YACKEY TAKES THE LINCOLN ELECTRIC SATURDAY NIGHT SHOWDOWN

BY: GEOFF BRIGGS, CNS MEDIA

Erie, CO—Saturday night proved for the second time in a row, that you don’t want to be leading the Late Model feature during the last caution. Rick Smith had the Late Model feature in his sights until his engine caught fire on the last caution flag of the race handing the lead to Bruce Yackey. In other action during the Lincoln Electric Short Track Attack, Nick Haygood powered his way to the Super Modified feature win, and Tommy Roe took the Suss.net Sportsman feature. In the exciting Loveland Goodyear Figure 8 race, defending champion Al Duran took home the trophy, and Emett Grazier took the Doc Popcorn Super Stock feature.

John Johnson took the lead early on in the Loveland Goodyear Figure 8 feature and lead over Nick Martinez, Joe Matlock, Al Duran and Dennis Stepanich Jr. Stephen Webb stalled for a lap 2 caution and John Martello was broke in the infield. Frank Gastineau stopped in turn 4 with a flat tire for a lap 3 caution and on lap 6, Joe Gastineau stalled at the X and couldn’t get going again for another caution. On lap 9, Matlock and Martinez were racing for second when contact sent Matlock almost head on into the wall with no steering. Matlock backed up and rejoined the race, but had to work his muscles the rest of the race. Harry Livermore Jr was not fifth and on lap 10, Duran took second from Martinez. Stepanich was third on lap 13 and on lap 16 Johnson got held up by a lapped car, and his teammate Duran slipped by. On lap 18, Webb stalled before the X and Duran held off his hard-charging teammate for the first TCB Racing 1-2 sweep. Martinez got back by Stepanich with only a few laps left for third and Livermore was able to hang on for fifth. Martinez and Duran took the qualifier races.

Cris Muhler jumped to the early leas in the Super Modified feature event over Ira Castor, Johnny Packard, Harry Stone and Nick Haygood. On lap 6, Cris Muhler and Skip Mikula tangled sending Muhler hard into the wall. Castor now led over Pickard, Stone, Haygood and Joe Priselac. On lap 10, Haygood took third from Stone and started working his outside attack. On lap 12, Haygood shot by Pickard for second and on lap 17, Haygood was now leaving with Rich Castor Jr now in fifth. On the last lap, Stone slammed into the back-stretch wall and Haygood took the win over I Castor, Pickard, R Castor and Priselac.

For the second race in a row, the field for the Doc Popcorn Super Stocks had to be trimmed down before the A Main. AJ Grasso jumped to the early lead over Corey Cox, Emett Grazier, Joel Sidell and Mike Cox. Grazier was second on lap 8 and started reeling in Grasso. On lap 13, Ric Lothert got by M Cox for fifth and Grasso was the new leader. Caution flew on lap 14 for Emilio Abeyta and Rob Sears spinning. Back underway, Lothert took fourth from Sidell and Matt Burton and George Gallegos spun into the infield. Lothert was by C Cox on lap 18 and on lap 22 Lothert was second. On lap 23, a red flag was displayed for a turn 1 pile-up involving Sears, Damon Dickey, James Minor, Jason Morris, John Patee, Dan Dodot and a few others with all cars driving away. Grazier held off Lothert for the win with Grasso, C Cox and Sidell rounding out the top 5. The big movers in the A-Main were the Last Chance qualifiers as Darrell Smith went from 31st to 13th, and Mario Garramone went from 32nd to 10th position. Sidell, Grazier and Grasso won the qualifier races.

Eric Blackard jumped out to the early lead in the Suss.Net Sportsman feature event. Blackard led over JimBob Rogers, Jeff Walbaum, Craig Holmes and Lee Kemmit. Tommy Roe took fifth from Kemmit on lap three, and was fourth a lap later. On lap 10, Roe took over the third position, and took over second on lap 11 as he chased down Blackard. Roe took the lead from Blackard with only a couple laps left in the race and Kemmit got by Craig Homes for fifth. Roe took the win over Blackard, Walbaum, Rogers and Kemmit in the caution-free race. Homes took one qualifier while the qualifier dash went to Walbaum, who picked up his first trophy at the speedway.

Bruce Yackey jumped to the front early in the Late Model feature and led over Ronnie Hults, Rick Smith, PJ Mattorano and Chris Eggleston. Eggleston got by Mattorano on lap 12 and Roger Avants took fifth from Mattorano on lap 13. Avants flew through the field as he started last. Smith took the lead on lap 15 from Yackey and caution flew on lap 24 for a spun Steve Yackey. Avants got by Eggleston for fifth on lap 25 and the two started a heated battle. On lap 33, Nick Rozack spun and Smith’s engine caught fire ending his run. B Yackey inherited the lead over Hults, Avants, Eggleston and Mike Hannah. B Yackey held on for the win with Hults a narrow second over Avants, Eggleston, and Hannah. Hults and Mattorano took the qualifier races.
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Lincoln Electric Saturday Night Showdown
Colorado National Speedway
A Main Results
April 19, 2007

