(06-06-2015 Dacono Colorado) Mark Neff held off Ethan Penrod, and Brett Yackey in the final laps of the Tower’s Night Out at CNS Late Model feature event bringing fans to the edges of their seats. The Mod Coupes made their first appearance of the season and Jereme Wall dominated an action packed Figure 8 main event.
South Philly Cheese Steaks Late Models.
#8 Jeff Walbaum has been nearly unbeatable for the past year in the South Philly Cheese Steaks Late Model division but the competition is heating up as evidenced by #7 Ethan Penrod who set quick time with a 17.741. Yet it was Walbuam who struck back winning the fast dash, while #08 Jace Hansen from Broomfield Colorado won the other dash.
#28 Alan Carter paces the field for the Late Model DASH (Starr photo)
When the 30 lap feature event started it was #31 Derek Smith from Gering Nebraska along side Westminster’s Mark Neff in the #42 car. Neff a former Pro Truck champion grabbed a small lead at the drop of the green flag although Smith was close by on his side.
Walbaum was stuck deep in the field but Ethan Penrod from Thornton was moving up quickly from his sixth starting spot. At the halfway point of the race Neff had built a large lead on Smith while Penrod was pressuring for second.
With just ten laps to go Penrod had moved into second place and was closing in on Neff when he got the break that he needed as the #16 car of Ryan McFadden spun and brought out the caution. On the restart Neff chose the inside lane giving Penrod the outside. It appeared that Penrod had the faster car but Neff did a marvelous job forcing Penrod to go just a tad bit higher on the track than he wanted to which was keeping him from making the pass for the lead.
The two drivers were putting on a great battle for the fans in the final laps. Penrod was giving it his all on the outside but got a little loose which allowed #32 Brett “the Maverick” Yackey to slip by underneath. At the checkered flag it was Neff taking his first win of the 2015 season and Yackey right behind in second place. Penrod settled for 3rd spot and Walbaum was fourth. The final spot in the top 5 went to Derek Smith.
Mark Neff in winner’s circle at CNS (Starr photo)
The Late Models return to action at CNS on Friday July 3rd.
FEATURE: #42 Mark Neff FAST DASH: #8 Jeff Walbaum DASH: #08 Jace Hansen QUICK TIME: #7 Ethan Penrod 17.741
SUNOCO Fuels Grand American Modifieds.
UPDATED: A post race inspection of the #58 car resulted in a disqualification. Therefore #44 Justin Case is awarded the victory. Kyle Ray started on the outside row of the SUNOCO Fuels Grand American Modified 25 lap feature and bolted out to a huge lead. Ray never looked back winning his second feature of the season. Ray hasn’t finished worse than second place in 2015 therefore one might think he already has a lock on the points standings but #77 Jeff Hansen has also had a great season and is just 11 points back of Ray.
In the feature event behind Ray, it was last years champion #44 Justin Case who took second place with Hansen coming in third. Fourth spot went to #95 Cris Muhler and #17 Jeremy Barclay rounded out the top five. The Grand American Modifieds return to CNS on Saturday June 27th.
Galitz Transportation Mod Coupes.
It was the first appearance of the 2015 season for the revamped Mod Coupe division and based on the tight qualifying times and the dash race the new rules package appeared to have evened out the competition. Last year’s Mod Coupe champion #12 Jaime Bubak got married in the off-season and she is now Jaime Trengove. Jaime reminded everyone why she is a champion by setting quick time in the coupes with a 16.496. In the dash it was #5 Jason Bunt holding off Trengove, #55 Gary Land and 6d Rick Duckworth.
Mod Coupes mad their first appearance of the 2015 season (Starr photo)
The feature was all Jason Bunt who led from flag to flag wining his first feature at CNS. While Bunt did have a massive lead early it was former champion Gary Land who was slowing reeling in Bunt but couldn’t make a move to take the lead. Rick Duckworth finished an impressive 3rd place with #48 Michael Cox and #90 Frank Denning III coming in 4th and 5th. It should be noted that Jaime Trengove was unable to start the feature with mechanical issues.
