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July 8, 2006 - Chowchilla Speedway...When a full
moon appears, many people feel consternation, believing bad deeds will strike
them. In Richard Harvey's case, it's just the opposite. With a full moon beaming
down on the Central Valley track at Chowchilla (CA), Harvey exorcized all his
past jinx' and raced to victory in Saturday's 30-lap main event. Failing to make
or finish six SCRA main events due to mechanical woes, on-track incidents or
just plain bad luck, the veteran used all his skills to fend off his Hanford
shop neighbor and friend, Jason Yount.
Starting from the pole via his Dash victory, Harvey knew if he kept the front
wheels of his No. 59 machine on the inside berm, (the track had only one-groove)
his competitors wouldn't be able to pass him; he did just that. Yount tried
everything in the book to nudge, slip under or punt Harvey out of the way but
was unsuccessful.
With a dry and slick track, passing was nearly impossible but crewmembers and
fans alike were glued to their seats, nail-biting time, as they hoped and prayed
their respective driver wouldn't get passed; almost none of them did. It was a
follow the leader race, one in which only one pass occurred among the top seven
starters, when Andy Ferris moved from fourth to third when he passed Jonathan
Logan. Aaron Chaney, Davey Pombo, Craig Smith, Evan Suggs, Kevin Barnes and
David Press rounded out the top-ten.
Logan was the center of a post-race challenge after he came to a stop on the
track to avoid a prone Nick Ringo Jr., whose car was blocking the track after
spinning on lap 17. On the restart, Logan was allowed to retain his running
position as officials ruled he wasn't 'involved' in the spin, but used good
judgment in stopping rather than crashing into Ringo.
The earlier Dash set the tone for the main as all six starters finished in
order, Harvey, Yount, Logan, Ferris, Chaney and Kurt Nelson. Heat winners
included Lawrence Edlund, Logan and Davey Pombo, who captured the previous
evening's feature at Watsonville. Richard Brace Jr. posted the fastest
qualifying time.
One of the 22 cars that checked through the pit gate was Stephen Williams, who
retuned to the wars after suffering a broken collarbone at the same track two
months ago. He encountered mechanical woes and retired from the main after a few
laps.
By virtue of his strong performances at Watsonville and Chowchilla during the
doubleheader weekend, Jonathan Logan regained the season's points' chase with
496 markers, 28 more than Rusty Carlile. Harvey is third with 384, followed by
Ferris' 304. Brent Kaeding, who was committed to the GSC series, dropped to
fifth with 298.
QUALFYING:
#2r Richard Brace 15.257, #34 Kurt Nelson 15.268, #69 Aaron Chaney 15.361, #4j
Andy Ferris 15.460, #32 Jonathan Logan 15.567, #25 Jason Yount 15.590, #59
Richard Harvey 15.590, #33 Evan Suggs 15.591, #3 Davey Pombo 15.603, #51 Rusty
Carlile 15.640, #93 Stephen Williams 16.072, #39 Craig Smith 16.137, #41 David
Press 16.443, #57 Derrick Hearron 16.595, #36b Kevin Barnes 16.784, 15k Lawrence
Edlund 17.004, #7n Nick Ringo Jr. 17.146, #15c Sal Mannian 17.248, #7 Nick Ringo
Sr. 17.248, #51x Jeff Gardner 19.064, #4 Burt Foland N/T,
HEAT #1 10- Laps
Edlund, Carlile, Ferris, Harvey, Brace, Press, Ringo Jr.
HEAT #2 10 Laps
Logan, Nelson, Suggs, Ringo Sr., Hearron, Gardner
HEAT #3 10 Laps
Pombo, Smith, Chaney, Yount, Barnes, Foland, Mannina
DASH 6 Laps
Harvey, Yount, Logan, Ferris, Chaney, Nelson,
MAIN: 30 Laps
Harvey, Yount, Ferris, Logan, Chaney, Pombo, Smith, Suggs, Barnes,
Press, Brace, Foland, Edlund, Carlile, Ringo Jr., Nelson, Hearron,
Gardner, Williams, Ringo Sr
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