Kemmit, Simonson, Whitman, and Evans are crowned champs on night one of Challenge Cup XXXVIII

Sunday, 23 September 2012 13:11

#6 Tommy Roe tries to hold off teammate #98 Lee Kemmit for the Challenge Cup win. (Starr photo)

(09-22-2012 Dacono, CO) Lee Kemmit won in the sportsman division, Justin Simonson won the Pro Truck main, Gary Land took the Mod Coupe feature, and Richie Castor Jr. won in the Supermodifieds. Yet it was the crowning of the 2012 track champions that was the real drama on night one of Challenge Cup. The excitement reached it's climax in the Pro Truck division where it became a winner-take-all race to the finish between Justin Simonson and last years Champ Roger Avants.

Pair A Dice Interior Finishes Sportsman
Entering the final race of the season in the Pair A Dice Interior Finishes sportsman division #98 Lee Kemmit led #8 Jeff Walbaum by a slim 19 point margin. With a championship on the line Walbaum looked determined and jumped out to an early lead in the 50 lap main event. Walbaum built a large lead on the rest of the field while Lee Kemmit appeared to be satisfied running a distant 5th place protecting his points lead on Walbaum. After the halfway mark of the race there was a scary moment for Kemmit on the front shute when he and #17 Dave Deines made contact almost sending Kemmit spinning into turn one. However there was great driving by the points leader avoiding the spin and keeping himself in the hunt for a second straight championship. After a late caution flag the leader Walbaum slowed dramatically on the restart shuffling the field and putting #6 Tommy Roe out front and just laps away from a Challenge Cup win. A caution flag with just two laps to go placed the GTI teammates Roe and Kemmit battling for the win. Kemmit was able to get by Roe on the restart adding an exclamation point to his 2012 track championship. Roe finished an impressive 2nd, Deines was 3rd, #53 Joshua Miranda was 4th and the #04 of Brent Cave was 5th.

FAST DASH WINNER:
DASH WINNER: #28 Alan Carter
QUICK TIME: #8 Jeff Walbaum 17.774

#98 Lee Kemmit hangs on after contact with #17 Dave Deines. (Starr photo)

Snap-On Tools Pro Trucks
In one of the most dramatic races in recent memory the Snap-On Tools Pro Trucks lined up for a 40 lap Challenge Cup main event at Colorado National Speedway. #31 Justin Simonson trailed #27 Roger Avants by just 2 points in the season championship race. Early in the race #7 Adam Deines led #34 Rudy Vanderwal but all eyes were on Simonson and Avnats who were both working their way up through the field. With 25 laps to go it seemed as if Simonson had been gifted the title when Avants pulled off the track under caution. Avants quickly reentered the track without losing a lap but now Avants was at the rear of the field. There was also plenty of drama up front as Deines was battling #1 Happy Ferree who was making a guest appearance at the track and was running side by side with Deines both taking turns at leading the race. Simonson had moved all the way up to 3rd and was pressuring the leaders. In a shocking turn of events Ferree and Deines made slight contact coming out of turn 4 and Happy's truck slid sideways and made hard contact with the front straight wall. Deines also had damage to his truck but was able to continue, while Ferree left on the wrecker. On the restart Simonson was able to get by the damaged truck of Deines and it wasn't long until Avants was running second behind Simonson. With Simonson in front and Avants in 2nd the two drivers were effectively tied in season points and also tied in the first tiebreaker which is number of main events wins (each driver had two). Therefore it was a winner-take-all situation and the entire crowd was cheering for their favorite drivers. In the end Simonson ran a brilliant race and earned his first ever Pro Truck CNS track championship. Avants also ran a marvelous race but narrowly lost his shot at a second straight championship.

FAST DASH WINNER: #1 Happy Ferree
DASH WINNER: #11 Steve Johnson

QUICK TIME: #41 Mark Neff 16.651

CARC Mod Coupes
#34 Randy Whitman dominated the Mod Coupe division through the first half of the 2012 season but ran into a string of bad luck during the last half which allowed #46 Eric Blackard and #55 Gary Land to come within striking distance of the points chase.  When the green flag dropped in the main event on the final race of the season Blackard looked fast building a large lead early. The race had a major delay when #43 Matt Peirce blew his engine in turn 3 spreading a massive amount of oil on the track. When the cleanup was complete and the green flag dropped #55 Gary Land grabbed the lead but #29 Dave Johnson was right behind him and the two drivers began to battle for the lead. The drama reached a climax when on the final turn of the final lap Johnson tried to sneak by Land but a tire went flat sending Johnson spinning in to the infield and sending Land into winner's circle. Blackard  finished an impressive second in the feature yet it wasn't enough to pass Whitman in the points race who won the track championship.

