By JM Hallas
Pleasanton, TX.,(April 22nd, 2023) In my best Michael Buffer voice, “Let's get ready to rummmblllllllllllle.”
It was a big Saturday night at I-37 Speedway, the 1/4 mile, semi-banked, dirt oval about a half hour south of San Antonio.
This weekend kicked off the first of four 'mini series' races for the IMCA Modifieds with $1,000 to win, sponsored by Sundowner Performance Diesel, plus a qualifier for the IMCA All-Star Modified Invitational held at Boone, Speedway(Iowa.) in September during the IMCA Super Nationals.
Through several other sponsors the mini series also paid out for the top three in the series points, heat race money and a bonus for winning 3 or 4 of the scheduled races over the next several weeks of racing.
Also on the loaded card were the local Late Models in action after a rain out canceled their season opening night a month ago. Still want more? How about the other regular classes, (Limited Modifieds, Factory Stocks and Sport Compacts)? Still not enough? Ok, let's add in the Dwarf Car Racing Series of Texas making their first appearance of the season.
After heavy rain Thursday night the track crew busted their tails to get the track and pit area ready. It was quite a dramatic swing in racing conditions throughout the night. The heat races were hammer down, but as the features rolled through it slicked off catching some off guard. Several of the scheduled 20-lappers were cut short on time limits due to spins and incidents.
Doyon Does It Again
The father-son duo of Ray and Ryan Doyon led the field to green with Ry. Doyon using the top to power off turn 2 with the lead. Ra. Doyon, Raymond McSpadden, Jamie Campbell and Frank Okruhlik fell in line behind the leader. Mark Taylor was able to get by Okruhlik for fifth as Ry. Doyon began to ease away.
After a restart following a Taylor spin, Ra. Doyon gave his son a peek inside, but didn't get by. This gave McSpadden a run on him for second. Coming to halfway it was Ry. Doyon, McSpadden, Ra. Doyon, Campbell and Ryan McDonald in the top five.
Ra Doyon was able to get back by McSpadden on lap 11, but slid too high giving the spot back. That battle continued with Ra Doyon retaking second on lap 14. This gave Ry. Doyon the opportunity to pull out to a huge lead.
As the final laps clicked off the only thing to slow Ry. Doyon down was a little traffic. As the white waved the margin was over a half straightaway allowing Ry. Doyon(LaCoste) in the 3-D Landscaping, Alamo Truck & Accessories, Ewing Irrigation & Landscape Supply, Gunn Fleet Management Chevrolet, 4D Ranch, 89 Motorsports, Eagle crate powered, MB Custom Chassis to easily take the checkers.
“I told dad to just race his race, and we'll just go from there” replied Ry. Doyon. “We talked about it a little before the race. He had the pole, so it's his race to start. I never really knew how much lead I got. I just tried to stay focused, keep my eyes ahead and look for lapped traffic to see if I'm gaining on them. If I hear someone coming I never know if they've found another line.”
“We didn't change much on this car for the feature. Just some stagger, and tire pressures. We adjusted the brake bias and I changed my driving style a little bit. The Late Models are a little easier to adjust to, they're more forgiving. It gives you time to bounce back if you make a mistake.”
“We made some big swings on the modified. I stayed on the bottom too long. I should have moved up and got in the moisture where everyone else was. If you make a mistake on those you're up the track and there goes three guys by you.”
Nogalitos Gear Late Models
5r Ryan Doyon, 3 Ray Doyon III, 48r Raymond McSpadden, 29 Jamie Campbell, 77 Mark Taylor, 5 Ryan McDonald, 99 Frank Okruhlik, 24r Robby Minten---dns
Late Model heats
Heat 1; 3 Ray Doyon III, 48r Raymond McSpadden, 77 Mark Taylor, 99 Frank Okruhlik
Heat 2; 5r Ryan Doyon, 29 Jamie Campbell, 5 Ryan McDonald, 24 Robby Minten
Tindall Tallies on Morris Miscue
The start of the $1,000 to win IMCA Modified All-Star Invitational qualifier got off to a shaky start. The first try saw Chris Morris get out trailed by Ryan Doyon, Tanner Whitmire, Logan Dinsmore and Cameron Starry. L. Dinsmore would loop it in turn 3-4 with Matt Banker trying to dodge him and making contact with Darrell Boyd.
