Doran Racing’s Swanson Wins Dave Steele Memorial At Showtime Speedway for the Second Year in a Row
Doran Racing and Kody Swanson got their 2021 asphalt sprint car season off to an excellent start Saturday night by winning the “Dave Steele Memorial World Non-Winged Championship 125” at Showtime Speedway for the second year in a row.
Swanson, of Zionsville, Ind., drove the Lebanon, Ohio-based team’s brand-new No. 77 Beast chassis sponsored by Glenn Farms of Woodland, Ga., to a 4.220-second victory on the three-eighths-mile asphalt oval for the $5,000 top prize. It was the first event for both the blue car and its Chevy LS V8 engine.
The victory came after a hard-fought battle with Kyle O’Gara, who started on the pole and led the first 100 laps before Swanson passed him on lap 101 of the 125-lap event with a move to the inside as the pair flew down the frontstretch. The handling of O’Gara’s car started to go away with about 20 laps to go, resulting in Swanson’s large margin of victory. Prior to that the pair duked it out for about 55 intense laps, with Swanson running directly behind O’Gara or alongside him before he was able to make a pass stick.
L.J. Grimm, Shane Butler and Tyler Roahrig rounded out the top five in the 17-car field that featured many of the same drivers Swanson will face in the PayLess Little 500 at Anderson (Ind.) Speedway on May 29.
Swanson was the fastest qualifier with a time of 13.566 seconds, earning a bonus from the parents of the late Dave Steele, Mac and Carol Steele. Due to the luck of the draw he started fourth behind O’Gara, Joe Ligouri and Dakota Armstrong.
He moved into third on lap five by passing Ligouri. He took second on lap 22 when he passed Armstrong in Turns 1 and 2, and then set his sights on O’Gara.
There were seven yellows and two reds in the first part of the race, but the last 34 laps went non-stop.
The yellow and subsequent red on lap 24 could have been disastrous. First two cars running in the back of the field spun in Turn 4 to bring out the caution flag. As the field proceeded around the track, Armstrong launched himself over Shane Butler’s car, becoming airborne but landing on all four wheels. At that point the red flag waved for oil on the speedway.
Butler, who was running right behind Swanson, didn’t slow down and went up and into Swanson’s car on the backstretch. Butler’s car was hooked into the right side of Swanson’s car when they stopped. Luckily they got unhooked and both drivers were able to continue.
O’Gara set the fastest lap of the race on lap 45 with a time of 13.322 seconds. Swanson set the second-fastest lap of the race on lap 107 with a time of 13.331 seconds. Roahrig was third-fastest with a 13.460 on lap 63.
“It means a lot to win this race in honor of Dave Steele, and to race in memory of a friend,” Swanson said in victory lane. “Thanks to the entire Doran Racing team for busting their tails, and to everyone who supports us. It takes many hands.
“I was trying very hard; Kyle is a great racer,” Swanson continued. “He is tough here at Showtime for sure. The longer the race goes, the hourglass is running out of sand, and I tried to pass him for many laps. He developed a little push, and that allowed us to get around him.”
On Friday night at Showtime Swanson overcame involvement in a pre-race crash to finish fourth in the 30-lap non-wing sprint car feature, which O’Gara won. The accident occurred when Butler spun during the initial start and collected the cars of Swanson, Grimm, Johnny Gilbertson and Ronnie Wuerdeman on the backstretch near Turn 2 with no laps down. Luckily Swanson was able to continue and he had a dramatic rally at the end even though his car’s right-front tire was losing air. On lap 29 Swanson moved into fifth by passing Armstrong, and on the last lap both he and Armstrong passed Liguori to vault Swanson into fourth.
Both Friday and Saturday’s races were broadcast live on Speed51.tv.
For more information on Doran Racing see DoranRacing.com.
Doran Racing PR
Mobil 1 Racing: Kevin Harvick Las Vegas Advance
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● Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 4 Mobil 1 Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing, is one of only two drivers to begin the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season with top-10 finishes in each of the three races held thus far. The other is Daytona 500 winner and fellow Ford driver Michael McDowell.
