(YAKIMA, WA) 6/6/09 By Kelly Hart, Yakima Speedway
The hometown crowd at ASA Sanctioned Yakima Speedway cheered wildly as defending Late Model Champion Mike Longton defeated a stellar field of ASA Northwest Late Model Tour cars Saturday night for his second tour win in a row in the Better-All Auto Sales 125 presented by Better Haul Auto Transport.
To start off the evening, Longton set fast time in qualifying blistering the pavement at 18.887 seconds, one of only two drivers in the 18-second bracket all evening. The trophy dash went to Owen Riddle, a former Late Model Champion himself at Yakima Speedway.
Eighteen cars lined up for the 125-lap main event with Jared Vorse taking the lead for the first two laps. Kelly Mann quickly established himself as a contender moving into first on the 3rd lap. A lap 17 caution came out when Riddle and Pete Harding tangled in turn 2, with Riddle’s car done for the evening and Harding’s car damaged. On the restart Gary Lewis chose the outside starting position and after a two lap side-by-side battle with Mann took the lead on lap 21. Mann didn’t take the loss of the lead spot easy as he battled hard with Lewis for another 20 laps. The second caution fell on lap 67 when Harold Raczynski spun in turn 3.
Longton was starting his move when he went to 3rd place on the 77th lap. Another yellow flag came out on the 81st lap for Vorse who went off turn 3. Longton took over the lead on lap 88 after choosing the outside lane on a restart and battling Lewis side-by-side bringing the crowd to it’s feet. Lewis battle back to take the lead after a lap 104 yellow flag which saw Lewis choose the outside on the restart and take the lead on the high side of the race track.
But Longton was not to be denied, taking back the top spot and motoring ahead on lap 111 and cruising to a half second win at the checkered flag. The win was the second in-a-row on the ASA NW Late Model Tour for Longton.
Mike Van Amburg led all 40 laps to win the RJ’s Tire Factory Super Streets over Mike Easley and Zach Beaman. Chet Beaman, Sr. again set fast time of 21.599 in qualifying. Tony Huffines and Van Amburg won the trophy dashes. Van Amburg won the heat races.
For the first time in 2009 the 3 in-a-row bonus came into play as Randy Marshall, Jr. won his third straight Burger Ranch Sportsman main event to win the extra $500.00 put up by track sponsors Central Auto Body, Woffords Towing, Nob Hill Auto Sales and Wrecking, CWI Security and EZ Credit Auto Sales. Marshall, Jr. held of fast charging Jeff Stevenson and fast timer Mel Patnode (23.255) for the 30-lap race. Stevenson won a trophy dash along with Kevin Taylor. Taylor and Stevenson won the heat races.
Next Saturday night the Late Models return for their second point race of the season along with the H&H Furniture Pure Stocks, CWI Security/EZ Credit Auto Sales Hornets, Yakima Driving School Youth Hornets and the Insane Bump to Pass cars. Gates open at 4pm with racing following opening ceremonies at 6pm.
YAKIMA SPEEDWAY RESULTS 6/6/09
ASA NW LATE MODEL TOUR
FAST TIME: 37 Mike Longton 18.887
DASH: 10 Owen Riddle, 37 Longton, 31 Jason Fraser, 39 Pete Harding
MAIN: 37 Mike Longton, 73 Gary Lewis, 36 Joey Tanner, 9m Kelly Mann, 0 Brent Harris, 31 Fraser, 20s Brad Stanwood, 7 Mark Sundberg, 21 Jared Vorse, 9 Josh Roberts, 20 Jay Sauls, 86 Harold Raczynski, 51 Erick Hargraves, 91 Allen Cress, 76 Amanda MacDonald, 13 Marty Wason, 39 Harding, 10 Riddle
LAP LEADERS: 21 Vorse 1-2, 9 Mann 3-20, 73 Lewis 21-87, 37 Longton 88-104, 73 Lewis 105-110, 37 Longton 111-125
RJ’S TIRE FACTORY SUPER STREETS
FAST TIME: 25 Chet Beaman 21.599
B DASH: 97 Mike Van Amburg, 3 Andy Beaman, 12 Ed St.Mary, 21 Mike Saylors
A DASH: 7 Tony Huffines, 91 Gary Flammang, 98 Zach Beaman, 25 Beaman, Sr.
B HEAT: 97 Van Amburg, 3 A.Beaman, 12 Ben St.Mary, 8 Billy Benge, 21 Saylors
A HEAT: 91 Flammang, 38 Dusty John, 98 C.Beaman, 7 Huffines, 25 Z.Beaman
MAIN: 97 Mike Van Amburg, 75 Mike Easley, 98 Z.Beaman, 25 C. Beaman, Sr., 38 John, 8 Benge, 7 Huffines, 91 Flammang, 12 St. Mary, 21 Saylors, 3 A.Beaman
LAP LEADERS: 97 Van Amburg 1-40
BURGER RANCH SPORTSMAN
FAST TIME: 04 Mel Patnode 23.255
B DASH: 55 Kevin Taylor, 10 Larry Norman, 63 Don Klang, 11 Terry Taylor
A DASH: 17 Jeff Stevenson, 5 Buck Noel, Jr., 04 Patnode, 52 Randy Marshall, Jr.
B HEAT: 55 K.Taylor, 10 Norman, 12 Ed St.Mary, 96 Jerry Walker, Jr., 08 Ron Morton
A HEAT: 17 Stevenson, 52 Marshall, Jr., 04 Patnode, 7 Reese Kastl, 95 Thomas Benscoter, Sr.
MAIN: 52 Randy Marshall, Jr., 17 Stevenson, 04 Patnode, 54 Jesse Vincent, 7 Kastl, 5 Noel, Jr., 95 Benscoter, Sr., 55 K. Taylor, 96 Walker, Jr., 63 Don Klang, 12 St. Mary, 11 T. Taylor, 08 Morton, 10 Norman
LAP LEADERS: 55 Taylor 1-8, 52 Marshall, Jr. 9-30
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