By Alan Plummer
This past weekend, the PASS tour rolled into Riverside Speedway for Summerfest 2008. It was all Riverside divisions for the Friday night show featuring the 2nd annual Jake McDowell Street Stock Memorial 100. Several Daredevil Veterans were allowed to run the Street Stock event, and they were very impressive. Three of them finished in the top 10 with Jesse Switser challenging for the lead. The Angels had 20 cars for their feature. Saturday featured the PASS Super Late Models, PASS Mods, STAR Racers, Riverside Dwarfs, and Outlaws. The Super Late Models were cut short 18 laps and the 4X4 tug of war and Cyclones were postponed due to torrential rains. Dominator and Easy Rider Monster Trucks were on hand both days and put on a tremendous show. Easy Rider rolled the truck over on Friday, but was back for Saturday. The final Monster Truck show was done in the rain, and I’m told was great, but I left a little early, because I was soaked from head to toe and was trying to make sure the camera didn’t get wet. Ciara McCoy was injured during the Dwarf qualifying when she suddenly went off the track over turn 1. I was told she hit a hole pretty hard and complained of neck pain. Her car was raced in the feature by Ernie Laplant.
The Daredevil Rookies started Friday off, with Nick Miller on the pole, with Nick Gilcris outside. Miller took the lead as Brent Ming moved to 2nd, and the yellow flew as Aaron Poulin goes off turn 3. Ming takes the restart, and Ben Belanger moved to 3rd. On lap 4 Gilcris moved to 3rd. Poulin again goes off turn 3 on lap 9. Ming again takes the restart. On lap 14 Gilcris moved to 2nd, but couldn’t hold it. Ming took the win followed by Miller and Gilcris.
Jerrad Ainsworth started on the pole for the Daredevil Veterans, with Randy Whittum outside. Ainsworth took the lead, but gets into the infield on turn 4, giving Lyndsay Christman the lead with Keith Lord moving to 2nd, and Cameron Bowen to 3rd. Bowen overtakes 2nd on lap 5. Bowen takes the lead on lap 7, and Whittum regains 3rd. Lord didn’t let Whittum keep 3rd for long and overtook him on lap 11. Bowen takes the win, followed by Christman and Lord.
The Angels took to the track next with Cynthia Litvin on the pole with Mary Eastman outside. Litvin took the lead and Jen Terrill moved to 2nd. Miranda Gervais moved to 3rd on lap 4, but didn’t stay long, as she spun the car. Terrill takes the restart, but Litvin regains the lead. On lap 7 Johanna Christman moved to 2nd, and Jennie Dion moved to 3rd. Vanessa Brown briefly steals 3rd on lap 13, but Dion regains. On lap 25 Christman takes the lead. On lap 27 Dayna Randall moved to 3rd, as the yellow flag flies. Christman takes the restart. On lap 29 Litvin and Dion both go around. Christman takes the restart and Randall moves to 2nd. Randall overtakes the lead on lap 30. Randall takes the win followed by Christman and Brown.
The Super Stocks were up next. Allyn Briggs started on the pole, with Dean Switser Jr outside. Briggs took the lead. Jerad Ledger and Brian Middleton tangled sending Middleton through the infiled. Briggs took the restart, but Jeff Fysh quickly took the lead. Denny Degreenia moved to 3rd on lap 3, but couldn’t hold it long as Luke Shannon made the pass on lap 4. On lap 7 Brian Gosselin and Briggs get together, with several cars taken evasive action going off turn 3. Fysh took the restart. Shannon overtook 2nd on lap 8. On lap 9 Jason Kenison moved to 3rd, but Degreenia regains on lap 11. Ledger and Shawn Hood get together on lap 15 bringing out the yellow. Shannon takes the restart. Nathan Swallow moved to 3rd on lap 24. Shannon took the win followed by Fysh and Swallow.
