Press Release by Jim Pluhar
Santa Maria, CA - May 2, 2009...

West Coast 360 Sprint Cars, NMRA TQ Midgets, Factory Stocks, and Mini Stocks brought the second night of 2009 racing excitement to Central Coast race fans Saturday night.

Clovis driver Peter Murphy, who won four 360 sprint car championships last year, started the season with the point lead in the West Coast 360 Sprint Car division after winning the 30-lap main event. Wes Gutierrez, of San Martin, had the field covered after setting fast time of 14.686 seconds, before spinning himself out in turn two on the 17th lap. That allowed Murphy to take over the lead and drive on to victory, followed by Fresno's T.J. Smith, Atascadero's Greg Porte, Gutierrez, and Kerman's Davey Pombo. Pombo also won the 4-lap trophy dash while 10-lap heat race wins went to Jonathan Logan, of Hanford Dennis Howell, and Joey Layman of Paso Robles.

Bruce Hiroshima, of Camarillo, took the measure of the NMRA TQ Midget division, leading all the way in their 25-lap feature event as-well-as winning a 10-lap heat race. Fellow Camarillo driver Richard Ortega, Jr. came home second and Newbury Park's Scott Dobson, who also won a heat race, was third. Jimmy Dodson, of Bakersfield, and Anthony Lopiccolo, of Brea, were fourth and fifth. Dodson also set fast time of 16.502 seconds.

After six years of trying Dale Sylvester, of Arroyo Grande, finally got his first 20-lap Factory Stock main event victory. Santa Maria's Tim Bennett chased him home followed by Kevin Linson of Arroyo Grande. Defending champion and current point leader Kirk Morgan and Michael Frazier, both of Santa Maria, completed the top-five. Sylvester's victory put him one point behind Morgan for the championship lead. Morgan and Atascadero drivers Mike Leland and Randy Obert captured 8-lap heat race victories.

Mini Stocks had their first run of the season on the 1/3-mile oval. Darrin Davis and Tom Grzincic, both Atascadero drivers, were scheduled to start on the front row for the 20-lap main event, but both opted to take the "front row challenge". The challenge allows drivers scheduled to start on the front row of the main event to start on the back row instead. If they win the race they win double the first place money, in this case bringing the winner's share to $700.00. When all was said and done, Davis took home first place money with Grzincic placing second. Third through fifth were Frank Nyback, of Santa Maria; Jeremy Heroux, of Nipomo; and, Rob Gilbertson of Santa Maria. Davis, Grzincic, and Gilbertson won 8-lap heat races.

Next Saturday night Western All Stars Super Late Models with guest driver Ron Capps, the NHRA funny car point leader, will headline the show. They will be joined by Papich Construction IMCA Modifieds, and Mini Stocks. It will also be "Relay for Life" and Ladies Night. Admission prices will be $16.00 for adults, $14.00 for seniors and military, and $6.00 for children six to twelve. Kids five and under are free. Gates open at 3:00 p.m., with qualifying at 5:00 p.m. and racing at 6:00 p.m. The Speedway is located 1/4-mile north of the US 101/166 interchange on Hutton Road.

RACE SUMMARIES:
West Coast Sprint Cars: Fast Time - Wes Gutierrez, 14.686.
Dash - Davey Pombo, Peter Murphy, Greg Porte, Gutierrez.
Heat 1 - Jonathan Logan, Murphy, Michael Faccinto, Gutierrez, Jared Little, Rick Eberhardt.
Heat 2 - Dennis Howell, Justyne Hamblin, Porte, T.J. Smith, Aaron Altaffer, Terry Nichols.
Heat 3 - Joey Layman, Pombo, Rusty Carlile, Steve DeMott, Bill Jones, Jason Swaim, Kevin Barnes (DNS).
Main Event - Murphy, Smith, Porte, Gutierrez, Pombo, Faccinto, Carlile, Altaffer, Little, Eberhardt, Logan, Howell, Jones, DeMott, Nichols, Hamblin, Layman, Swaim, Barnes (DNS).

