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By Bruce Crowley
Elko, Nevada…Going into Saturday’s night race at
Summit raceway, Las Vegas driver Dan Fitzgerald was riding on a wave of 10
consecutive victories in northern and eastern Nevada tracks this season. In
fact, the math teacher was on the crest of that wave here at Summit, as he
was going for his 17th out of his last 18 starts at Elko. As
incredible as it seems, it was actually SNOWING at the quarter-mile ‘D’
shaped clay track during the early heat races and the ECAR officials
seriously considered postponing the event. Fitzgerald might have wanted him
to do so, as only eight IMCA Modified cars were in the pit area; rain and/or
snow in various location kept drivers in Battle Mountain and Winnemucca home
by the fire, figuring that the race here would be cancelled. They figured
wrong. Randy Artz, Joe Rigsby, Ward Amberson, Tim Mazour, and Jimmy Delaney,
representing drivers #2 through 6 in the track point standings, were not
there.
After two heat races, the skies opened up and doused
the track. The races continued after the cars returned to the track to pack
the surface once more. Only a trophy dash was scrubbed during the night.
In the IMCA Modified feature, former two-time ECAR
Modified Mini champion Bobby Steensen moved up to the powerful Modifieds
this season. The Elko driver took the early lead, and looked strong, but had
a severe push in turn three-four intermittently during the feature. Steensen
won the heat race but the problem surfaced in the feature. Fitzgerald
started sixth and was into the fourth spot by the third lap, and a lap later
was into third chasing Steensen and Scott Coffelt. The IMCA Western Region
champion two years running ran him down, but was unable to put him away, but
Fitzgerald had noticed the push in Steensen’s car and waited. Going into
four on the 12th go around, the push shoved the leader from the
low groove to near the fence; Fitzgerald zoomed past to lead. The Las Vegas
ace was running in his career 500th feature start and was only
one victory away from 100 win milestone; and he was in first place. His
previous 16 wins here might have been 17 save some rear end gears that
decided to take an early vacation as Fitzgerald was in first place in that
one also. That unfortunate happening took place with only several laps left
in the race.
Winnemucca star Rodney Sweet got by Coffelt and passed
Steensen and tried to reel in the leader, but the distance between the two
was a steady six car lengths. Sweet finished second to Fitzgerald twice this
season, once here and once at Battle Mountain, and once he was leading the
champ there this season with a handful of laps remaining when Sweet’s car
went south for the count. “I knew he had a problem when I found myself
gaining on him. I got behind him and saw that he was loosing a tire,” said
Sweet. Fitzgerald indeed suffered a puncture and needed to duck into the
pits. At the same time at Sweet roared past Fitzgerald, a yellow came out
for Scott Harding’s turn two melee. Harding was checked out ok, and
Fitzgerald returned with a new tire. With five at go on the restart,
Fitzgerald was in fifth. Could he do it? He got by Keith Greenwood for
fourth, and was in third a lap later, but couldn’t close on Steensen. Sweet
took the white flag, one lap to go. Sweet received the checkered flag for
his second feature win at Summit and ended Fitzgerald’s streak at 10.
Instead of Fitzgerald winning his 100th career victory, Sweet
added career win #7. For Fitzgerald, a new streak might start next time out;
for Sweet, this night could be the start of something big.
The ECAR Pro Stocks matched the Modified car count
with eight, and the feature race matched the excitement of the Mods also. At
the start, it was all Brian Thorp, but several Spring Creek drivers must
have had different visions. Opening night winner Cliff Hagan, former Ely
champion, took the lead away halfway through the 25-lap feature, and before
it was over, George Quintana joined the party as the three went tooth and
nail for the win. Despite Quintana going to the inside if Hagan time after
time in one to gain the lead, Hagan remained steadfast. Hagan took his
second feature this year with Quintana a close second, as Thorp settled for
third. The seven out of eight drivers were from Spring Creek. Ed ‘Babbling’
Brooks won the heat, his first win against a tough field. However, his smile
left in the feature as his engine left, also.
Teri Kellum of Elko won third of the season in the
ECAR Gen-X class, and regained the point lead. The young lady won the 15-lap
feature wire-to-wire over Spring Creek’s Ashleigh Bame. Dustin Greenwood was
third followed Cody Maier. Previous point leader Eric Moorehead was awarded
fifth place.
The ECAR Modified Minis saw another wire-to-wire
effort, this one by 2003 champion Mike Fietzek of Elko. Spring Creek’s Jack
Hammond was unable to catch up with Fietzek all night long, as the two
finished one-two in the heat race also. Third went to rookie Andrea Fietzek
and fourth was Connie Sandman.
The next races will be a two-day event on Friday night
June 9 and Saturday night June 10. ECAR will present Mud Fest 2006 next
Saturday night at the Elko Fairgrounds at 7 p.m. Mud drag racing will be the
main attraction in that one.
SUMMIT RACEWAY RESULTS MAY 28, 2006 RACE 4 OF 15
IMCA MODIFIEDS
Heat: Bobby Steensen, Rodney Sweet, Ray Thompson,
Scott Coffelt, Keith Greenwood
Feature: Rodney Sweet, Bobby Steensen, Dan Fitzgerald,
Scott Coffelt, Keith Greenwood, Ray Thompson, Scott Harding, Cory Sample
ECAR PRO STOCKS
Heat: Ed Brooks, Brian Thorp, George Quintana, Marnie
Thorp, Jeannine Hadlock
Feature Cliff Hagan, George Quintana, Brian Thorp,
Marnie Thorp, Randy Hadlock
Terry Lister, Ed Brooks, Tracy Greenwood
ECAR MODIFIED MINIS
Heat: Mike Fietzek, Jack Hammond, Connie Sandman,
Andrea Fietzek
Feature: Mike Fietzek, Jack Hammond, Andrea Fietzek,
Connie Sandman
ECAR GEN-X
Heat: Teri Kellum, Ashleigh Bame, Dustin Greenwood,
Cody Maier
Feature: Teri Kellum, Ashleigh Bame, Cody Maier, Dustin Greenwood,
Eric Moorehead
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