(08-12-2017 Dacono, CO) The Colorado Christian University Faster Pastor Night at Colorado National Speedway proved to be one of the most entertaining night’s of racing in a long time. Close racing action and late race passes seemed to be the theme of the evening. Darren Robertson made a late race pass on Justin Simonson to win the Gillett Vet Clinic Super Late Models and Eddie Vecchiarelli came from the back of the field twice to pass his father Ed Sr. for the Grand American Modified win on the final corner of the final lap. But none were more close and exciting than Nathan Gasser’s last corner pass on Brian Yackey to win the Quaker Steak and Lube Late Model feature. Chris Cox and Jared Wall were also victorious in the Super Stocks and Trains.
Gillett Vet Clinic Super Late Models
The 2017 season in the Gillett Vet Clinic Super Late Models has turned into a two man race between points leader Darren Robertson from Westminster and Jace Hansen from Broomfield. Yet it was #9 Justin Simonson from Wheatridge who flexed his muscle early in the feature event jumping out to a huge lead on the field. Jace Hansen was a few car lengths back in 2nd and Robertson was battling for 3rd with Brett Yackey in the newly painted #32 Alan Kulwicki tribute car.
#9 Justin Simonson was the early race leader (Starr photo)
Simonson couldn’t quite keep on his blistering pace and Hansen pulled up on his bumper and even poked his nose down under hoping to find a way into the lead.
Robertson’s car looked great on long green flag segments and eventually went low to pass Hansen for 2nd place. Now the race was on, Darren Robertson and Justin Simonson battling side by side with the laps winding down. With just a few laps to go the two leaders entered turn 3 side by side but a lapped car pinned Robertson allowing Simonson to regain control of the race. It seemed as if there was too little time for Robertson to make another run for the lead but perhaps Simonson’s tires had given all they could give and Robertson dove to the inside once again. Robertson took the lead with just a couple laps left and when the checkered flag dropped it was the #11 winning his 4th feature of the season but more importantly stretching his points lead to 26 over Jace Hansen.
Behind Darren and Justin the remaining cars in the top 5 were: #32 Brett Yackey from Greeley, #08 Jace Hansen out of Broomfield, and #80 Ray Daniels from Monument.
Darren Robertson is congratulated in winner’s circle (Starr photo)
The Super Late Models return to action on Saturday September 2nd.
FEATURE: #11 Darren Robertson FAST DASH: #11 Darren Robertson DASH: #91 Chris Atkinson QUICK TIME: #9 Justin Simonson 16.541
Quaker Steak and Lube Late Models
The Colorado Christian University Night at CNS was filled with close action and exciting finishes but none were as thrilling as the Quaker Steak and Lube Late Models who’s feature event left the CNS crowd breathless. It didn’t start out looking like it would be a close race when the dominant car of Brian Yackey took the lead from 53g Nathan Gasser after just 3 laps.
#22 Brian Yackey passes 53g Nathan Gasser for the lead (Starr photo)
Yackey quickly built a 2 second lead on the 17 car field leaving Gasser in the dust and #3 Wade Grove, #31 Derek Smith and #33 Bear Lynch to battle for 3rd place. Smith would eventually receive heavy left side damage in a minor altercation with 10 laps to go but salvage a 10th place finish.
With Yackey well in control the final few laps of the race were filled with caution flags and that’s when things started to get interesting. Restart after restart Yackey could pull away from Gasser and reclaim control of the race. Yet with another yellow flag in the final two laps it created a green-white-checker finish with Yackey on the inside and Gasser on the outside. And it was on this final restart that Gasser found something in the high groove, or maybe it was just that he felt he had nothing to lose and crushed the pedal with his right foot. Either way Gasser came roaring up on Yackey as they entered turn three for the final time. As they exited turn four Yackey still had a slight lead but when the two cars crossed the line just .042 seconds apart it was Westminster’s own Nathan Gasser in the 53g Camaro taking the thrilling win. Yackey would settle for 2nd but extend his points lead in the championship hunt.
53g Nathan Gasser wins over #22 Brian Yackey by .042 seconds (Starr photo)
Behind Gasser and Yackey were 17w Jeff Walbaum in the Paul Deines car, rookie driver #9 Brent Cave from Thornton, and #30 Jan Oxley from Ft Lupton. The Late Models will return to action on Saturday August 26th.
Nathan Gasser celebrates his thrilling win (Starr photo)
FEATURE: 53g Nathan Gasser FAST DASH: #22 Brian Yackey DASH: #16 Steve Mills QUICK TIME: #31 Derek Smith 17.922
SUNOCO Fuels Grand American Modifieds
#99 Kyle Rayburn and 44s Clint Schubert lead the field to the green flag (Starr photo)
Brighton Colorado’s own Eddie Vecchiarelli swept the night’s events in the SUNOCO race Fuels Grand American Modifieds by setting quick time, winning the fast dash and taking home the feature win. However, Eddie’s sweep turned out to be most improbable as he was sent to the back of the field after just 7 laps for spinning then race leader 44s Clint Schubert. Eddie had already come from the back to the front once after starting the race next to dead last. But could he do it again?
Schubert, #44 Justin Case and eventually #18 Ed Vecchiarelli Sr. all took turns leading the race building a massive lead on Eddie who was still picking cars off on his way back to the front.
With 6 laps to go Eddie had worked his way back into 2nd place but was well behind his father for the lead. Yet on the final corner of the final lap Ed Jr. caught Ed Sr. and made a move to the outside in turn 4. The two cars drag raced to the finish side by side crossing the line door handle to door handle. And when all the dust had settled son had beat father by mere feet in one of the most thrilling GAM races in recent memory. Behind the Vecchiarelli’s in 1st and 2nd was #44 Justin Case also from Brighton, 44s Clint Schubert out of Calhan, and #13 Darin Clark from Cheyenne.
