It was a wild night at Rattlesnake Raceway this weekend.

FALLON (July 23) – Rattlesnake Raceway had the prefect storm of multiple car cautions that made for a marathon night. This happened despite the best efforts of the track crew.

Before things got rolling the track honored Jim Rains, who was a fixture there during the 1980’s and 90’s. Not only did he race but he built many cars that also competed at Rattlesnake Raceway.

To honor his memory the Hobby Stock field formed a “missing man,” formation where the pole position was left empty. Then all the drivers did a few parade laps to honor Rains’ memory.

Heading the racing card were the Nevada Pro Stock Association drivers.

While the feature race got a late start, around 12:15 a.m., for one area driver it was a great night as he scored his fourth main event win in the NPSA series.

“We must be doing something right but those cautions were crazy,” Gene Kay said after the race. “I knew the set up we had in the car was really good and we just did what we had to do. We’ve got a good setup, we’ve got a good program, engine’s running good, it’s just all a combination of things. We’re having a pretty good tear on this and it’s fun.”

Then he thanked Eternal Image, Sierra Nevada Properties, Gene Kay Racing Engines and Painless Tattoos.

When the green waved points leader Darrick Rauscher, who was on the pole, took off with the field in hot pursuit. Right away Kay moved into second then used an inside move to grab the lead as the field stormed out of Turn 4.

The first caution came quickly as one car slid down the track and another couldn’t avoid it. Once things were cleared the car that was damaged headed for the pits.

Soon after the restart another car got loose in Turn 2, unfortunately Rauscher was unable to avoid it and the resulting impact ended his evening.

That caution turned into a race-stopping incident so the track crew could clean up the mess. Once racing resumed there was another spin from but that driver eventually got going and headed to the pits to have his car checked.

After Kay took the lead the only time any other car was close to him was on the restart. Once the green waved he left everyone in his wake.

Three more cautions followed, one of them after Al Goss stalled in the pit entrance but got going again. Behind the leader Jesse Gonzalez had been running solo in second while behind him Travis White was moving toward the front.

One more caution would slow the pace but in the end Kay scored his fourth feature win and pocket the $1,000 winner’s money. So far he’s won four of the 10-race series.

Behind him Travis White finished second ahead of Robby Grace and Gonzalez. After the dust settled Dennis Buehn presented Kay with the winner’s money.

When the IMCA race began Fred White was on point but everything slowed when Dave Sciaroni came to a stop at the top of Turn 3. By now Cory Sample was third and would soon be second ahead of Mark Skender.

The next caution came when Mike White spun in Turn 3 and Vince Evenson spun to avoid him. This happened just after Sample made his move and took the lead.

Another caution came after one car was going slowly on the backstretch. Then there was another caution for debris and, due to the late hour, the officials cut the laps.

Three more cautions would slow the pace but Sample wasn’t to be denied and scored the victory.

That last caution, involving contact and a spin, earned Carl Barlow a penalty that dropped him to sixth and moved Missy Natenstedt to fourth ahead of fifth place Skender.

After the race Sample said, “It wasn’t too bad, it was pretty easy. Just getting to the front, taking our time, made it there and just kind of took out some laps. The car’s been good, we’re on a roll here and it was win number 7.”

Then he thanked his father Rodney for all the hard work he’s done on the car.

It took two attempts to start the Super Stock 4 race after Rich Innis wound up stuck on the infield where the mud drag races are held. Although the dirt was dry it’s quite soft and it took a while to pull him free.

Finally things got going and there was a short side-by-side duel between Dan Pieretti and Donovan Chilton for the lead. Then things slowed after a spin caused a caution.

Two cautions later and Galen Reese moved into second until the leader spun out in Turn 2. There would be one more caution when Dennis Crook spun in Turn 2 but he apparently was having motor issues and was never a factor.

However up front Reese stormed to the finish line first and collected the victory followed by Janet Lyford, Donovan Chilton and Innis. There was one Gen-X in the race driven by Stephen Hornback.

