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Green
Captures CASA Victory at Ukiah Speedway |
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August
20, 2005
- Ukiah,
CA....California Asphalt Sprintcar Association rookie of the year contender
Nick Green added another feather to his resume cap posting his second series win
on a very pleasant evening of racing excitement at Ukiah Speedway. CASA’s
third and final 2005 visit to the beautiful Ukiah valley found comfortable high
80’s temperatures, a nice breeze and a warm, clear, full moon evening of
racing. Green started things off by laying down the gauntlet in time trials,
posting fast time at 12.273 collecting his second Fast Time Award of the season
and topping the 11 car field. 2003
CASA champion Tony “Yak” Iacobitti hustled the Carla McCreary black and red
#71 to his first trophy dash win of the year over defending CASA champ Nick
Rescino, Jr’s dark blue #11, Jessica Helberg in her brightly flamed burgundy
#4, and fast timer Green in his orange #14. “That’s a nervous four laps”
smiled “Yak” in victory lane. Ryan
Baumgartner, with experience at these Ukiah high-banks in modified competition,
successfully transferred that knowledge to his black #24 to win the Lightning
Sports heat race over Ivan Worden’s orange #63, the blue #99 of Joe Hauck and
Scott Clough’s white and red #5. Heat race number two was won by Glenn Hopper
in his silver and gold #61 over Matt DeMartini in Ric Carr’s white and blue
flamed #6, Green from last starting, Rescino, Helberg and Iacobitti who executed
a fan friendly 360-degree spin complete with a mini dust storm. As
the full moon’s light bathed the speedway, the CASA field assembled for a
75-lap assault on the high-banked quarter mile oval. Front row starters Hopper
and DeMartini powered the pack to the green flag and DeMartini squeezed ahead
entering turn one with Hopper glued to his tail. For the next dozen laps, with
DeMartini holding the point, Green pressed his way forward through the field
from his sixth starting spot to move into third. Meanwhile, current point leader
Rescino, forced to start last after switching to his backup car, was also
heading to the front. The action was fast and furious throughout the field as
DeMartini began to encounter lapped traffic. After smoothly slipping past a
couple lapped cars, and still with Hopper pressing from behind, lap 20 found
DeMartini trying to maintain the preferred low line and slip past Scott Clough
to put him down a lap. However the narrow groove proved tighter than could hold
two cars and contact between DeMartini and Clough sent both spinning for the
first caution flag. The
restart saw new leader Hopper under relentless pressure from Green as Helberg,
Iacobitti, Worden and Rescino all scuffled and jockeyed for precious real estate
within the top five. Several more laps into the fray, Rescino and Worden’s
battle resulted in Rescino high-centering turn three just enough to send him
over the banking and bringing out caution number two. Green’s
pressure continued as Hopper led the field under green again. Helberg in an
excellent drive kept pace with the frontrunners while fending of Iacobitti,
Worden, a very fast DeMartini returning from his misfortune, and heat winner
Baumgartner throughout the middle portion of the race. Hopper
held Green at bay while negotiating the tight quarter-mile and lapped traffic as
Clough retired from the event with a possible fuel delivery issue. Rescino was
back to the lead pack by lap 50 and reengaged with the spirited battle. With his
fuel load diminishing, Hopper’s mount began to lack the traction required to
keep the fleet Green in arrears and on lap 58 Green snuck underneath Hopper
coming off turn two to wrest away the lead. Green
inched his advantage over the next several laps until contact between Rescino
and Worden on lap 67 sent Worden’s car spinning to a stop at the beginning of
the front straight and bunched the field again for another restart. Rescino was
dispatched to the rear of the field for a rough driving infraction and Green
reassumed his advantage over Hopper, Helberg, Iacobitti, and DeMartini on the
ensuing restart. Green
continued his charge until lap 72 when Rescino and Worden again made contact
with Worden stopping near the turn four crash wall and suffering a brief brake
fire that was quickly extinguished by alert track safety personnel. With three
laps remaining, Worden was retired for the balance of the event but the action
was far from over for the brief three-lap sprint to the finish. As
Green sped toward the finish, third running Helberg began running out of fuel
down each straightaway and a wild scramble began as Iacobitti tried to pass low,
DeMartini high and in the crowded situation, Rescino slipped past as well. As
Green flashed past the checkered flag with his second win of the season, Hopper
took second, DeMartini grabbed third, Rescino fourth, and a sputtering Helberg
managed a fifth place finish. Iacobitti, trapped when Helberg’s mount
initially faltered dropped to sixth and Baumgartner came home a well run seventh
with 74 laps complete, Worden recorded 72 laps to be credited with eighth place
and Joe Hauck and Marvin Mitchell, both graciously mindful of being lapped by
the leaders finished ninth and tenth. Green
elated in victory, scaled the front straight safety fence al la Helio
Castroneves-Tony Stewart and received a warm reception from the crowd. “That
was a heck of a race!” said Green in response to his evening’s efforts. In
post race inspection/review CASA race officials penalized Rescino to the last
lead lap position for two rough driving infractions costing him four
championship points and the prize money differential between fourth place and
the sixth place to which he was reclassified. CASA
next joins forces with USAC Western States for a special USAC program showcasing
both clubs running at Stockton 99 Speedway, August 27th. Make sure to check the
new CASA schedule reflecting this change by visiting www.casaracing.com for more information on
all CASA activities. 8-20-05
CASA Results QUALIFYING TROPHY
DASH 75
LAP MAIN EVENT POINT STANDINGS 8-20-05
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