(08-22-2015 Dacono Colorado) – A packed house at CNS was on-hand to see young Ryan Partridge grab the Coors Light pole award and then go on to dominate the NAPA/Toyota 150 leading almost every lap. Blake Williams from Washington made a late race charge to take 2nd and Erie’s own Chris Egglston came home in 3rd spot. Partridge wasn’t the only first time winner on the night as AJ Warren won his first ever Snap-On Tools Pro Truck feature while Michael Haywood won his first in the Art’s Septic Service Figure 8s. In the South Philly Cheese Steaks Late Models Mark Neff won a 3 car battle to take the win.
Erie’s own Chris Eggleston prepares to defend his NAPA/Toyota 150 title (Starr photo)
NASCAR K&N Pro Series West
Once a year the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West cars come to town and compete in the NAPA/Toyota 150 at CNS. Last year local driver Chris Eggleston from Erie shocked the traveling series drivers by picking up the win. Chris’s large following of fans were hoping for a repeat but a 25-year-old rookie from Rancho Cucamonga, California Ryan Partridge in the #9 Sunrise Ford/Eirbach Springs/Lucas Oil Ford spoiled the party leading nearly all 150 laps.
While Eggleston hounded Partridge all night and was able to lead a lap Partridge was the class of the field and at the finish built a 1.7 second lead on his nearest competitor.
#9 Ryan Partridge on route to his first K&N Series win (Starr photo)
One of the biggest surprises of the race was 20 year old Blake Williams from Spokane WA who stole 2nd place from Eggleston in the final laps of the race. Williams started deep in the field in 9th place and put on an impressive show picking off cars left and right finally ending up in 2nd place. In 4th spot was veteran driver David Mayhew from Atascadero California who was running an entirely different line from the rest of the field. While most drivers were coming out of turn 4 very low, Mayhew was nearly in the marbles as he rode the extreme high-line to a top 5 finish.
Blake Williams made a strong run for a second place finish (Starr photo)
One other Colorado driver was in the race in car #38 Jack Nugent from Lafayette who finished 12th.
Ryan Partridge in winner’s circle at CNS (Starr photo)
While Partridge dominated the race, Eggleston does maintain the top spot in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West points in a statistical tie with Partridge. With just 3 races left the series now heads to Meridian Speedway in Idaho on September 5th.
The NAPA/Toyota 150 will air on NBCSN on Thrusday, Aug. 27 at 5 p.m. MT.
Snap-On Tools Pro Trucks
All season long CNS fans have watched the development of young AJ Warren in the #2 Pro Truck who seems to get quicker and quicker with each event. All of the hard work finally paid off as Warren dominated the Snap-On Tools Pro Truck feature leading nearly every lap after a brief battle with #36 Matt Burton.
An early crash in the Pro Truck feature ended #8 Jeff Walbaum’s night (Starr photo)
Warren not only won the event but did so in commanding fashion building a massive lead by the end of the race. The action was for second between Burton, #34 Rudy Vanderwal and #7 Adam Deines who swapped places several times and were racing hard door to door.
AJ Warren on his way to winning his first ever Pro Truck feature at CNS (Starr photo)
When the checkered flag flew it was Warren way out in front with Vanderwal slipping into second. Burton nudged out Deines for 3rd and #82 Michael Scott was 5th. The next time the Pro Trucks race will be on their championship night September 12th.
South Philly Cheese Steaks Late Models
The main event for the South Philly Cheese Steaks Late Models featured an impressive field of 20 competitive cars. #8 Jeff Walbaum sat on the pole position with #11 Monte Paulsen outside. When the green flag dropped Walbaum took the early lead with #42 Mark Neff and #3 Wade Grove hot on his tail. As the racers settled into their groove the leaders approached lapped traffic. Neff’s night almost came to an end when the lapped car of #16 Ryan McFadden spun in turn 2 directly in front of the 42 car. Neff did a marvelous job of driving and miraculously avoided contact.
20 Late Models lined up for the feature event (Starr photo)
With 12 laps remaining in the race #32 Brett Yackey joined the battle for the lead and the top 3 cars put on a show for the fans. At times Walbaum, Neff, and Yackey were 3-wide heading into the corner as the crowd gasped.
Neff, Walbaum, and Yackey thrilled the CNS fans in the feature event (Starr photo)
Neff decided to see what he could do up top and went to the outside taking the lead from Walbaum. With just 5 laps to go it was anyone’s race as the top 3 cars battled for supremacy. As the lead pack was coming out of turn 4 Jace Hansen who was running 5th got into the side of Wade Grove and the two cars began to crash down the front straight with Hansen going up and over Grove’s vehicle. The crash set off a chain reaction which caused #7 Ethan Penrod and #11 Monte Paulsen to collide joining the carnage on the track. Fans and safety crews were relived to find that there were no serious injuries in the crash. However, all four cars suffered extensive damage and had to be cleared from the track. Under the tight time constraints for the NAPA/Toyota 150 the race was ended when the long cleanup began. Mark Neff was the winner followed by Walbaum, #98 Lee Kemmit, #30 Jan Oxley and #99 Nick Brinlee.
The Late Models return to action August 29th.
