Before starting their main the IMCA drivers did a four-wide salute to the fans.
Cory Sample (00), who won the IMCA Modified feature had his hands full as he had to hold off a determined Jeff Olschowka (121).
Rob Grace (42) leads Malan Gonzalez down the back stretch on is way to winning the Pro Stock feature.
Carl Barlow (27N) leads Tom Haxall to the checkered in the Hobby Stock feature.
Justin Busch (4J) passes Justin McIlvain (27) on his way to scoring the Super Stock 4 victory.
Mark Serchio Jr. (11) dives inside Shaun Burton (4) for the lead and victory in the Pure Stock main.
By Dan McGee
FERNLEY ( July 12) – The Speedway staged the latest of its points races, once again in the late afternoon. And, once again, two drivers continuing their winning ways.
“If you have a high point average, you’ve got to start at the rear so you just have to be patient at the beginning,” Cory Sample said after winning the IMCA feature race. “We just picked them off one by one but you had to watch where they were running and when they made a mistake that’s when we jumped on it.”
Then he gave thanks to his father and girl friend Megan Vollbrecht that had been a big help that day.
It took two attempts to get the race rolling and then Mark Skender was on point followed by Jeff Olschowka and Keith Walsh. Behind them the faster cars began to work their through the pack.
By the fourth lap Sample had worked his way to third while Olschowka had taken the lead. Then opportunity came to Sample in the form of a short caution that bunched up the cars.
during a short caution that bunched up the cars
Once the green waved Sample used an inside move on the back straight to assume the lead. At first it was only Olschowka oni Once racing finally resumed he used an inside move on the back straight to take over the lead.
After that the chase was on as Olschowka was right behind him and soon it became a three-way battle when Tom Purcell moved into third.
Now the chase was on as Olschowka tried his best to get past Sample. Lap after lap they dueled and in the last part of the race Tom Purcell made it a three-way fight.
But at the checkered they finished in that order.
The Hobby Stock feature had a surprise ending.
But when it started Tom Haxall took the lead followed by Rocky Goetz, Rick Miller and Carl Barlow. Then Goetz faded while Miller and Barlow took over second and third and began to close on the leader.
Taking the white flag it appeared that Haxall had the race in the bag. A bobble in the last corners, during a charge toward the finish, dropped Miller to third and to avoid him Haxall lifted slightly.
That was all Barlow needed as he dove inside and took the lead as they rounded Turn 4 on their way to the checkered flag.
In the victory ceremony Barlow said, “I didn’t think I was going to get him. Rick got loose and moved up the track then in a cloud of dust Haxall backed out of the throttle but I knew there was nothing there and just kept my foot in it.”
Then he gave thanks to his wife Shirley and sponsors Outdoor Toy Store and Pro Tech RV Services.
It only took a short time for Robbie Grace to take the Pro Stock lead and streak off to the victory. Malen Gonzalez tried to make a race of it but had to settle for second ahead of David Rauscher.
“That was pretty exciting, I was hooked up and the car went where I wanted it to go. Only wish it had run cooler as it’s hard to concentrate when you have to watch the gauges.”
Then he thanked his wife Shannon, brother Lonnie, who built the car, crew chief Rob Malson his anis wife Marsha as well as sponsors, Deb and Bill Agard, Depot Casino, Franks Automotive, Boomers and Parson’s Drilling.
Justin Busch won the Super Stock 4 race as, once in the lead, he left everyone. Jesse James and Justin McIlvain took the next two spots with Steve Crook Sr. finished with a solid fourth place.
Later Busch said, “It was fun, tough at first tying to get by him (Burton) and the track was great. Need to thank my wife Danielle, our kids and sponsors A&K Earth Movers and Stewyone.
When the dust settled on the Pure Stock main Mark Serchio Jr. was the winner with Shaun Burton a close second with early leader Anthony Adams third.
“That was a fun race and I had to work my way all the way up to first,” Serchio said later. “It was loose at the beginning and perfect at the end. I was able to get next to Shaun and pass him for the win.”
Earlier in the evening track owner Dan Simpson announced the facility would go back to it’s traditional starting time of 6 p.m. rather than 5 p.m.
RESULTS
• FERNLEY 95A SPEEDWAY – July 12
IMCA Modifieds:
Heat Winners – #1 Jeff Olschowka, #2 Missy Natenstedt
Main – 1. Cory Sample, 2. Jeff Olschowka, 3. Tom Purcell, 4. Missy Natenstedt, 5. Dave Sciaronni
Pro Stocks:
Heat Winner – Robby Grace
Main – 1. Robby Grace, 2. Malen Gonzalez, 3. David Rauscher, 4. Paul Stephens
Hobby Stocks:
Heat Winner – Carl Barlow
Main – 1. Carl Barlow, 2. Tom Haxall, 3. Rick Miller, 4. Rocky Goetz, 5. Jake Baker
Super Stock 4’s:
Heat Winner – Justin Busch
Main – 1. Justn Busch, 2. Jesse James, 3. Justin McIlvain, 4. Steve Crook, 5. Byron Hutchinson
Pure Stocks
Heat winner – Rich Innis
Main – 1. Mark Serchio Jr., 2. Shaun Burton, 3. Anthony Adama, 4. Rich Innis