“At the start the main I was 3rd row inside and I just told myself take your time and pick my time to get by cars. I was glad to see that they did not water the track before our main because we have had some pretty sloppy ones so that was good. Being able to take the lead on lap 10 was nice but I knew that Dennis was real close so I had to drive smart and be smith and also Rich Innis was driving really good to so I had to really work hard to get by him,” Reese said after the race.

Then he thanked his pit crew, Stan Dunham, Abe Williams and Adam Gilmore for letting the crew use his lift to repair the car after the 4th of July race.

The marathon of the night was the Hobby Stock main. In a preview of what was to come it took a pair of attempts to get the race going.

After the first green pole sitter Vince Evenson, driving Alex Pettit’s car, and Tori Edgington were side-by-side but behind them there was a tangle involving three cars in Turn 4.

Apparently dust was a problem so the field was set in single file and alternated running high or low while the water truck made its rounds.

The second attempt ended after three cars tangled on the front stretch with the car Jerry Allec Jr. doing a roll over.

He was uninjured but told the track workers that it was pretty exciting. Fortunately his car was able to continue although he had to pit and change a flat tire.

Finally, on the third try, things got rolling and they were off only to slow after a caution caused by a two-car tangle and Bob Vaden had to pit for a flat tire. This after two cars got hooked together on the backstretch.

By now 30 minutes had passed but there were more cautions to come. Up front Dan Edgington used an outside move and zoomed into the lead.

A little later Cody Morris apparently got loose that that caused Bob Vaden and Chris Christiano to pile into each other. Both cars suffered significant damage and were towed to the pits.

Around this time the officials, in an effort to speed things up started using single file restarts. But even those had problems.

After several cautions the officials began to cut the laps and after the last yellow flag period the race ran trouble free. Edgington reached the checkered flag first followed by Evenson and Tori Edgington.

Then Edgington didn’t report to the tech pad, which disqualified him. This handed the victory to Evenson two days before he leaves for college and moved Tori Edgington to second ahead of Dan Diaz and David Ausano.

The race itself, originally scheduled for 25-laps, took over an hour to complete even with the reduction in laps.

After the race Evenson said, “I was driving Alex Pettit’s car #43. I started on poll and got a pretty good start. Dan was just gone, on a rail. Only time I was going to get him was on a restart but he had a way better restart. I didn’t have the fastest car out there but the key is being able to pass and no body could pass.”

Then he thanked car owner Alex Pettit and his father Steve Evenson.

• Earlier in the evening the Rattlesnake Outlaw Karts took to the track for their main events.

Starting off the races were the250cc karts and Jacob Dias won that followed by Blake Rauscher and Trinity Annas.

Then it was time for the Box Stock, the more experienced youngsters to take to the track. After an early caution Tommy Sorensen was on point with Ollie Gibbins and Gauage Felzke giving chase.

Eventually Evan Galarte took over the lead and won the race with Brysyn Simeral and Robert McBroome in second and third.

Next up were the Beginners and they have a pace      quad lead them around on their parade laps. Once the green waved Anisleigh Evenson was on point until there was a brief caution and Logan Cassel grabbed the lead.

After the restart Ryall Older used an inside pass to take the lead and would win the race. Unfortunately Cassel spun out of second giving that to Jaden Allen with Aalivah Galindo coming home third.

Finally, after the track was watered it was time for the 500cc karts. After getting one kart restarted the green waved and Gary Owen was on point.

Then there was a quick caution and Owen led the restart with Kevin Kentopp giving chase. On the final lap both Owen and Kentopp got sideways in Turn 1 handing the victory to Chris Annas.

OTHER RACING NEWS

• For those following the pre Hot August Night and Silver Dollar Car Classic both of this week’s cruise nights are in Carson City.

On Wednesday the cruise is at the Carson Mall on Thursday at the Plaza Conference Center. As usual 5:30 to 7:70 p.m. should be the hours.

•This weekend NASCAR’s top two divisions were at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Las Vegas native Kyle Busch swept both the Xfinity and Sprint Cup Races. In Saturday’s Xfinity event Brendan Gaughan started 16 and finished in the same place. On Sunday, at the Brickyard 400, Kurt Busch started 11th and ended up 16th.

