2011 Local Tracks

  STOCKTON 99 SPEEDWAY
2011 Schedule         Last race: WEEKLY RACE RECAP

Race & Ride For Autism Produced Some Thrills and Spills on the Tricky Quarter-Mile

On Saturday, August 13^th, the NASCAR Whelen All American Racing Series rolled back onto the high banks in Race & Ride For Autism with the Western Late Models in 100 Laps of fast and furious action.  Also on the ticket for the Event were the Vintage Hard Tops, Ford Focus Midgets, Basically-4-Cylinders and the Enduro Series Race #3.  This weekend there was an assortment of flavors to quench the hunger of every octane-drenched taste bud in the race-lovers repertoire.  From the hard-core stock cars to the wet and wild Enduro, this is one date you didn’t want to miss.  And the 1500 fans in the stands were race-ready and filled with anticipation in what this night held forth in her action-packed hands.

The Ford Focus Midgets took to the asphalt to get the show underway.  Thirteen year old Brodie Kostecki (40) of Perth, Australia would rise to the top on this night as he crossed beneath the checkers in this fast-paced battle.

Keegan Walmer (42) of Portland, OR rolled off P1 on the starting grid with Jessica Clark (44) of Westlake Village rolling out high and tight to get this first race up to speed.  Walmer grabbed a huge chunk of asphalt coming to the green and beat the field down into turn one for the lead.  Unfortunately, it would be an abbreviated lead when, on lap 3, Garrett Peterson (31) of West Sacramento jetted by the #42 to take control of the top spot where he would hold strong over the next ten circuits until lap 13, when the #40 of Brodie Kostecki, starting P6 on the grid,  decided it was his turn to shine as he showed overwhelming power in snatching the lead away, quite handily.  From that point forward it would be all about Kostecki as he took it the rest of the way, pretty much unmolested, to the checkers and the Lion’s share of the spoils.  Cody Gerhardt (60) of Madera, after starting from the number five spot, worked his way patiently to a second place finish.  Walmer slipped back, if only slightly, but still managed a podium finish in third.  Clark, as well, slid back a bit to finish fourth, while the #24 of Paul Graham rounded out the top five.

In the Vintage Hard Top Division, the car-count was scant at best, but these racers are serious about racing and always put their right feet forward.  And so it was on this night, Charles Mart (00) of Salida led from the gun in their ten lap romp, beating Santa Rosa’s Conrad Cavallero (2) at the line by a mere .141, making this the closest finish of the evening.

The Young Guns were up next in the first of Twin Races.  Brodie Kostecki (40) continued his dream night by winning both the Twins in a very convincing and quite impressive manner.  The finish in both races were identical as well with Trevor Hunt (11) racing his way to second, while Keegan Walmar drove her onto the podium in third.  The #8 of James Eden brought her home in the number four position to cap off the Young Guns’ night.

Nothing out of the ordinary went on in the Basically-4-Cylinders Division with Points Leader Joseph Reichmuth (6) of Manteca exploiting the entire field with the power his little hotrod possesses as he jumped out early and never looked back, notching his eighth win on the year.

French Camp’s Mark Jacke (747) grabbed the pole in this one with Reichmuth high and to the right.  And of course, Reichmuth got the great run on the outside, which this year, has been there for the taking, as he drove off into turn one with the lead.  Unfortunately, this race took a wicked twist coming off turn four down the frontstretch when, on lap 1, Modesto’s Jennifer Corder (24) and Hughson’s Tommy Wood (28) made contact, with Wood climbing up the side of Corder and landing on his lid up by turn one, which brought out an immediate red.  The #01 of Chris Boone also caught a piece of the action and all three cars were done for the night.  All drivers were checked at the Infield Care Center and released.  On the restart, Jacke showed some of his potential power by wrestling the lead away from Reichmuth, only to be slowed two laps later when the #11 of Adrian Desousa looped over in turn two, which brought with it the final caution on the night.  On the lap 3 restart, Reichmuth grabbed a gear and took control of that much-coveted real estate out front in the clean air, where he would bask in the limelight, chewing away at the asphalt, relentlessly, until he had lapped all the way up to third place as he crossed beneath the checkers for his eighth Victory of the Season.  Jacke shadowed Reichmuth’s every move, but in the end, the #6 car was simply too much to overcome and Jacke had to settle for second for the third race in a row.  Third generation driver from Manteca, Firecracker Matt Anderson (5), mired deep on the starting grid, did a marvelous job working through traffic as he drove it onto the podium in third.  Third generation female driver from Ceres, Samantha Williams (4), after negotiating traffic with some astonishing moves of her own, brought her home fourth, while Mr. Consistency Kelle Bobbitt (61) of Stockton rounded out the top five.

