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Lance Jennings
TULARE, Calif. (March 5) - Steve Drake from San Luis Obispo took control at the drop of the green flag and led all the way to grab the West Coast Late Model Shootout Series victory. The special Friday night event was part of the season opening doubleheader program at the Groppetti Automotive Thunderbowl Raceway and a strong field of 33 cars were on hand.
Event Images - West Coast Shootout at Thunderbowl Raceway
Starting from the pole position of the 30-lap feature, Drake powered by Bakersfield's Brad Pounds into turn one and used the outside line to gain momentum. This move put some distance between himself and the rest of the field as he set a blistering pace. As the laps clicked off, Drake soon reached slower traffic that slowed his progress and Pounds seized the opportunity to make a challenge.
A yellow for debris on lap 17 bunched the field together in a double file "Texas Restart." Pounds and third place Mike Kirby from Torrance were now in striking distance of the leader. On the restart, Drake got the jump and motored away from the challengers. Again reaching slower traffic, Drake sliced his way through the field and scored the win. Brad Pounds finished in the runner-up position at the stripe with Mike Kirby just behind. Veteran driver Mike Johnson from Lompoc claimed fourth and Morgan Hill's Jeff Decker rounded out the top-5.
"This place has be awfully good to us," says Drake. "We've raced here six times now and have won all six. It is definitely a challenge and way different at both ends."
After the checkered flags flew, young Tom Malcolm from Corona, who finished ninth, flipped his car at the entrance to turn three. He was uninjured.
The special event used a pill pick format to lineup the field for the heat races, which were claimed by Steve Drake, Mike Johnson, El Segundo's Nick Bartels, and Brad Pounds. Ron Bartels from El Segundo claimed the 12-lap semi-main.
The West Coast Late Model Shootout Series will return to action on April 10th at the Chowchilla Speedway, located on the Chowchilla-Madera County Fairgrounds. For more information on the West Coast Late Model Shootout Series, visit www.racesantamariaspeedway.com.
Race Results
A-Main
1 1 11X Steve Drake San Luis Obispo, CA $2,000
2 4 15B Brad Pounds Bakersfield, CA
3 9 5K Mike Kirby Torrance, CA
4 2 7 Mike Johnson Lompoc, CA
5 7 84 Jeff Decker Morgan Hill, CA
6 11 8 John Lowrey Bakersfield, CA
7 14 22 Jason Selvidge Buttonwillow, CA
8 10 32 Chris Shannon Merced, CA
9 6 75 Tommy Malcolm Corona, CA
10 20 7B Bryan Burnes Lemoore, CA
11 15 77 Bill Bartels El Segundo, CA
12 16 58B Randy Shafer Vacaville, CA
13 13 77C Johnny Cardoza Caruthers, CA
14 19 10N Robert Sanders Bakersfield, CA
15 17 12 Ron Bartels El Segundo, CA
16 12 22G Paul Guglielmoni Vacaville, CA
17 3 27 Nick Bartels El Segundo, CA
18 5 18 Cody Barnett Hesperia, CA
19 18 2 Bobby Hogge Salinas, CA
20 8 96 Carla Laney Torrance, CA
B-Main
1 2 12 Ron Bartels El Segundo, CA *
2 15 2 Bobby Hogge Salinas, CA *
3 1 10N Robert Sanders Bakersfield, CA *
4 3 7B Bryan Burnes Lemoore, CA *
5 8 91T Tony Toste Pismo Beach, CA
6 5 7X Chris Barnett Hesperia, CA
7 13 55 Bud Wahlberg Corning, CA
8 4 17s Rick Shafer Vacaville, CA
9 10 96X Ken Micheli Yuba City, CA
10 7 4R Anthony Restad Santa Rosa, CA
11 11 91P Jason Papich Santa Maria, CA
12 14 29 Andy Obertello Hollister, CA
13 12 111 Logan Drake San Luis Obispo, CA
14 6 83 Dennis Souza Pescadero, CA
dns 9 5X Dino Napier Corona, CA
dns 16 96M Matt Micheli Live Oak, CA
Heat #1
1 3 11X Steve Drake San Luis Obispo, CA *
2 5 18 Cody Barnett Hesperia, CA *
3 7 5K Mike Kirby Torrance, CA *
4 6 77C Johnny Cardoza Caruthers, CA *
5 8 10N Robert Sanders Bakersfield, CA
6 2 7X Chris Barnett Hesperia, CA
7 1 55 Bud Wahlberg Corning, CA
8 4 5X Dino Napier Corona, CA
dns 9 91T Tony Toste Pismo Beach, CA
Heat #2
1 2 7 Mike Johnson Lompoc, CA *
2 6 75 Tommy Malcolm Corona, CA *
3 3 32 Chris Shannon Merced, CA *
4 7 22 Jason Selvidge Buttonwillow, CA *
5 5 12 Ron Bartels El Segundo, CA
6 1 83 Dennis Souza Pescadero, CA
7 4 96X Ken Micheli Yuba City, CA
8 8 29 Andy Obertello Hollister, CA
Heat #3
1 1 27 Nick Bartels El Segundo, CA *
2 3 84 Jeff Decker Morgan Hill, CA *
3 8 8 John Lowrey Bakersfield, CA *
4 5 77 Bill Bartels El Segundo, CA *
5 6 7B Bryan Burnes Lemoore, CA
6 7 4R Anthony Restad Santa Rosa, CA
7 2 91P Jason Papich Santa Maria, CA
8 4 2 Bobby Hogge Salinas, CA (pulled off on lap 2)
Heat #4
1 1 15B Brad Pounds Bakersfield, CA *
2 2 96 Carla Laney Torrance, CA *
3 4 22G Paul Guglielmoni Vacaville, CA *
4 7 58B Randy Shafer Vacaville, CA *
5 5 17s Rick Shafer Vacaville, CA
6 9 91T Tony Toste Pismo Beach, CA
7 6 111 Logan Drake San Luis Obispo, CA
dns 3 96M Matt Micheli Live Oak, CA
dns 8 32B Clay Daly Winton, CA scratch-engine
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