● Harvick comes into the Las Vegas 400 with four straight top-10s and 227 laps led in his last four NASCAR Cup Series starts at the 1.5-mile oval. And in his last nine races at Las Vegas, Harvick has finished in the top-10 seven times, a run that includes 598 laps led and two wins – March 2015 and March 2018.
● Harvick’s win at Las Vegas in March 2018 was his 100th career victory across NASCAR’s top-three national touring series – Cup, Xfinity and Camping World Truck. He has since scored 19 more Cup wins to bring his tally to 119 total victories – 58 in Cup, 47 in Xfinity and 14 in Truck. Only three other drivers in NASCAR history have surpassed 100 wins across NASCAR’s top-three series: Kyle Busch (213 wins), Richard Petty (200 wins) and David Pearson (106 wins).
● Harvick has a total of 12 top-10s at Las Vegas, the most of any active NASCAR Cup Series driver, and no one has a shot at even equaling him when the checkered flag drops on Sunday. Ten top-10s are the most any driver not named Harvick have at Las Vegas, a mark shared by Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano and Ryan Newman.
● Harvick has made 11 starts in the Xfinity Series at Las Vegas. He has two wins, six top-fives and seven top-10s. His first Xfinity Series win came in 2004 when he started 11th and led 14 laps. His second triumph came in 2010 when he started second and led 82 laps.
● Harvick has made three Truck Series starts at Las Vegas, earning two top-10s with a best finish of eighth in 1997.
● Harvick and wife DeLana celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary last Sunday. The two were married in Las Vegas on Feb. 28, 2001, two days after Harvick’s first career NASCAR Cup Series race on a Monday at North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham. Harvick started 36th on Sunday at Rockingham, but rain washed over the 1.017-mile oval just 51 laps into the 393-lap race. The race resumed at 11 a.m. ET on Monday, whereupon Harvick drove to a solid 14th-place finish. Harvick then traveled to Las Vegas on Tuesday, was married on Wednesday, and was back in a racecar on Friday where he pulled double duty, competing in both the Xfinity Series and Cup Series events at Las Vegas.
● The Mobil 1 branding on Harvick’s No. 4 Ford Mustang goes more than skin deep, as the world’s leading synthetic motor oil brand gives Harvick an added advantage. Mobil 1 products are used throughout his racecar and they extend beyond just engine oil. Power steering fluid, transmission fluid, gear oil and driveline lubricants from Mobil 1 give Harvick a technical advantage over his counterparts by reducing friction, heat and rolling resistance. Mobil 1 is a sponsor whose technology makes Harvick’s No. 4 Mobil 1 Ford Mustang faster.
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| Kevin Harvick, Driver of the No. 4 Mobil 1 Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing |
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With last Sunday at Homestead having been the first intermediate track on the 2021 schedule, how much of what you learned there is applicable to this week’s race at Las Vegas? “Homestead is always an interesting race, and this last one was no different. There’s always a lot of risk versus reward, especially early in the race. You know the top groove is going to be faster, but our cars aren’t like those Xfinity cars. You whack them against the wall once and they’re not the same, so you’ve just got to be really aware of what you have, where you are, and the risks that you take. There’s a lot to balance from the driver’s seat. Homestead is just a really unique racetrack as far as a mile-and-a half goes, so you can hold a little bit of merit in terms of results, but it’s a one-of-a-kind track that kind of stands alone as far as the setup and the things that you need.”
If you learned something Sunday at Homestead and you want to change up your racecar for Las Vegas, can you considering the relatively short turnaround time the haulers have to get back from Homestead and on the road to Las Vegas, or are the two tracks different enough that it doesn’t matter? “Homestead is a very unique track, so you have to be careful on what information you take from there to Las Vegas. The two tracks are completely different, and with the short turnaround time, our team has already prepared the car for Las Vegas. Beside a few small tweaks maybe here and there, our Mobil 1 Ford Mustang is good to go.”
