1 Limited Modified winner Johnny Torres
2 Factory Stock winner Jared Maupin
Pleasanton, Tx.,(Aug. 14Th, 2014) Wednesday night edition
I-37 Speedway ran a special Wednesday night show on the ¼ mile, semi-banked, dirt, oval just outside of Pleasanton. Only two classes ran, the Limited Modifieds and Factory Stocks with some using the night as a tune up race for a big weekend show at Boothill Speedway in Louisiana. Both classes would run for a $500 winners share.
The race format had a twist for the event with both feature line ups a bit odd. The twist, after the heats the top qualifiers would redraw, nothing new, but if you redrew a bad number you could give it away to another driver in the redraw. So if someone spun you last race, or you know he's always faster, ok, here dude have the big number I drew. Interesting.
There were some special guests in the house as well with Kevin Rogers(KR Promotions LLC) who has his hand in several racing entities going around doing live remotes and interviews with the Race On stream. Also on hand was congressional candidate Commander Jay Furman. What's the old saying, 'shaking hands and kissing babies?'
Torres Tops in Limiteds
After the redraw it was a father-son front row with Steven Whiteaker III and Steven Whiteaker jr. on the point. In contrast two of the most, ummm, “experienced drivers”(dirt/asphalt) and car builders, Lawrence Mikulencak and John Heil starting at the back.
Whiteaker III got the jump on dad beating to turn 1 for the lead as the 25-lapper fired off. Whiteaker jr., Ray Allen Kulhanek, Johnny Torres and Jared Maupin sorted out behind the youngster.
J. Torres got past Kulhanek for third and was looking low on Whiteaker jr for second. By lap 5 Whiteaker III had a five car length margin on dad, while Maupin did a 360 losing a ton of spots, but kept motoring. J. Torres finally got along side Whiteaker jr. for second. The duo ran wheel to wheel for two laps until Mikulencak spun for a caution in turn 4.
Back under green it was Whiteaker III, J. Torres, Whiteaker jr,, Kulhanek and Anthony Gordon in the top five. Kulhanek was able to snag third while Allen Torres moved by Gordon for fifth. J. Torres got inside Whiteaker III running side by side down the back stretch. Whiteaker III tried to fight back on the outside, but drifted a bit too high in turn 4 giving J. Torres the top spot on lap 16.
Heil would spin and bring out a yellow with five to go. On the restart, J. Torres got away with Kulhanek taking second from Whiteaker III, followed by Whiteaker jr through to third. Behind them, Gordon, A. Torres and Maupin, coming from the back, were three wide for fifth. As the white flag waved J. Torres had a half straightaway advantage taking victory in his 8T1 Construction, All in Designs, One-Eight Transportation, CRS Suspension, Best Race Engines, IRP Chassis.
“I had two Whiteaker's to battle tonight,” said Torres. “The older one sucks, but the young one did a great job. I really didn't have any plan to pass for the lead on Whiteaker III. It was a short, but tough field of cars, our heat race had all heavy hitters in there. We just do the best we can and race as hard as we can no matter who is here to race.”
“Hell no, I never get tired of winning. It's always a struggle trying to get better. We're going to Boothill this weekend and probably get our butts kicked. Winning or losing, we're trying to get better.”
“We're just taking the Factory Stock to Boothill this weekend. The Limited Modified actually stayed at Russell Vickery's house. I can only drive one and don't have the time to work on two. I haven't seen it(Limited Modified) much in the last three weeks with him working on it. Everything was on point and he did a good job with it.”
“This Wednesday night deal was pretty neat, but work is going to be hard tomorrow. It was pretty cool.”
Limited Modified by Iron Horse RV
66 Johnny Torres, 21t Ray Allen Kulhanek, 88 Steven Whiteaker III, 30k Steven Whiteaker jr., 96 Jared Maupin, 51d Allen Torres, 87 Lawrence Mikulencak, 26s Zachary Manthie, 71 Jett Garza, 91 John Heil, 22m Anthony Gordon, 04c Cooper Koliba---dns
Limited Modified heats
Heat 1; 21t Ray Allen Kulhanek, 66 Johnny Torres, 30k Steven Whiteaker jr., 22m Anthony Gordon, 91 John Heil, 87 Lawrence Mikulencak
Heat 2; 88 Steven Whiteaker III, 96 Jared Maupin, 71 Jett Garza, 51d Allen Torres, 26s Zachary Manthie, 04c Cooper Koliba
Maupin Makes up for Limited Modified Miscue
As the eighteen car Factory Stock feature took the green it was Nathan Rachui with the run on the top off turn 2 getting the point while Johnny Walker Brown and former track champ, Kasey Krauss ran door to door for second, Chase Sanchez and Dillon Gaither filled the top five. Krauss secured the spot and ran down Rachui for the lead until a lap 4 spin by Hunter Peterson.
