(08-01-2015 Dacono Colorado) – A gorgeous Colorado summer evening was the setting for the Whelen Light’s it Up Night at CNS and a packed house was on-hand to witness some amazing short track racing. Adam Deines held off a late charge from Rudy Vanderwal to win the Pro Truck feature and tighten up the points chase. While Mark Neff dominated the Late Models leading all 30 laps. In possibly the most dramatic finish of the night Jamie Trengrove and David Johnson crashed across the finish line in the Mod Coupe feature and Kyle Clegg made a thrilling late race pass on Danny Medina to win in the Legends division.
Snap-On Tools Pro Trucks
In 2015 the Snap-On Tools Pro Trucks have been more demolition derby than anything else and that certainly has made the division one of the most interesting in the 2015 season. Thankfully on Whelen Lights it Up Night the Trucks raced super clean and kept the tow trucks in the their places.
Tight action and bumper to bumper racing are what makes the Snap-On Tools Pro Trucks a fan favorite division at CNS (Starr photo)
At the start of the race #2 young AJ Warren who just turned 16 grabbed the lead and began to put a fair amount of distance between he and #7 Adam Deines who was running second. Warren has been impressive this season and not only was he leading the feature but had won the FAST DASH earlier in the evening.
#7 Adam Deines battles youngster #2 AJ Warren in the early stages of the Pro Truck feature (Starr photo)
Eventually the smooth driving Deines would catch and pass Warren and build a lead of his own. The action on the track would heat up between #34 Rudy Vanderwal and #11 Steve Johnson as the two drivers fought lap after lap for 3rd spot thrilling the large crowd at CNS. It seemed as if disaster was around every corner as the two drivers leaned on each other causing the CNS fans to move to the edge of their seats. Vanderwal would eventually clear Johnson and begin to track down Warren who was running comfortably in 2nd place.
With just 5 laps to go and after a double-file restart it was Vanderwal who was catching Deines for the lead. Had this been a 31 lap feature Vanderwal may have been able to make the pass but Deines held his line and took the checkered flag for the win. Vanderwal crossed the line 2nd and Warren in 3rd. #36 Matt Burton brought home 4th place and Steve Johnson settled for the final spot in the top 5.
Adam Deines celebrates a hard fought victory in winner’s circle at CNS (Starr photo)
The Pro Trucks return to CNS Saturday August 15th.
FEATURE WINNER: #7 Adam Deines FAST DASH: #2 AJ Warren DASH: #8d Paul Deines QUICK TIME: #34 Rudy Vanderwal 16.810
South Philly Cheese Steaks Late Models
Some night’s are just your night and that was never more evident than during the South Philly Cheese Steaks Late Model 30 lap feature as Mark Neff in the #42 car dominated from flag to flag leading every lap of a race that went caution free.
By the finish of the race Neff had a near half lap lead on the next closest competitor which was Brett “the Maverick” Yackey in the #32 car.
It was all Mark Neff in the #42 car in the South Philly Cheese Steaks Late Model division (Starr Photo)
The best action on the track was the battle for second between #08 Jace Hansen, #8 Jeff Walbaum, #7 Ethan Penrod, #3 Wade Grove, and of course Yackey who eventually pulled away from the pack securing second spot in the end.
Behind Neff and Yackey, Walbaum took home 3rd place, Hansen settled for 4th and Penrod grabbed the final spot in the top 5.
The Late Models are back in action on August 22nd.
FEATURE WINNER: #42 Mark Neff FAST DASH: #32 Brett Yackey DASH: #28 Alan Carter QUICK TIME: #42 Mark Neff 17.659
Galitz Trucking Mod Coupes Only seven Mod Coupes started the 15 lap main event but that didn’t ruin the fact that this may have been the most intense race of the night. It didn’t start that way as #29 David Johnson jumped out to a huge lead early in the race.
The Mod Coupes take the green for their main event (Starr photo)
Way behind Johnson in second place was Jamie Trengrove (Bubak) who was slowly reeling in the leader. Lap after lap, after lap, Trengrove was eating away at Johnson’s lead until the final two laps when she pulled up on his bumper and made the inside move for the lead.
As the two leaders drag raced side by side towards the checkered they approached a lapped car forcing them to go even higher on the track. With the crowd on the edge of their seats Trengrove crossed the line first but just by inches over Johnson. As they passed the line the two cars made contact and crashed down the front straightway in a shower of twisted metal and sparks.
When the dust settled Trengrove had won her 3rd feature of the season with Johnson finishing second in wild fashion. Ron O’Neil took 3rd, #34 Randy Whitman in 4th and #55 Gary Land rounding out the top 5.
FEATURE WINNER: #12 Jamie Trengrove (Bubak) DASH: #34 Randy Whitman QUICK TIME: #3 Ron O’Neil 16.354
Legends Saying that Danny Medina in the #15 Legend car is fast is a bit of an understatement. Every time he is at the speedway he is one of the favorites to win, and within one lap of the 25 lap legend main event Medina had bolted from his 5th place starting spot to take the lead. Medina was getting some pressure from youngster Ryan Jones in the #21 car and behind Jones was tonight’s quick time holder #6 Scotty Scott.
