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Posted by Bob Ingram / Beth Hazlewood
(bob ingram) on August 31, 2008, 4:50 pm
69.252.193.231
Herrera and McClarran Take Hollywood Hills Speedway Wins
Hollywood Hills Speedway @ Casino Hollywood
8-30-2008
Bob Ingram / Beth Hazlewood
Hollywood Hills Speedway @ Casino Hollywood, San Felipe Pueblo, New Mexico. For the first time in several weeks HHS dodged major weather conditions and was able to get in a full program of racing. However, threatening skies all over the state seemed to scare off some fans and even possibly some drivers. There were a good number of both cars and fans on hand to see some of the best racing ever. There was a very brief and light shower the last few laps of the Sprint Car main event that didn’t slow the drivers down even a little bit. With several big two-day shows in the area HHS still had a VERY good turnout of cars with 18 Sprints, 26 Modifieds, 17 Hobby Stocks and 15 Mini-Sprints. With a little help from Mother Nature, track prep expert Paul Wilson did a great job of getting HHS in racing condition. The track was extremely smooth, tacky and FAST all night long and held up for some of the fastest and closest racing seen this year. Because of the pending weather conditions, track director Tom Ball and his entire staff did a fantastic job of keeping the program rolling at an unbelievably fast pace that saw the entire program completed by 9:40. The evening got started at 6:59 with the National Anthem being sung by recording star Lori Michaels who did a beautiful job, and the first green flag waving at 7:02.
The Sprint cars had their smallest field of the year with a still good field of 18 cars, as several local drivers elected to run at tracks in the area that were running two-day holiday shows versus HHS running a regular Saturday night program. All three heat races ran green to checkered without a single caution period to slow the action. Heat #1 saw the #16 of Ronnie Smith take the win over current points leader Tim West in the #11W with the #26 of Ronnie’s dad Randy Smith coming home in the 3rd position. Heat #2 saw a great duel between the #45X of Johnny Herrera, the #65 or Rick Johnson and the #40X of Scott Box. These three drivers finished in that order after running nose to tail and side by side the entire race. Heat #3 had the #52NM of David Burns have one of his best runs of the year as he held off a very hard charging #78 Jody Williams with the #01 of Larry Stoerkel taking home the 3rd spot. Tonight was Stoerkels first time out this year in a Sprint as he has made a few starts in the Hobby Stocks, but has been under funded and unable to get his Sprinter out until this point in the season. The 25 lap main event had only 16 starters as the #73 of Nick Rael and the #01 of Larry Stoerkel were unable to make the start. The main event got off to an unusual start as the #01 of Stoerkel took several flips as he was lining up for the race, coming to rest against the wall in front of the grandstands. Unfortunately the damage to Stoerkel’s car was too bad to be able to take the start. Once the race got underway the #52NM of David Burns jumped out from his pole position start and got a fair lead over a gaggle of cars trying to chase him down. The battle in the pack was fast and furious with 6-8 cars fighting their way to the front. Johnny Herrera in the #45X battled with the #65 of Rick Johnson for several laps before Herrera was able to make the pass and take over 2nd place and set sail for Burns. After just a few laps Herrera was able to reel in Burns and make the pass for the lead, while the battle for 2nd continued to rage on. In the end the #11W of Tim West took 2nd followed by the #40X of Scott Box, #65 Johnson and youngster Cody Mansfield in the 4X making a great rookie fun to fill out the top five spots.
