Press Release by Jim Pluhar

Santa Maria, CA - May 30, 2009...Super Late Model Stocks, Papich Construction IMCA Modifieds, MMI Factory Stocks, and Toste Grading & Paving Mini Stocks took over the 1/3-mile oval at Santa Maria Speedway Saturday night.

Defending champion and current point leader Steve Drake, of San Luis Obispo, had everything go his way in the Super Late Model division. Drake set fast time of 15.871 seconds, won an 8-lap heat race, and led wire-to-wire in the 30-lap main event. Second in points Mike Kirby, of Torrance, was second with Bakersfield's John Lowrey third, El Segundo's Ron Bartels fourth, and Castroville's A.J. Kirkpatrick fifth. Bill Bartels, of Marina Del Rey, and Rob Sanders, of Bakersfield, captured the other heat races.

David Mayhew, of Atascadero, used the bottom groove to stave off the repeated attacks of Lompoc's Mike Johnson to take first place in the 25-lap IMCA Modified feature event. Tony Toste, of Arroyo Grande, was third, followed by Santa Maria's Danny Lauer and Ron Wiley. Mayhew, Wiley, and Doug Thornton, of Santa Maria, earned 8-lap heat race victories.

Kevin Linson, of Arroyo Grande, outlasted Gary Rayburn, Jr., of Grover Beach, to win the 20-lap Factory Stock main. Third place was Michael Frazier, of Santa Maria, with Carpinteria's Theo Van De Sande and Santa Maria's Glen Sparks fourth and fifth. Linson, Rayburn, and Van De Sande took 8-lap heat race victories.

Rob  Gilbertson, of Santa Maria, led the first three laps of the 20-lap Mini Stock main event before being overtaken by point leader Tom Grzincic of Atascadero. Grzincic appeared headed for his second consecutive feature event win but was caught and passed by Nipomo's Korban Ensign on the ninth circuit. Ensign led the remainder of the event followed by Grzincic, Gilbertson, Nipomo's Dustin Ensign, and Santa Maria's Bill Jewell. Grzincic, Gilbertson, and Jeremy Heroux, of Nipomo, won the 8-lap heat races.
       
Next Saturday night West Coast 360 Sprint Cars, East vs. West Super Streets, MMI Factory Stocks, and Toste Grading & Paving Mini Stocks will be in action at SMS.

Admission will be $14.00 for adults, $12.00 for seniors and military, and $5.00 for children six to twelve. Kids five and under are free. Spectator gates will 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:

Super Late Models: Fast Time - Steve Drake, 15.871. Heat 1 - S. Drake, Tom Malcolm, John Lowrey, Mike Kirby, Phil Barrow, Nick Bartels, Carla Laney. Heat 2 - Bill Bartels, Jeffrey Priddy, Dino Napier, Donnie Hampl, Dana Beattie, Ron German, Mike Riccardi (DNS). Heat 3 - Rob Sanders, A.J. Kirkpatrick, Andy Obertello, Ron Bartels, Devin Crockett, Clay Daly, Billy Griffin, Logan Drake. Main Event - S. Drake, Kirby, Lowrey, R. Bartels, Kirkpatrick, B. Bartels, Mike Johnson, Napier, Daly, Beattie, L. Drake, Hampl, Malcolm, N. Bartels, Obertello, Crockett, Sanders, Barrow, German, Priddy, Laney, Riccardi (DNS).

IMCA Modifieds: Heat 1 - Ron Wiley, Chad Weber, Danny Lauer, David Addamo, Bob Diaz, Jimmy Justice, Paul Terrones (DNS). Heat 2 - David Mayhew, Tony Toste, Mike Johnson, Larry Hood, Jason Papich, Daylan Coffey, Ken Kehs. Heat 3 - Doug Thornton, John Uccellini, Josh Vogt, Kenny Kirkpatrick, Bryan Clark, Jake Jones, Johnny White. Main Event - Mayhew, Johnson, Toste, Lauer, Wiley, Thornton, Uccellini, White, Weber, Vogt, Coffey, Clark, Addamo, Jones, Justice, Hood, Kirkpatrick, Kehs, Papich, Diaz, Terrones (DNS)
   
Factory Stocks: Heat 1 - Theo Van De Sande, Jonathan LaRosa, Brandon Brickey, Sr., Mike Leland, Dale Sylvester, Chuck Barfoot, Charlie Scovell. Heat 2 - Gary Rayburn, Jr., Matt Marchiando, Pete Lethcoe, Doyle Graham, Thad Bennett, Randy Obert, John Hanson. Heat 3 - Kevin Linson, Michael Frazier, Glen Sparks, Tim Bennett, Matt McEwan, Robert Read, Bill Spratlin. Main Event - Linson, Rayburn, Frazier, Van De Sande, Sparks, Leland, Scovell, Lethcoe, McEwan, Tim Bennett, Barfoot, Sylvester, Read, Obert, Thad Bennett, LaRosa, Brickey, Marchiando, Hanson, Spratlin, Graham (DNS).

Mini Stocks: Heat 1 - Jeremy Heroux, Korban Ensign, Kenny Smith, Dustin Ensign, Zack Miller, Ed Rains. Heat 2 - Tom Grzincic, Bill Jewell, Ben Caswell, Robby Cervantes, Taelor James, Kurt Larsen. Heat 3 - Rob Gilbertson, Jeff Dye, Jeff Biggs, Robert Dye, Aaron Cervantes, Mike Weigel.         Main Event - K. Ensign, Grzincic, Gilbertson, D. Ensign, Jewell, Weigel, Heroux, Caswell, Biggs, R. Dye, James, Rains, R. Cervantes, J. Dye, A. Cervantes, Miller, Larsen, Smith.
                                 
POINT STANDINGS:                                                                

Super Late Models: 1. Steve Drake, 145; 2. Mike Kirby, 138; 3. Rob Sanders; 112; 4. Devin Crockett, 103; 5. Bill Bartels, 102.              

IMCA Modifieds: 1. Chad Weber, 139; 2. Mike Johnson, 138; 3. Tony Toste/Ron Wiley, 118; 5. Josh Vogt,115.                            

Factory Stocks: 1. Dale Sylvester, 157; 2. Tim Bennett, 156; 3. Michael Frazier, 153; 4. Brandon Brickey, Sr., 147; 5. Matt Marchiando, 146.

Mini Stocks: 1. Tom Grzincic, 189; 2. Rob Gilbertson/Jeremy Heroux, 173; 4. Korban Ensign, 158: 5. Ben Caswell, 144.