(10-04-2014 Dacono, CO) Colorado National Speedway wrapped up it’s 2014 season with the 40th running of Challenge Cup. It was a fun night featuring trick-or-treating for the kids in the in-field with the CNS drivers, and a massive fireworks show to kick-off the start of the final feature event. The gorgeous fall evening was the perfect setting for the historic evening that witnessed Arvada Colorado’s Dominic Ursetta win the Coca-Cola 100 by nearly a half lap over the 2nd place finisher putting an exclamation point on his 2014 championship season. Steve Johnson from Windsor Colorado captured the glory in the Pro Trucks and Westminster’s Kyle Clegg took home the cup in the Legends division.
Gillett Vet Clinic Super Late Models
Challenge Cup is one of the most coveted races at Colorado National Speedway and the list of past winner’s reads like a “who’s, who” of legendary drivers. Two of those past winners would start on the front row of the first 20 lap feature: #75 Jerry Robertson and his son #48 Darren Robertson. At the drop of the green flag Jerry jumped out in front and took control of the race while Darren faded a bit as #31 Rick Smith moved into second place. With just 20 laps to work with Smith did his best to catch Robertson but Jerry worked traffic to perfection returning to winner’s circle for the first time in 9 years. Smith crossed the line 2nd and #6 Dominic Ursetta was 3rd.
Jerry Robertson celebrates in winner’s circle after winning the first 20 lap feature at CNS (Starr photo)
19 Super Late Models were on-hand to battle in the 100 lap Coca-Cola Challenge Cup XL and Pueblo West’s Aaron Paulsen in the 84p car would be on the pole at the start of the race. Last year’s Challenge Cup winner Darren Robertson was on the outside and took the lead at the drop of the green flag. Behind Robertson was the 2014 CNS track champion Dominic Ursetta from Arvada Colorado in the #6 car and he was closing in fast. Once Ursetta worked his was past Robertson for the lead he turned on the jets and began to build a massive lead on the field.
Dominic Ursetta was unstoppable during Challenge Cup XL (Starr photo)
As the laps ticked away #12 Bruce the “Moose” Yackey settled into 2nd place but was not gaining on Ursetta who took a 10 car length lead and turned it into a full straightaway length lead by the halfway mark.
Dominic Ursetta celebrates winning Challenge Cup XL (Starr photo)
Incredibly the race went green for the entire 100 laps which did cause the field to spread out a bit. Behind Ursetta and Yackey, #84 Matt Zwingleberg was having a great race in 3rd spot and just behind him was the #31 of of Rick Smith. Running in 5th was #75 Jerry Robertson who had worked his was back up through the field after falling back early in the race. #83 Jim Sikes Jr from Albuquerque New Mexico was having a strong run in 6th and the pole-sitter Paulsen was not far behind in 7th position.
As the race neared completion Dominic Ursetta had built a near half lap lead on his nearest competitor lapping all but 3 cars in the race. Ursetta cruised to the win capping off a dominating championship season. Yackey finished second and Zwingleberg third. Rick Smith held on for 4th and Jerry Robertson rounded out the top 5.
With the win Dominic Ursetta racked up an amazing 9 of the 16 feature events in 2014. Chris Eggleston (3), Bruce Yackey (3), and Jerry Robertson (1), were the other feature winners.
Dominic Ursetta in winner’s circle after dominating Challenge Cup XL. (Starr photo)
Coca-Cola 100 Challenge Cup XL Winner: #6 Dominic Ursetta 20 Lap Feature: #75 Jerry Robertson Quick Time: #6 Dominic Ursetta 16.140
Snap-On Tools Pro Trucks
In the first of two Pro Truck feature events #06 Adam Hilton paced the field with Westminster Colorado’s Scott Rhoades in the orange #16 along side. Hilton was on a rail and built a large lead on the field from the start of the race. Steve Johnson in the #11 Truck was running strong in 2nd but wasn’t closing the gap on Hilton. The 2014 Pro Truck champion Rudy Vanderwal worked his way past Johnson for 2nd place and began to track down the leader. The distance between Hilton and Vanbderwal seemed unsurmountable but Rudy showed great determination and reeled in Hilton eventually pulling directly up on the #06’s bumper. Hilton did a great job holding off the “Flying Dutchman” as Adam went on to take the win leading all 20 laps. Vanderwal came in a close second with Scott Rhoades finishing an impressive 3rd.
