For immediate release:
Texana Raceway Park
May 10th Race Summary
by - Monty Chamberlain
May 10th was Texana Raceway Park’s recognition of Mothers Night, and Spectator Races. Ms. Sandra Hudgeons was the featured driver for the evening providing the opportunity for fans to meet her, get an autograph and also providing the fans with a chance to get up close with her car. The raceway welcomed 107 stock car / truck teams in for competition across 6 classes. Mini Stocks were scheduled off for the night. A night where the track started out tacky in the early heat races, the surface headed to dry slick with a strong south wind, but the track quickly took rubber, which made for some good speeds in all classes and competitive action when the features rolled around.
As a special addition to the night, Spectator Races were held at intermission. The raceway held Spectator Races last year for the first time and it was a huge hit with the fans. Brought back this year, there were 11 competitors. Actually, there was sort of 11 competitors. There was nine serious competitors and two goofballs competing. The raceway posted $200 and a very nice trophy in a winner take all bracket elimination competition. Competitors were paired in a one on one competition taking one lap around the track with the loser exiting the track and the winner coming back for another round, until just two remained. The last two went for two laps in a close race determining the sole winner. Track owner Bruce Tesch and promoter Monty Chamberlain provided an element of surprise to the competition in the fifth pairing, as they pulled up against each other unknowingly to anyone but the flagman and a couple of other track staff. The fans thought it was simply two more competitors. As the pair of snails took off, Chamberlain headed into turn one and Tesch clipped Chamberlain’s left quarter and spun Chamberlain. Tesch made another lap and caught back up to Chamberlain on the front straight and the two shared paint with each other. As the fans were going wild over the action that seemed to be real, they all got a good laugh as Tesch and Chamberlain took a Polish victory lap to reveal to the crowd it was a joke, and the real spectator racing resumed. Texana Raceway Park would like to thank Mid-Coast Wrecker and Mickey’s Towing for the donation of the two comedy vehicles, and we’d like to thank DJ’s Trophies of Edna for the donation of the winner’s trophy.
With the qualifying heats completed and intermission out of the way, it was time for feature action. With the mini stocks off for the night, it was the Texana Classic Dwarfs heading out first. The group carried 21 cars into the feature race. As the green flag dropped, it was Greg Sexton to the early lead with Ronny Fikes, Victor Vargas and Doug Schmidt in hot pursuit. In very impressive fashion for the number of cars in the race, the group only experienced two cautions during the race. Under green, Sexton pulled away from the field with each lap, and his only challenge was passing lapped traffic. After the first caution, the field relined with Sexton, Vargas, Joseph Snow, and Mike Christians in the top four positions. After a second caution, it was moving into a race for position with just a few laps remaining. Sexton drove consistent throughout the event and carried his #1 ride home for the win.
1st - #1 Greg Sexton, 2nd #24 Victor Vargas, 3rd #79 Doug Schmidt, 4th #01 Joseph Snow, 5th #54 Gary Hanson
In an annual tradition, it was ladies to the front for the start of all heats and feature races. The Bomber Division had three ladies in competition and although she was going to be placed in the front of the group, Sandra Hudgeons actually earned her pole position by winning the first heat. 23 cars entered the track and Hudgeons led the field around to green. Danny Bennett quickly moved to the lead. After a caution it was Danny Bennett, John Gay and Cassey Champion. Champion in only her second night in her ride gave all of the other drivers in the class something to take note of, as the young driver definitely held her own against the group with some intelligent driving and good reading of the track line. A large pile up in 1 & 2 left Randy Kacir sidelined with a flat. As the race progressed, Nick Moore a feature winner from earlier in the season was on the move and made his way up to 3rd spot behind Bennett and Gay with Champion just behind Moore in 4th. With each caution, it closed the field giving an opportunity for Gay to make a run at Bennett. Bennett protected the low line forcing Gay to go to the longer way around the track. Gay appeared to have more motor on the straight aways, but Bennett consistently drove through the turn protecting the low line and Gay could not get around, and Moore worked his way up to 2nd before the end. As the Checkers waved, it was Bennett, the current points leader who took his first feature win of the season.