NMRA TQ Midgets:
Heat 1 - Bruce Hiroshima, Richard Ortega, Jr., Jimmy Dodson, Chuck West, Dakota Schweitzer, Amanda Thomas.
Heat 2 - Scott Dobson, Anthony Lopiccolo, Scott Niven, Ran Ahrendt, West Evans, Dave Lambert.
Main Event - Hiroshima, Ortega, Dobson, Dodson, Lopiccolo, Niven, Evans, Thomas, Lambert, West, Ahrendt, Schweitzer.

Factory Stocks:
Heat 1 - Mike Leland, Chuck Barfoot, Tom Renner, Brandon Brickey, Sr., Charlie Scovell, Derek Todd, Glen Sparks.
Heat 2 - Randy Obert, Kevin Linson, Chris Graham, Matt Marchiando, Pete Lethcoe, Danny Sutton, John Hanson.
Heat 3 - Kirk Morgan, Tim Bennett, Dale Sylvester, Bill Spratlin, Michael Frazier, Justin Bradshaw, Robert Read.
Main Event - Sylvester, Bennett, Linson, Morgan, Frazier, Brickey, Lethcoe, Marchiando, Hanson, Graham, Obert, Scovell, Barfoot, Spratlin, Bradshaw, Todd, Sutton, Sparks, Renner, Read, Leland.

Mini Stocks:
Heat 1 - Tom Grzincic, Jeff Biggs, Dusty Ensign, Hardy Ensign, Kenny Smith, Phillip Sewell.
Heat 2 - Darrin Davis, Jeremy Heroux, Robby Cervantes, Jeff Dye, Robert Dye, Zack Miller.
Heat 3 - Rob Gilbertson, Frank Nyback, Aaron. Cervantes, Ben Caswell, Kurt Larsen.
Main Event - Davis, Grzincic, Nyback, Heroux, Gilbertson, A. Cervantes, R. Cervantes, Biggs, Ensign, Caswell, Smith, J. Dye, R. Dye, Sewell, Miller, Larsen, Ensign.

POINT STANDINGS
Sprint Cars
1. Peter Murphy, 50 2. T.J. Smith, 46 3. Greg Porte, 43 4. Wes Gutierrez, 42 5. Davey Pombo, 40.                    

Factory Stocks
1. Kirk Morgan, 93 2. Dale Sylvester, 92 3. Matt Marchiando, 84 4. Tim Bennett, 83 5. Pete Lethcoe, 78.

Mini Stocks
1. Darrin Davis, 51 2. Tom Grzincic, 47 3. Frank Nyback, 43 4. Jeremy Heroux; Rob Gilbertson, 41.

You should have just drove up and put your car in front of mine.......................I left a big gap and waited on you, with one to go I closed the gap................................I though you broke or something................next time get up in there, some people spin and still get their spot back................. ....see you soon ,pete

Same  thing  happened  to  us  last  week.     Passed  a  car  out  of  four ,  the  yellow  came  out  when  we  were  in  two.    They  put  that  car  back  in front  of us...    didnt  understand  it but  what  do  you  do ,  no  time  to discuss it  at  the  time..

Sorry, really I  mean no dis-respect to anyone, It has always been SMS if you are around tenth place or worse its a "free-for-all-and-see-where-they-put-you" They know it and we know it. Thats why some guys decide to "sneak a spot or two" on the cautions and restarts. When a caution comes out I will not give an inch to anyone until an official tells me I need to let someone in, period.

The solution is, and always will be, a lap counter system such as an AMB Lap counter system or equivalent type system, like Hanford has, make shure the batteries are charged, and go racin'. Until the track can afford one, just gonna have to deal with it.

Again, I mean no dis-respect, I am shure Chris & Crew will resolve this well known issue. He has done the best job of any promoter this track has seen in a long time. I would even put in some money for a lap counter/timer system, if others would also. Just say the word or start the thread Chris, I'm in!!!

Mopar73Car
Glen Sparks