Art’s Septic Figure 8s
In one of the most wild and bizarre Figure 8 feature events in recent memory rookie driver Michael Haywood in the #01 car grabbed his first career win. The race started with a ton of action as the entire field was inverted by points. Yet it didn’t take long for #01 Michael Haywood to come from his 6th starting spot to take the lead. #15 Jereme Wall who started dead last moved up to 2nd until his car broke-down and was parked in the infield.
#01 Michael Haywood leads the field of Figure 8 cars through the X (Starr photo)
#50 Justin Mckeachie in a car that looks nearly identical to Haywood’s muscled his way into the lead bringing “Big” Al Duran with him. Mckeachie and Duran were having a great battle for the lead when in the closing laps disaster stuck as Duran and Mckeachie made contact coming out of turn two. Mckeachie spun into the dirt near the X bringing out the caution flag. Now this the point in the race were things got wild. In a cloud of dust and dirt from Mckeachie’s spin the cars came around to see the yellow flag waving. Mckeachie got his car started and sped off through the X directly in the path of the oncoming car of Haywood. The two cars collided hard and both came to a rest in the middle of the race track as the red flag was displayed.
The paramedics rushed to Mckeachie’s aide who was shaken up in the crash. With a long cleanup to follow the race was shortened and called complete. Since Duran and Mckeachie had brought out the yellow the win was awarded to the 3rd place car which was Haywood. In winner’s circle Haywood said he wished it hadn’t had to end that way but a win is a win and he was glad to get his first.
FEATURE WINNER: #01 Michael Haywood
OFFICIAL RESULTS
NAPA/Toyota 150 Fin Str Car Driver Team Laps Points B/Points Status 1. 1 9 Ryan Partridge * Sunrise Ford/Eibach Springs/Lucas Oil Ford 150 48 5 Running 2. 9 55 Blake Williams * McClintock & Turk Ford 150 42 Running 3. 3 99 Chris Eggleston H20 Fire Protection/NAPA Filters Toyota 150 42 1 Running 4. 2 17 David Mayhew MMI Racing/Ron’s Read Ends/Pour House Chevrolet 150 40 Running 5. 6 16 Brandon McReynolds NAPA Auto Parts Toyota 150 39 Running 6. 4 27 Gracin Raz * Montana Tech Ford 150 38 Running 7. 8 21 Alex Schutte * Proficio Chevrolet 150 37 Running 8. 10 7 Noah Gragson * AlertID/Colliers International Ford 149 36 Running 9. 11 33 Nicole Behar * Custom Welding & Fabrication Toyota 149 35 Running 10. 5 6 James Bickford Sunrise Ford/Interstate Plastics/Eibach Ford 149 34 Running 11. 7 30 Ron Norman * Port of Tucson Ford 149 33 Running 12. 12 38 Jack Nugent * American Appliance Toyota 144 32 Running 13. 15 14 Matt Levin * Port of Tucson Toyota 133 31 Engine 14. 14 84 Rich DeLong III Country Girl Saloon/Ron’s Rear Ends Chevrolet 149 30 Running 15. 13 31 Johnny White * MMI/Ron’s Rear Ends Chevrolet 133 29 Engine
Pro Trucks Pos No. Name Hometown 1. 2 AJ Warren Berthoud 2. 34 Rudy Vanderwal La Salle 3. 36 Matt Burton Englewood 4. 7 Adam Deines Longmont 5. 82 Michael Scott Cheyenne 6. 11 Steve Johnson Loveland 7. 17 Scott Rhoades Wheatridge 8. 0 Billy Harkins Lakewood 9. 37 Josh Richard (R) Calhan 10. 65 George Green (R) Firestone 11. 47 Jesse Seigel (R) Castle Rock 12. 84 Daniel Mares (R) Aurora 13. 5 Troy Witthar Eastlake 14. 8 Jeff Walbaum (R) Brighton
Late Models Pos No. Name Hometown 1. 42 Mark Neff Westiminster 2. 8 Jeff Walbaum Brighton 3. 98 Lee Kemmit Thronton 4. 30 Jan Oxley Ft Lupton 5. 99 Nick Brinlee Broomfield 6. 16 Ryan McFadden Divide 7. 49 Dennis Pobanz Colorado Springs 8. 28 Alan Carter Commerce City 9. 3 Wade Grove Thronton 10. 8 Jace Hansen Broomfield 11. 7 Ethan Penrod Thornton 12. 11 Monte Paulsen Pueblo West 13. 1 Tommy Powers Castle Rock 14. 27 Wendi Lewis Johnstown 15. 18 Robert Davey 16. 29 Rayshawn Carter Commerce City 17. 98B Eric Blackard Lakewood 18. 5w Troy Witthar Eastlake 19. 90p Kyle Patee Thornton DQ 32 Brett Yackey (R) Greeley
Figure 8s Pos No. Name Hometown 1. 1 Michael Haywood (R) Greeley 2. 52 Jared Wall Commerce City 3. 87 Bill Farris (R) Englewood 4. 10 Frank Gastineau Denver 5. 27 Bobby Zike Morrison 6. 11 Joe Gastineau Denver 7. 50 Justin McKeachie Aurora 8. 23 Al Duran Lakewood 9. 69 Tammy Totos Commerce City 10. 71 Tyler Dowler Englewood 11. 5 Curtis Chavez Loveland 12. 15 Jereme Wall Commerce City
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