I-80 CHALLENGE AT 95A SPEEDWAY

Fernley (Aug. 28/29) – Highlighting the Labor Day weekend was the first visit of the I-80 Challenge series to the 95A Speedway. This meant two nights of high speed IMCA Modified action and both winners also used it as a tune up for the Super Nationals in Boone, Iowa.

Saturday’s IMCA feature was highlighted by a race long chase between the winner Randy Artz (14R) and Cory Sample (00).

After winning the IMCA feature Saturday, Randy Artz takes a victory lap.

In Friday’s IMCA feature Shawn Natenstedt (1) led most of the laps until Cory Sample (00) was able to dive under him and make the winning pass three laps from the end.

Cory Sample takes a victory lap after winning Friday’s IMCA feature race.

Prior to Saturday’s IMCA feature the field did a 4-wide salute to the fans.

Jesse James had to repair his Super Stock 4 racer after a heat race then won the feature.

Joe Frock dominated the Dwarf Car main coming from the back to the front in only a few laps. Here he is taking his victory lap.

The 95A Speedway introduced its new Chain Racing class on Labor Day weekend. Here driver Doty Harper and Brandilou Coclich, who worked the brakes from behind, head for victory in Saturday night’s race.

Both IMCA features were hard fought battles and a driver from Battle Mountain claimed Saturday’s victory.

“We came over here as Cory (Sample) is going to haul my car to the Super Nationals. So I decided I’d race my son’s car as it’s a 2013 Addiction chassis,” Randy Artz said after the race. I knew with Cory here I had to get up front right away and I beat him to the corner, got lucky and led every lap.”

Then he thanked his pit crew Dan Gamble and Allen Laudenslaughter as well as sponsors Dakota Diesel Repair, G&S Construction and Gene Herrera from Addiction Chassis.

Prior to the feature the field formed up in a 4-Wide salute to the fans, in fact they did two passes around the track. Then, after everyone got in their place the green waved and the race was on.

Up front Artz used his outside pole position to slot in front of Sample with Shawn Natenstedt and Travis White close behind.

Vince Evenson brought out the first caution when he spun while avoiding hitting Darren Manning’s car. Right after that Russell Rosario’s night ended with a broken motor.

A pair of cautions followed due to drivers getting flat tires. But when the green waved again Artz took off with Sample right behind him as they tore into Turn 1.

A few laps later, Reldon Hatch spun just as the leaders were about to catch him. Some wild evasive action followed but everyone was able to miss Hatch’s racer although this brought out a caution.

When the green waved again Artz led Sample, Natenstedt and Ogg, not in fourth, into Turn 1. During the final laps Artz squeezed a slight advantage as Sample was busy fending off Natenstedt and they finished in that order.

At the award ceremony Sample said, “It’s kind of rare we go backwards here. There were places on the track where we’d gain then lose so it just seemed we went back and fourth but we just didn’t have enough.”

On Friday the IMCA feature was very different than Saturday’s show.

It was an all Natenstedt front row with Missy on pole and husband Shawn on the outside pole. When the green waved she took off with Shawn close behind.

Behind them Sample, who started in the back, was working his way through the pack. After a short caution showed the pace, he was in fourth.

Three laps later Shawn finally got past his wife while Sample took over third and drew a bead on Missy. The Sample took second, caught Shawn and the battle was on.

Missy eventually slipped to fourth as Robert Miller took over third.

A spin by Royce Goetz brought out the next caution. And, at that same time, Russ Cazier bounced off the wall ending a long duel with Glen Plake.

Once racing resumed Natenstedt and Sample resumed their duel for thre lead. One more caution, when Mark Skender had a flat, slowed the pace but after that the race ran green all the way to the end.

Finally, with three laps to go, Sample found a line to his liking and got past Natenstedt. They finished in that order followed by Miller, Missy and Don Childs.

After the dust settled Sample said, “It was getting close and I just knew I had a good car to do. I was just trying to find a line to get around Shawn as he had a good line so it took me a little time. The outside line was coming to me so we were trying to be patient and calm enough knowing that the line was getting there.”

Five of the track’s car classes supported the show on Saturday. Only two Pure Stock cars were on hand and Mark Serchio Jr. won their race after leader Rich Innis suffered motor problems.

“I was behind then the car just picked up speed and I was going,” Serchio said later.

Then he thanked his parents and sponsors, Dayton Valley Tire, Mavericks, and Family Landscape.

Kenny Martin led the charge when the Super Stock 4 feature began. He led until Jesse James made the winning pass and roared away to claim the victory.

Earlier in the evening James damaged his car during a heat race and when asked about his comeback he said, “I had to fix a bunch of stuff, had to fix the toe, then we found a little something else in the set up for the main. There were a couple of grooves so we got faster toward the bottom at the end. And this is my second victory this season.”

When the Dwarf Car feature began Sam Marson took the point but behind him Joe Frock was on a charge after starting at the rear of the pack.

Just before a quick caution Frock took the lead with Marson giving chase and Bert Endicott running in third place. They would finish in that order.

“Starting last on the field was somewhat of a challenge but it was a great track to work with. There were plenty of racing grooves so it wasn’t that bad to work your way forward,” Frock said later. “Was a lot of fun, lot of new racers out there so glad to see the class growing.”

He added this was his final race at the track this season as he’ll compete at a big dwarf car event in Marysville two weeks from now then go to a national race.

Then Frock thanked sponsors Wild Island, Hot Rod Shop of Las Vegas, Todd Damron and Excess Sports.

