time Petaluma racer Shawn McCoy would lead the field to green. An early yellow would allow Woody Woodward to pounce on McCoy and take the lead. Studebaker would also make the pass for 2nd and would pressure Woodward for the lead. Woodward would hold off Studebaker for the victory with Paul Hanley finishing 3rd.
The Jakes Performance Hobbies Mini Stocks also had fast and competitive Petaluma Speedway field with 8 cars making the call. Darien Balestrini won the heat race and would go for the sweep. William Fatu would lead the field to green and take a commanding lead. Balestrini would run him down within the first 10 laps of the race and go on to win the main event with the 14 year old William Fatu finishing 2nd and Snazzy Duckworth finishing 3rd.
Petaluma Speedway returns this weekend with a great night of racing ahead. The Joe Hunt Magneto Spec Sprints make their season debut at Petaluma with their season opener as well, along with the BCRA Midgets, Modifieds, and Super Stocks. For more information, please visit our website http://www.petaluma-speedway.com