You’ve won at Las Vegas twice and haven’t finished outside the top-10 in your last four visits to the track. What do you need to be quick there? “Las Vegas has a lot of tire fall off, so it’s important to have a good-handling racecar. It’s also a track where you’re constantly moving around trying to find the right grip.”
You obviously have a good team behind you, but you won a career-high nine races last year as a 44-year-old. Is that the best example of racing’s human element, where your experience allowed the No. 4 team to be good despite not having practice and qualifying? “Experience always matters in racing, and being with these guys for eight years now has built a tremendous amount of continuity, and that showed last year with nine wins.”
NASCAR’s rulebook makes teams operate in a pretty small box. When it comes to a momentum track like Las Vegas, how important is Mobil 1’s technology in the overall efficiency of your racecar, specifically in regard to reducing friction, heat and rolling resistance? “Mobil 1 technology is a true difference maker, especially this year. There’s a development freeze on all the parts and pieces that go into the racecar as we get ready for the NextGen car in 2022. That means we have to maximize what we’ve got. Efficiency equals speed. The less friction, the less rolling resistance, the faster you’ll go. From the synthetic oil in the engine to all the lubricants throughout the car, it all adds up to a more efficient racecar, and that shows up on the stopwatch.”
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McDowell Starts NASCAR Cup Series Season with Back-to-Back-to-Back Top-10 Finishes and Alfredo Scores Another Top-25 in South Florida
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FRM PR
LVMS to debut Virtual Fan Garage this weekend
Race fans can look forward to Las Vegas Motor Speedway’s fresh take on the virtual souvenir program with the introduction of the Virtual Fan Garage (VFG) this week in advance of the Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lube.
The Virtual Fan Garage, a free, interactive digital hub of engaging fan content, will provide fans at both the speedway and those tuning-in from home everything they need to know about race weekend including on-track schedules, prize giveaways, special sponsor-created offers, driver information, videos and driver lineups.
“The Virtual Fan Garage is the latest innovation to bring our race fans and sponsors closer together,” said Speedway Motorsports Chief Sales Officer Kevin Camper. “Our sponsors are able to tailor a specific message to the race fans, and many will set up contests that allow them to better engage the fans and collect data at the same time.”
The innovative project allows for real-time updates, keeping fans up to speed with all the latest news and information in a mobile-friendly format.
A new initiative across all Speedway Motorsports properties in 2021, LVMS becomes the first track to debut its Virtual Fan Garage. The VFG can be accessed at each respective speedway’s homepage and will be unique to each race weekend.
The Las Vegas Motor Speedway Virtual Fan Garage debuted Monday and includes everything you need to know about Friday’s Bucked Up 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race, Saturday’s Alsco Uniforms 300 NASCAR Xfinity Series race and Sunday’s sold-out Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lube NASCAR Cup Series main event.
A limited number of tickets and RV camping spaces are available for the Bucked Up 200 and the Alsco Uniforms 300. For tickets and camping, please log on to www.lvms.com.
LVMS PR
The fourth annual Pennzoil 400 Presented by Jiffy Lube will immerse fans in a Las Vegas Motor Speedway virtual experience
March 1, 2021. Pennzoil® is back at Las Vegas Motor Speedway to host the fourth annual Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lube as part of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) race season. Continuing this season’s heart-pounding racing, the Pennzoil 400 will once again headline an action-packed, triple-header motorsports weekend, with a virtual experience for fans and on-track excitement. The green flag will wave at the Pennzoil 400 on Sunday, March 7th at 12:30 PM PST and will be broadcast live on FOX.
“We at Shell-Pennzoil are eager to see what the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series race season has in store for both the fans and motorsport’s most entertaining drivers,” said Machteld de Haan, CEO, Pennzoil Quaker State Company and Vice President, Shell Lubricants Americas. “The Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lube has been held at Las Vegas Motor Speedway since 2018 and is always one of the most anticipated, premiere races to drivers. Our team is proud to be a part of such winning history with Team Penske and its drivers at this event, and we hope to continue to make history at this year’s race as well. In lieu of physical attendance at the track, we are hosting fans from far and wide to join us virtually through the Pennzoil Virtual Proving Grounds and experience the track like never before. While our virtual experience will be unforgettable, we are certain that the on-track action will be another race to remember.”
