(09-22-2018 Dacono CO) The Mountain States Fire Protection Championship night at CNS proved to be one of the most dramatic night’s of racing in recent memory. The Super Late Models had no less than four drivers in contention for the championship in the final race and the Super Stocks heated to a boil as tempers flared and drivers had to be restrained on track. Adam Deines won the Mod Coupe feature along with his first championship in that division while Jared Wall grabbed his 8th Trains championship.
Mountain States Fire Protection Super Late Models
At the start of the 2018 season it didn’t appear that Darren Robertson would repeat his 2017 Super Late Model track championship. Darren’s new car wasn’t ready to start the season and therefore he had to borrow a car for the first race and missed the second race altogether. At the end of two race night’s Darren had a total of just 7 points. But after that slow start Robertson started to mount his charge in the points and on the final night he entered the event trailing Cheyenne Wyoming’s Michael Scott by just 6 points. An incredible comeback.
The Super Late Models would need a 30 and 80 lap feature event to settle the score for the Mountain States Fire Protection Championship Night.
In the first feature Bruce Yackey grabbed the lead from Robertson and went on to take his first win of the 2018 season. Not only did Yackey get the win but Bruce put himself in the points chase along with Robertson, Mark Neff, and Scott who had a disappointing 10th place finish in the first feature.
Bruce Yackey celebrates his first win in 2018 (Starr photo)
This setup the final points race of 2018 which would be an 80 lap battle to the finish with four drivers having a clear shot at the championship.
When the green dropped Michael Scott took the early lead but #9 Justin Simonson hunted him down and assumed the top spot. The fastest car on the track was #6 Dominic Ursetta who was flying to the front from his 6th place starting spot. Ursetta’s night would turn sour just past the halfway mark as he left the track with mechanical issues.
The cars on the move were both Bruce Yackey and his son Brett Yackey in the #32 car. Mark Neff was also running strong while it seemed as if Robertson was fading a bit. Scott who entered the night with the points lead was really struggling and falling well back into the field. Eventually Bruce Yackey would take the lead of the race and find himself in a position where he could steal the championship from Robertson in the final laps. At this point in the race each lap seemed to present a different scenario on who might win it all between Bruce Yackey, Mark Neff and Darren Robertson who was struggling to stay in the top 5.
Bruce Yackey and his son Brett move to the front of the field in the final 80 lap feature (Starr photo)
A late caution for debris on the track allowed Brett Yackey a chance to get past his dad for the lead and that’s exactly what he did. Brett had found plenty of speed late and cruised to his first ever Super Late Model victory. Bruce Yackey settled for 2nd place in the race second place in the points standings just 2 back of Robertson. Mark Neff finished 3rd in the race and 3rd in points only 2 back of Yackey meaning that the top three drivers were separated by a total of 4 points.
Brett Yackey celebrates in winner’s circle after taking his first Super Late Model feature of 2018 (Starr photo)
Darren Robertson held off hard charging rookie #24 Cody Dempster for 5th place which was just enough to earn him his second straight Super Late Model track championship. Dempster grabbed 6th and also the 2018 Rookie of the Year award. Michael Scott would finish a disappointing 10th place and out of the hunt for the championship which would have been his second of the year after taking the Snap-On Tools Pro Truck championship a week earlier.
In 2018 the Super Late Models proved to be the most competitive division on the track as an amazing 9 different drivers won feature events.
The Super Late Models will return to action one last time in 2018 on Saturday October 6th for Challenge Cup which is a non-points race.
