From Lance Jennings, photo from surfnsprint.com
(VENTURA, CA – May 2, 2010) Saturday night May 1 proved to be another night of exciting racing at Ventura Raceway. With five adult classes and three kids classes signed into the pits.
VRA Sprints had 29 360 sprints signed in for the night’s event. Troy Rutherford led the class into the event and at the end of the night he maintained his point’s lead over 2009 series champion Kevin Kierce by 10 points. The night began with four heat races to determine the transfer cars to the main event. Heat race victories went to Brent Camarillo, Brian Camarillo, Rutherford and Josh Ford. One semi main was contested with Don Gansen taking the win. Joining him in transfer spots to the feature were Scott Hansen, Dakota Kershaw and 2009 Senior Sprint Champion Bruce Douglass. The 20 main event starters took the green with Brody Roa on the pole for the first time in his VRA career and Rick Hendrix on the outside front row. Hendrix immediately jumped out to the lead and was never headed in the 30 lap event. Roa did a great job in the event with a car that missed the set up a little to finish 12th. The finish saw Hendrix taking his first win of the 2010 season and making him the sixth different winner in six events, followed by Troy Rutherford, Brian Camarillo, Greg Taylor and Cody Kershaw.
VRA Dwarf Cars were racing together in two divisions Saturday night for the first time in 2010. Angel Figueroa kept his streak alive by taking the win in the Pro Class. Following him to the checker were Steven Benson, Curt Cook, Michael Lewis and Lee Majors. Two Pro heats were run with wins going to Ray Estrada and Steven Benson. In Seniors, the win went to Kent Benson, followed by Bill VanPraag, George Calvo, Kevin Alverson and Mike Neal. Their two heat races went to Benson and George Sack Jr. After three racer, Angel Figueroa leads Steven Benson by 155 points in the Pros and Kent Benson leads VanPraag by 40 points in the seniors.
VRA Sport Compacts ran an excellent race with the win going to point leader Trevor Fitzgibbon, followed by 2009 series champ Brent Underwood, Jason Marshall, Cody Greiman and Brandon Reta. Heat race wins went to Fitzgibbon and Mike Frazier.
IMCA Modifieds had 12 cars in attendance Saturday. Steve Bulpitt went home early due to mechanical problems leaving 11 cars to compete the rest of the night. Heat race wins went to Aaron Rodarte and Damon Redman. The 20 lap feature ran fast and furious with Damon Redman taking the win over Austin Rodarte, Brad Prows, Joe Weaver and Rob Green. Rodarte’s second place finish kept him in front in the series by 11 points over Jack Parker.
In our kid’s divisions, Mini Dwarf Pistons action saw the feature win go to Logan Rutherford, Troy Rutherford’s daughter. In Mini Dwarf Super Chargers the win went to Joe Snyder. In Junior Midgets, the feature went to Brennan Rogers who now holds an 80 point lead over Austin Figueroa after 3 races.
Next week Ventura Raceway returns to action with VRA Sprint Cars, Senior Sprints, Pro Dwarf Cars, IMCA Modifieds and Go Karts. For more information, visit www.venturaraceway.com.
VRA SPRINT CAR RACE RESULTS:
Ventura Raceway – Ventura, California
May 1, 2010
ENTRIES: (Points Earned)
1 Kevin Kierce 185; 3 Marcus Niemela 135; 7 Greg Taylor 210; 7G Don Gansen 135; 8 Ronnie Case 10; 09 Luis Espinoza 110; 11 Troy Rutherford 240; 14 Tom Hendricks 130; 15 Rick Hendrix 255; 20K Dakota Kershaw 110; 22C Brian Camarillo 225; 24 Guy Woodward 170; 27K Cody Kershaw 200; 29K Hobie Conway 15; 29S Michael Steele 15; 31 Bruce Douglass 110; 31V Victor Davis 20; 33 Scott Hansen 120; 37 David Bezio 10; 43 Justin Kierce 0; 51 Brent Camarillo 185; 56 Steve Conrad 155; 65 Austin DeBlauw 110; 71C Jeff Culver 15; 73 Josh Ford 175; 83 John Nock 155; 91R Brody Roa 155; 92 Brandon Thomson 10; 96K Charlie Butcher 10.
HEAT RACE 1: (10 laps)
1. Brent Camarillo, 2. Cody Kershaw, 3. John Nock, 4. Marcus Niemela, 5. Don Gansen, 6. Jeff Culver, 7. Ronnie Case, 8. Justin Kierce (DNS).
HEAT RACE 2: (10 laps)
1. Brian Camarillo, 2. Greg Taylor, 3. Luis Espinoza, 4. Steve Conrad, 5. Bruce Douglass, 6. Dakota Kershaw, 7. Brandon Thomson.
HEAT RACE 3: (10 laps)
1. Troy Rutherford, 2. Rick Hendrix, 3. Kevin Kierce, 4. Austin DeBlauw, 5. Victor Davis, 6. Hobie Conway, 7. David Bezio.
HEAT RACE 4: (10 laps)
1. Josh Ford, 2. Brody Roa, 3. Guy Woodward, 4. Tom Hendricks, 5. Scott Hansen, 6. Michael Steele, 7. Charlie Butcher.
SEMI-MAIN: (12 laps)
1. Don Gansen, 2. Scott Hansen, 3. Dakota Kershaw, 4. Bruce Douglass, 5. Victor Davis, 6. Justin Kierce, 7. David Bezio, 8. Charlie Butcher, 9. Hobie Conway, 10. Brandon Thomson, 11. Michael Steele, 12. Jeff Culver.
FEATURE: (30 laps – With Starting Positions)
1. Rick Hendrix (2nd), 2. Troy Rutherford (5th), 3. Brian Camarillo (7th), 4. Greg Taylor (4th), 5. Cody Kershaw (3rd), 6. Kevin Kierce (10th), 7. Brent Camarillo (8th), 8. Guy Woodward (9th), 9. Josh Ford (6th), 10. Steve Conrad (14th), 11. John Nock (11th), 12. Brody Roa (1st), 13. Don Gansen (17th), 14. Marcus Niemela (13th), 15. Tom Hendricks (16th), 16. Scott Hansen (18th), 17. Dakota Kershaw (19th), 18. Bruce Douglass (20th), 19. Austin DeBlauw (15th), 20. Luis Espinoza (12th).
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VRA SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS: (5/1)
1. Troy Rutherford, 11- 1360
2. Kevin Kierce, 1- 1260
3. Greg Taylor, 7- 1195
4. Josh Ford, 73- 1120
5. Rick Hendrix, 15- 1080
6. Steve Conrad, 56- 995
7. Don Gansen, 7G- 930
8. Guy Woodward, 24- 875
9. Brent Camarillo, 51- 840
10. Brian Camarillo, 22C- 830
11. John Nock, 83- 775
12. Justin Kierce, 43- 745
13. Dakota Kershaw, 20K- 695
14. Luis Espinoza, 09- 675
15. Cody Kershaw, 27K- 655
16. Ronnie Case, 8- 600
17. Clark Templeman III, 18T- 435
18. Brody Roa, 91R- 410
19. Nic Faas, 51X- 405
20. Bruce Douglass, 31- 350
NEXT VRA SPRINT CAR RACE:
May 8 – Ventura Raceway – Ventura, California