• At 2:25 p.m. Tuesday this reporter will be on Teresa’s Garage radio show. You can hear it on 1180 AM or stream it on, amm.streamon.fm.

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RESULTS

Rattlesnake Raceway – July 23

• Nevada Pro Stock Association

+ Heat #1: 1. Gene Kay, 2. Jesse Gonzalez, 3. Robby Grace, 4. Mike McMordie, 5. Anthony Matthias, 6. Al Goss.

+ Heat #2: 1. Gordon Russell, 2. Ed Goss, 3. Jerry Allec Jr., 4. James Gonzalez, 5. Travis White, 6. James Greenwalt.

+ Heat #3: 1. Darrick Rauscher, 2. Gary Nevers, 3. Matt Ramthun, 4. David Paine, 5. Rocky Boice, 6. Robert Miller.

+ Main: 1. Gene Kay, 2. Travis White, 3. Robby Grace, 4. Jesse Gonzalez, 5. Matt Ramthun, 6. Anthony Matthias, 7. James Gonzalez, 8. Gary Nevers, 9. Mike McMordie, 10. Jerry Allec Jr., 11. Ed Goss, 12. Rocky Boice, 13. Al Goss, 14. James Greenwalt, 15. Darrick Rauscher, 16. Robert Miller,      17. David Paine.

• IMCA:

+ Heat #1: 1. Cory Sample, 2. Fred White, 3. Jeff Olschowka, 4. Missy  Natenstedt, 5. Mark Skender, 6. Mike White.

+ Heat #2: 1. Dave Sciarroni, 2. Vincent Evenson, 3. Carl Barlow, 4. James Riggs, 5. Joe Blackwell.

+ Main: 1. Cory Sample, 2. Jeff Olschowka, 3. Mike White, 4. Missy Natenstedt, 5. Mark Skender, 6. Carl Barlow, 7. Joe Blackwell, 8. James Riggs, 9. Dave Sciarroni, 10. Vincent Evenson, 11. Fred White.

• Hobby Stocks:

+ Heat #1: 1. Cody Morris, 2. Chris Christiano, 3. Dan Diaz, 4. Jeff Tuttle, 5. Chuck Davis, 6. Vincent Evenson.

+ Heat #2: 1. David Ausano, 2. Richard Italiano, 3. Dan Edgington, 4. Ryan Gavin, 5. Chris Annas, 6. Tori Edgington.

+ Heat #3: 1. Paul Shamlin, 2. Bob Vaden, 3. Shane Cazel, 4. Ray Miller, 5. Crystal Kontny.

+ Main: 1. Vincent Evenson, 2. Tori Edgington, 3. Dan Diaz, 4. David Ausano, 5. Richard Italiano, 6. Jeff Tuttle, 7. Shane Cazel, 8. Paul Shamlin, 9. Ryan Gavin, 10. Ray Miller, 11. Crystal Kontny, 12. Chris Annas, 13. Cody Morris, 14. Chris Christiano, 15. Bob Vaden, 16. Chuck Davis.

DQ: Dan Edgington.

• Rattlesnake Outlaw Karts:

+ Beginner: 1. Ryatt Older, 2. Jaden Allec, 3. Aalivah Galindo, 4. Alexis McBroome, 5. Peyton Albury, 6. Lylah Sorensen, 7. Logan Cassel, 8. Anisleigh Evenson, 9. Mallory Evenson.

+ Box Stock: 1.Evan Gularte, 2. Brysyn Simeral, 3. Robert McBroome, 4. Rowyn Shupe, 5. William Jardine, 6. Reagen Shupe, 7. Hayden White, 8. Gauge Felzke, 9. Ollie Gibbins, 10. Tommy Sorensen.

+ 250cc: 1. Jacob Dias, 2. Balke Rauscher, 3. Trinity Annas, 4. Evan Rauscher.

+ 500c: 1. Chris Annas, 2. Joe Owen, 3. Brandon Rosencrant, 4. Gary Owen, 5. Mark Dempsey, 6. Kevin Kentopp, 7. Trinity Annas.