Darren Robertson is crowned the 2018 Super Late Model champion (Starr photo)
30 Lap Feature: #12 Bruce Yackey 80 Lap Feature: #32 Brett Yackey Quick Time: #19 Matthew Martinez 16.466
Great Scott’s Eatery Super Stocks
If you were hoping for Drama on Championship night you got your wish and more when the Great Scott’s Eatery Super Stocks took the track for two feature events. Heading into the night it looked to be a dogfight between #3.2 of Robert Davey and #60 of Johnathan Lindberg. The two didn’t disappoint in the first feature as both gave all that they had banging and screeching through the field. While 99s Sam Messerli controlled the race all eyes were on Davey and Lindberg who had both been involved in incidents on there track and were attempting to salvage a good finish. The two drivers found themselves side by side in the final corner when they made contact. The contact continued through the checkered flag as they crashed at the finish sending tempers flaring with Lindberg exiting his vehicle having to be restrained by NASCAR officials directly in from of the front straight crowd. Davey’s car would be able to start the second feature but Lindberg’s was destroyed. Bothe drivers were disqualified from that event due to their action’s on and off the track.
Vanderwal wins the first feature of the night (Starr photo)
Not even the winner was safe from the drama as Messerli was docked 3 spots for a tech violation handing over the win to #43 Kody Vanderwal.
In the final feature Messerli had to start from the rear and quickly moved up through the field. When the race started Davey had a slim point lead over Lindberg who had to borrow the #22 car just to make the race.
Lindberg was never able to mount a challenge in the borrowed car and couldn’t press Davey for the points lead who cruised to a 4th place finish which was enough for his first Super Stock Track Championship.
Messerli was in a groove and dispatched the entire field as well as any lapped cars that got in his way. It was Messerli’s 2nd feature win of the season as he crossed the line with #32 Cody Milan and #43 Kody Vanderwal in tow.
Messerli takes the checkered in the final feature (Starr photo)
Davey would be the 2018 Super Stock champion while #88 Nick Davis would capture Rookie for the Year honers.
Robert Davey the 2018 Super Stock champ (Starr photo)
2018 Champion: #3.2 Robert Davey 2018 Rookie of the Year: #88 Nick Davis 25 Lap Feature: #43 Kody Vanderwal 30 Lap Feature: 99s Sam Messerli Quick Time: 99s Sam Messerli 19.794
Mod Coupes
The Mod Coupes head for the green flag (Starr photo)
It was a foregone conclusion that the 3D Mod Coupe of Adam Deines would win his first Mod Coupe championship as he entered the night with a 26 point lead on #98 Frank Denning Jr. Adam has been almost unbeatable since he stepped into the ride in 2017. Deines cruised to his 4th feature win of 2018 after taking the lead on lap 2 of the feature event. With the win Adam almost completed the pure sweep with the season championship, feature win, and setting quick time with a 16.725. Taking the fast dash race was 90D Frank Denning III and also finishing in the top 5 in points. The 2018 Rookie of the Year award went to 6k Jonathan Knee.
Adam Deines in winner’s circle at CNS (Starr photo)
2018 Champion: 3d Adam Deines 2018 Rookie of the Year: 6k Jonathan Knee Feature: 3d Adam Deines Dash: 90D Frank Denning III Quick Time: 3d Adam Deines 16.725
Witthar Racing Trains
While Jared “Wally” Wall and Terri Pugilise didn’t win the final Witthar Racing Trains feature they had built up a large enough points lead to easily cruise to the 2018 championship. That would go down as the 9th championship for the Last Call Train and Jared’s 8th personal Trains championship. Jared’s brother Jereme piloted the #13 Crazy Train normally driven by Taylor and Stephanie Bellamy to the feature win after the Last Call Train made some contact with the wall early in the race.
The Trains will be back in action for a non-points race on Saturday October 6th during Challenge Cup.
