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Brad
Bumgarner Wins CASA Feature at Shasta Raceway Park |
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9-25-04
– Anderson, CA. Shasta Raceway Park’s first annual “Pop Porter
Memorial Race” was captured by nearby Chico California’s Brad Bumgarner in
the California Asphalt Sprintcar Association 40-lap feature event as part of the
Legends/BCRA/CASA evening of racing at the scenic and newly remodeled
three-eighths mile speedway. Nick “Pop” Porter was instrumental in racing in
the area and was an early driving force behind Shasta Raceway Park’s very
existence. Porter passed away this spring at the age of 94 and tonight’s race
begins a new and deserved tradition of honoring one of Northern California’s
racing pioneers. As
the racing program got underway, recently crowned Nevada State Sprint Car
Champion Nick Rescino, Jr. started the evening by laying down fast time at
15.022 seconds, just edging Bumgarner’s 15.140 in what would be a prelude to
an exciting match-up between the two young rising stars. In
opening ceremonies, Bryan Bullard and teammate Tony Iacobitti parked their Oval
Chassis Research Specials on the front straight for the national anthem.
Following the “Star Spangled Banner”, Iacobitti, carrying the green flag and
Bullard the checkered, took two moment of silence laps in tribute to Oval
Chassis Research, CASA founder, and two-time NARC Champion Mike McCreary who
passed away Friday morning after a brief battle with pancreatic cancer.
Ironically, McCreary, like Porter, was an influential member of the Northern
California racing community and they were fellow competitors for a large portion
of their storied careers. When
racing resumed, OCR’s Bullard took the Mike Coy Concrete Construction fast car
trophy dash and heat number two, while Bumgarner prevailed in heat race number
one. As
the CASA feature began, front row starters Glenn Hopper and Earle Stanton staged
a tire smoking, side-by-side drag race to the green flag with Stanton gaining
the edge as the field thundered into turn one. Stanton led for several laps but
soon Bumgarner was nipping at his heels with the equally fleet Rescino in tow.
Bumgarner made a couple attempts to pass and finally squeezed past Stanton with
Rescino dropping Stanton back to third a few laps later. Near the halfway point,
Bumgarner is his Roy Bumgarner #88 held fast to the point, his beautiful flame
painted sprinter just ahead of Rescino’s dark blue Bayshore Engines #11.
Stanton, hustling his Stanton-Erickson mount, held third while Iacobitti’s
fourth place OCR #7 was under attack from pole sitter Hopper’s #61. Hopper,
with Bullard draped across his back bumper and along side at times, was
pressuring Iacobitti and finally made the pass in lapped traffic for fourth.
Iacobitti and Bullard then battled for fifth and sixth while Scott Clough fended
off the challenges of Ryan Baumgartner in Joe Hauck’s #85 and Roseburg Oregon
visitor Peter Global. Global, who made the trip south to run his first race with
CASA, had his hands full with veteran Marvin Mitchell in his yellow #68
pressuring him for the ninth spot. Bumgarner
and Rescino stormed around lapped cars at a dizzying pace, and in the closing
laps, running nose to tail, unable to shake clear of each other, nothing had yet
been decided. With a scant few laps to go, Rescino gave Bumgarner a little rub
to the back bumper but Bumgarner was steadfast in maintaining his lead. With the
lead pair bearing down on lapped traffic and the white flag waving, a last gasp
attempt was made by Rescino to squeeze under Bumgarner as they powered down the
home stretch for the checkered flag. Raising a considerable amount of dust and
running out of the typical racing groove, the fleet young stars flashed past the
finish line with Bumgarner holding on for the exciting and crowd pleasing win.
“That,
was a great race!” said a jubilant Bumgarner in victory lane. Said Rescino,
“I would have used the infield if I could, but Brad was fast. Good race.”
Earle Stanton came home third for his best finish in recent memory, “Not too
bad for an old man in a used car”, quipped Stanton of his podium finish,
noting he had raced against half the field’s dads in years past. The
final finishing order had Bumgarner, Rescino, Stanton, Hopper and Iacobitti in
the top five followed by Bullard, Ryan Baumgartner, Scott Clough, Oregon visitor
Peter Global and Mitchell rounding out the ten finishers.
The
“California Sprint Cars” of CASA make their final 2004 visit to Altamont
Motorsports Park’s half mile, Saturday October 16th to wrap up a
successful second season of pavement sprint car racing. This next CASA race will
be part of Altamont’s “Open Wheel Spectacular” featuring Sprint Cars,
Modifieds and Supers in an all open wheel show. 9-25-04 CASA Results QUALIFYING COY
CONCRETE TROPHY DASH 40
LAP MAIN EVENT POINT
STANDINGS 9/25/04
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