(09-21-2013 Dacono, CO) The only thing sure going into Challenge Cup XXXIX was that Bruce Yackey was on route to winning his 8th track championship but he would have liked to add a Challenge Cup win to his dominating season performance. Both the Super Stock and Figure 8 season championships were completely up for grabs as both divisions had tight season standings.
Gillet Vet Super Late Models
The Robertson family has a legendary history at CNS with Odie Robertson and Jerry being two of the greatest racers to ever strap on a helmet at the speedway. Now the 3rd generation driver Darren Robertson is attempting to cement his name along with his father and grandfather at the track and he made a huge step towards that goal winning the XXXIX Challenge Cup in front of an excited CNS crowd.
This was by no means an easy victory for Darren as he started the 100 lap feature 6th and had to work his way around some of CNS’s best drivers. #39 Jack Nugent took a big lead early over #84 Matt Zwingelberg but after a caution for #37 Derek Murphy, Zwingelberg grabbed the lead from Nugent on the restart. After 25 laps #31 Rick Smith had moved his way into second place and appeared to be headed for the lead yet got loose and spun down the back straight and made contact with the turn 3 wall.
#12 Bruce Yackey and #22 Chris Eggleston were now in Zwingelberg’s rear view mirror pushing for the lead. Near the halfway mark of the race #7 Adam Deines, #39 Jack Nugent, and #66 Darren Bucklan were all involved in a crash coming out of turn 2. Unfortunately for Bucklan he was in the wrong place at the wrong time and ended up suffering the most damage to his car.
On the restart Robertson pulled ahead of Zwingelberg and secured the lead but near disaster struck as Darren got loose and almost spun. Darren did a great job saving the car from spinning but lost the lead to Zwingelberg.
A couple of late race caution flags setup the final scramble to the finish and if Robertson was to win his first ever Challenge Cup he was going to have to beat Bruce Yackey to do it. Lap after lap Robertson and Yackey battled side by side. Robertson was running the high groove and Yackey was down low. At times it seemed as if Darren would be able to clear Yackey but “the Moose” would find a way to pull even with Darren in the center of turns 1 and 2. With 10 laps to go neither driver was giving an inch and it was clear this one would go down to the wire.
But when the checkered flag flew the determined Robertson was not to be denied as he crossed the line out front taking the win. Yackey finished a close 2nd but couldn’t be too disappointed as he won yet another season championship and this time by an amazing 82 points over Rick Smith.
Behind Robertson and Yackey, #27 Roger Avants took 3rd looking as if he found some speed as he was gaining on the leaders late in the race. #78 Darren Crocker finished 4th and Zwingelberg settled for 5th.
#45 Dalton Hewitt finished 11th which was more than enough to grab 2013 Rookie of the Year honors in the Super Late Models.
NTC Logistics Super Stocks SEE UPDATE BELOW…. Clearly the biggest surprise of the 2013 Super Stock season has been the emergence of #90 Kyle Patee as force to be reckoned with each and every night. Entering the final race of the 2013 season Patee led #3 Michael Cox by a single point in the season standings. The only other driver with a theoretical shot at the championship was the #33 of Bear Lynch. At the start of the feature #98 Tony Dugan lead the field but it didn’t take long before Patee, Cox and Lynch were all up front battling for the race AND the championship.
Lap after lap Cox kept a small lead on Patee who was trying to come out of turn 4 low and get under Cox, yet Cox would dive into turn 1 and retake the advantage not allowing Patee to make the move.
Late in the race Lynch made his own move on Patee and took over 2nd place. But neither Lynch nor Patee could find a way around the crafty veteran Michael Cox who not only took home the feature win but also won the 2013 season championship. Behind Cox, Lynch, and Patee, #46 Rick Lothert finished 4th, and #98 Tony Dugan finished an impressive 5th.
10T Taylor Bellamy finished 10th in the race yet 6th in points which secured his spot as the 2013 rookie of the year. UPDATE: After the 09-21-2013 Super Stock feature event both race winner #3 Michael Cox and 3rd place finisher #90 Kyle Patee were found to have illegal suspension in the post race tech. Due to the fact that this race was the final race and that the outcome of any penalties would dramatically effect the 2013 season standings every effort was made to insure the most accurate and fair decision. A rules committee meeting was held on Monday night and all parties involved were requested to attend. The agreed upon decision from the committee (and those that made the effort to attend the meeting) was that both Cox and Patee would be penalized and awarded last place finishes. Cox in 25th and Patee in 24th.
FEATURE WINNER: #33 Bear Lynch FAST DASH: #0 Andrew Muse DASH: #5 Jeff Sluss QUICK TIME: #90 Kyle Patee 19.544 2013 Track Champion: #33 Bear Lynch
Art’s Septic Figure 8s Tension filled the air as the #50 Justin McKeachie and #26 Nick Martinez entered the final Figure 8 feature event separated by a mere 3 points and the two of them would start side-by-side… dead last. At the drop of the green flag McKeachie was blazing a trail to the front of the pack while Martinez was taking a more careful approach to the front. Up front #81 Dave Smith had brought out his old orange, red, and yellow Camaro and was wheeling it to perfection leading #2 Lance Proctor and #23 Big Al Duran.