Loveland Goodyear Figure 8's
  1. 23 Al Duran, Lakewood
  2. 90 John Johnson, Golden
  3. 26 Nick Martinez, Littleton
  4. 8 Dennis Stepanich Jr, Arvada
  5. 17 Harry Livermore Jr, Lafayette
  6. 18 Dennis Stepanich Sr, Arvada
  7. 89 Eddie Garcia, Littleton
  8. 25 Phil Taylor, Leadville
  9. 22 Joe Matlock, Aurora
  10. 42 Daniel Martinez, Northglenn
  11. 81 Dave Smith, Englewood
  12. 05 Buddy Hohn Jr, Denver
  13. 4 Stephen Webb, Thornton
  14. 50 Justin McKeachie, Aurora
  15. 11 Joe Gastineau, Golden
  16. 66 John Martello, Denver

ERA Super Modifieds
  1. 3 Nick Haygod, Centennial
  2. 22 Ira Castor, Brighton
  3. 02 Johnny Pickard, Brighton
  4. 2 Richie Castor Jr, Bennett
  5. 51 Joe Priselac, Westminster
  6. 40 Harry Stone, Brighton
  7. 88 Kevin Day, Arvada
  8. 7 Stevie Gallegos, Castle Rock
  9. 5 Duncan Stone, Longmont
  10. 16 Bryan Gossel, Ft. Collins
  11. 6 Cris Muhler, Brighton
  12. 54 Matt Gilbert, Denver
  13. 33 Skip Mikula, Commerce City

Doc Popcorn Super Stocks
  1. 33 Emett Grazier, Denver
  2. 46 Ric Lothert, Loveland
  3. 92 AJ Grasso, Longmont
  4. 48 Corey Cox, Littleton
  5. 07 Joel Sidell, Grand Lake
  6. 3 Mike Cox, Littleton
  7. 17 Jeremy Barclay, Brighton
  8. 01 Corey Greer, Loveland
  9. 39 Jack Nugent, Longmont
  10. 10 Mario Garramone, Littleton
  11. 00 Dennis Edwards, Golden
  12. 82 Sandy Thompson, Gering NE
  13. 02 Darrell Smith, Littleton
  14. 09 John Patee, Thornton
  15. 36 Matt Burton, Englewood
  16. 88 Dan Dodot, Thornton
  17. 70 Mickey Hilton II, Commerce City
  18. 27 David Taylor, Denver
  19. 91 Damon Dickey, Longmont
  20. 21 Justin Purvis, Frederick
  21. 13 Jason Morris, Denver
  22. 81 Bob Foster, Lakewood
  23. 43 Rob Sears, Firestone
  24. 15 James Minor, Denver
  25. 23 George Gallegos, Lakewood
  26. 29 Keenan Riddell, Denver
  27. 58 Tim Weaver, Louisville
  28. 75 Emilio Abeyta, Denver
  29. 31 Ronald Duran, Denver
  30. 80 Chris Cox, Westminster
  31. 1 Jeff Sluss, Northglenn

Suss.Net Sportsmans
  1. 6 Tommy Roe, Thornton
  2. 46 Eric Blackard, Lakewood
  3. 8 Jeff Walbaum, Thornton
  4. 62 JimBob Rogers, Erie
  5. 98 Lee Kemmit, Thornton
  6. 55 Craig Homes, Lakewood
  7. 93 John Baker, Cheyenne WY
  8. 43 Stan Griffin, Strasburg
  9. 58 Jeff Webb, Arvada
  10. 99 Nick Brinlee, Westminster
  11. 49 Dennis Pobanz, Colorado Springs
  12. 4 Matt Curless, Cheyenne WY
  13. 39 Scott Estes, Parker
  14. 84 Bruce Borchardt, Lafayette
  15. 02 Rick Hunt, Arvada
  16. 21 Troy Meyer, Denver
  17. 28 Alan Carter, Thornton
  18. 5 Jim Lahey, Denver
  19. 88 Steve Green, Firestone
  20. 38 Frankie Estes, Parker
  21. 17 Dennis Marion, Aurora
  22. 47 Brian Anglim, Wheat Ridge
  23. 13 Eric Potts, Arvada
  24. 76 Jonathon Lindberg, Ft. Lupton

Late Models
  1. 12 Bruce Yackey, Greeley
  2. 42 Ronnie Hults, Centennial
  3. 27 Roger Avants, Littleton
  4. 22 Chris Eggleston, Erie
  5. 15 Mike Hannah, Platteville
  6. 47 PJ Mattorano, Trinidad
  7. 77 Steve Yackey, Loveland
  8. 10 Tyler Chrisinger, Littleton
  9. 66 Darren Bucklen, Greeley
  10. 48 Sam Walls, Longmont
  11. 82 Nick Rozack, Denver
  12. 91 Chris Atkinson, Cheyenne WY
  13. 54 Joe James Jr, Denver
  14. 16 Mark Dixon, Brighton
  15. 31 Rick Smith, Gering NE
  16. 23 Davin Fisbeck, Thornton
  17. 19 Mike Bowen, Brighton