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Jason Fensler Wins
California Welding Supply 100
Source: SRL Public
Relations/Eddie Alves - Date: May 30, 2005
Stockton, California - The SRL
Wild West Late Model Shootout returned to action Saturday
night at Stockton 99 Speedway in Stockton, California. After
100 laps around Stockton 99's high-banked 1/4 mile track,
Wilton's Jason Fensler crossed the finish-line first as he won
his third event of the 2005 season. Eric Schmidt who won at
Mesa Marin Raceway two weeks ago finished second, followed by
Harold Rieker Jr., Jeff Belletto, and Mark Smith. Ken Boyd of
Ceres finished sixth, Steve Belletto seventh, Victory Circle
Chassis and Parts Rookie of the Year contender Jeremy Wood
finished eight, followed by Jim Courage Jr., as Aaron Days
rounded out the top ten.
"Once again we had a really good car tonight, I keep saying
that, but my crew does an awesome job." Eric Schmidt had a
really good car tonight, I kept trying to pass him on the
inside but couldn't so we went up high on em and ended up
getting around him." Fensler said. "If it was a 30 lap race we
would have won. We had a second place car tonight, if it was a
105 lap race we would have finished third." Stated Eric
Schmidt.
Twenty-five drivers attempted qualifying for the twenty
starting positions. Jason Fensler qualified first as he was
the only driver to break into the 13 second bracket. Fensler
stopped the clock with a lap of 13.941 seconds. Roseville's
Jim Courage was second right behind Fensler with a lap of
14.024 seconds. Napa's Joey Zampa qualified third (14.051),
followed by Troy Ermish (14.062), as Harold Rieker Jr. rounded
out the top five with a 14.068 second lap. Aaron Days and
Angelo Queirolo transferred from the non qualifiers race as
Joey Stearns, Wes Banks, Harry Belletto, Carl Pearce, and Rick
Ruzbarsky failed to make the 100 lap feature event. Tracy
Bolin and Rusty Buholz each used a provisional to lock
themselves into the California Welding Supply 100.
The eight car inversion put Roseville's Eric Schmidt and Ken
Boyd of Ceres on the front row. As the green flag waived
Schmidt and Boyd ran side-by-side heading into turn one.
Harold Rieker Jr. got a slow start as the field checked up
behind him. Rusty Buholz and Ryan Foster both spun in the
middle of turns one and two but continued without losing a
lap. Boyd led lap one before Schmidt took over on lap two.
Mark Smith followed Schmidt and Boyd in the third position.
Ripon's John Gaalswyk spun on lap 10, but the race continued
caution free. Schmidt led Boyd, Troy Ermish, Harold Rieker
Jr., and Jim Courage Jr. Ermish made his way around Boyd on
lap 21 to take the second position. Jason Fensler marched his
way into the top three on lap 22 as he made his way around Ken
Boyd. Fensler challenged Ermish for six laps before beating
Ermish to the start/finish-line as the first caution of the
evening was thrown for Dave Byrd who suffered a flat tire.
With 30 laps complete Schmidt held off Fensler, Ermish, Boyd
and Jeff Belletto. Fensler started putting pressure on Schmidt
and later passed him for the lead on lap 36. Fensler, Schmidt,
and Ermish ran very close around the historic quarter-mile
racetrack. Ermish made his move into second on lap 42 and now
followed Fensler. Napa's Joey Zampa spun on lap 45 and went a
lap down. After qualifying second earlier in the day, Jim
Courage spun in turn two on lap 48. Fensler continued to lead
at the halfway point with Ermish, Schmidt, Rieker Jr. and Boyd
rounding out the top five.
Troy Ermish suffered a right front flat tire on lap 53 and
spun in turn four bringing out another caution. Jason Fensler
led the lap 55 restart with Schmidt, Rieker Jr., Boyd, and
Jeff Belletto right behind. Belletto passed Boyd on lap 59 to
move into fourth from his ninth starting position. Ryan Foster
made his first start of 2005 in a Bob Strandwold owned
racecar. Foster spun in turn four on lap 65 as the yellow flag
was displayed once again. Foster exited the racetrack and
finished 19th.
The race restarted on lap 68 for the final restart of the
evening. Fensler continued to lead Schmidt, Rieker Jr., Jeff
Belletto, and Ken Boyd. Jeff Belletto and Mark Smith each made
their way around Boyd to move into the fourth and fifth
positions. Boyd fell back to sixth. Schmidt was unable to pass
Fensler for the lead in the final 10 laps as Jason Fensler won
the "California Welding Supply 100" for his third SRL Wild
West Late Model Shootout victory of 2005. Schmidt finished
second, just beating Rieker Jr. to the line. Jeff Belletto
finished fourth earning his first top five of 2005 as Tracy's
Mark Smith finished fifth, earning his first top five finish
of 2005 also.
Ken Boyd finished sixth, followed by Steve Belletto, Victory
Circle Chassis and Parts Rookie of the Year contender Jeremy
Wood of Tracy finished eight, Jim Courage Jr. ninth, as Aaron
Days rounded out the top ten. Rusty Buholz finished 11th as
Tracy Bolin, Mike Mendenhall, Joey Zampa, Angelo Queirolo,
John Gaalswyk, Troy Ermish, Dave Byrd, Ryan Foster, and Jeff
Anthony completed the field.
"There were a lot of yellows tonight, I kinda wished we didn't
have that last one. We did real well on the long runs
tonight." Harold Rieker Jr. said after finishing third
Saturday night.
Next Race: Saturday, June 4th at Shasta Raceway Park.
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., 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. |
