5/2/2012
Sprint Source
Sawyers Hooks Up For First Career VRA Win
In a season that has seen the regular VRA Sprint car drivers struggle with the new Ventura Raceway track surface, it took a 17 year old Arizona driver to show them that it can indeed be done. Zach Sawyers, in only his second race at Ventura came from his 7th place starting place to take the lead on lap 9 and then go on to take the win in the 30 lap feature. On his way to the front he pulled the front end of his #XXX sprinter off the ground several time as he went down the back straight coming out of turn 2. He passed several driver with powerful moves coming out of turn 2 demonstrating that a driver can hook up to the new track. It was an action packed race that saw past champion Luis Espinoza return to action and finish second. Clark Templeman finished a strong third with Markus Niemela fourth and Brian Camarillo, who tried to get to the front running the top to no avail. The night saw two heat races run, with wins going to Markus Niemela in the Extreme Muffler Heat One and Louis Espinoza in the Kaeding Performance Heat Two. Brian Camarillo moved into the season point race lead with Kyle Smith moving into second after four races.
VRA Dwarf Cars put on another exciting night of racing for the fans in attendance. In Seniors the win went to Mike Lewis followed by Bill VanPraag, Rick Lapka, Mike Neal and George Calvo. Heat race wins went to Calvo and Lewis. Mike Lewis is the current point leader followed by Bill Van Praag and George Calvo. In Pro action the main event win went to Randy Gordon followed by point leader and 2011 champion Ray Estrada, Lee Majors and Eric Moore. Heat race wins went to Luke Boles and Ray Estrada. Again this week both Dwarf Car classes ran fast and smooth and easily finished in their 20 minutes 20 lap time frame. All drivers should be proud of this accomplishment as it has shown just how good their racing can be.
In Sport Compact racing Gary Curtis filled in for his son Trevor Fitzgibbon and took the win in their #28 Pinto. The 20 lap race was a good one with Zach Peterson taking second, Michaela Stanton taking third, Jess Carlucci fourth and Brad Long in his mini pick up fifth. Taking heat race wins were Long and Curtis.
VRA Mod Lites also were on the card Saturday night. Former VRA Dwarf Car Champion Mike Sweeney finally got his car figured out and took the win on a very slippery track. Following him to the line were Dave Dotson, Chris Meredith, Kris Kornder and Kyle Alverson. Their one heat race went to Dotson who moves into the season point lead.
The final classes racing Saturday were our kids classes. In Junior Midgets, 2011 series champ Devin McCree took the win and the point lead. Finishing second was Oliver Blades, third went to Tommy Velasquez, fourth went to Miles Hedrick and Kayle Brazel took fifth. Their heat race win went to Kayle Brazel. In VRA Superchargers the win went to Nick Velasquez, followed by J D Brown, Destyn Garcia, Jacob Aguilar and Eli Marshall. Nick Velasquez continues to lead in the point race after 4 races. In Pistons, the feature went to Blake Hendricks, followed by Garrett Eagan, Andrew Clark Dylan Neal and Zack Chavez.
