Finally after a long winter’s wait cars are beginning to roar around area tracks once again.

FERNLEY (March 26) – Fernley 95A Speedway began the region’s oval track season on Easter Saturday. It was an afternoon of hard racing and the IMCA feature had a come from behind winner.

“This is one bad ass hot rod and one bad ass race track and I’m proud to be here and do it in front of you guys. Fernley is the real deal and that’s where we race at right here,” Cory Sample said. “The race was emotional for sure, was running, thought we had the win, thought I had it taken away from us but I never give up you know. The race isn’t over until the checkered flag flies and I could pass low, high or where ever I wanted to.”

Cory Sample celebrates his come from behind victory in the IMCA feature at Fernley 95A Speedway’s season opener.

Then he thanked his father, family and sponsors Razor Chassis, Wells Designs, Icon Pistons and Dynamic Drivelines.

Prior to the start the field got into its four-wide salute to the crowd. Leading the pack was a member of Grandpa Roger’s family in a Razor that was flying a flag from his house.

Once the parade laps were finished the field formed into its two rows formation and stormed toward the green flag. However a quick spin brought everyone back for a second and this time it was good.

At first Shawn Natenstedt and Joe Fock were running side-by-side then nose-to-tail. Frock finally took the point while back in the pack Sample was carving his way toward the front.

Eventually Sample took over second but there was contact in Turns 1 and 2 that led to more in Turn 4. As a result Frock got a warning but Sample was sent to the back.

With 20 to go the green flew again with Frock having to hold off both Natenstedt and Mike White. Further back Jake Holland was charging as was a fired up Sample.

Around lap 17 another caution happened when the car of James Thiboudeaux slowed. By now Holland was second and Sample was third. On the green everyone took off but two laps later there was another caution for a spin by Jake Aker.

On the restart Sample stormed into the lead while Holland was after Frock for second. In the final laps Holland took over second while Frock slipped back to third ahead of fourth place Natenstedt but up front there would be no catching Sample.

Cory Sample takes the checkered flag as he wins the IMCA feature.

The next largest field was in the Street Stock class and on the green Jake Baker took off with Randy Boyd and Rick Miller in hot pursuit. Shortly after the start Michael Burns had to drop out with a mechanical problem.

Up front Baker was in command has he keep adding the distance between himself and the pack. Rick Miller was after Boyd and intent on taking second.

Once Miller took over second he started trying to close the gap between himself and Baker. Then there was a caution when John Schilling pulled onto the infield after the fan pulley broke off his motor.

Then there was another quick caution but by this time Stark was third. It would take three attempts to get the race restarted as Stark was a bit over eager and was finally sent to the back.

On the green Baker took off with Miller and Boyd in hot pursuit while Stark was charging through the field.

Although Miller would close the gap at the end of the straight Baker would gain the advantage exiting the corner. In the end Baker won followed by Miller, Boyd and Stark made it all the way back to fourth.

Jake Baker takes the checkered flag as he wins the Street Stock feature.

After winning the season opener a pumped Baker said, “That race was awesome, it couldn’t have been any better. I knew somebody was behind me as after one of the cautions he came up beside me a couple of times and my dad kept giving me the hand signal saying there was a car behind me.”

After complimenting the track crew for a smooth, fast surface he thanked his parents and sponsors VP Racing Fuels, Hunt & Sons Petroleum products and RWW Fabrication.

There were only three cars in the Pro Stock division and Robert Miller, driving B.J. Pearson’s Nuclear Banana machine just ran away with the race.

Robert Miller takes a victory lap after winning the Pro Stock main.

Another run away victory was when Joe Frock swept both his heat and feature races. Glen Sciarani tried to make a race of it but had to settle for second ahead of third place Timothy Fitzpatrick and Roy Peterson.

Joe Frock takes a victory lap after a run away victory in the Dwarf Car main.

When the Super Stock 4 feature began it initially was a father-son duel as Stephen Crook Sr., was running side-by-side with his son Dennis Crook. Exiting turn 4, Dennis took the point was never headed.

Behind the leader the elder Crook and Jesse James were having a side-by-side duel for second until both spun after contact in Turn 1.

Up front Dennis Crook took the victory followed by James and the senior Crook in third.

Driving a car he literally pulled out of a barn, Dennis Crook won the Super Stock 4 main.

For Crook is was a case of going back to the tried and true as his new car isn’t ready yet.

Asked about this he said, “I actually had it sitting in a barn the whole winter because I’m building a new car. So I pulled out, changed the oil, came here and raced. It’s got two and a half seasons on the engine but the car has 14 seasons on it now.”

Then he thanked his parents, girlfriend Kim, Bob N. 10,000 RPM, Racing Clutches and Quintero Tires.

Even though there were only two cars in the Pure Stock class the victory wasn’t that easy for winner Jim Paulk.

“I had to change the way I’m driving as the timing was off in the car so the top end was gone. I had to adjust to I could make it around the turns faster and hold my own on the straightaway. Once I figured it out, it handled pretty nicely.”

Despite problems with his car, Jim Paulk was able to hang on and win the Pure Stock main.

Then he thanked his girl friend Arienne Hoskinson, his son Greg, who helps as well as his other two sons Mike and John and his sponsors Auto Engineering and Honeymooners Motorsports.