On the next try Whitmire got second from Doyon, but Boyd would go around for another caution. Finally under green again Whitmire got past Doyon and had a run on Morris for the lead. Dillon Tindall was next to try to put Doyon back a spot and got a look on Whitmire for second on lap 3.
L. Dinsmore was working his way back up taking fifth from Starry on lap 5. Up front Morris way increasing his advantage with Tindall finally securing third and L. Dinsmore trying to follow. At the crossed flags it was Morris, Whitmire, Tindall, L. Dinsmore and Starry in the top five spots.
L. Dinsmore began to challenge Tindall for third when Steven Boubel had trouble in turns 3-4 for a lap 15 caution. As Morris got away on green, Tindall got by Whitmire for second leaving him side by side with L. Dinsmore. This gave Doyon and Starry a chance to join that battle with Starry getting by Doyon and L. Dinsmore.
Morris had built a comfortable lead again when Boubel had another spin in turn 4 with three to go. Tindall hung with Morris on the restart and used a mistake by Morris to grab the lead coming to the white flag. Tindall(LaGrange) in his Rockhard Landscaping LLC, Pope Materials, Allgeier Racing Shocks, Supreme Vinyl Works, crate powered GRT by Dowell was able to hold Morris off to take the win.
“Chris(Morris) just bobbled there at the end,” exclaimed Tindall. “He shoved the nose and I capitalized on it. I got under him, and led the last lap, the one that counted.”
“Up in (turns) 1-2 the track had a pretty good cushion. (Turns) 3-4 was totally different. Cameron Starry, Logan Dinsmore and I had a good battle there coming to the end. Then the caution came out and I got by Tanner(Whitmire) on the restart. Then I just lucked out with Chris(Morris).
“We ran here a couple times last season and didn't do too hot. I came back and got it tonight. We just put the same kind of set up we've run in the past.”
“There's always a possibility of going up to the All-Star invitational. I've wanted to go up there and race. I hear it's a big party. I've never been to the Super Nationals, it would be an experience for sure.”
Price Chevrolet IMCA Modifieds
86 Dillon Tindall, 94 Chris Morris, 101 Tanner Whitmire, 741 Cameron Starry, 8jr Logan Dinsmore, 5r Ryan Doyon, 163 Hardy Henderson, 26d Cody Duke, 488 Steven Boubel, 56 Gilbert Amezquita, 22 Darrell Boyd, 8g Greg Dinsmore, 377 Matt Banker, 77 Robert Liese jr.---dntg, 91 Jared Maupin---dns, 87 Lawrence Mikulencak---dns
IMCA Modified heats
Heat 1; 101 Tanner Whitmire, 86 Dillon Tindall, 5r Ryan Doyon, 8jr Logan Dinsmore, 26d Cody Duke, 488 Steven Boubel, 8g Greg Dinsmore, 56 Gilbert Amezquita
Heat 2; 94 Chris Morris, 163 Hardy Henderson,741 Cameron Starry, 22z Darrell Boyd, 377 Matt Banker, 87 Lawrence Mikulencak, 77 Robert Liese jr., 91 Jared Maupin
Mikulencak on the Money Again
As the 14-car field took the green for the Limited Modified feature it was Joe Aramendia getting the lead off turn 2 pursued by James Cole, Nathan Titzman, Cody Beddoe and Marcus Mikulencak. Mikulencak quickly took fourth from Beddoe while Cole slipped up and fell back to fifth.
Mikulencak then got second from Titzman and was looking high on Aramendia when Tom Grothues slid off the back stretch. Back to green, Mikulencak was able to grab the top spot from Aramendia before Ryker Hernandez and Jack Tuttle tangled. Once back to green, Titzman passed Aramendia for second while Cole and Beddoe swapped fourth.
On a restart Cole was forced through the infield kicking a tire on the track. Oliver Billingsley and Joshua Archibald crashed hard trying to avoid the tire. The contact sent Archibald on a slow roll onto the side. Both drivers were checked out by EMS under the red flag and were alright, but done for the night.
On the, now single file, restart, Mikulencak got away, Beddoe looped it in turn 4 clipping Steve Whiteaker III sending him hard, head-on, into the front stretch wall for another red. Whiteaker was alright but the car was shortened up, ending his night.
Finally back to racing, the top three pulled out while, Trans-Am and Pikes Peak Hill Climb racer Elias Anderson, Jaden Edmund, Grothues and Cole battled for fourth. A spin by Tuttle again slowed the pace with the race cut to a green, white, checkered finish on track time limits.