#06 Adam Hilton led every lap of the first 20 lap Pro Truck Feature (Starr photo)
In the final 30 lap Pro Truck Feature Hilton would get his chance to make it a “double” lining up on the front row outside of Steve Johnson on the #11 truck. However this time around Johnson must have made the right adjustments as he bolted out to the lead. The Pro Truck division demonstrated why they have become one of the fan favorites as there was action all over the track with literally every Truck battling for position. Longmont Colorado’s Adam Deines in the bright yellow #7 Truck had moved into 2nd place and was attempting to track down Johnson for the lead while Adam Hilton was trying to hang on to third with pressure from Vanderwal.
#11 Steve Johnson on route to winning the final Pro Truck race of the 2014 season (Starr photo)
As the leader Johnson caught lapped traffic Deines pulled up on his bumper and tried to make a pass for the win but it wasn’t to be as Johnson took the checkered. Deines settled for second place just in front of Vanderwal who got by Hilton for 3rd place. Behind Hilton in 4th was the #36 truck of Matt “the Pebble” Burton.
Steve Johnson in winner’s circle after winning the final Pro Truck race at CNS (Starr photo)
Legends
Two Legend main events would cap off an incredible 2014 season at CNS. In the first 20 lap Legends feature #66 Kyle Clegg made a bold move on the outside of turns one and two to grab the lead of the race and never looked back. #06 Mike Gallegos had a more difficult time working his way to the front but once he did he set sail in an effort to catch the streaking Clegg. Eventually Gallegos would catch Clegg and battle for the lead along with the #21 of Ryan Jones making it a three car race. When Gallegos got loose Jones snuck by for 2nd place but Gallegos muscled back by the 21 to regain the position. At the finish it was Clegg, Gallegos, Jones, #19 Larry Pachello, and #14 Chappy Adkins.
#06 Mike Gallegos tried unsuccessfully to get by #66 Kyle Clegg in the first 20 lap Legends feature (Starr photo)
In the second and final Legends feature of the 2014 Clegg would have to start back in 9th position while Gallegos drew a great pill and started on the pole. Gallegos quickly built a large lead on the field but Clegg was frantically moving towards the front in daring fashion. #30 Darrell Stewart Jr. and #6 Scotty Scott were putting on a great show battling for 3rd and 4th spot trading places lap after lap.
#66 Kyle Clegg and #06 Mike Gallegos battle for the lead in the final Legends race at CNS for the 2014 season (Starr photo)
When Clegg caught Gallegos he tried to make the pass up high but Gallegos wasn’t giving an inch running strong on the low side. As the leaders approached a slower car coming out of turn two Gallegos stuttered just a bit which was all Clegg needed to slip past for the lead. Once out front there was no stopping Clegg who went on to sweep both feature events of the night. Gallegos would settle for 2nd while Scotty Scott and Darrell Stewart Jr. finished in 3rd and 4th. Rounding out the top 5 was the #14 of Chappy Adkins.