In the Western Late Model Race & Ride for Autism 100, Seaside’s Dave Byrd (78) broke his silence after ten top-five finishes this year.  Byrd decided it was time to show his extensive and exclusives skills as he took the lead on lap 27 and took it the rest of the way to score his first win of the year.

Second generation driver from Stockton, Colby Potts (12), was triumphant in gaining P1 to head the field to green.  Sharing front-row honors was 2009 National Rookie of the Year from Manteca, Jacob Gomes (51X), up on the wheel and ready to go out to the right.  When the green flag dropped, Gomes wasted no time in determining where he wanted to run in this event by grabbing the holeshot going down into one.  Unfortunately, on lap 7, the greedy God of Mechanical Woes reared its ugly held and misfortune befell the #51X when, on lap 10, the young Star from Manteca exited into the pits and his night was done before it started.  Meanwhile, on lap 7, Potts inherited the lead as Gomes slowed on the racing surface, only to be displaced two laps later by another young driver, Clovis’s Trevor Schlundt (28).  Once out front, Schlundt appeared stout, but Byrd had moved into second and began biting pieces of bumper off the rear of the #28 until, on lap 27, Byrd wrestled the lead away from Schlundt who had no choice but to relinquish that prime spot to the better car on this night.  From that point forward, and despite the agony of six more restarts, Byrd refused to give up control of that all-important atmosphere out front to the hard charge of Points Leader Jeff Belletto (12X) of Modesto.  With the checkers flying high in the night sky, Byrd drove beneath them to the sweet taste of Victory, his on the Season and a very popular one, at that.  Belletto, in what is undeniably the strongest car this year, worked his way from mid-pack on the starting grid, to finish a beautiful second place run.  Cody Hodgson (55X) of Manteca, recently running back east, was home to finish a very solid race on the podium in third.  Modesto’s Mike Beeler (6), always a threat, crossed the stripe in fourth with San Ramon’s Tim Spurgeon (86), in a rare appearance this year, managed a very nice fifth place finish.

The Enduro race got off as wild as usual with Manteca’s Ryan Strmiska (98) grabbing the lead early on and appearing quite strong.  However, after working his way through the deluge of water and sheet metal, Carmichael’s Chris Lancaster (7), as he often does, sniffed out the leader on lap 30 and took control from there where he would lead until lap 92 when Strmiska took it back for himself.  Over the next several circuits, these two drivers would put on a wonderful display of car control until lap 112, when Strmiska took over the reign for the final time and rode it all the way out to the checkers for the very popular win.  Lancaster would finish in a not-so-far second and the only other car on the lead lap.  The #01 Brandon Ericson finished a great night and landed on the podium in third.  Superstar David Papst Jr. (2) of Lodi brought her home in fourth, while another Lodi driver, Adam Baggett (24X), rounded out the top five.

Next Saturday, August 20^th, Jackson Rancheria Presents the SRL Spears Southwest Tour Series Late Models along with the Legends of the Pacific, Pro-4 Modifieds and the NCMA Sprint Cars.  Plus $25 Slot Play & Raffles!

The New Stockton 99 Speedway is located at 4105 N. Wilson Way, ¼-mile west of Highway 99.  For more information on tickets and times, please contact the Speedway Office at (209)466-9999 or visit their Website at www.stockton99.com. 

The New Stockton 99 Speedway is sponsored by Jackson Rancheria Casino Hotel, California Welding Supply, Budweiser, Alamo Alarm and Stockton Hampton Inn and Suites and Lodi Holiday Express.

RESULTS

Basically-4-Cylinders

Enduro

Ford Focus Midgets

Vintage Hard Tops

WLM

Young Guns Main #1

Young Guns Main #2

Attn. Visitors; Rooms available at Stockton 99's New Official Hotel!