Although the bulk of the 2011 Stockton 99 Speedway champions had been previously determined, there was still a bit of unfinished business to take care of at the fabled ¼-mile last Saturday night.
The Enduro class ran their final race of the season on a track tricked and slicked up with a concoction of soap, water watermelons and heaven only knows what else.
Carmichael’s Chris Lancaster deftly negotiated the heavy traffic like a cop chasing a doughnut truck, moving from his seventh place starting spot and into the lead by lap 10. By Lap 78 he had put the remainder of the 21-car field at least a lap down. When Lancaster took the checkered flag on Lap 199 he led runner up Ryan Strmiska, of Manteca, by three laps.
It was Lancaster’s second Enduro victory of the season and it earned him the 2011 99 Speedway Enduro championship.
The ladies took center stage in the annual Powder Puff race. Kathy Williams of Ceres survived the carnage to take an impressive win over Stockton’s Dolly Morlas and Marisa Dickerson.
Manteca’s Joseph Reichmuth put an exclamation point on his season by picking up his eleventh win in Basically-4-Cylinders division race. Dave Kong , of Jamaica, actually crossed the white strip first, but was DQed after failing post race inspection.
The Stockton 99 Speedway will close the books on the 2011 season this weekend with the two-day Fall Classic.
The Saturday portion of the event will feature the Vintage Hard Tops, NCMA Sprints, Pro-4 Modifieds, Mini Trucks and Mini Cups ,while Sunday racing will include Western Late Models, Grand Americans, Super Stocks, Bombers and Basically-4s.
SRL Southwest Tour
Manteca’s Jacob Gomes, age 18, saw his 2011 Spears SRL Southwest Tour championship hopes dim after he finished 10th in the Mike Roos Memorial race held Sept. 24 at Madera Speedway.
Former series champion MK Kanke, of Frazier Park, to a convincing win in the event and now leads Seaside veteran Jim Pettit II by a 1350 to 1272 margin in the points while Gomes drops to third with 1263. Derek Thorn and third-generation driver Ross Strmiska of Manteca round out the top five.
Two races remain on the SRL schedule — Oct. 15 at the All American Speedway in Roseville and the season finale at the Bull Ring in Las Vegas on October 29.
The SRL race in Roseville is the first half of a doubleheader that will also include the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Toyota NAPA AUTO PARTS 150 Presented by Pick-n-Pull as well as other local divisions.
Madera Speedway
Madera will conclude its 2011 season with the 5th Annual Pumpkin Smash Halloween Bash and Blow up featuring the Late Model Open, Hobby Stock Open, 4-Banger Open, 150-lap Enduro, Destruction Derby and Boat Drags on October 22.
While the lights are about to go out on the local racing season, there are still a wide variety of national events on the 2011 calendar that are within traveling distance.
Scott Speed update
Manteca’s Scott Speed and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will be hit the desert for the Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway on November 11-13. Also racing that weekend in Phoenix will be the NASCAR Nationwide Series and the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West division.
The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series concludes its season with a west coast swing through Firebird Speedway in Phoenix on October14-16, Las Vegas Speedway on October 27-30 and Auto Club Raceway in Pomona, California on .November 10-13.
To contact Dale Bosowski, email dalebosowski@yahoo.com.
