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Ryan Neuharth
PEORIA, Ariz. (April 24) - "It's certainly a lot better than last time" said an excited and somewhat relieved Lonnie Parker, Jr. in victory lane on Saturday night at Canyon Speedway Park. After nearly ending up on his lid on the first lap of the season opening main event just six weeks ago, the perennial Total Seal SWDRA champion returned to his winning ways, overtaking race long leader Mike Tahtinen on lap 17 of 25 and cruising to his 59th career, and all-time leading, Total Seal SWDRA win.
Parker, Jr. is certainly no stranger to seeing the checker flag first; however, the win marked the first almost a calendar year that the Parker Concrete, Clark's Septic Service, C&G Performance, Torco Race Fuels, GRT was in the winners circle. The previous venture came May 9th, 2009 at USA Raceway in Tucson after a thrilling, paint-swapping battle with RC Whitwell.
After a flag-to-flag heat race win, Parker, Jr. drew the fifth starting position for the 25-lap main event and quickly started making his way to the front. As Tathinen lead from the pole Parker, Jr. was up to third just four-laps in when the first of five cautions appeared for teammate Brad Whitfield and Tommy Hussek III as the two made contact in turn two.
On the restart Anthony Madrid and Parker, Jr. would battle side by side for the runner-up spot, swapping the position several times between laps four and six when yellow number two appeared for Frank Waschiewicz. Parker, Jr. would take second on the restart and quickly there-after Madrid would stop in turn two with left front suspension failure for caution period number three.
The race behind Tathinen and Parker, Jr. was a good one as Cory Hemphill, Joey Moriarty, Ricky Thornton, Jr. and Keith Noyes all wrestled for positions three through six. Caution number three would appear on lap nine as Brad Williams pulled-up in turn one after making contact with an infield tire barrier in turn four. The left front damage ended Williams' night prematurely after gaining eight spots to run sixth at the time of the incident.
Two drivers on the move early where Keith Noyes and Karl Tipton. After slipping back early from the outside pole, Noyes was back up to fifth with 11 complete while Tipton, who had a mechanical gremlin in his heat race, ran ninth after starting dead last in 21st. With Parker, Jr. continuing to stalk Tathinen up front, Bruce Duckett and John Cornell would produce caution number four when the two became entangled within the turn four inside berm.
With a restart at the halfway point, Parker, Jr. was beginning to apply heavy pressure to Tathinen as the handling on the 24 began to go astray. Parker, Jr. would sneak up beside Tathinen as the lead-duo raced side by side for the lead until Parker, Jr. stole the point on lap 15. However, before the lap could be officially completed, the fifth and final yellow of the event blinked on as Waschiewicz again was point in the wrong direction. At the same time, Noyes would retire from the event relinquishing his top-five position.
The caution negated Parker, Jr. pass for the lead, but it was just a matter of time before the 8-car would be back out front. "I knew that if I stayed low and bided my time I would eventually slide by," said Parker, Jr. "Mike's car was moving off the bottom and I just waited for an opening and took advantage." That opening came on lap 17 and Parker, Jr. pounced quickly distancing himself from the rest of the pack.
Hemphill and Moriarty both took advantage of more Tathinen misfortune in lapped traffic as the 24 bounced off a couple of slower cars and slipped back to fourth. Upfront no one had anything for Parker, Jr. as he not only broke the long winless drought, but also unofficially catapulted six spots in the points from 8th to 2nd, just four points behind leader Ricky Thornton, Jr.
Total Seal SWDRA Late Models
Canyon Raceway Park
April 24, 2010
Main Event
Lonnie Parker, Jr., Cory Hemphill, Joey Moriarty, Mike Tathinen, Art Lacy, Ricky Thornton, Jr., Jerry Fincher, James Chavez, Jr., Karl Tipton, Keith McKinney, Tommy Hussek III, Anthony Madrid (-2), Bruce Duckett (-3), Keith Noyes (DNF), Frank Waschiewicz (DNF), Andy Rudy (DNF), John Cornell (DNF), Brad Williams (DNF), Brad Whitfield (DNF), Jimmy Jelvik (DNF), Justin Thornton (DNF)
Heat 1
Parker, Jr., Hemphill, Cornell, Chavez, Jr., Waschiewicz, Jelvik, Justin Thornton
Heat 2
Tathinen, Noyes, Hussek III, Whitfield, Williams, Duckett, McKinney
Heat 3
Moriarty, Madrid, Ricky Thornton, Jr., Lacy, Fincher, Rudy, Tipton
A-Main
1 5 8 Lonnie Parker Jr El Mirage, AZ
2 6 F5 Cory Hemphill Phoenix, AZ
3 7 51 Joey Moriarty Phoenix, AZ
4 1 24 Mike Tahtinen Casa Grande, AZ
5 12 35 Art Lacy Casa Grande, AZ
6 8 20 Ricky Thornton Phoenix, AZ
7 15 37N Jerry Fincher Laveen, AZ
8 10 94 James Chavez Tucson, AZ
9 21 22 Karl Tipton Mesa, AZ
10 20 6 Keith McKinney Buckeye, AZ
11 9 16 Tommy Hussak Picacho Peak, AZ
12 3 5m Anthony Madrid Phoenix, AZ
13 17 22B Bruce Duckett Mesa, AZ
14 2 50 Keith Noyes Phoenix, AZ
15 13 37W Frank Waskiewitz Mesa, AZ
16 18 65 Andy Rudy Prescott Valley, AZ
17 4 28 John Cornell Waddel, Ariz.
18 14 23 Brad Williams Arizona City, AZ
19 11 48 Brad Whitfield Casa Grande, AZ
20 16 3T Jimmy Jelvig Tucson, AZ
21 19 28T Justin Thornton Phoenix, AZ
Heat #1
1 1 8 Lonnie Parker Jr El Mirage, AZ
2 4 F5 Cory Hemphill Phoenix, AZ
3 6 28 John Cornell Waddel, Ariz.
4 5 94 James Chavez Tucson, AZ
5 3 37W Frank Waskiewitz Mesa, AZ
6 7 3T Jimmy Jelvig Tucson, AZ
7 2 28T Justin Thornton Phoenix, AZ
Heat #2
1 1 24 Mike Tahtinen Casa Grande, AZ
2 2 50 Keith Noyes Phoenix, AZ
3 3 16 Tommy Hussak Picacho Peak, AZ
4 7 48 Brad Whitfield Casa Grande, AZ
5 5 23 Brad Williams Arizona City, AZ
6 6 22B Bruce Duckett Mesa, AZ
7 4 6 Keith McKinney Buckeye, AZ
Heat #3
1 2 51 Joey Moriarty Phoenix, AZ
2 7 5m Anthony Madrid Phoenix, AZ
3 6 20 Ricky Thornton Phoenix, AZ
4 4 35 Art Lacy Casa Grande, AZ
5 1 37N Jerry Fincher Laveen, AZ
6 5 65 Andy Rudy Prescott Valley, AZ
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