Aramendia took a look low on Mikulencak in turn 1, but was unable to get by. Behind them Anderson, Edmund and Cole were still slugging it out three wide now. Mikulencak(Corpus Christi) who won a $1,000 to win feature earlier this month, held off teammate Aramendia for the win in the On Demand Shirts, Aramendia Motorsports, Ace Transmission, Premier Minerals, Vinco Plumbing, Southbound & Down, RPM Equipment, Mattress Firm, All in Designs, Flanagans Muffler Shop, Mark Herring Race Engines, IRP Chassis.
Swenson Racing Products Limited Modifieds
879 Marcus Mikulencak, 79 Joe Aramendia, 1t Nathan Titzman, 14c James Cole, 87 Elias Anderson, 00e Jaden Edmund, 77 Cody Beddoe, 11t Tom Grothues, 57 Charles Flanagan, 747 Jack Tuttle, 38 Steven Whiteaker III, 41 Joshua Archibald, 00k Oliver Billingsley, 55 Ryker Hernandez
Limited Modified heat
Heat 1, 79 Joe Aramendia, 1t Nathan Titzman, 879 Marcus Mikulencak, 38 Steven Whiteaker III, 00e Jaden Edmund, 41 Joshua Archibald, 11t Tom Grothues
Heat 2; 77 Cody Beddoe, 14c James Cole, 87 Elias Anderson, 57 Charles Flanagan, 00k Oliver Billingsley, 55 Ryker Hernandez, 747 Jack Tuttle
Maupin Out Muscles Factory Field.
Birthday boy Allen Torres, who proclaimed he hated starting on the pole, did just that. He did lead the pack coming off turn 2 ahead of Jared Maupin, Brian Harbison, Michael Keylich and Mike Lyon. Maupin had just taken a look up high on A. Torres when Jarrett Payton, Dylan Kowalik, Johnny Walker Brown and Frank Okruhlik tangled in turns 3-4.
After a couple tries where the field would stack up and spit a car out, Johnny Torres, Kasey Krauss and M. Keylich were three wide for fourth. At the front, Maupin was again trying A. Torres for the lead with the two door to door before Maupin got ahead on lap 5. This left A. Torres three wide with his brother Johnny, and Harbison.
Another multi-car spin brought the action to a halt for a restart that saw Maupin quickly get away with J. Torres taking third from Harbison. A lap 7 spin by Daniel Lopez saw another caution that had officials reduce the laps making it now about halfway with Maupin, A. Torres, J. Torres, Harbison and Krauss in the top five.
As Maupin got out the two Torres brother stayed side by side until J. Torres got the spot with Okruhlik taking fifth from Krauss. Harbison and A. Torres began to swap third in the final laps. J. Torres never got close enough to mount a challenge as Maupin momentarilycruised to the checkers.
***Post race tech found both of the top 2 not clear tech due to carburetor issues making Allen Torres the winner. Quite the birthday present, plus winner from starting on the pole.
All in Design Factory Stocks
94 Allen Torres, 11x Brian Harbison, 41 Frank Okruhlik, 53k Kasey Krauss, 44k Michael Keylich, 00 Zach Freeman, 38 Joshua Sewell, 18 Kyle Kirkland, 25r Nathan Rachui, 20 Mike Lyon, 15L Daniel Lopez, 29 Jose Lopez jr., 7 Johnny Walker Brown, 92r Robert Keylich, 29k Dylan Kowalik, 10 Scott Jerkins, 25f Robert Fox, 18s Jarrett Payton, 44 Damon Bean, 91 Jared Maupin---DQ--tech, 66 Johnny Torres DQ---tech
Factory Stock heats
Heat 1; 11x Brian Harbison, 53k Kasey Krauss, 29 Jose Lopez jr., 18s Jarrett Payton, 15L Daniel Lopez, 00 Zach Freeman, 92r Robert Keylich
Heat 2; 91 Jared Maupin, 66 Johnny Torres, 94 Allen Torres, 20 Mike Lyon, 38 Josh Sewell, 29k Dylan Kowalik, 7 Johnny Walker Brown
Heat 3; 25r Nathan Rachui, 44k Michael Keylich, 18 Kyle Kirkland, 10 Scott Jerkins, 44 Damon Bean, 25f Robert Fox, 41 Frank Okruhlik
Tait Tops Sport Compacts
As the Sport Compact field rolled to green it was Michael Burris jr. getting a big jump to the lead followed by Josh Jones, Rod Tait, John Thomas and Sam Walker. Jones was slow off turn 2 losing several spots while Justin Sitterle and Brandon McCall were moving forward. Burris' run came to end in a cloud of smoke in turn 4 as it appeared he expired a motor. The ensuing caution erased several passes.