The Pennzoil Virtual Proving Grounds allows fans to experience the Pennzoil 400 and Las Vegas Motor Speedway in ways not possible before, with more than a dozen virtual ‘hotspots’ available for race fans around the world to experience from the comfort of their homes. Fans can access the Pennzoil Virtual Proving Grounds through the link below, also located on the Las Vegas Motor Speedway website in their Virtual Fan Zone and on Pennzoil.com. It is recommended to access the Pennzoil Virtual Proving Grounds via a desktop computer using Chrome as the web browser.
Pennzoil Virtual Proving Grounds: pennzoil400.pixelhublive.com
2021 Pennzoil Virtual Proving Grounds Hotspot Highlights:
- Virtual Las Vegas Show: Fans can tune in to watch a previously-recorded live show with many familiar Las Vegas faces! The variety show will include a performance from Shin Lim, a two-time America’s Got Talent champion and star of his own show at The Mirage in Las Vegas! Also headlining is Max Major, named Washington D.C.’s Best Performance Artist four years in a row and much more. Fans can view the show within the Pennzoil Virtual Proving Grounds on Friday, March 5th.
- NASCAR Cup Series Car Walkaround with Larry McReynolds: America’s Crew Chief takes fans on a virtual walkaround of Joey Logano’s NASCAR Cup Series car, demonstrating the important components of a car and its team.
- Shell Racing App: Fans can race incredible cars including the Shell Motorsports Collection on a variety of custom tracks! Users can race against one another or try and beat Joey’s game time. The app is available for download now in the App Store and Play Store and is free to users.
- Create Your Own Track: Fans can design their own Pennzoil-branded racetrack inside the Shell Racing app. Customization includes the choice to build an extreme ‘Arcade’ track or speedy and smooth ‘Motorsport’ track. After designing, fans can then race around their newly created track!
- Planet Fitness® Workout: Fans can experience the desert heat and work up a sweat by participating in a Joey Logano-led Planet Fitness workout. Tune in to the live workout on Tuesday, March 2nd at 7:00 PM EST. The workout will be available to access for fans at its designated hotspot after the workout concludes on Tuesday.
- Hauler Experience: Larry McReynolds will take fans on a virtual tour inside a Team Penske hauler to see how teams can bring their garage with them to every racetrack. Fans can see where the racecars are stored, the various storage for spare parts, the mobile office for the crews, even the kitchen for meals on the road!
- Pennzoil National Promotion: Within the Pennzoil Virtual Proving Grounds, fans can choose to participate in the brand’s national promotion, where purchasers of Pennzoil Platinum® Full Synthetic motor oil are eligible to receive a $22 Shell Gift Card. The offer is valid through March 14, 2021 at participating locations. For more details on the promotion, please visit www.Pennzoil.com/oilchangeoffer.
Team Penske driver and current back-to-back Pennzoil 400 champion, Joey Logano, will return to Las Vegas Motor Speedway in his No. 22 Pennzoil Ford Mustang sporting a Pennzoil primary paint scheme while attempting to capture his third straight Pennzoil 400 victory. Meanwhile, teammate Ryan Blaney will pilot his No. 12 Ford Mustang Pennzoil/Menards co-primary paint scheme as the two look to punch their ticket to the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. Team Penske drivers will have the cutting-edge technology of Pennzoil, the first synthetic motor oil made from natural gas, under their hood for unbeatable engine protection[1] as the green flag waves for a 267-lap sprint to the finish line in the Nevada desert. Pennzoil engineers continuously work on the motor oil that goes into the race cars on the track. The Pennzoil 400 is just one example of how Pennzoil is able to innovate and support winning teams and drivers like Joey Logano and Team Penske. The on track performance and data serve as a laboratory for the motor oil Pennzoil introduces for passenger cars, helping make sure that drivers get the most out of their vehicle.