Feature winner (Starr photo)
Jared and Terri the 2018 champs (Starr photo)
OFFICIAL RESULTS
80 Lap Super Late Model Finale Pos No. Name Hometown 1. 32 Brett Yackey Greeley 2. 12 Bruce Yackey Greeley 3. 42 Mark Neff Berthoud 4. 43 Kody Vanderwal LaSalle 5. 11 Darren Robertson Westminster 6. 24 Cody Dempster (R) Parker 7. 91 Chris Atkinson Cheyenne 8. 9 Justin Simonson Wheatridge 9. 22X Mark Jones Denver 10. 82 Michael Scott Cheyenne 11. 19 Matthew Martinez Parker 12. 80 Ray Daniels Monument 13. 79 Brad Jenkins (R) Castle Rock 14. 47 PJ Mattorano Commerce City 15. 21 Conner Snow Morrison 16. 6 Dominic Ursetta Arvada DNS 17W Jeff Walbaum
30 Lap Super Late Model Feature Pos No. Name Hometown 1. 12 Bruce Yackey Greeley 2. 11 Darren Robertson Westminster 3. 9 Justin Simonson Wheatridge 4. 6 Dominic Ursetta Arvada 5. 32 Brett Yackey Greeley 6. 19 Matthew Martinez Parker 7. 42 Mark Neff Berthoud 8. 24 Cody Dempster (R) Parker 9. 43 Kody Vanderwal LaSalle 10. 82 Michael Scott Cheyenne 11. 21 Conner Snow Morrison 12. 22X Mark Jones Denver 13. 80 Ray Daniels Monument 14. 79 Brad Jenkins (R) Castle Rock 15. 91 Chris Atkinson Cheyenne 16. 47 PJ Mattorano Commerce City 17. 17W Jeff Walbaum
Super Stocks
Preliminary Feature Pos No. Name Hometown 1. 43 Kody Vanderwal LaSalle 2. 21R Robert Hoard Cheyenne 3. 21 Christopher Nelson Arvada 4. 99s Sam Messerli Thornton 5. 99w Troy Witthar Arvada 6. 04 William Simmons II Pueblo 7. 81 Kyle Shanahan 8. 88 Nick Davis (R) 9. 11 Nick Tabor 10. 21K Jay Hill 11. 60 Matt Hill Brighton 12. 14S Bill Simmons III 13. 29G Justin Griffin Greeley 14. 32 Cody Milan Ft. Collins 15. 22 John Pinelli 16. 11S Kyle Schoessow 17. 23H Harry Livermore Jr 18. 55 Damian Lockhart Arvada 19. 16 Dimitrois Bastianos (R) 20. 19 Shelby Cortese Thornton DQ 3.2 Robert Davey Erie DQ 60 Jonathan Lindberg Brighton
Final Feature Pos No. Name Hometown 1. 99s Sam Messerli Thornton 2. 32 Cody Milan Ft. Collins 3. 43 Kody Vanderwal LaSalle 4. 3.2 Robert Davey Erie 5. 21 Christopher Nelson Arvada 6. 88 Nick Davis (R) 7. 04 William Simmons II Pueblo 8. 55 Damian Lockhart Arvada 9. 60 Jonathan Lindberg Brighton 10. 19 Shelby Cortese Thornton 11. 23H Harry Livermore Jr 12. 14S Bill Simmons III 13. 81 Kyle Shanahan 14. 11 Nick Tabor 15. 11S Kyle Schoessow 16. 16 Dimitrois Bastianos (R) 17. 29G Justin Griffin Greeley 18. 21R Robert Hoard Cheyenne 19. 21K Jay Hill 20. 60 Matt Hill Brighton 21. 99w Troy Witthar Arvada DNS 22 John Pinelli
Mod Coupes Pos No. Name Hometown 1. 3d Adam Deines Longmont 2. 90D Frank Denning III Golden 3. 98 Frank Denning Jr Arvada 4. 48 Michael Cox Englewood 5. 43 Matt Pierce* Platteville 6. 2 Don Hoselton DNS 6K Jonathan Knee (R)
Trains Pos No. Name Hometown 1. 13 Crazy Train Taylor and Stephanie 2. 26 Slam Trak Fri and RyRy 3. 8 Anger Management Kelly and Nic 4. 86 Last Call Jared and Terri 5. 311 Bipolar Express Cassie and Glenna 6. 5 Hearse Train Alex and Alegra