Back under green Brown retook second from Krauss now side by side with Sanchez and Gaither along side Jared Maupin for fifth. Maupin was able to get Krauss and Gaither before a caution for a Zach Freeman spin in turn 4. As green waved again Sanchez took a spot from Brown while Maupin, Sanchez and Brown were three wide.
Sanchez and Brown stayed side by side while Gaither and Krauss began a long duel. Coming to the crossed flags it Maupin diving under Rachui for the lead with Brown, Gaither and Krauss in the top five. Adam Haugh went around in turn 4 for a lap 15 yellow. The restart got a little rough with Krauss getting run up into the wall before getting turned by Sanchez for a quick caution.
On the, now single file, restart Maupin quickly began to pull away from Rachui and the Gaither-Krauss scrap resumed for fourth. As Maupin continued to increase his lead Gaither and Krauss came up on Brown going three wide for third. This left Brown in the grip of Edward Oakes as the duo never left each others side, with little to no contact.
As the flagman showed two to go, Maupin had a comfortable lead over Rachui while, you guessed it, Krauss and Gaither still fighting for third. Maupin, from the ninth starting spot, in the Jamie Fuller owned, JGR Fab, CNC Graffix, RNM Install, Reflective Wrecker, Longs Machine Shop, On Demand Shirts, Swenson Racing Shocks, JB Woolf Shed, Absolute Oilfield Services, Wells Race Engines, Lazer Chassis cruised to the checkers.
“It wasn't easy tonight,” replied Maupin. “Starting ninth made it interesting for sure. I was just waiting at first. Since I just got out of the Limited Mod I knew the line was slowly moving up. If I could keep my car just free enough to rotate that I could get underneath people and pick them off. So slowly but surely, it worked out.”
“I wasn't sure what I was going to do with Nathan(Rachui). I knew he had led the whole race and was quick. It's funny, he was parked next to me and I've got him on some shocks of mine that I'm building. He was looking good and I was happy he was running up front. I just tried to pass him as clean as I possibly could. It was a clean pass and fun racing with him.”
“Luckily the car turned good. It seemed like everyone else was pushing together. I was able to rotate and stay under them. This is the old car reskinned. Most of the damage from last race was cosmetic. I think they changed a trailing arm, a shock and wheel. Nothing too crazy. Frame was fine, just body and a few suspension parts.”
Factory Stocks by All in Design
91 Jared Maupin, 25r Nathan Rachui, 53k Kasey Krauss, 41 Dillon Gaither, 53 Edward Oakes, 7 Johnny Walker Brown, 14t Trey Heald, 12 Adam Haugh, 44k Michael Keylich, 02 Shannon Maurer, 10 Scott Jerkins, 34 Hunter Peterson, 92r Robert Keylich, 63 Chase Sanchez, 34 Ryan Doyon, 153 Nathan Oakes, 28m Mason Casteneda, 27 Zach Freeman, 91c Craig Oakes, 4 Damon Bean---dns, 329af Marcus Buckley---dns
Factory Stock heats
Heat 1; 53k Kasey Krauss, 25r Nathan Rachui, 28m Mason Casteneda, 34 Ryan Doyon, 27 Zach Freeman, 44k Michael Keylich, 10 Scott Jerkins
Heat 2; 34h Hunter Peterson, 7 Johnny Walker Brown, 41 Dillon Gaither, 53 Edward Oakes, 153 Nathan Oakes, 14t Trey Heald, 92r Robert Keylich
Heat 3; 91c Craig Oakes, 63 Chase Sanchez, 91 Jared Maupin, 12 Adam Haugh, 02 Shannon Maurer, 4 Damon Bean, 328fa Marcus Buckley
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