“Jiffy Lube is proud to continue its presenting sponsorship of the Pennzoil 400,” said Edward Hymes, President, Jiffy Lube International, Inc. “While the race and its surrounding events will look different this year, the virtual nature of the weekend allows us to significantly extend our reach and connect with our audience in a new and interactive way. We are able to engage with race fans on their own terms, whether they are streaming content on their digital device or watching the action live on FOX. There truly will be something for everyone.”
The relationship with Speedway Motorsports Incorporated (SMI), owner and operator of the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, provides Pennzoil a stage to cultivate relationships with fans, partners and customers and put the spotlight on a shared appreciation for motorsports.
“We are excited for the Pennzoil 400 to be the first race on the west coast in the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series,” said Las Vegas Motor Speedway President, Chris Powell. “Shell and Pennzoil strive to be the standard in motorsports and we are thrilled to help set that standard by helping Pennzoil host one of the most exciting races of the season at our world-class facility.”
For more information about technical relationships between Pennzoil and motorsports teams, visit www.Pennzoil.com/en_us/performance. To stay up-to-date on the latest activities, be sure to ‘like’ the official Pennzoil Facebook Page (www.facebook.com/Pennzoil) and follow @Pennzoil on Twitter (www.twitter.com/Pennzoil) and Instagram (www.instagram.com/Pennzoil) using #Pennzoil400.
Shell Pennzoil PR
"Governor Tom Wolf has announced Pennsylvania outdoor sporting venues can welcome fans back at 20 percent capacity starting today. We join in our fans' excitement surrounding today's news. Pocono Raceway also anticipates, should the data continue to show signs of improvement, the number of guests allowed to attend the 2021 NASCAR Doubleheader races will increase. The health and safety of our fans, and all involved in our event, will be a top priority. We will work with the Wolf administration, health officials and NASCAR to ensure necessary guidance and protocols are met for our June 25-27 race weekend."
Pocono Raceway PR
OCFS announces $10K to win HO Penn Modified Championship
The fiercest competition on 4-wheels this summer is at Orange County Fair Speedway in the “H.O Penn 358 Small Block Modified” racing division! Most Saturday night OCFS
Last year OCFS hosted an average of over forty 358 Small Block drivers weekly (with over 70 showing up for Eastern States Weekend). With the growing popularity of the 358 Small Block division (and its affordability compared to Big Blocks), it's become common for many OCFS Big Block drivers to run both Big Blocks and Small Blocks pulling double duty on many Saturday nights (Anthony Perrego, Jerry Higbie, Mike Mahaney, Tyler Boniface, Bob McGannon and more!), making competition in the Small Block events just as star studded and exciting as the Big Block division ever was. Though the 358’s represent a drop off in sheer engine power, their reduced weight makes them only tenths of a second slower than their big block brethren, producing incredibly competitive side-by-side racing.
If the fact that most big block drivers also already have a Small Block too wasn’t enough to produce a competitive field of drivers in 2021, the 358 Small Block purse will certainly solidify that. 2021’s Saturday night Small Block races will pay out $2200 to the race’s winner, with $200 to start the feature. With this healthy purse, OCFS hopes to see drivers from other classes move on up to what will now be a co-headlining division at OCFS.
When asked “why the increased emphasis on the Small Block division”, OCFS Director of Motorsports, Brett Hearn declared “Todays SB modified creates a more economical option for teams and owners. This series with the money that’s being offered will give the incentive for top drivers to get excited as well as creating interest for drivers to move up from other classes.”
With a raise to the Small Block purse also comes a raise to their point fund. 2021’s points champion will walk away with an impressive $10,000 prize. The season starts with April 10th's Regular Season Opener (following April 3rd's Big Block Series Race “The OC Oval Kickoff”) and ends on Champions Night (also the “Big Block Final 4” in their points series) on August 28th after 11 races. Unlike the all-new Big Block championship series, the 358 Small Blocks will retain a traditional points series structure and handicapping. To help out our drivers who hope to compete in 2021’s Bristol Dirt race, our 358 Small Block race scheduled against it (April 24th) will be for show up points only. For those drivers who stay in Middletown, they’ll be competing for an enhanced $3,000 to win on that night!