Only five Hobby Stocks were on hand and Tom Haxall led from green to checkered. Behind him there was a three-way battle for second that was settled in the final turn when contact spun Jake Baker and gave the position to Carl Barlow followed by Rick Miller in third ahead of Baker.

At the awards presentation Haxall said, “It was pretty interesting, made two mistakes in 20-laps. I don’t understand it as the last time we raced the car was terrible, didn’t do anything to it, so you never know.”

Since he’s self sponsored Haxall then gave thanks for all his friends that support his racing.

When the Pro Stock feature began Rob Grace was on the point but only until the second lap when Malen Gonzalez, driving B.J. Pearson’s Nuclear Banana car swept into the lead. From there is was clear sailing for him with Grace finishing a distant second.

On Friday the track introduced Chain Racing, which is where two cars are chained together with the front one having the motor while the driver in the back car has the brakes.

It takes teamwork to make this go and Friday’s main got a little out of control so the officials brought it to an early end. However Saturday’s race, right before the intermission was very different.

After laps of some good racing, including having the rear car on the lead set lose a front wheel and a couple of spins onto the infield the winner finally reached the checkered.

The winning duo was Doty Hopper, who drove the front unit followed by the track’s head scorekeeper Brandilou Coclich, who worked the brakes.

Both had huge smiles at the awards ceremony where Hopper said, “It was a ton of fun.”

Then Coclich added, “Fun and lots of fun.”

RESULTS

FERNLEY 95A SPEEDWAY — I-80 Challenge

• Aug. 30

IMCA:

Heat 1 (8-Laps)- 1. Don Childs, 2. Cory Sample, 3. Andy Strait, 4. Dave      Sciarroni, 5. Shaun Laroaque, 6. Mark Skender

Heat 2 (8-Laps) – 1. TravisWhite, 2. Randy Artz, 3. Robert Miller, 4. Bill      Pearson, 5. Royce Goetz, 6. Russ Cazier

Heat 3 (8-Laps) – 1. Josh Ogg, 2. Shawn Natenstedt, 3. Missy Natenstedt, 4.      Darren Manning, 5. Glen Plake, 6.      Reldon Hatch

Main (30-Laps) – 1. Randy Artz, 2. Cory Sample, 3. Shawn Natenstedt, 4.      Josh Ogg, 5. Travis White, 6. Bill Pearson, 7. Robert Miller, 8. Don      Childs, 9. Darren Manning, 10. Royce Goetz, 11. Missy Natenstedt, 12. Shawn      Laroaque, 13. Vincent Evenson, 14. Mark Skender, 15. Glen Plake, 16. Dave      Sciaranni, 17. Andy Strait, 18. Reldon Hatch, 19. Russell Rosario

Pro Stock:

Heat (8-Laps) – 1. Malen Gonzalez, 2. David Rauscher, 3. Rob Grace, 4. Paul      Stephens

Main (15-Laps) – 1. Malen Gonzalez, 2. Rob Grace, 3. David Rauscher, 4.      Paul Stephens

Hobby Stock:

Heat (8-Laps) – 1. Carl Barlow, 2. Jake Baker, 3. Tom      Haxall, 4. Rick      Miller, 5. Michael Bartlett

Main (15-Laps) – 1. Tom Haxall, 2. Carl Barlow, 3. Rick Miller, 4. Jake      Baker, 5. Michael Barlett

Dwarf Cars:

Heat 1 (8-Laps) – 1. Bert Endicott, 2. Sam Marson, 3. Glen      Sciarani, 4.      Cameron Knight

Heat 2 (9-Laps) – 1. Joe Frock, 2. Roy Peterson,3. Chandler Gattis, 4.      Chris Knight, 5. Bobby Wilson

Main (20-Laps) – 1. Joe Frock, 2. Sam Marson, 3. Bert      Endicott, 4. Glen      Sciarani, 5. Roy Peterson, 6. Chandler      Gattis, 7. Cameron Knight, 8. Chris      Knight, 9. Reese Wilson, 10. Bobby Wilson, DNR

Super Stock 4:

Heat Race (6-Laps) – 1. Kenny Martin, 2. Stephen Crook, 3.      Jesse James, 4.      Steve Crook Sr., 5. Steve Singley

Main (15-Laps) – 1. Jesse James, 2.Kenny Martin, 3. Dennis Crook, 4. Steve      Crook

Pure Stock:

Heat (4-Laps) – 1. Rich Innis, 2. Mark Serchio Jr.

Main (8-Laps) – 1. Mark Serchio Jr., 2. Rich Innis

Chain Race Winner – Doty Harper & Brandilou Coclich

• Aug. 29

IMCA:

Heat 1 (8-Laps) – 1. Royce Goetz, 2. Darren Maning, 3. Don Childs, 4. Andy      Strait, 5. Reldon Hatch

Heat 2 (8-Laps) – 1. Melissa Natenstedt, 2. Robert Miller, 3. Russ      Cazier,4. Glen Plake, 5. Walter Ball

Heat 3 (8-Laps) – 1. Shawn Natenstedt, 2. Cory Sample, 3. Bill Pearson, 4.      Travis White, 5. Mark Skender

Main (30-Laps) – 1. Cory Sample, 2. Shawn Natenstedt, 3. Robert Miller, 4.      Missy Natenstedt, 5. Don Childs, 6. Bill Pearson, 7. Darren Manning, 8.      Travis White, 9. Royce Goetz, 10. Walter Ball, 11. Glen Plake, 12. Reldon      Hatch, 13. Andy Strait, 14. Mark Skender, 15. Russ Cazier