From Lonnie Wheatley
PEORIA, Ariz. (January 29, 2012) – Tracy Hines became the third different winner in as many rounds of Winter Challenge action at Canyon Speedway Park by taking the $3,000 triumph in Sunday afternoon’s 30-lap feature event pitting the ASCS Canyon Region versus the USAC West Coast Series.
After leading much of the way in Saturday’s feature only to surrender the point in the closing circuits, there was no stopping the reigning Western World champion in Sunday’s main event after he took the lead away from Rick Ziehl on the 18th circuit.
While Hines started from the pole position, it was outside front row starter and Friday night winner Charles Davis, Jr., pacing the early circuits in front of fourth-starter Ziehl and Hines.
As traffic came into play on the 3/8-mile clay oval, Ziehl slid past Davis, Jr., for the lead on the 11th round with Hines following suit soon after. Hines worked traffic precisely over the next several rounds and took the lead from Ziehl with 13 circuits remaining.
With clear track in front of him after a caution with just six laps to go, the New Castle, IN, native raced on to the checkered flag in front of Ziehl, with R.J. Johnson, Davis, Jr., and Jeremy Sherman rounding out the top five.
Andrew Reinbold advanced ten positions by racing from 16th to sixth, while Bud Kaeding charged from 19th to seventh. Bruce St. James was eighth, with Mike Martin and Jon Stanbrough completing the top ten.
Hines, Johnson and Davis, Jr., won Sunday’s heat races.
Canyon Speedway Park’s Winter Challenge resumes with Round Four on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m., followed by Round Five on Friday at 7:00 p.m. and then the $5,000-to-win Sixth and Final Round on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.
Winter Challenge Round Three Results from Canyon Speedway Park:
First Heat (8 Laps): 1. 4-Tracy Hines, 2. 7k-Bruce St. James, 3. 20z-Rick Ziehl, 4. 16-Mike Martin, 5. 62-Johnny Herrera, 6. 36d-Dave Darland, 7. 29-Bud Kaeding, 8. 1-Stevie Sussex, 9. 23-Colby Copeland.
Second Heat (8 Laps): 1. 77m-R.J. Johnson, 2. 3F-Geoff Ensign, 3. 48T-Thomas Ogle, 4. 8-Bob Ream, Jr., 5. 6jt-Michael Curtis, 6. 32b-Brian Hosford, 7. 17k-Kyle Danielson, 8. 9x-Ryan Linder.
Third Heat (8 Laps): 1. 50-Charles Davis, Jr., 2. 97-Casey Shuman, 3. 21-Jeremy Sherman, 4. 0-Jimmy Crawford, 5. 19-Andrew Reinbold, 6. XXX-Zach Sawyers, 7. 53-Tom Lee, 8. 21x-Jon Stanbrough.
“A” Feature (30 Laps): 1. 4-Tracy Hines, 2. 20z-Rick Ziehl, 3. 77m-R.J. Johnson, 4. 50-Charles Davis, Jr., 5. 21-Jeremy Sherman, 6. 19-Andrew Reinbold, 7. 29-Bud Kaeding, 8. 7k-Bruce St. James, 9. 16-Mike Martin, 10. 21x-Jon Stanbrough, 11. 97-Casey Shuman, 12. 23-Colby Copeland, 13. 62-Johnny Herrera, 14. 3F-Geoff Ensign, 15. 36d-Dave Darland, 16. 8-Bob Ream, Jr., 17. XXX-Zach Sawyers, 18. 17k-Kyle Danielson, 19. 0-Jimmy Crawford, 20. 53-Tom Lee, 21. 48T-Thomas Ogle, 22. 6jt-Michael Curtis. DNS: 32b-Brian Hosford, 1-Stevie Sussex, 9x-Ryan Linder.
Winter Challenge Points (Top Ten): 1. Tracy Hines (New Castle, IN) 400, 2. Bud Kaeding (Campbell, CA) 396, 3. Charles Davis, Jr. (Buckeye, AZ) 388, 4. R.J. Johnson (Phoenix, AZ) 383, 5. (tie) Dave Darland (Lincoln, IN) and Jeremy Sherman (Surprise, AZ) 355, 7. Rick Ziehl (Las Cruces, NM) 346, 8. Casey Shuman (Tempe, AZ) 343, 9. Johnny Herrera (Albuquerque, NM) 336, 10. Bruce St. James (Phoenix, AZ) 328.
Remaining Winter Challenge Schedule at Canyon Speedway Park:
Round Four – Wednesday, February 1 @ 7:00 p.m. ($2,000 to win)
Round Five – Friday, February 3 @ 7:00 p.m. ($2,000 to win)
Round Six – Saturday, February 4 @ 1:00 p.m. ($5,000 to win)
Peoria’s Canyon Speedway Park is located 25 miles north of Phoenix on I-17 to Exit 223, then 6.3 miles west. For more information, contact the track at 602-258-7223 or check www.canyonspeedwaypark.com.