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Shafer laps the Stockton Late Models field for 2nd straight win
Josh Cross fends off fellow Mantecan to win B-4 feature
Bulletin sports fall 2021
Josh Cross held off fellow Mantecan Joe Flowers in the B-4 Divisionfor his eighth victory of the season Saturday at Stockton 99 Speedway. - photo by Photo by Jessica McAnelly/Jessie's Fast Photos

STOCKTON — Second-generation driver Gary Shafer Jr., of Stockton, continued his late-season surge by driving away from the field to score his second consecutive victory in Saturday’s 50-lap feature for

Bulletin sports fall 2021
Gary Shafer Jr. celebrates his third win, and second straight, win of the Stockton Late Models season at 99 Speedway on Saturday. - photo by Photo by Jessica McAnelly/Jessie's Fast Photos
the Stockton Late Models at the Stockton 99 Speedway.

Starting alongside of Justin Philpott — the three-time track champion out of Tracy — in the front row of the 13-car field to start the main, Shafer quickly settled into third as the rest of the field sorted itself out. His attempt to move by Philpott for the lead on lap 10 was interrupted by a yellow-caution, but he was able to successfully complete the pass nine laps later.

With clear sailing ahead of him, Shafer slowly began to pull away from the pack. The remainder of the race went caution free, forcing Shafer to maneuverer through the lapped traffic he encountered over the final 20 laps to chalk up his third win of the season.

“We had a great car, so I took my time and tiptoed by the guys in front of me and then we pretty much checked out. I was just praying there would not be a caution,” said Shafer. “We have been fine tuning the car over the last several weeks and it just keep getting a little better and better.”

Stockton’s Ty Carlson turned in another solid run to finish the race in second just ahead of Stearns, who entered the night just 14 points ahead of Shafer in the battle for the 2021 track championship, while Stockton’s Joey Sarafin and Philpott rounded out the top five.

Once again, the B-4 feature turned into a dogfight between Manteca’s Josh Cross and Joe Flowers.

The pair sat on the front row for the start of the 16-car main where Cross jumped into the early lead at the drop of the green flag. He would then spend the remainder of the 25-lap race weaving through back markers while desperately keeping the hard-charging Flowers at bay.

Despite making several attempts, Flowers could never execute a pass for the lead, as Cross took the checkered flag for his eighth victory of the year before slowly coming to a silent stop on the front straight.

“Man that was close. The car was sputtering at the end because I lost the battery,” Cross said. “I was really worried, because it kept cutting out more and more and then the lights went out.”

Dave Keller, of Stockton, finished third and Nick Hall, of Stockton, who entered the night with a narrow five-point lead over Flowers and seven-point lead over Cross in the B-4 season standings, finished in fourth.

The 25-lap Bomber main quickly turned into a three-car shootout as Lodi’s Brandon Jones, Linden’s Allen Rider and Manteca’s Joe Reichmuth fought it out like a trio of feral cats on catnip from start to finish.

Jones would go on to take the checkered flag by about a foot over Rider as the pair completed the final laps side-by-side while Reichmuth, who enter the night with 20-point lead over Rider, settled for a hard-earned third.

“It was getting really close at the end. Those guys were all over my back bumper and I was doing everything I could to stay ahead of them,” said Jones. “We have been struggling so this feels really good.”

Jordan Lovelace, of Stockton, continued his season-long domination in the B-4 Juniors division by grabbing his eighth win of the season over Manteca’s Jayden Cross, and Gage Wicke scored an upset victory over season points leader Kash Holman, of Salida, in the Mini Cup main.

The next event at the 99 Speedway will be the Fall Classic on Saturday, Oct. 2, which will feature the final appearance of the year for the Spears SRL Pro Late Model series along with the Bombers, B-4s and B-4 Juniors.

Before the start of the evening’s racing long-time track announcer and former driver Wayne Pierce shared some of his memories of Modesto’s Steve Belletto, age 56, who sadly passed away on Sept. 11 after losing his battle with Covid-19.

The Belletto family has a long and distinguished history of almost 50 years of competing at the Stockton 99 Speedway which began in 1970 when Steve’s father Harry Belletto started racing at the ¼-mile oval. Fierce competitors on the track and gentleman off of it, the Belletto’s were always fan favorites and remain so today.

Harry would go on to win three 99 Speedway track championships while Steve and his younger brother Jeff would capture two track championships each. The three also posted 1-2-3 finishes on several occasions. Steve’s older brother Rick was also involved, building and preparing the family-owned race cars.

“My best memories are racing with my dad and brother,” Pierce recounted Steve telling him.

A service for Steve will be held on Thursday, Sept. 30, at 10 a.m. at Franklin & Downs Funeral Home on McHenry Avenue in Modesto.

The NTT IndyCar Series will conclude its 2021 season next weekend, Sept. 24-26, on the streets on Long Beach in the 46th Annual Acura GP of Long Beach. Normally held in April, the race was moved to the end of the year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Spain’s Alex Palou (No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing) leads Mexico’s Pato O’Ward (No. 5 Arrow McLaren) by 35 points and Nashville’s Josef Newgarden (No. 2 Penske Racing) by 48 points in the quest for the 2021 IndyCar championship    

The on-track action also includes the IMSA SportsCar Grand Prix of Long Beach, an IMSA SportsCar Grand Prix, and two Stadium Super Truck races. Formula D Super Drift Challenge and two Historic Formula Atlantic Challenge races.

For more info, visit www.gplb.com or call the ticket office at 888.827.7333.