Schank, DeCarlo, While, Mosier Perform on Jake’s Hobbies Night
~~PETALUMA, CA, July 12
A fog drenched evening that led to a hooked-up Adobe oval greeted patrons on Jake’s Performance Hobbies Night at Petaluma Speedway Saturday Night. Former Track Champion Terry Schank Jr. paced the 18-car Pit Stop USA Spec Sprint field with a rapid 14.748 effort. Schank, Gary Nelson Jr., and Brian Azevedo nabbed the three eight lap heat races. The start of the 25-lap feature saw pole sitter Azevedo in his recently purchased wingless racer lead lap one and then spin on the second circuit drawing a caution. The next 23 laps were reeled off caution free as Schank, the new leader, found the low groove to his liking. Fourth starting Jason McIntosh got by Scotty Dupont for second on lap 7 and set his sights on Schank. Klint Simpson experienced a wild off-track excursion on the first circuit but by lap 9 was by Dupont for third. What transpired over the next half dozen laps was a tremendous two-groove contest with McIntosh on the cushion and Schank catfishing. Schank expertly dealt with lapped cars and capped his second win of the season in “clean sweep” fashion over McIntosh, Simpson, Shane Myhre, and veteran Sparky Howard.
The Carr Racing Chassis IMCA Modifieds competed in a wild and wooly 15-car affair that saw top Petaluma point man Quick Nick DeCarlo and Fast Freddie Plourde garner the preliminary heats. The feature saw Tim Balding lead the first three laps from the pole. On a rail from sixth starting was Joel Myers who was second by the third lap and got by Balding to lead the fifth lap. Balding fought back and re-gained the lead the following circuit. DeCarlo coolly ran off laps and was third by the sixth lap as he dealt with Oresete Gonnella shadowing his progress. Suddenly Gonnella found an advantageous line and shot to second and challenged for the lead. Michael Paul Jr. had body panel and tire issues, pitted, and returned. By lap 16 it was go time as DeCarlo fighting track conditions made gutsy pass for the lead. It was carnage the last few laps as contact and swerving competitors jumbled the finishing order. Through it all DeCarlo held on to notch his fourth win in five events. Gonnella was second over Paul Jr., David Spriggs, and Michelle Byron.
The Lumberjack Restaurant Super Stocks fielded 14-cars and like just about every week it was Steve Studebaker and Brent Blackwood scoring heat race wins. The first half of 25-lap finale looked to be a Gary Adams benefit as he led easily. Studebaker and Blackwood starting side-by-side in the second row were mired there as Matt While displaced first Studebaker’s familiar #46 on lap 11 and then the stunning #34 of Blackwood on lap 14. By the sixteenth stanza Adams was barely holding on to a stumbling power plant as he succumbed to While. At the finish it was
While with his second win of the season over Studebaker, Blackwood, Adams and Trevor Brady.
The Larsen Racing Products Dwarf Cars saw Dave Mosier and Carroll Mendenhall earn heat wins. The 20-lap feature saw Adam Johnson lead the first lap and then yield to Mendenhall on the second circuit. Ed Sans III had his sharp looking #3 rocking as he took a turn at the point. Mosier plotted his course as he gained second from Mendenhall on lap six from his initial sixth starting spot. Lap 10 saw the winning move made by Mosier as suddenly John Peters was the fastest car on the 3/8th oval. Tim Hester collected the back straightaway wall on lap 14 and a late race Tommy King spin were not enough to impede the progress of Mosier as he won for the second week in a row. Peters was second, Scooter Gomes third, with Sans and Mendenhall rounding out the top five.
The Jake’s Performance Hobbies Mini Stocks saw rookie Bob Davis win the heat. During the final lap of the feature Davis put the “kibosh” on leader Pete Langley and was penalized. On the cool down lap Langley decided to deliver the coup ‘de grace to Davis resulting in both drivers being disqualified. Earning her first mini stock win was popular Snazzy Duckworth with rookie Jake Fernandes second over Ryan DeForest third, Kelly Campanile was fourth and Danny Naron fifth.
Petaluma Speedway returns to action Saturday Night, July 19th with Oilstops Night featuring the: Pit Stop USA Winged 360’s along with the Carr Racing Chassis Modifieds, Lumberjack Restaurant Super Stock, Jake’s Performance Hobbies Mini Stocks, and the Santa Rosa Auto Body 600 Micros. For more information please go to www.petaluma-speedway.com.