FAST DASH WINNER: #46 Eric Blackard
DASH WINNER: #3 Bubba Willox
QUICK TIME: #55 Gary Land 16.214



Gary Land and Dave Johnson thrill the fans (Starr Photo)


ERA Supermodifieds
Teammates #3 Harold Evans and #2 Richie Castor Jr. came into Challenge Cup separated by just 20 in the season championship points race and the two lined up side by side at the very back of the field to start the main event. Yet it was 3rd place in points #51 Joe Priselac who took the early lead and was holding Evans and Castor at bay for the first segment of the race. Castor showed determination, guts, and skill, passing both Evans and Priselac in one swift move to take the lead of the race. Evans also got by Priselac but seemed content to run in second place which would be more than enough to secure another track championship. Late in the race Castor once again thrilled the crowd as he dove way low on the track between turns 3 and 4 passing a group of slower cars. Castor went on to take the win followed by Evans and Priselac but it was the crafty veteran Harold Evans who yet another CNS Championship.

FAST DASH WINNER:
DASH WINNER: #51 Joe Priselac
QUICK TIME: #2 Richie Castor Jr. 14.375

Witthar Racing Trains
On a night that Shirley Thompson was honored at intermission for her 29 years of racing and the fact that she is hanging up her helmet at the end of the season, Shirley went out and dominated the TRAIN main event capturing the win in her final TRAIN race. The Chad's Express TRAIN won the season points championship.

OFFICIAL FINISHES

Sprotsman
Pos No. Name Hometown Car Info
1. 98 Lee Kemmit Thornton  CO 08 Charger
2. 6 Tommy Roe Thornton  CO 03 Pontiac Grand Prix
3. 17 Dave Deines Gering  NE  08 Impala
4. 53 Joshua Meranda -R Laramie WY 78 Camaro
5. 04 Brent Cave 
6. 3 Wade Grove Thornton  CO  08 Impala
7. 84 Bruce Borchardt Lafayette  CO 03 Grand Prix
8. 8 Jeff Walbaum Brighton  CO 03 Impala
9. 67 Stephanie Brown Littleton  CO 07 Impala
10. 85 Kaden Webb -R Arvada  CO 03 Grand Prix
11. 49 Dennis Pobanz Colorado Springs  CO 01 Monte Carlo
12. 41 Dale Reeder Westminster  CO 08 Charger
13. 29 Rayshawn Carter -R Commerce City  CO  92 Monte Carlo
14. 28 Alan Carter Commerce City  CO  10 Monte Carlo
15. 47 Jan Oxley Ft Lupton  CO 03 Monte Carlo
16. 21 Jack Malick Sterling  CO Ford
17. 72 Gary Cagle Fort Collins  CO 03 Taurus


PRO TRUCKS
Pos No. Name Hometown Car Info
1. 31 Justin Simonson Wheatridge  CO
2. 27 Roger Avants Littleton  CO
3. 7 Adam Deines Longmont  CO 04 Dodge
4. 41N Mark Neff Eaton  CO
5. 07  Chris Leaf Kersey  CO
6. 16 Scott Rhoades -R Westminster  CO
7. 06 Adam Hilton Brighton  CO
8. 29 Matthew Brunker -R Lakewood  CO 2000 Truck
9. 0 Billy Harkins Lakewood  CO 2010 GMC Sierra
10. 34 Rudy Vanderwal LaSalle  CO 99 Ford F150
11. 11 Steve Johnson Windsor  CO
12. 36 Matt Burton Englewood  CO 08 Silverado
13. 10A Andy Bellomy -R # 
14. 1 Happy Ferree 
15. 17 Jeremy Barclay  -R Henderson  CO

MOD COUPES
Pos No. Name Hometown Car Info
1. 55 Gary Land Littleton  CO 32 Chevy Coupe
2. 46 Eric Blackard Lakewood  CO 33 Chevy
3. 24 Chad Guilford Highlands Ranch CO
4. 44x Mike  Wood Centennial  CO
5. 34 Randy Whitman Ft Collins  CO
6. 45 Carl Vair Golden  CO
7. 29 Dave Johnson Lakewood CO 33 Chevy
8. 33 Chet Graham 
9.  3 Bubba Willox -R # Carr  CO 33 Pierce Vicky
10. 80 Matt Devich 
11. 61 Theron Bredeson Arvada  CO 32 Ford 5 Window
12. 6 Joe Lehman Westminster  CO
13. 43 Matthew Pierce -R Platteville  CO
14. 36 Matt Burton Englewood  CO
15. 11 Steven St Peter 


SUPERMODIFIEDS
Pos No. Name Hometown Car Info
1. 2 Richard Castor Jr 
2. 3 Harold Evans 
3. 51 Joe Priselac 
4. 12 Mike Anderson 
5. 88 Matt Griffin 
6. 58 Jason Castor 
7. 1 Stevie Gallegos 
8. 7 Ian Tolen 


TRAINS
Pos No. Name Hometown Car Info
1. 86 Last Call 
2. 43 1/2 Plum Full 
3. 0 Steel Dragon 
4. 36 Jake & Kyle 
5. 52 Chad's Express 
6. 13 Crazy Train 
7. 6 GTI Train