The intermission featured train races, where the lead car has a motor that works but the second, or trailing car, has brakes that work. Byron Hutchingson and Colton Lewis were the winning team.

Chain racing action at 95A Speedway.

Before the racing began there as a small ceremony to honor two individual that recently passed away.

Tony Lewis, in Robert Miller’s car and Shawn Natenstedt did a rolling tribute to Bob Grandpa Rogers and Chuck Miller before racing began at 95A Speedway.

One of them was Bob “Grandpa,” Rogers, who has been a fixture in racing for several decades. The other, Chuck Miller, is a cousin to driver Robert Miller and lost his battle with cancer.

Since Robert Miller was singing the National Anthem, Tony Lewis joined Shawn Natenstedt as they did a few laps around the track to honor both men.

The next race at the track will be on April 9 and once again have a 2 p.m. start to the action.

• Earlier Saturday, over at Summit Racing, there was an NHRA Chassis Inspection going on. The parking lot had a bunch of drag racers and their cars waiting to be certified.

NHRA Chassis Inspector Launie Porteous is about to put a sticker certifying Laurie Pickett’s sportsman car for another three years.

“This is a chassis inspection we do for every NHRA track,” Launie Porteous said. “And what we do is cars that run faster than 10 flat are required to have a serialized sticker on their cage sowing they have meet a spec. My job is to look at the car and make sure it meets the spec, measure the tubing, make sure its welded and then certify the car.”

He added the inspection is every three years for a sportsman tag and pro tags are one year.

One car he was inspecting was a sportsman racer piloted by Laurie Pickett from Winnemucca.

Laurie Pickett stands by her Sportsman car she races at Top Gun Raceway.

“Her car is going to be certified to 8.50 seconds, which is the slower of the sportsman categories,” he said. “The car’s nice enough that with a few more bars could go 7.50. And they pay a fee and at the chassis seminar they pay only a fee.”

And just a few yards away the Reno Region of the SCCA was having its annual tech inspection for the cars that will compete in its Solo II season.

At the annual tech inspection day, members from the Reno Region SCCA had their cars checked.

So the parking lot was pretty full of race cars that day.

OTHER RACING NEWS

• Due to the Easter break there was very little racing this weekend but things pick up after this. I’ll have the schedule in my Thursday preview article.

However for motocross riders there will be no practice at Livefast Exit 28 until the third round of the 775 Spring Classic. The crew is getting the track ready for that event.

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RESULTS

Fernley 95A Speedway – Points Race #1

March, 26, 2016

IMCA:

+ Heat #1: 1. Cory Sample, 2. Robert Miller, 3. Joel Myers, 4. Carl Barlow, 5. Blayne Newman.

+ Heat #2: 1. Shawn Natenstedt, 2. Paris Archie, 3. Mike White, 4. Will  Frickman.

+ Heat #3: 1. Jake Holland, 2. Joe Frock, 3. Tyler Patzke

+ Main (30-Laps): 1. Cory Sample, 2. Jake Holland, 3. Joe Frock, 4. Shawn Natenstedt, 5. Paris Archie, 6. Joel Myers, 7. Jake Aker, 8. Mike White, 9. Tyler Patzke, 10. Robert Miller, 11. James Thiboudeaux, 12. Blayne Newman,  13. Will Fryckman, 14. Carl Barlow.

Pro Stocks:

+Heat: 1. Robert Miller, 2. Darrick Rauscher, 3. Tyler Jones.

+ Main (15-Laps): 1. Robert Miller, 2. Darrick Rauscher, 3. Tyler Jones.

Street Stocks:

+ Heat #1: 1. Jake Baker, 2. J.T. Stark, 3. Shayna Hartman, 4. John Schilling, 5. George Owen.

+ Heat #2: 1. Randy Boyd, 2. Rick Miller, 3. Jim Erie, 4. Jeff Tuttle, 5. Michael Burns.

+ Main (25-Laps): 1. Jake Baker, 2. Rick Miller, 3. Randy Boyd, 4. J.T. Stark, 5. Jeff Tuttle, 6. Shayna Hartman, 7. Jim Erie, 8. Jimmy Berhorst, 9. George Owen, 10. John Schilling, 11. Boyce Jr. 12. Michael Burns.

Dwarf Cars:

+Heat #1: 1. Joe Fock, 2. Timothy Fitzpatrick, 3. Kenny Martin, 4. Dan Pieretti.

+ Heat #2: 1. Glen Sciarani, 2. Roy Peterson, 3. Phil Hitchcock.

+ Main (20-Laps): 1. Joe Frock, 2. Glen Sciarani, 3. Timothy Fitzpatrick, 4. Roy Peterson, 5. Kenny Martin, 6. Phil Hitchcock.

Super Stock 4:

Heat #1: 1. Stephen Crook Sr., 2. Rich Innis, 3. Kenny Schmitt.

Heat #2: 1. Steven Crook, 2. Justin Busch, 3. Jesse James.

Main (20-Laps): 1.Dennis Crook, 2. Jesse James, 3. Stephen Crook Sr., 4. Rich Innis, 5. Justin Busch.

Pure Stocks:

+ Heat #1: 1. Shane Boyd, 2. Jim Paulk.

+ Heat #2: 1. Jim Paulk, 2. Shane Boyd.

+ Main (10-Laps): 1. Jim Paulk, 2. Shane Boyd.