358 Small Block drivers, do you want to test your mettle on America’s most historic speedway? 2021 at OCFS is calling, come add your name to the long list of legendary feature winners! This season marks the start of a new era for the H.O. Penn 358 Small Block Modifieds!
OCFS PR
The annual free-to-the-public practice session on Saturday, March 27th will kick off the 59th consecutive season of stock car racing at Grandview Speedway. That practice, which starts at noon, is open to all forms of racing competition.
Practice day is a great opportunity to see what their favorite racer will be driving this season and for fans to pick out their seats for 2021 and purchase their season tickets priced at just $350 and covering all Saturday night events, April through the Freedom 76 in September.
Once again the one-third-mile banked clay track will be operated by the Rogers family and will again carry a NASCAR sanction and will be part of the Advance Auto Parts National Weekly Racing Series.
Scott Hoffmaster with sponsor Wicked Effects Car Club will host their 13th annual car show at the Coventry Mall in Pottstown, PA on March 5th through March 7th. The show is open to street and race cars with move-in set for March 4th after 7 p.m. Grandview Speedway will be well represented. There will be no admission charge with the show open during mall hours (11 am to 7 pm on Friday and Saturday, 11 am to 6 pm on Sunday). For more information check in with Scott Hoffmaster at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Again this season long time track supporter T.P.Trailers will sponsor the Modifieds while T.P.Truck Equipment will be back sponsoring the Sportsman division of racing.
However the first racing event of the new season will be the VP Race Fuels 4th Annual Bruce Rogers Memorial Money Maker offering $7,500 to the winner of the 50-lapper that has the Small Block Modifieds going up against the Big Block talents. The race is set for Saturday, April 3rd and is run in memory of the man who was instrumental in building the track and making it the huge success it has become. The first annual Rogers Memorial was won by NASCAR Camping World Series and dirt Modified standout Stewart Friesen.
Ready to kick off their season at Grandview will be Craig Von Dohren seeking his 12th NASCAR track title. Jeff Strunk will be looking for his 11th championship while Duane Howard seeks his seventh. Doug Manmiller, Jared Umbenhauer and a host of others will be seeking their first titles. And in Sportsman Brian Hirthler will be looking to claim a third title.
And the biggest race of the season, the “Granddaddy of Major Modified Races”, the 50th annual Freedom 76, which offers the biggest pay day of the season is on the schedule for Saturday, September 18 with a September 25th rain date.
A complete 2021 schedule is available at www.grandviewspeedway.com.
Opportunities for event sponsorship and billboard advertising are available for the 2021 season. Full information can be had through Ernie Saxton at 267.934.7286 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Information updates can be had at www.grandviewspeedway.com or check in at Facebook. Track telephone number is 610.754.7688.
Grandview Speedway is located on Passmore Road, Bechtelsville, PA, just off Route 100 10 miles north of Pottstown.
Grandview Speedway PR
Second round of Stockton Challenge won by Evan Burrola
Atwater’s Evan Burrola won Sunday afternoon’s second round of the Stockton Challenge at Delta Speedway, earning the victory in the 20-lap Open 500 Outlaw feature. Burrola was one of seven winners during the second round of the kart and Outlaw Kart series where again over 100 teams competed at the 1/7th mile dirt oval.
Burrola persevered over a lap 16 restart to hold off Talin Torres for the win. “I knew Talin was coming. He was pretty fast. That four-lap shootout wasn’t what I wanted because we were slowly running out of fuel there,” Burrola said.
The driver of the #21E took the lead from the outside pole position at the start. Polesitter Sage Bordenave of French Camp stumbled on the second lap, sending Roseville’s Danny Carroll into a spin. Lodi’s Ryan Holden collided with Carroll in turn two to bring out the caution. Eighth starting Luke Hayes of Dunnigan advanced to fourth by lap four before the next caution flew on lap eight.