A jubilant Eddie Vecchiarelli celebrates in winner’s circle (Starr photo)
FEATURE: #48 Eddie Vecchiarelli FAST DASH: #48 Eddie Vecchiarelli QUICK TIME: #48 Eddie Vecchiarelli 17.259
Great Scott’s Eatery Super Stocks
A large field of Great Scott’s Eatery Super Stocks rumbled to the green flag for their 25 lap feature event with #19 Shelby Cortese and #32 Cody Milan on the front row. Milan is an impressive looking rookie driver who quickly grabbed control of the race with another impressive rookie #60 Jonathan Lindberg directly behind.
3-wide action in the Super Stock main event (Starr photo)
While the two rookies battled the #49 Ford of Chris Cox maneuvered past both of them and took the lead.
Unfortunately the entire race was marred with spins and crashes. One of the hardest crashes was when Lindberg and #99 Nic Brinlee made contact going into turn 3. Lindberg was trying to regain control of his sliding car but eventually ran head-on into the front straight wall demolishing the #60 as well as Jonathan’s chance at a top 3 finish.
And while Chris Cox received the checkered flag the 82e of James Larsen and the #3% of Will Alvarado made contact crossing the line and crashed into the turn 1 wall sending Alvarado up into the air along the concrete barrier. Thankfully there were no injuries for any of the drivers in the multitude of spectacular crashes.
#3% Will Alvarado takes a wild ride at the finish of the Super Stock feature (Starr photo)
The top five at the finish were: #49 Chris Cox from Lochbuie, #32 Cody Milan from Ft. Collins, 99S Sam Messerli out of Thornton, #3 Michael Cox from Englewood, and #99 Nicholas Brinlee from Broomfield.
Chris Cox in winner’s circle (Starr photo)
The Super Stocks return to action on Saturday August 26th
FEATURE: #49 Chris Cox FAST DASH: #99 Nic Brinlee DASH: #3% Will Alvarado QUICK TIME: #49 Chris Cox 20.029
Witthar Racing Trains
The Last Call Train driven by Jared “Wally” Wall and Terri Pugilse made short work of the Witthar Racing Trains field blazing a trail through the field and through the X to take another win and extend their points lead to 42.
FEATURE: #86 the Last Call Train (Wally Wall and Terri Puglise)
OFFICIAL RESULTS
Super Late Models Pos No. Name Hometown 1. 11 Darren Robertson Westminster 2. 9 Justin Simonson Wheatridge 3. 32 Brett Yackey Greeley 4. 08 Jace Hansen Broomfield 5. 80 Ray Daniels Monument 6. 91 Chris Atkinson Cheyenne 7. 14A Alejandro Ortiz (R) Denver 8. 14 Mark Bybee Littleton 9. 25 Monty Skinner Black Hawk 10. 22X Mark Jones Denver 11. 84 Matt Zwingleberg Parker
Late Models Pos No. Name Hometown 1. 53G Nathan Gasser Westminster 2. 22 Brian Yackey (R) Greeley 3. 17w Jeff Walbaum 4. 9 Brent Cave (R) Thornton 5. 30 Jan Oxley Ft Lupton 6. 27 Wendi Lewis Johnstown 7. 44 Tom Powers Castle Rock 8. 3 Wade Grove Thronton 9. 33 Bear Lynch Arvada 10. 31 Derek Smith Gering 11. 6 Jason Sharp Fountain 12. 16 Steve Mills 13. 94 Kyle Morse 14. 29 Rayshawn Carter Commerce City 15. 28 Alan Carter Commerce City 16. 20 Marcus Lowe Lakewood 17. 82 Paul Green (R) Arvada
Grand American Modifieds Pos No. Name Hometown 1. 48 Eddie Vecchiarelli Brighton 2. 18 Ed Vecchiarelli Brighton 3. 44 Justin Case Brighton 4. 44s Clint Schubert Calhan 5. 13 Darin Clark Cheyenne 6. 51 Joe Mares Jr Henderson 7. 24G Chad Guilford (R) HIghlands Ranch 8. 99 Kyle Rayburn Pueblo West 9. 1J Luke Johnson 10. 85 Donald Cole (R) Dacono
Super Stocks Pos No. Name Hometown 1. 49 Chris Cox Lochbuie 2. 32 Cody Milan (R) Ft. Collins 3. 99S Sam Messerli Thornton 4. 3 Michael Cox Englewood 5. 99 Nicholas Brinlee Broomfield 6. 51 Jax Hughes Lakewood 7. 45 Rebecca Simpson Colo Springs 8. 1 Scott Trantham Colo Springs 9. 7 David Robinson Johnstown 10. 31 Michael Mathiesen Dacono 11. 21 Christopher Nelson Arvada 12. 98 Natalie Phelps 13. 21R Robert Hoard (R) Cheyenne 14. 02 Darrell Smith Littleton 15. 55 Damian Lockhart Arvada 16. 66 Tyler Van Den Elzen Greeley 17. 3% Will Alvarado (R)* Ft Lupton 18. 82E James Larsen Pueblo 19. 60 Jonathan Lindberg (R) 20. 24x Aaron Masters (R) 21. 19 Shelby Cortese Thornton 22. 20 Mike Vail Aurora 23. 4 Christohper Jordan (R)*
Trains Pos No. Name Hometown 1. 86 Last Call Jared and Terri 2. 1 Robert Davey Dave Smith 3. 5 Hearse Train Alex and Alegra 4. 8 Anger Management Kelly and Nic 5. 01 Lonnie Watkins Tricky Dick 6. 13 Crazy Train Taylor and Stephanie