When the checkered flag flew Hot Rod Dave Smith had held off all challengers and took home a VERY big win. Proctor finished 2nd, Duran was 3rd, and McKeachie come home 4th securing his first ever track championship. #00 James Naranjo finished in the top 10 in points granting him the 2013 Figure 8 Rookie of the Year honor.
FEATURE WINNER: #81 Dave Smith FAST DASH: #17 Harry Livermore Jr. DASH: #40 Mike Mercer 2013 Track Champion: #50 Justin McKeachie
DEMOX CARS: #354 Brian Polumbo
Official Results
Super Late Models Pos No. Name Hometown Car Info Best Tm 1. 11 Darren Robertson Westminster CO 13 Victory Circle Chevy Impala 16.606 2. 12 Bruce Yackey Greeley CO 12 Port City Impala 16.777 3. 27 Roger Avants Littleton CO 2010 Monte Carlo 16.891 4. 78 Darren Crocker Brighton CO 09 Lefthander Chevy 16.777 5. 84 Matt Zwingelberg Aurora CO SS Fusion 16.566 6. 37 Derek Murphy Colorado Springs CO 13 Port City Dodge Charger 16.824 7. 39 Jack Nugent Lafayette CO Lefthander 8. 7 Adam Deines Longmont CO 04 Dodge 16.791 9. 55 Jesse Runkle Lakewood CO 11 Howe 16.917 10. 21 Odie Robertson Northglen CO 11 Victory Circle 16.918 11. 45 Dalton Hewitt (R) Brighton CO 10 Howe Impala SS 16.909 12. 23g George Maldonado Colorado Springs CO 13 Dillion Monte Carlo 17.375 13. 54 Joe James Jr Denver CO 12 Hamkey Monte Carlo 16.830 14. 91 Chris Atkinson Cheyenne WY 11 Lefthander Monte Carlo 16.862 15. 31 Rick Smith Gering NE 13 Chevy SS 16.630 16. 22 Chris Eggleston Thornton CO 13 Lefthander Chevy 16.764 17. 66 Darren Bucklan Greeley CO 13 Lefthander Chevy 16.715 18. 23 Davin Fisbeck Thornton CO 07 Pathfinder 16.916 19. 48 Ed Vecchiarelli Jr Brighton CO 13 Left Hander Camery 16.587 20. 91d Frank Denning 17.446
Super Stocks Pos No. Name Hometown Car Info Best Tm 1. 33 Bear Lynch Denver CO 80 Malibu M-80 19.897 2. 46 Richard Lothert Loveland CO 78 Nova 19.870 3. 98 Tony Dugan (R) Commerce City CO Monte Cutlass 19.882 4. 0 Andrew Mues Arvada CO 78 Seville 20.009 5. 13 Jason Morris Lakewood CO 77 Nova 20.023 6. 88 David Rothrock Jr Golden CO 82 Caprice 19.976 7. 10T Taylor Bellomy (R) Brighton CO 90 Caprice 20.123 8. 5 Jeff Sluss Northglenn CO 83 Monte Carlo 20.127 9. 6X Josh Parker Broomfield CO 79 Malibu 19.976 10. 97 Chris Muhler 20.163 11. 17 Loren Jesson Scotts Bluff NE 19.877 12. 8 David Gee (R) Loveland CO 76 Nova 20.212 13. 99 Michael Navarro (R) 20.247 14. 18 Josheph Prante (R) Denver CO 83 Regal 20.292 15. 02 Darrell Smith Littleton CO 85 Caprice 20.259 16. 2 Rusty Meranda (R) Laramie WY 87 Regal 20.500 17. 23 George Gallegos 20.663 18. 99R Ryan Raley Thornton CO 77 Chevy Monte Carlo 20.506 19. 77 Kevin Keller Englewood CO 79 Nova 20.810 20. 1 John Clark (R) Commerce City CO 77 Nova 20.885 21. 72 Hans Brewster Henderson CO 20.526 22. 11 Nick Tabor (R) Cheyenne WY 81 Monte Carlo 20.547 23. 90 Kyle Patee Thornton CO 86 Grand Prix 19.799 24. 3 Michael Cox Englewood CO 84 Grand Nat’l 19.889
Figure 8s Pos No. Name Hometown Car Info Best Tm 1. 81 Dave Smith Englewood CO 78 Camaro 2. 2 Lance Proctor Arvada CO 03 Monte Carlo 3. 23 Al Duran Lakewood CO 03 Monte Carlo 4. 50 Justin McKeachie Aurora CO 03 Monte Carlo 5. 17 Harry Livermore Jr Englewood CO 77 Nova 6. 03 Luke Zike Morrison CO 03 Chevy Monte Carlo 7. 76 Brent Cave 8. 12 Harvey Webb Jr Northglenn 74 Camaro 9. 10 Frank Gastineau Denver CO 03 Monte Carlo 10. 15 Jereme Wall Commerce City CO 72 Chevy 11. 97 Adam Gastineau (R) Aurora CO 03 Chevy Monte Carlo 12. 26 Nick Martinez Denver CO 03 Howe Monte Carlo 13. 52 Jared Wall Commerce City CO 77 Camaro 14. 33 Bobby Hutchings (R) Denver CO 78 Camaro 15. 25 Phil Taylor 16. 40 Michael Mercer Thornton CO 75 Nova 17. 99 Ryan Raley(R) Thornton CO 08 Chevy Monte Carlo 18. 00 James Naranjo(R) Denver CO 75 Chevy Nora