After a lengthy fluid clean up, the green waved again with Tait on point and Sitterle making another run up to third and McCall up to fifth. Sitterle was able to take second from Jones followed by McCall to third and Donald Lewis to fourth.
At halfway it was Tait, with a good lead, Sitterle, McCall, Lewis and Jones. The final half of the race Tait was able to maintain his lead even increasing it as Sitterle and McCall got bogged down in traffic and racing each other. Tait(San Antonio), in the Turtle Team Racing, Big Mo Automotive, Pontiac Sunfire took the win unchallenged.
“I've been working on the car a little here and there,” said Tait. “I've got everything running right and the car set up right where I want it. It's been great so far. I'm always looking for where Brandon(McCall) is. He's usually always on my back bumper. I always know he or (Justin) Sitterle are back there.”
“I had no idea on the lead I had. It was all just about going faster, faster, faster. I just push as hard as I can and hope the car sticks in the corners. You have to navigate traffic carefully or it can end in disaster.
Iron Horse RV Sport Compacts
70 Rod Tait, 88 Justin Sitterle, 51 Brandon McCall, 11j Josh Jones, 76y Donald Lewis, 83 Donald Kinnaman, 3% Sam Walker, 9t John Thomas, 8j James Gottsch, 81 Michael Burris jr., 8 Robert Kelm---dns
Sport Compact heats
Heat 1; 70 Rod Tait, 8 Robert Kelm, 3% Sam Walker, 8j James Goettch, 81 Michael Burris jr., 88 Justin Sitterle
Heat 2; 51 Brandon McCall, 76y Donald Lewis, 11j Josh Jones, 83 Donald Kinnaman, 9t John Thomas
Budnik Bests of the Bunch in Dwarf Cars
Drew Stark grabbed the early lead at the start of the DCRST feature trailed by Dillon Coyne, Dylan Budnik, Duane Buford and Keagan Moore. Budnik wasted little time taking second from Coyne and was quickly on Stark for the lead. Budnik looked low off turn 2 getting alongside Stark for the lead.
Behind that scrap, Brandon Spreen was three wide with K. Moore and Landon Bednarz for fifth. After a quick yellow, Budnik jumped Stark for the lead while Spreen moved up to fourth and Coyne got second from Stark who would slip back before spinning. At the midway point it was Budnik, Coyne, Spreen, K. Moore and Landon Sibery.
Budnik was beginning to pull away with Spreen and Coyne now beginning a battle for second as they ran up on traffic. Spreen got side by side with Coyne only to get picked off by traffic until a late caution rebunched the field. Budnik(Boerne) was able to get away clean and hold on for the win in his Sky Haulers, Epperson Paint & Body, B&B, Dell, DSM car.
Dwarf Car Racing Series of Texas
25 Dylan Budnik, 88 Brandon Spreen, 12t Dillon Coyne, 72 Landon Sibery, 15d Landon Bednarz, 44m Thomas Mach, 81d Jerry Buford, 03 Drew Stark, 8 Tyler Folkerts, 14r Duane Buford, 24 Billy Groff, 1k Keagan Moore, 22 Cauy Moore, 4m Mason Mach, 93 Adam Stehle, 2t Jerry Book, 7 Ron Theel, 08 Danielle Long, 921 Chris Vogler, 00 Chris OchoaBrandon
DCRST heats
Heat 1; 25 Dylan Budnik, 15d Landon Bednarz, 08 Danielle Long, 8 Tyler Folkerts, 22c Cauy Moore, 72 Landon Sibery, 24t Colby Urbanovsky
Heat 2; 12t Dillon Coyne, 1k Keagan Moore, 03 Drew Stark, 81d Jerry Buford, 4m Mason Mach, 93 Adam Stehle, 00 Chris Ochoa
Heat 3; 88 Brandon Spreen, 44m Thomas Mach, 14r Duane Buford, 921 Chris Vogler, 24 Billy Groff, 2t Jerry Book, 7 Ron Theel