Ventura Raceway Race Results for 04/28/2012
VRA Sprint Cars
Race #4 04/28/2012
Main Event Results: 1. Zack Sawyers, Phoenix, Az, 30 Laps; 2. Luis Espinoza, Castaic, 30 Laps; 3. Clark Templeman III, Santa Clarita, 30 Laps; 4. Markus Niemela, Santa Barbara, 30 Laps; 5. Brian Camarillo, Camarillo, 30 Laps; 6. Kyle Smith, Moorpark, 30 Laps; 7. John Nock, Newhall, 30 Laps; 8. Jeff Culver, Lompoc, 30 Laps; 9. Josh Lakatos, Pasadena, 30 Laps; 10. Richard Ortega Jr, Camarillo, 29 Laps; 11. Guy Woodward, Santa Clarita, 18 Laps; 12. Jeff Fillingame, Santa Paula, Did not start; 13. Jeremy Ellertson, Lawndale, Did not show
Lap Leaders: Kyle Smith (1-8), Zack Sawyers (9-30)
Heat Race Winners: Heat 1: Markus Niemela; Heat 2: Luis Espinoza
Top 10 in points: 1. Brian Camarillo, 830; 2. Kyle Smith, 725; 3. Troy Rutherford, 715; 4. John Nock, 670; 5. Guy Woodward, 585; 6. Tom Hendricks, 560; 7. Clark Templeman III, 525; 8. Bruce Douglass, 495; 9. Jeremy Ellertson, 470; 10. Jeff Culver, 450
VRA Pro Dwarf Cars
Race #3 04/28/2012
Main Event Results: 1. Randy Gordon, Simi Valley, 20 Laps; 2. Ray Estrada, Yucaipa, 20 Laps; 3. Lee Majors, Simi Valley, 20 Laps; 4. Kevin Calvo, Agua Dulce, 20 Laps; 5. Eric Moore, Ventura, 20 Laps; 6. Luke Boles, Goleta, 20 Laps; 7. Thomas Velasquez, Camarillo, 20 Laps; 8. Tim Conley, Oxnard, 20 Laps; 9. Chuck Lippert, Thousand Oaks, 20 Laps; 10. Johnny Conley, Oxnard, 20 Laps; 11. Cody Majors, Simi Valley, 20 Laps; 12. April Banvelos, Sylmar, 19 Laps; 13. Shawn Egan, Saugus, 19 Laps; 14. David Taylor Jr., Moorpark, 19 Laps; 15. Jason Horton, Oxnard, 19 Laps; 16. Tom Stephens Jr, Ventura, 13 Laps; 17. Chase Lippert, Thousand Oaks, 11 Laps; 18. Curt Cook, Santa Paula, 7 Laps
Lap Leaders: Randy Gordon (1-20)
Heat Race Winners: Heat 1: Luke Boles; Heat 2: Ray Estrada
Top 10 in points: 1. Ray Estrada, 740; 2. Randy Gordon, 650; 3. Lee Majors, 610; 4. Eric Moore, 600; 5. Kevin Calvo, 595; 6. Luke Boles, 580; 7. Thomas Velasquez, 500; 8. Curt Cook, 470; 9. Johnny Conley, 420; 10. Chase Lippert, 415
VRA Senior Dwarf Cars
Race #4 04/28/2012
Main Event Results: 1. Mike Lewis, Sunland, 20 Laps; 2. Bill Van Praag, Ventura, 20 Laps; 3. Rick Lapka, Apple Valley, 20 Laps; 4. Mike Neal, Northridge, 20 Laps; 5. George Calvo, Agua Dulce, 20 Laps; 6. David Quigley, La Marada, 20 Laps; 7. George Sack Jr, Agua Dulce, 20 Laps; 8. Tom Stephens Sr, Ventura, 20 Laps; 9. Bob Kaufman, Santa Clarita, CA, 20 Laps; 10. Mike Meziere, 19 Laps
Lap Leaders: Mike Neal (1), Mike Lewis (2-20)
Heat Race Winners: Heat 1: George Calvo; Heat 2: Mike Lewis
Top 10 in points: 1. Mike Lewis, 755; 2. Bill Van Praag, 685; 3. George Calvo, 625; 4. Tom Stephens Sr, 595; 5. Bob Kaufman, 525; 6. George Sack Jr, 515; 7. Mike Neal, 425; 8. Keith Vondersaar, 200; 9. Bobby Lague, 195; 10. Rick Lapka, 185
VRA Sport Compacts
Race #2 04/28/2012