The Modifieds had a great field of 27 cars on hand. There were 26 cars in the heat races and the main event had the #57 of track announcer Mike Bertetto added to the field in the scratch position as he only runs the main due to his announcing duties. Current points leader Butch Reid was missing in action due to racing his Coaches Chassis Late Model at Aztec Speedway. Reid’s absence allowed the second place car of Mark McClarran to cut Reid’s point lead to 20 points, which means that Reid will have to hold off McClarran in the final points race of the year to maintain the championship. This should make for some very exciting racing on the last points night for the Modifieds on September 13th. Heat #1 had a great battle for the win with the #88J of McClarran and the #54 of Shawn Dutcher running side by side most of the race. At the checkered it was Dutcher taking the win over McClarran with the #32 of Steve Sutton coming home in 3rd. Heat #2 had another 4 car duel at the front with the cars of 2M Richard Johnson, #21 James Hodgdon, #05 Donald Clinger and the #151 of Russell Harvey. After many changes in position, Johnson was able to hold off Hodgdon, Clinger and Harvey in that order. Heat #3 again had a 4 car fight for the win. The #25 of Bo Martinez battled with the 7R of Steven Bertetto, the #58 of Los Alamos driver Clint Miller and the #45X of Todd Budlong . Martinez has been a front runner all year and has some heartbreakers as he has lead many laps but not been able to take home the victories due to either mechanical failures, spins or being taken out by lapped cars. However Bertetto, Miller and Budlong have been getting up to speed all year due to being new drivers or coming back from an extended period of not racing, all three of these drivers are now up to speed and could be a threat to win any race they are in. In the end Martinez held of Bertetto and Miller for the win. The 25 lap main event saw 25 of the 27 cars in the pits make the call as only the #111 of newcomer Bill Griswold and the #54 of Shawn Dutcher not able to make the start. Dutcher who had won the first heat race had mechanical problems just after the checkered flag and was not able to make repairs in time to start the main, which was a shame since Dutcher would most likely have been a serious threat to take the win. This race was slowed only twice for minor spins and was a thriller from beginning to end. The top 10-12 cars were never more than a few car lengths apart as these driver ran 2, 3 and even 4 wide at times fighting for position. At the checkered flag it was the #88J of Mark McClarran holding off the very determined #21 of James Hodgdon with the #58 of Clint Miller having his best race of the year finishing a very solid 3rd . Chasing McClarran, Hodgdon and Miller home were the #25 of Bo Martinez and the #3J of Josh Cain filling out the top five spots. This was one of the best Modified races of the year at HHS. Great job guys.
The Hobby Stocks had 17 cars on hand to run 2 heat races and a 20 lap main event. As was the case in all of the other classes the Hobby Stocks had probably the closest racing they have had all year with several cars vying for the win in every race and no caution periods to slow the action. Heat #1 saw Gallup racer Dale Lovato in the #12X take the win over the #14 of Benny Chavez with the #7T of points leader Thomas Hayes coming home in the show position. Heat #2 saw a great 4 way battle for the win with the outcome not being decided until the last lap. At the stripe it was wiley veteran Phil York in the #1 taking the win over the 5T of Mike Dempsey and the #66 of Paul Jenicek. The 20 lap main event saw all 17 cars on hand make the call for a very close and action packed race with numerous lead changes and position changes throughout the field. Steve Bonesteel in the #00 was the class of the field tonight as he worked his way up from his 11th starting spot to take the win over the #75 of Kenny Ford. Chasing Bonesteel and Ford home were the #1 of York, the #7T of Hayes and the #5T of Dempsey filling out the top five spots.
The Mini-Sprints had the short field of the night with 15 cars, but put on some GREAT racing, with probably the best main event in this division all year. Heat #1 saw the current points leader Brian Perea in a borrowed car take the win over the #5 of Jeremy Schofield with the #66 of Lonnie Saiz coming home in 3rd position. Saiz had to work his way up from the back of the pack as he was initially the pole starter but was sent to the back of the pack for 2 false starts. Heat #2 saw the very fast #7H of Jory Higginbotham take the win over another youngster James Hatch in the #44 and the #9X of Eric Smith. The 20 lap main event saw all 15 cars on hand take the green flag and all but 1 take the checkered. The #7H of Higginbotham jumped out to an early lead and looked like he would be unbeatable until mechanical problems which have plagued him all year again bit him and knocked him out of the race. After Higginbotham’s exit the battle for the win was on between the top 6 or 7 cars. In the end the #5 of Schofield hung on for the win over the #9X of Eric Smith. Smith was possibly the fastest car on the track in this race as he worked his way through the field from his 4th row starting spot. Chasing Schofield and Smith to the checkered flag was the #44 of Hatch with the #95 of Aaron Wheeler and the #91 of Clint Miller filling out the top five spots. This was one of the best races for all of these drivers, with the cars of Wheeler and Miller having their best runs of the year.
Have A Great Day
God Bless Everybody
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