The final racing event of the night was the 2nd Annual Jake McDowell Memorial 100. The race pays tribute to fallen racer Jake McDowell who was taken from us to early in life. Before the race, all the drivers were given “19” flags (Jakes car number) and paraded around the track, then going to the stands and give them to the crown. Tyler Therrien started on the pole, with Cody Hodge outside. Therrien took the lead. On lap 5, Troy Randall moved to 3rd, he overtook 2nd on lap 9 and took the lead on lap 14. Randall and Therrien swap back and forth for a few laps. On lap 21 Alex Theroux and Tori Delabruere tangle bringing out the yellow. Randall takes the restart. The red flag came out on lap 49 as Jeff Ainsworth went hard into the tire wall in turn 4, he was ok. Randall again takes the lead. On lap 50, Jesse Switser who normally runs with the Daredevils, overtakes 2nd. Rubin Call goes off turn 2 on lap 66. Again Randall takes the lead. The yellow flies again on lap 84, as Alex Theroux and Michael Smith get together. Switser takes the restart, but only for half a lap before Randall regains. Shawn Swallow moved to 3rd on lap 89. With 2 laps to go Switser makes another move on Randall, but can’t make it stick. Randall takes his 2nd Jake McDowell Memorial win, followed by Switser, Swallow, Brandon Lambert and Therrien.
The STAR Racers (Senior Tour Auto Racers) were 1st up for Summerfest day 2. Dennis Fish started on the pole, with George Summers outside. Fish took the lead, as Skip Stearns moved to 3rd. Fish took the win followed by Stearns and Summers.
The Dwarfs were up next. Toby Merchant started on the pole, with Alex Rancourt outside. Rancourt took the lead, as Eric Hall moved to 3rd then 2nd. Hall took the lead on lap 5. On lap 13 Dana Huoppi moved to 2nd. Bobby Riley moved to 3rd on lap 23. Hall took the checkers followed by Riley and Huoppi.
The Outlaws were up next. Reggie Theroux started on the pole, with Dan Sidney outside. Theroux took the lead, as Doug Laleme moved to 2nd. On lap 5 Laleme took the lead. Laleme took the win followed by Theroux and Sidney.
The PASS Mods took to the field next. Scott McDaniels started on the pole, with Mark Norris outside. McDaniels took the lead and Greg Ellis moved to 2nd. The yellow flag flew on lap 23, as Mark Lucas goes off turn 2. McDaniels takes the restart as Bill Dixon moved to 2nd and Andy Shaw moved to 3rd. A bunch of cars get together in turn 1 bringing out the yellow on lap 25. McDaniels again takes the lead. McDaniels slows allowing Bill Dixon to sneak by and gain the win followed by McDaniels and Norris.
The PASS Super Late Models were up next. Derek Ranstrom started on the pole, with Alan Wilson outside. Ranstrom took the lead as Cassius Clark moved to 2nd. Clark took the lead on lap 5. The yellow flew on lap 61 as Matt Frahm went over turn 2. Clark took the restart. Steve Berry goes around on the front stretch bringing out the caution on lap 62. Clark again takes the lead. On lap 67 Wilson moves to 2nd. The yellow flies again on lap 80, for Donnie Whitten spinning in turn 2. Again Clark takes the lead. Ranstrom regains 2nd on lap 82. Johnny Clark moves to 3rd on lap 84, then to 2nd on lap 92, and takes the lead on lap 98. Travis Benjamin moves to 3rd on lap 99 and then moves to 2nd. On lap 132, the race is called because of rain. Johnny Clark is declared the winner, with Benjamin 2nd and Ranstrom 3rd.
Join the fun next Saturday August 2nd as the Late Models return. Also on the card will be the Outlaw Sportsman, Super Stocks, Angels, Daredevils and a 100 lap Cyclone race. Post time 6pm. Hope to see you there. Pictures and archived FANatic articles can be seen at http://racing.apcomptech.com If you have any questions or comments email me at riversidefanatic@apcomptech.com