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Jason Fensler
Wins Race and Championship
Source: SRL Public
Relations - Date: October 9, 2005
Tracy, Calif. (October 9th) --
The 2005 SRL Wild West Late Model season came to an end
Saturday night at Altamont Raceway & Arena in Tracy,
California. Jason Fensler cruised to his seventh win of the
year and also clinched the 2005 series point championship.
Jeff Anthony the 2002 series champion finished second as Joey
Zampa crossed the finish-line in the third position. Jeff
Belletto of
Salida,
California finished in fourth right behind Zampa, as Tracy
Bolin rounded out the top five finishers.
Jason Fensler entered Saturday with a 46 point lead over
two-time winner Mark Smith of
Tracy,
California. Fensler earned fast time honors with a lap of
18.120 second lap around the fast half-mile. Smith qualified
second as he stopped the clock with a 18.230 second lap.
Joey Zampa turned an 18.381 which was good enough for third.
Rick Ruzbarsky made his second qualifying attempt of the 2005
season and qualified fourth with an 18.422 second lap. Eric
Schmidt rounded out the top five qualifiers as he also turned
a 18.422 second lap. Twenty-five cars made a qualifying
attempt. Harold Rieker Jr. suffered mechanical problems during
practice and did not make a qualifying attempt. Jason Fensler
earned five points for setting fast time and would enter the
“ACDELCO/Allied Auto Store 100” with a 47 point lead over Mark
Smith.
The eight car event placed brother’s Steve and Jeff Belletto
on the front row. Steve Belletto was driving his father’s
familiar number 74 Chevrolet Monte Carlo. Steve Belletto hit
the kill switch on his steering wheel as he led the field to
the green flag. Belletto made a veteran move as he moved his
car to the bottom of the race track as the field stormed by.
Belletto would fall to the 18th position as bother
Jeff led lap one. The first of three caution flags waived on
lap two as 2005 Victory Circle Chassis & Parts Rookie of the
Year Jeremy Wood and 2004 Rookie of the Year Mark Smith
tangled heading into turn three. Wood’s car bounced hard off
of the backstretch wall and came to a stop in turn three. Wood
retired his car for the night as Smith suffered cosmetic
damage.
Jeff Belletto continued to lead as Eric Schmidt ran second,
Troy Ermish third, Jason Fensler fourth and Joey Zampa fifth.
Fensler passed Ermish on lap five and then made his way around
Schmidt on lap seven. Jason Fensler has his sights on leader
Jeff Belletto and made his way around Belletto as the two
raced to the start/finish line on lap nine. Troy Ermish passed
Schmidt to take the third position away on lap 16 as Fensler
stretched his lead over Belletto. Jeff Anthony started ninth
and passed Rick Ruzbarsky on lap 26 to move into the sixth
position. Ken Boyd qualified and started in the 15th
position, by lap 27 Boyd had picked off five cars and rounded
out the top ten.
The second caution flag of the evening waived on lap 33 as
Steve Belletto’s car came to a stop in the middle of turns one
and two. Fensler led the field back to green with the lapped
cars of Eric Graham and David Mantooth between Jeff Belletto
who was running in the second position. Troy Ermish continued
in third as the field reached the half-way point. Eric Schmidt
ran fourth with a very fast Jeff Anthony fifth.
The third and final caution of the night came out on lap 56 as
New Mexico’s Jamie Dick spun in turn one. Aaron Day’s of
Patterson, California had no where to go as he approached the
stalled car of Jamie Dick sitting in turn one. Days’ car came
to stop a long side of Dick’s with significant damage. Both
Aaron Days and Jamie Dick retired their cars for the night.
Jeff Anthony continued to make his way to the front as he now
ran third on the lap 58 restart. Four laps later Anthony would
pass Jeff Belletto and take over second place. Troy Ermish
spun exiting turn two and dropped to 11th on lap
75. Joey Zampa moved into fourth and Tracy Bolin took over the
fifth position. Zampa then made his way to third by passing
Jeff Belletto on lap 86. Neither Jeff Anthony nor Joey Zampa
could catch Jason Fensler has he cruised to his seventh
victory of the 2005 season. Jeff Belletto would finish fourth
and Tracy Bolin fifth after qualifying 12th. Ken
Boyd finished sixth as Eric Schmidt fell to seventh. Rookie
Kyle Gottula finished eight, Rusty Buholz ninth and Randy
Hedrick tenth.
Jason Fensler and the entire Beebe Racing Enterprises team
celebrated the series championship on the front straightway
after the completion of the 100 lap feature event. Mark Smith
would finish in the 14th position and hold onto
second place in the championship standings beating Eric
Schmidt by six points. Ken Boyd will finish fourth and Joey
Zampa fifth. The top 15 drivers will be recognized as the
season ending awards banquet in three weeks.
Jeremy Wood was able to drive his car to the front
straightaway after the race as Wood was introduced as the
2005 Victory Circle
Chassis & Parts Rookie of the Year in front of his hometown
crowd. 18 year old Jeremy Wood will be the recipient of a
brand new 2005 Victory Circle Chassis from Victory Circle
Chassis & Parts. $5,000 will be divided between Jason Fensler,
Mark Smith, and Troy Ermish who finished in the top three in
the Apex Financial Group Qualifying Points. Apex Financial
Group is based in Stockton Ca, and specializing in home loans
and the refinancing of property.
The SRL Wild West Late Model Shootout will hold their 2005
awards banquet Saturday, October 29, 2005 at The Holiday Inn
Capital Plaza in Sacramento, California.
Best lap time:
18.482
Speed 97.392 (Jason Fensler Lap7)
Margin of Victory 6.390 seconds
Lap Leaders: Jeff Belletto (1-8), Jason Fensler (9-100)
For more information visit the SRL Wild West Shootout’s
website at http://www.srllatemodels.com
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. |
