With a lot on the line, drivers had an extra adrenaline rush battling for the 2014 season titles last Saturday at Western Speedway.
In some classes, drivers gunning for the title had an opportunity to overtake the leader, while in others, a solid night by the top dog would be enough to preserve their lead and come away with the championship.
The dwarf car class saw Stuart Lee grab the lead early and cruise to victory in the 25-lap main event to capture the season crown. Well back were second-place finisher Tovay Helgesen, Miles Maxie in third and Matt May in fourth.
In the non-wing sprint car 30-lap main, Jeff Montgomery took the lead on lap 19 and left the field behind to take the checkered flag.
Always dangerous Jeff Bird gained the pole spot with the fast time, but dropped out of the race on the first lap, leaving the field wide open.
Mark Stuart, who finished third behind Mark Parkinson and ahead of Duane Zeinstra in fourth, took the season championship.
A similar situation presented itself to stock car points leader Kyle Cottam, who entered the night with a sizeable lead over Chris McInerny. Cottam raced hard, but safe in the 35-lap main event, placing third behind race winner Wayne Hart and second-place finisher McInerny to wrap up the title.
Hart, who had traded the lead with McInerny several times in the race, grabbed the lead for good on the last lap, going to the inside on McInerny and winning by a slim margin.
In the 25-lap IMSA mini stock main, Sean Constantine overtook the pole sitters for the lead on the first lap and held it for 20 laps before being overtaken on lap 21 by Ryan Patterson, who had doggedly hung with the leader throughout.
Patterson hung on for the race win, but it was Constantine who took the season title with a second-place finish.
Matt Szauer and Justin Woodske were third and fourth, respectively, in the night’s main event.
In the Old-Time Racer’s Association 25-lap finale, James Miller – he showed his speed earlier by qualifying fastest – jumped into the lead by lap 16 and led the rest of the way. He won by a comfortable length ahead of Jesse Dardengo, Joe Dardengo and James Campbell, in that order.
The speedway season winds up this Saturday (Sept. 20) with the championship night for demo cars and trucks, figure 8s and bombers.
Entering the final night, class leaders include Jim Young in demo cars, Billy Stidston in demo trucks, Aaron Cameron in bombers and Rhett Szevics in figure 8s. All classes have three drivers who can win the title with a big night.
Gates open at 4:30 p.m. with qualifying at 5:30 and racing at 6:30. For more information, visit westernspeedway.net.
editor@goldstreamgazette.com
SPRINT CARS: Fast Timer: #22s Dave Emmerson 16:122
TROPHY DASH:
#33j Jeff Montgomery : #22s Dave Emmerson : #47 Mark Parkinson : #15 Mark Stuart
1ST HEAT RACE:
#42 Guy Barrett : #15 Mark Stuart : #76 Tyler Clough: #22 Mike Haslam
2ND HEAT RACE:
#22 Dave Emmerson : #33 Jeff Montgomery : #44 Tim Openshaw : #11 Duane Zeinstra
MAIN EVENT (30):
#33 Jeff Montgomery: #47 Mark Parkinson: #15 Mark Stuart: #11 Duane Zeinstra
STOCK CARS: Fast Timer: #33 Kyle Cottam 18:626
TROPHY DASH:
#15 Kevin Knight: #33 Kyle Cottam: #25 Chris McInerney: #37 Dean Mackney
1ST HEAT RACE:
#77 Mark Lockhart: #33 Kyle Cottam: #37 Dean Mackney: #15 Kevin Knight
2ND HEAT RACE:
#11 Wayne Hart: #25 Chris McInerney: #43 Dave Reside: #55 Jeff Hamstra
MAIN EVENT (35):
#11 Wayne Hart: #25 Chris McInerney: #33 Kyle Cottam: #16 Rhett Smith
MINI STOCKS: Fast Timer: #4 Ryan Patterson 18:969
TROPHY DASH:
#8 Danny Madden: #35 Caleb VanBree: #18 Matt Szauer: #3 Stu Ferguson
HEAT RACE:
#28 Sean Constantine: #18 Matt Szauer: #1 Justin Woodske: #4 Ryan Patterson
MAIN EVENT (25):
#4 Ryan Patterson: #28 Sean Constantine: #18 Matt Szauer: #1 Justin Woodske
OTRA OLD TIMERS: Fast Timer: #71 James Miller 18:269
TROPHY DASH:
#25 George Jenson: #22 Larry Joyce: #71 James Miller: #09 Joe Dardengo
HEAT RACE:
#1 James Campbell: #42 Roger Beck: #71 James Miller: #09 Joe Dardengo
MAIN EVENT (25):
#71 James Miller: #58 Jesse Dardengo: #09 Joe Dardengo: #1 James Campbell
DWARF CARS: Fast Timer: #48 Stewart Lee 17:609
TROPHY DASH:
#51 Mike Rutty: #5 Kyle Kennedy: #9 Tyler Peters: #24 Dave Nielson
HEAT RACE:
#48 Stewart Lee: #51 Mike Rutty: #9 Tyler Peters: #2 Tovay Helgesen
MAIN EVENT (25):
#48 Stewart Lee: #2 Tovay Helgesen: #58 Miles Maxie: #10 Matt May