Roger Avants wins SUNOCO Race to the Finish.
Sunday, 22 May 2011 00:00
Dacono, CO (May 21, 2011) The "Ice Man" Roger Avants ran away with the late model feature event at Colorado National Speedway's SUNOCO Race to the Finish but it was the Super Stock main event that thrilled the crowd with a finish for the ages.
Gillett Veterinary Clinic Late ModelsStarting top 5: 27, 66, 12, 74, 7
40 Laps
Despite the immense talent amid the large field of 21 Late Models, the group struggled to find their usual groove. For the first 9 laps, from yellow flag to yellow flag Dan Savage, Roger Avants, Rick Smith and Adam Deines shared the limelight. With 20 to go, Avants and Smith could finally breathe a sigh of relief as the group settled into the asphalt for clean completion throughout the remainder of the event. Fan favorite and multiple time champion Bruce Yackey left the track early on after an altercation on the track with several other cars, but he returned shortly after to the rear of the field. Yackey drove his heart out moving back up through the field and with 9 laps to go Yackey was in a 3 way battle for 3rd place. With only 3 laps left in the 40 lap Main Event, Yackey was in 2nd but officials docked Bruce "The Moose" 4 spots for rough driving. By this time Roger the "Ice Man" Avants had built a comfortable lead and took the checkered flag for the win followed by Rick Smith, Adam Deines and Dan Savage.
NTC Logistics Super StocksStarting top 5: 3, 46, 39, 23, 13
25 laps
For what turned out to be one of the greatest Super Stock Main events I've ever witnessed, I decided to leave the comfy confines of the scoring tower for a change of scenery and sat down in the grandstands. As I settled into my comfy steel section along the front stretch, I pondered, "Does anyone in the Super Stock division have anything for Rick Lothert?" As if by some kind of mental telepathy Lothert heard and answered my rhetorical thought with a resounding NO as he bolted to the lead. "No" that is, until the pack had 2 laps to go and the Thunderous #39 Jack Nugent came from behind, following the "Lightning" Rick Lothert and gave him the race of his life. The two went around the track door handle to door handle and for a time, it seemed Nugent had the advantage. The two crossed the finish line, tangled in a battle for the win and Rick Lothert came out on top by a margin of three one thousands of a second!
A Comfort Shack Figure 8sStarting top 5: 24, 4, 20, 52, 50
25 Laps
The Comfort Shack Figure 8s had an exceptional and clean race. The gang got the 25 lapper done without the interference of a single yellow flag. Joe Martinez lead the pack for the duration of the race while the real battle took place behind him for 2nd and 5th! Lance Proctor, Big Al Duran and Joe Matlock vied for second as they circled the X. An even more intense fight was materializing behind them as Vic Johnson, Jared Wall and Keith Swenson locked horns in a 3 way duel for 5th. The race ended with Martinez in the lead followed closely by Proctor.
ERA Super ModifiedStarting top 5: 54, 14, 22, 51, 33
25 laps
Before the supermodified division could get through a single lap, former ERA champion #2 Rich Castor Jr, got airborne after going over a wheel entering turn three and slammed into the wall. Richie walked away with no injuries but his Supermodified was done for the night. Racing resumed with #33 Chris Sheil zooming to and maintaining an impressive lead over his closest competitor #3 Harold Evans. With only 5 laps to go Sheil shelled his motor only moments after being passed by Evans. The first caution of the race came, went and then nothing stood in the way of Evans' who road to victory.
Snap-On Tools Pro TrucksStarting top 5: 27, 36, 34, 32, 26
20 Laps
A classic line up of eager drivers hit the asphalt including the likes of Roger Avants, Bear Lynch, and Mark Neff. Before the completion of a single lap, the top 6 cars got together forming a massive pile up between turns 1 and 2. All drivers walked away unscathed but the devastating loss of 3 machines, lead officials to revise the race from a 30 to a 20 lap Main Event. From here #36 Matt Burton took up the pole position fending off #26 Bear Lynch on his outside. Lynch eventually got by Burton and held onto the lead for the win.
OFFICIAL RACE FINISH
Gillet Vet Clinic Late Models
1. 27 Roger Avants
2. 31 Rick Smith
3. 7 Adam Deines
4. 74 Dan Savage
5. 08 Mike Gallegos
6. 12 Bruce Yackey
7. 91 Chris Atkinson
8. 66 Darren Bucklan
9. 39 Jack Nugent
10. 84 Matt Zwingelberg
11. 14 Mark Bybee
12. 55 Jesse Runkle
13. 90 Frank Denning
14. 95 Todd Finley
15. 99 Brian Murphy
DNF 54 Joe James Jr
DNF 77 Dave Finley
DNF 91x Nick Brimlee
DNF 12x Jace Hansen
DNF 33 Emett Grazier
21. 68 Chris Leaf
Snap-On Tools Pro Trucks
1. 26 Bear Lynch
2. 36 Matt Burton
3. 32 Mark Neff
4. 27 Roger Avants
5. 34 Rudy Vanderwal
6. 79 John Jacob
7. 04 Bobby Durand
DNF 60 Jonathan Lindberg
DNF 07 Chris Leaf
NTC Logistics Super Stocks
1. 46 Richard Lothert
2. 39 Jack Nugent
3. 3 Michael Cox
4. 13 Jason Morris
5. 7 Ethan Penrod
6. 23 Harry Livermore
7. 05 David Rothrock
8. 8 Ryan Moser
9. 90 Kyle Patee
10. 15 Troy Witthar
11. 02 Darrell Smith
12. 95 Todd Finley
13. 0 Andrew Mues
14. 72 Hans Brewster
15. 99 Ryan Raley
16. 11 Steve Maas
17. 25 Kathy Calkins
18. 24 Dave Coblentz
19. 47 Donald McAtee
20. 09 John Patee
DNF 61 John Humphrey
A Comfort Shack Figure 8's
1. 24 Smokin' Joe Martinez
2. 20 Lance Proctor
3. 23 Big Al Duran
4. 4 Joe Matlock
5. 28 Vic Johnson
6. 67 Keith Swenson
7. 52 Jered Wall
8. 50 Juston McKaichie
9. 17 Harry Livermore Jr.
ERA Supermodifieds
1. 3 Harold Evans
2. 54 Matt Gilbert
3. 51 Joe Priselac
4. 22 Ira Castor
5. 14 Joe Gallegos
6. 33 Chris Sheil
7. 7 Steve Gallegos
8. 58 Matt Griffin
DNF 48 B Pacheco
DNF 1 Stevie Gallegos
DNF 2 Richard Castor Jr