Main Event Results: 1. Gary Curtis, Camarillo, 20 Laps; 2. Zachary Peterson, Oxnard, 20 Laps; 3. Michaela Stanton, Camarillo, 20 Laps; 4. Jess Carlucci, Camarillo, 20 Laps; 5. Brad Long, Burbank, 20 Laps; 6. James Adler, 19 Laps; 7. Noah Henderson, 19 Laps; 8. Cole Henderson, Ventura, 13 Laps; 9. Heath Morton, Oxnard, 4 Laps; 10. John Butcher, Santa Barbara, 2 Laps
Lap Leaders: Michaela Stanton (1-4), Gary Curtis (5-20)
Heat Race Winners: Heat 1: Brad Long; Heat 2: Gary Curtis
Top 10 in points: 1. Jess Carlucci, 415; 2. Zachary Peterson, 405; 2. James Adler, 405; 4. Brad Long, 365; 5. John Butcher, 335; 6. Heath Morton, 330; 7. Gary Curtis, 260; 7. Trevor Fitzgibbon, 260; 9. Martin Nehring, 235; 10. Michaela Stanton, 220
Mod Lite
Race #3 04/28/2012
Main Event Results: 1. Mike Sweeney, Whittier, 20 Laps; 2. Dave Dotson, Thousand Oaks, 20 Laps; 3. Chris Meredith, Thousand Oaks, 20 Laps; 4. Kris Kornder, 17 Laps; 5. Kyle Alverson, Thousand Oaks, 5 Laps
Lap Leaders: Mike Sweeney (1-20)
Heat Race Winners: Heat 1: Dave Dotson
Top 10 in points: 1. Dave Dotson, 685; 2. Kevin Alverson, 520; 3. Mike Sweeney, 470; 4. Chris Meredith, 415; 5. Kyle Alverson, 390; 6. Michael Sweeney Jr, 230; 7. Kris Kornder, 215; 8. Mike Kornder, 195
VRA Junior Midgets
Race #3 04/28/2012
Main Event Results: 1. Devin McCree, Ventura, 15 Laps; 2. Oliver Blades, Moorpark, 15 Laps; 3. Tommy Velasquez III, Camarillo, 15 Laps; 4. Miles Hedrick, Simi Valley, 15 Laps; 5. Kayle Brazel, Granada Hills, 15 Laps; 6. Mike Long, Thousand Oaks, Did not show
Lap Leaders: Oliver Blades (1-13), Devin McCree (14-15)
Heat Race Winners: Heat 1: Kayle Brazel
Top 10 in points: 1. Devin McCree, 690; 2. Miles Hedrick, 675; 2. Tommy Velasquez III, 675; 4. Kayle Brazel, 620; 5. Oliver Blades, 430; 6. Mike Long, 380; 7. Brennan Rogers, 0
VRA Mini Dwarf - Pistons
Race #3 04/28/2012
Main Event Results: 1. Blake Hendricks, Simi Valley, 12 Laps; 2. Garrett Egan, Saugus, 12 Laps; 3. Andrew Clark, Bakersfield, Disqualified; 4. Dylan Neal, Oxnard, 8 Laps; 5. Zack Chavez, Santa Paula, 0 Laps
Lap Leaders: Blake Hendricks (1-12)
Heat Race Winners: Heat 1: Blake Hendricks
Top 10 in points: ; 7. Andrew Clark, 0; 7. Bailey Hendricks, 0; 7. Zack Chavez, 0; 7. Blake Hendricks, 0; 7. Dylan Neal, 0; 7. Garrett Egan, 0
VRA Mini Dwarf - Superchargers
Race #3 04/28/2012
Main Event Results: 1. Nick Velasquez, Camarillo, 12 Laps; 2. Jeremy Clark, Bakersfield, Disqualified; 3. J D Brown, Port Hueneme, 12 Laps; 4. Destyn Garcia, Oxnard, 12 Laps; 5. Jacob Aguilar, 11 Laps; 6. Eli Marshall, Did not show
Lap Leaders: J D Brown (1-10), Nick Velasquez (11-12)
Heat Race Winners: Heat 1: Jeremy Clark
Top 10 in points: 1. Nick Velasquez, 775; 2. Destyn Garcia, 665; 3. J D Brown, 655; 4. Jacob Aguilar, 410; 5. Jeremy Clark, 40; 6. Eli Marshall, 20
Article Credit: Ventura Raceway/Cliff Morgan
Submitted By: Ventura Raceway