Cautions waved on lap nine when Stockton’s Caden Sarale – a multi-time Delta champ – spun from just outside the top five in turn four. Simultaneously, Holden and Fresno’s Jarrett Huber crashed in turn one. Torres found something on the top side of the race track on the ensuing restart, moving past Yuba City’s Josh Wooten and Fresno’s Tyler Henson to take over second. Wooten and Hayes then followed suit, going around the outside Henson to drop him back to fifth.
A caution on lap 16 set up a four-lap dash to the finish but Burrola led the way at the checkered flag, followed by Torres, Wooten, Hayes, and Henson.
Fifth-starting Bentley Nelson of Merced won the Box Stock main event. Delta Speedway Jr. Sprint feature winner Hayden Stepps led the opening go around from the pole while Nelson quickly rocketed to second on the fourth lap. Levi Annas of Carson City, Nev. made moves from the sixth position, using the outside line to challenge Nelson for second by lap six.
The leaders navigated through lapped traffic on lap nine, with Nelson using a lapped car as a pick to lead lap ten over Stepps. Riley Stowers of Lincoln and Sacramento’s Braiden McKenzie hit the front stretch wall to bring out a caution on lap 11. Both drivers were uninjured.
Nelson led the final four laps for the Box Stock triumph followed by Annas, Stepps, Maclaine Lourenco of Atwater, and Braxon Vasconcellos of Visalia.
Tyce Domingos of Tulare went two-for-two in Beginner Box Stock competition by claiming the 15-lap affair which started 16 of the youngest drivers at the speedway. Zayne Darpli of Hanford led the first two circuits from the outside front row before Dominigos took over from lap three. A caution flew on lap nine for Heston Stepps of Oakdale and Mylee Wood up against the wall in turn two.
Great racing developed all throughout the top-five but coming to the checkered flag, Darpli and Blake Lyons of Loomis crashed in the third turn. Domingos led Logan Barnes, 14th starting Samantha Dozier, Hawaii’s Braxton Moniz, and Corbin Johnson as the top-five drivers.
Roger Guthrie of Atwater used an inside maneuver on a late restart to top the Clone division in the 20-lap feature. Round No. 1 winner Frank Correia won his heat race to earn the pole position over the 19-kart grid for the feature. After a caution on lap six, Correia and Guthrie traded the lead before Correia wrestled it back on lap eight. Jason Figura of Waterford go up in smoke on lap 12 while Fresno’s Koen Shaw went on his lid in the wild lap 12 that necessitated the red flag. All drivers were uninjured.
Guthrie went to the inside of Correia on the restart for the decisive move, then never relinquished the lead for the victory. Watsonville’s Ricky Sanders took over second in the closing stages as well, ahead of Correia, Jason Van Fossen, and Dustin Silva to round out the top-five.
Logan Mitchell of Hanford won his second consecutive Pure Stock feature, pacing the field for all 15 circuits. Only the top-three finishers came home on the lead lap with Mitchell topping John Tevis of Los Banos and Patrick Flynn of Calistoga.
Connor Grasty of Suisun City led all 15-laps for a comfortable win in the 250 Outlaw Kart division. Visalia’s Jett Barnes, a multi-time winner at Delta in 2019 in Jr. Sprints, hounded Grasty but had to settle for second. Round No. 1 winner Kenzzie Brown of Chowchilla finished third.
Stock Appearing was another race that was decided by a dominating margin. Concord’s Bill Macedo led the opening lap before third starting Anthony Silva of Merced took over. Silva charged ahead for the win with Macedo, Jason Van Fossen of Tracy, Rich Van Fossen of Livermore, and Calistoga’s Ken Flynn as the balance of the top-five finishers.
The inaugural Stockton Challenge continues March 7 with Sunday afternoon shows at Delta Speedway. Delta’s Micro Sprint season opens on April 10.
For more information on Delta Speedway presented by Financial Center Credit Union, follow us online at www.deltaspeedwaystockton.com or on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Delta Speedway PR