The Mod Coupes return to action at CNS on Saturday July 4th
Art’s Septic Figure 8s.
In the second appearance of the season for the Art’s Septic Service Figure 8s an excellent field of 14 cars showed up to thrill the fans. In the dash races #15 Jereme Wall battled #50 Justin McKeachie and #52 Jared Wall to take the win while #23 Big Al Duran dominated the other dash in his new red and black #23 car.
Big Al Duran debuted his new Figure 8 car on Tower’s Night Out at CNS (Starr photo)
#27 Bobby Zike and #97 Adam Gastineau paced the field for a 20 lap feature event but it was Jereme Wall from Commerce City who had grabbed the lead before a single lap was complete. Behind Jereme it was his brother Jared and Justin McKeachie fighting for second place and Big Al Duran who had come from the ninth starting spot to join the leaders.
The feature was filled with gasps from the CNS crowd as the drivers executed near misses in the X lap after lap. With Jereme Wall way out front the best battle on the track was for second place between Jared Wall, McKeachie, and Duran. At one point McKeachie and Duran were sent to the back for rough driving but both would work their way back near the front by the race end.
Close calls in the “X” throughout the entire feature event had the fans on the edges of their seats (Starr photo)
Yet it was Jereme Wall’s night as he cruised to his second straight feature win of the 2015 season. McKeachie passed Jared Wall for second place and Duran took home a hard-fought 4th.
Jereme Wall celebrates his second straight Figure 8 feature victory (Starr photo)
OFFICIAL RESULTS
Late Models Pos No. Name Hometown 1. 42 Mark Neff Westiminster 2. 32 Brett Yackey (R) Greeley 3. 7 Ethan Penrod Thornton 4. 8 Jeff Walbaum Brighton 5. 31 Derek Smith Gering 6. 98 Lee Kemmit Thronton 7. 15G Nathan Gasser 8. 3 Wade Grove Thronton 9. 8 Jace Hansen Broomfield 10. 1 Thomas Powers Castle Rock 11. 29 Rayshawn Carter Commerce City 12. 28 Alan Carter Commerce City 13. 30 Jan Oxley Ft Lupton 14. 16 Ryan McFadden Divide 15. 49 Dennis Pobanz Colorado Springs 16. 27 Wendi Lewis Johnstown
Grand American Modifieds Pos No. Name Hometown 1. 44 Justin Case Brighton 2. 77 Jeff Hansen Berthoud 3. 95 Cris Muhler Brighton 4. 17 Jeremy Barclay(R) Thornton 5. 33 Emett Grazier Wheatridge 6. 0 Ron ONeil Colorado Springs 7. 57B Brady Balderston Parker 8. 13 Darin Clark 9. 63 Matt Pierce(R) DQ 58 Kyle Ray Littleton
Mod Coupes Pos No. Name Hometown 1. 5 Jason Bunt Littleton 2. 55 Gary Land Littleton 3. 6d Rick Duckworth (R) Arvada 4. 48 Michael Cox Englewood 5. 90 Frank Denning III Golden 6. 33 Chet Graham DNS 12 Jaime Trengove Thornton
Figure 8 Pos No. Name Hometown 1. 15 Jereme Wall Commerce City 2. 50 Justin McKeachie Aurora 3. 52 Jared Wall Commerce City 4. 23 Al Duran Lakewood 5. 19 Brent Cave Thornton 6. 1 Michael Haywood (R) Greeley 7. 89 Eddie Garcia Lakewood 8. 25 Phil Taylor Henderson 9. 27 Bobby Zike Morrison 10. 87 Bill Farris Englewood 11. 2 Lance Proctor Arvada 12. 97 Adam Gastineau Aurora 13. 0 James Naranjo Denver DNS 5 Curtis Chavez Loveland