By Lance Jennings
VENTURA, CA – MAY 11, 2010… San Diego’s Jesse Denome scored the 20-lap feature victory at Jim Naylor’s “Best Little Dirt Track In America.” With nineteen cars in the pit area for the forty-five years young and older division, the win made Denome the fourth different winner in as many races at Ventura Raceway.
Driving the #69 Steve Watt Enterprises / Agromin machine, Denome started the main event in the fourth position. With Ventura’s Russell DeBlauw and Victor Davis of Simi Valley on the front row, Davis grabbed the early lead. As the race unfolded, Rob Kershaw of Oak Park charged forward and took command with Denome close behind. Kershaw looked for his second triumph of the 2010 campaign as Denome had other plans. With a few laps remaining, Jesse made his move and motored past the 2008 Champion. Denome took the win, followed by Kershaw, Davis, Danny Miller, and Mark Weitzman. The victory marked Jesse’s first win with the VRA Senior Sprint Cars.
With his second place finish, Rob Kershaw is the new point leader. The pilot of #26 Roll Control / Interprize Capital entry won the evening’s third 8-lap heat race and won a certificate that is good for a case of Lucas Racing Oil. Kershaw is looking for another championship and has a twenty-five point advantage over Ventura’s Bruce Douglass.
Victor Davis had his best finish of the season with a third place run. Davis looked strong in the early stages of the feature in the #31V Lucas Oil / Fast Undercar machine until losing the lead to Kershaw. Denome slipped by for the runner-up spot, relegating Victor to third. Davis is currently seventh in the point chase.
Yorba Linda’s Danny Miller took the #10A Roy Miller Freight Lines / Carson Valley Incorporated car to his best finish of 2010 with fourth place. Miller is fifth in the point standings and has two heat race wins.
Mark Weitzman of Ventura tied his best finish of the year with a fifth place run. Weitzman drove his #5 sprinter to victory in the night’s first heat race and earned a $25 certificate from LRB Manufacturing. Mark is sixteenth in the point standings and looks to move up the ranks.
Bruce Douglass, won the evening’s second heat race in his #31 Fast Undercar / Lucas Oil entry. The defending series champion won a $25 certificate from Maxwell Industries and finished ninth in the main event. Douglass has three top-5 finishes and one heat race win on the season.
The VRA Senior Sprint Car Series would like to thank Fast Undercar, LRB Manufacturing, Lucas Oil, and Maxwell Industries, for their support.
Ventura Raceway held four other companion features during the night’s action. Ojai’s Troy Rutherford scored the VRA Sprint Car victory, while Santa Maria’s Danny Lauer won with the IMCA Modifieds. El Segundo’s Angel Figueroa scored his fourth straight win in VRA Pro Dwarf Car action, while Lakewood’s Chriss Gibb was victorious in the VRA Go Kart division.
The VRA Senior Sprint Cars will return to action on May 29th.
This Saturday, May 15th, Ventura Raceway will host the VRA Sprint Cars, Senior Dwarf Cars, IMCA Modifieds, Sport Compacts and the VRA Go Karts. The Front Gates will open at 3:00pm with Racing to start at 5:30pm. Adult tickets are $14, Senior, Military, and Student tickets (ID Required) are $11, while Children’s tickets (12 and under) are FREE. For more event information, please visit www.venturaraceway.com.
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VRA SENIOR SPRINT CAR RACE RESULTS:
Ventura Raceway – Ventura, California
May 8, 2010
ENTRIES: (Car / Driver Name / Points)
2 David Marini 135; 3k Gil Mahoney 130; 04 Mike Collins 160; 5 Mark Weitzman 205; 10A Danny Miller 210; 21 Bob Alderman 105; 22 Brian Williams 20; 25 Cliff Warren 170; 26 Rob Kershaw 240; 31 Bruce Douglass 175; 31V Victor Davis 215; 49 Ron Bach 15; 55 Russell DeBlauw 185; 66 Chris Meredith 135; 69 Jesse Denome 255; 75 Wiley Miller 155; 75x Bill Badger 165; 87 Mike Neal 135; 91 Joey Bishop 115.
HEAT RACE 1: (8 laps)
1. Mark Weitzman, 2. Mike Collins, 3. Russell DeBlauw, 4. Gil Mahoney, 5. Bill Badger, 6. Joey Bishop, 7. Bob Alderman.
HEAT RACE 2: (8 laps)
1. Bruce Douglass, 2. Danny Miller, 3. Cliff Warren, 4. Wiley Miller, 5. Brian Williams, 6. Chris Meredith.
HEAT RACE 3: (8 laps)
1. Rob Kershaw, 2. Jesse Denome, 3. Victor Davis, 4. David Marini, 5. Mike Neal, 6. Ron Bach.
FEATURE: (20 laps – With Starting Positions)
1. Jesse Denome (4th), 2. Rob Kershaw (6th), 3. Victor Davis (2nd), 4. Danny Miller (3rd), 5. Mark Weitzman (8th), 6. Russell DeBlauw (1st), 7. Bill Badger (13th), 8. Cliff Warren (9th), 9. Bruce Douglass (7th), 10. Wiley Miller (10th), 11. Mike Collins (5th), 12. Chris Meredith (17th), 13. Mike Neal (15th), 14. David Marini (12th), 15. Gil Mahoney (11th), 16. Joey Bishop (16th), 17. Bob Alderman (19th), 18. Brian Williams (DNS – 14th), 19. Ron Bach (DNS – 18th).
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VRA SENIOR SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS: (5/8)
1. Rob Kershaw 885
2. Bruce Douglass 860
3. Wiley Miller 815
4. Russell DeBlauw 750
5. Danny Miller 740
6. Cliff Warren 735
7. Victor Davis 670
8. Bob Alderman 580
9. Bill Badger 560
10. Mike Collins 560
11. Chris Meredith 480
12. Ron Bach 430
13. Mark Chuhaloff 420
14. Gil Mahoney 410
15. Chris Wakim 380
16. Mark Weitzman 380
17. Ed Schwarz 310
18. Jesse Denome 255
19. John Richards 185
20. Kevin Alverson 175
NEXT VRA SENIOR SPRINT CAR RACE:
May 29 – Ventura Raceway – Ventura, California