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Jason Fensler
Rallies to Win Comcast 100 at Altamont
Source: SRL Public
Relations/Eddie Alves - Date: June 21, 2005
Tracy, California - Jason
Fensler grabbed his fifth victory of the 2005 season on a
beautiful Saturday evening at Altamont Raceway & Arena winning
the "Comcast 100". Jeff Anthony finished second behind Fensler
as Joey Zampa finished third, Troy Ermish fourth, and Mark
Smith fifth.
Jason Fensler also set fast time during qualifying with a
blistering lap of 18.002 seconds around Altamont's fast
half-mile. Roseville's Eric Schmidt qualified second (18.109),
Mark Smith third (18.110), Joey Zampa fourth (18.114), as
Victory Circle Chassis and Parts Rookie of the Year contender
Jeremy Wood rounded out the top five with a lap of 18.185
seconds. Joey Zampa won the four lap trophy dash beating Eric
Schmidt, Jason Fensler, and Mark Smith.
The ten car invert put Randy Hedrick and 2002 Series Champion
and Altamont Ace Jeff Anthony on the front row. Anthony jumped
out to an early lead. Ken Boyd moved into second place on lap
four as Anthony held a ten car length lead. Pole sitter Randy
Hedrick slowly started fading back and Jason Fensler moved
into sixth by lap 10. Harold Rieker Jr. ran third with Joey
Zampa taking fourth from Troy Ermish on lap 11 as Anthony
stretched his lead. Lap 15 saw Jason Fensler in the fifth
position after starting in the tenth position. The first of
two cautions flags was displayed on lap 19 as Jeremy Wood and
Erich Schmidt made contact heading into turn three. Schmidt
was able to keep his car off the wall as Wood made an
impressive save and continued on with slight damage. Anthony
continued to lead after the lap 21 restart with Boyd second,
Fensler third, Zampa fourth, Rieker Jr. fifth, followed by
Ermish, Wood, Mark Smith, Aaron Days, and Rusty Buholz.
The second of two cautions came out on lap 26 as Aaron Days
and Rusty Buholz spun exiting turn four while battling for the
ninth position. Days and Buholz were both forced down one lap
and would later finish 12th and 13th respectively. Jason
Fensler attempted to make a pass before the start/finish line
on the inside as the race restarted. As a result Fensler was
sent to the rear of the field. Ken Boyd who was running second
suffered mechanical problems on lap 28 and restarted in the
11th position. For the second time Fensler had to charge his
way from 10th to the top three. "I made a mistake and you have
to be punished for that. But I wasn't expecting to get to the
front as quick as we did." Fensler said. Boyd pitted on lap 45
and never returned and finish 16th. Jeff Anthony continued to
lead at the half way point with Zampa, Rieker Jr., Ermish, and
Smith behind. Ermish took third away from Rieker Jr., as Smith
followed into fourth. Fensler moved back into the top five on
lap 53 and had his sights set on the four cars in front of
him.
Mark Smith and Jason Fensler raced clean and hard for ten laps
before Fensler took the fourth spot away from Smith on lap 63.
Fensler had his sights on Ermish and the third spot on his
mind. He made his way around Ermish on lap 66. Lap 71 Fensler
snuck by Zampa and set his sights on race leader Jeff Anthony.
Fensler spent ten laps in second place before taking the lead
away from Anthony with 19 laps to go. Mike Mendenhall jumped
into the sixth place behind Smith on lap 82. Jeremy Wood
followed Mendenhall into seventh as the scoreboard showed 90
laps in the book. Rieker Jr. fell to eight with Tracy Bolin in
ninth. Bolin broke a motor earlier in the practice and the
team was fortunate to put a spare motor in just before
qualifying. Greg Potts rounded out the top ten with five laps
to go.
Jeff Anthony could not catch and pass Fensler in the final
five laps and Fensler earned his fifth SRL Victory of the 2005
season. Joey Zampa finished third followed by Ermish, Smith,
Mendenhall, Wood, Rieker Jr., Bolin, Potts, Hedrick, Days,
Buholz, Jim Courage Jr., Schmidt, and Boyd. "I give credit to
all these drivers out here tonight they all drove respectively
and make this league exciting and fun to race." A smiling
Fensler said in victory lane. Second place finisher Jeff
Anthony said "We've had some tough luck this year, you name it
we've done it but it feels real good to be back in the tope
three.” Joey Zampa earned his fourth top five finish Saturday
night. "We were catching up to Jeff (Anthony) and then Jason
came up and I knew he was going to pass Jeff so I just battled
for second." Zampa said.
Jason Fensler has a 49 point over Troy Ermish heading into the
SRL Wild West Shootout’s next event which is Saturday, July
2nd at Stockton 99 Speedway. Ermish has a 15 point lead over
Mark Smith in third as Joey Zampa sits fourth one point behind
Smith. Ken Boyd dropped to fifth in the championship standings
after his 16th place finish at Altamont Raceway & Arena.
The SRL Wild West Shootout heads to Stockton 99 Speedway on
Saturday, July 2nd.
Davey Hamilton’s SRL “Wild West Shootout” would like to thank
their 2005 Sponsors, which include: Afco, Apex Financial
Group, Bassett Racing Wheels, Brodix Inc., Casciaro Homes,
Dynatech, DPI, Eibach Springs, FRE, Five Star Stock Car
Bodies, Frank’s Radio Service, G. P. Fabrication, Hoosier Tire
West, Impact Racing, Fensler Racing Inc., Madera Auto Center,
Paul Oil Co., Perry Race Cars, Peterson Fluid Systems, Pit
Stop USA.Com, Sunoco, Total Seal Inc., U. S. Brake, and
Victory Circle Chassis and Parts. |