Kyle Clegg celebrates in winner’s circle after winning both feature events at CNS (Starr photo)
OFFICIAL RESULTS
Challenge Cup XL Pos No. Name Hometown Points 1. 6 Dominic Ursetta Arvada CO 0 2. 12 Bruce Yackey Greeley CO 0 3. 84 Matt Zwingleberg 0 4. 31 Rick Smith Gering NE 0 5. 75 Jerry Robertson 0 6. 83 Jim Sikes Jr Albuquerque NM 0 7. 84p Aaron Paulsen Pueblo West CO 0 8. 4 Bradley Tilton Cheyenne WY 0 9. 55 Jesse Runkle Lakewood CO 0 10. 28 Dan Alamaa 0 11. 32 Brett Yackey (R) 0 12. 72T Gregory Thurlow Pueblo CO 0 13. 69 Jade Miller Severance CO 0 14. 23 George Maldonado Co Springs CO 0 15. 5 Trent Phillips Hemingford NE 0 16. 48 Darren Robertson 0 17. 13 Rick McComb Avondale Co 0 18. 66 Darren Bucklan Greeley CO 0 19. 21 Odie Robertson Northglenn CO 0
20 lap Feature Pos No. Name Hometown Points 1. 75 Jerry Robertson 0 2. 31 Rick Smith Gering NE 0 3. 6 Dominic Ursetta Arvada CO 0 4. 12 Bruce Yackey Greeley CO 0 5. 66 Darren Bucklan Greeley CO 0 6. 48 Darren Robertson 0 7. 55 Jesse Runkle Lakewood CO 0 8. 84 Matt Zwingleberg 0 9. 83 Jim Sikes Jr Albuquerque NM 0 10. 84p Aaron Paulsen Pueblo West CO 0 11. 28 Dan Alamaa 0 12. 5 Trent Phillips Hemingford NE 0 13. 4 Bradley Tilton Cheyenne WY 0 14. 32 Brett Yackey (R) Greeley CO 0 15. 23 George Maldonado Co Springs CO 0 16. 13 Rick McComb Avondale Co 0 17. 72T Gregory Thurlow Pueblo CO 0 18. 69 Jade Miller Severance CO 0 19. 21 Odie Robertson Northglenn CO 0
Pro Trucks
Final 30 lap Feature Pos No. Name Hometown Points 1. 11 Steve Johnson Windsor CO 0 2. 7 Adam Deines Longmont CO 0 3. 34 Rudy Vanderwal LaSalle CO 0 4. 06 Adam Hilton Brighton CO 0 5. 36 Matt Burton Englewood CO 0 6. 5 Troy Witthar Eastlake CO 0 7. 16 Scott Rhoades Westminster CO 0 8. 18 Eric Meisner Brighton CO 0 9. 14 Alex Ortiz (R) Denver CO 0
20 lap Feature Pos No. Name Hometown Points 1. 06 Adam Hilton Brighton CO 0 2. 34 Rudy Vanderwal LaSalle CO 0 3. 16 Scott Rhoades Westminster CO 0 4. 11 Steve Johnson Windsor CO 0 5. 5 Troy Witthar Eastlake CO 0 6. 36 Matt Burton Englewood CO 0 7. 7 Adam Deines Longmont CO 0 8. 18 Eric Meisner Brighton CO 0 9. 14 Alex Ortiz (R) Denver CO 0
Legends
25 lap Feature Pos No. Name Hometown Points 1. 66 Kyle Clegg Westminster CO 0 2. 06 Mike Gallegos Wheatridge CO 0 3. 6 Scotty Scott Arvada CO 0 4. 30 Darrell Stewart Jr (R) Arvada 0 5. 14 Chappy Adkins Kersey CO 0 6. 97 Billy Blevins Arvada CO 0 7. 11 Jessica Savage Aurora CO 0 8. 09 Terry McBride Edgewater CO 0 9. 21 Ryan Jones Arvada CO 0 10. 25 Adam Pechman Morrison CO 0 11. 19 Larry Pachello Wheatridge CO 0 DNS 46 Zach Witherwax Arvada CO 0 DNS 24 Derek Pechman 0
20 Lap Feature Pos No. Name Hometown Points 1. 66 Kyle Clegg Westminster CO 0 2. 06 Mike Gallegos Wheatridge CO 0 3. 21 Ryan Jones Arvada CO 0 4. 19 Larry Pachello Wheatridge CO 0 5. 14 Chappy Adkins Kersey CO 0 6. 11 Jessica Savage Aurora CO 0 7. 6 Scotty Scott Arvada CO 0 8. 30 Darrell Stewart Jr (R) Arvada 0 9. 97 Billy Blevins Arvada CO 0 10. 09 Terry McBride Edgewater CO 0 11. 46 Zach Witherwax Arvada CO 0 12. 25 Adam Pechman Morrison CO 0 13. 24 Derek Pechman 0