1st - #R4J Danny Bennett, 2nd – #1M Nick Moore, 3rd – #155 John Gay, 4th – #C91 Cassey Champion, 5th – #33 Charlie Mills
18 Limited Modifieds headed into their feature race. As the race started, it was Doug Maxwell to the early race lead with Joshua Majek in 2nd. Majek challenged and passed Maxwell, moving into the lead, but Aaron Hudgeons was on the move. Hudgeons passed Majek and moved into the lead with Maxwell still in the hunt, running in 3rd before the first caution flew. Relined after the first caution, Hudgeons held off a challenge from Majek. Shane Hoefling was dicing through the field and moved his way up to third before another caution fled. Last weeks feature winner Vince Louden was biding his time and worked his way up to the top three. A lot of passing throughout the event, Roly Rodriguez worked his way up into the top five as well. The young Majek dropped no lower than 2nd during the entire event and demonstrated he’s got driving maturity and talent, well beyond his age. Hudgeons carried his lead to the end to take the win.
1st – #10 Aaron Hudgeons, 2nd #82 Joshua Majek, 3rd #6 Vince Louden, 4th #12r Roly Rodriguez, 5th #63 Shane Hoefling
Following the Limited Modifieds it was time for the Hot Stock Trucks. While there was lots of exciting racing from 2nd back, this was without question Jimmy Rogers night. No one had anything for Rogers from the time the green flag flew to the end. Rogers and Gordon Boehm, who were both heat winners brought the field around. As the race progressed, Russell Bloom moved up to 2nd position. Marked with numerous cautions, any progress a driver made was closed with restarts. Nearing the closing laps, Bob Ort was competing against Bloom for 2nd position. Ort went to the outside in turn 1. Bloom’s truck pushed as Ort was edging in front of Bloom, and Blooms bumper caught Ort’s left quarter. The caution flew and Bloom went to the rear of the field. Rogers went mostly unnoticed throughout the race.
1st - #9 Jimmy Rogers, 2nd #43 Bob Ort, 3rd #84 Justin Bloom, 4th #38 Chris Schafer, 5th #15 Gordon Boehm
The Super Stock division carried in an impressive field of 17 cars. A variety of stock bodies, aluminum bodies, full frames and tube chassis cars, the field was staged with a stiff field of competitors. A J Dancer took the early race lead with Randy Stevenson in hot pursuit. The group made it to the half way point before seeing a caution. Having one of his best runs this season with his new car was Andrew Mann who worked his way up to 4th place by the mid way point. As the field restarted, Dancer pulled away from Stevenson and G W Hessong was in third position. Further back in the field was a lot of close competition with Chris Jewell moving up in the Blanchard Race Team entry and Mike Davenport looking to be on the move at one point. As the race progressed Dancer was doing textbook driving with many taking notes.
1st - #52 A J Dancer, 2nd - #83 Randy Stevenson, 3rd - #47 G W Hessong, 4th - #00 Andrew Mann, 5th - #2x Chris Jewell
The head liners in the Modified class were the last group out for their feature. Jesse Manning came out and took the early race lead with Dale Flanagan and last week’s winner Nick Hardcastle running in second and third respectively. John Armstrong was on the move and worked his way up to the third when the first caution flew. With the rupper laid down, the modifieds were hooked up and laying down some good laps times. An impressive group of drivers that could be put up against modified drivers anywhere, the fans didn’t move from their seats as the modified feature progressed.
Following a couple more cautions, Manning was able to get a start that would leave Flanagan working to catch Manning. Flanagan would get close to Manning, but wasn’t able to assemble a pass to get around Manning. When the checker flew, it was Manning with the win.
1st - #76 Jesse Manning, 2nd - #57 Dale Flanagan, 3rd - #39 John Armstrong, 4th - #16 Tom Hameka, 5th - #94 Nick Hardcastle.
Texana Raceway Park will be racing again on May 17th. We’ll have kids food races at intermission, and our featured driver before the nights races begin will be Doug Schmidt. We’d like to the thank the 107 teams, the real spectator racers, and the great fan count for an excellent night of racing.