Normally it’s Kyle Clegg in the #66 battling up front but Clegg drew a tough 9th place starting spot in the huge 26 car field and was having a hard time moving to the front. Eventually Clegg had worked his way up to the leaders but was struggling to get by Jones for second place.
The red flag came out with 10 laps to go when #77 Josiah King (who had won the DASH) tangled with two other cars and hit the turn 3 wall extremely hard. King was taken off in the ambulance with non life threatening injuries.
On the restart Medina maintained the lead but Ryan Jones passed Clegg for second in dramatic fashion. Clegg, remained determined and got back by Jones and set sail for Medina. Another caution came out with just 4 laps to go which would be Clegg’s last chance to get by Medina for the win. Medina chose the inside lane for the double-file restart and Clegg got a marvelous start slingshotting himself into the lead on the outside in turn 2.
In a last ditch effort to retake the lead Medina got too high coming out of turn 4 and made contact with the front straight wall. Medina limped off the track ending his chance at the win and dramatically damaging the massive lead he had in championship points. Medina now leads “Scotty” Scott by just 27 points.
Clegg took the dramatic win followed by Jones, Scott, #03 Stewart, and 1w Jereme Wall.
FEATURE WINNER: #66 Kyle Clegg
Witthar Racing Trains In a battle of attrition the #7 “Cole” Train took home the trophy winning the feature event yet it almost wasn’t meant to be. Five Trains started the feature and one by one they began to fall. Either by breaking down or getting stuck on a dirt mound in the infield by the end of the race only two Trains remained: The #86 Last Call Train and the #7 “Cole” Train and both of them were either smoking or sending off a shower of sparks. Could it be the first race in history where nobody finished??
Luckily for the “Cole” Train they were able to round the final corner and take the victory.
FEATURE WINNER: #7 Cole Train
KBPI’s Willie B entertains the crowd during circle drags at intermission (Starr photo)
OFFICIAL RESULTS
Pro Trucks Pos No. Name Hometown 1. 7 Adam Deines Longmont 2. 34 Rudy Vanderwal La Salle 3. 2 AJ Warren Berthoud 4. 36 Matt Burton Englewood 5. 11 Steve Johnson Loveland 6. 5 Troy Witthar Eastlake 7. 47 Jesse Seigel (R) Castle Rock 8. 0 Billy Harkins Lakewood 9. 65 George Green (R) Firestone 10. 91 Cole Whitford (R) Ft Lupton 11. 8d Paul Deines 12. 84 Daniel Mares (R) Aurora
Late Models Pos No. Name Hometown 1. 42 Mark Neff Westiminster 2. 32 Brett Yackey (R) Greeley 3. 8 Jeff Walbaum Brighton 4. 8 Jace Hansen Broomfield 5. 7 Ethan Penrod Thornton 6. 3 Wade Grove Thronton 7. 11 Monte Paulsen Pueblo West 8. 1 Tommy Powers Castle Rock 9. 49 Dennis Pobanz Colorado Springs 10. 16 Ryan McFadden Divide 11. 18 Robert Davey 12. 30 Jan Oxley Ft Lupton 13. 27 Wendi Lewis Johnstown 14. 28 Alan Carter Commerce City 15. 29 Rayshawn Carter Commerce City 16. 5w Troy Witthar Eastlake
Mod Coupes Pos No. Name Hometown 1. 12 Jaime Bubak Thornton 2. 29 David Johnson Denver 3. 3 Ron O’Neil 4. 34 Randy Whitman Ft Collins 5. 55 Gary Land Littleton 6. 6d Rick Duckworth (R) Arvada 7. 33 Chet Graham
Legend Cars Pos No. Name Hometown 1. 66 Kyle Clegg Westminster 2. 21 Ryan Jones Arvada 3. 6 Scotty Scott Arvada 4. 3 Darrell L Stewart Arvada 5. 1w Jereme Wall Commerce City 6. 25 Adam Pechman Morrison 7. 20 Kynzer Riddell Westminster 8. 2 Brent Cave Thornton 9. 46 Zachary Witherwax Arvada 10. 23 Austyn Radosta (R) Pueblo 11. 14 Chappy Adkins Kersey 12. 97 Bill Blevins Arvada 13. 17 BreAnn Adkison Cheyenne 14. 16 Travis Roe (R) Thronton 15. 9 Terry McBride Edgewater 16. 83 Donald Bedore Denver 17. 47 Jason Hulvey Thornton 18. 61 Sidney Ross Broomfield 19. 15 Danny Medina Colorado Springs 20. 26 Christopher Brunker Lakewood 21. 53 Luke Johnson (R) Ft Lupton 22. 77 Josiah King (R) Brighton 23. 42 Asher Redmond (R) Longmont DNS 30 Darrell J Stewart Arvada DNS 7 Corey Seip Littleton
Trains Pos No. Name 1. 7 Cole Train 2. 86 Jared Wall KellyVillers 3. 13 Taylor Bellamy 4. 69 Princess TAmmy 5. 1776 Brian Galvin Mark Galvin