In their only appearance at Silver State Raceway this season, the Tri-State Racing series put on a good show for race fans on Saturday night.
The quality of driving and level of expertise was very close amongst the front-runners. The 60-lap main event was slowed by just one caution on lap 25 for Rusty Olson (16), when he stopped on the infield in turn 3/4. But the race belonged to Randy Olson (17), of Eureka, Calif. Randy took over the lead from Jim Parnell (80) on lap 7 and kept it until the checkered flag flew.
But he got one heck of a battle from Carson City's Rob Iverson (3). The top five cars from lap 8 through 25 held tight like a freight train. Randy Olson, Parnell, Iverson, Howard Ford (33x) and Jerry Allec Jr. (50) of Carson City, played follow the leader until a restart saw Parnell drop back in the field several positions.
Then the top-5 became Randy Olson, Iverson, Ford, Allec and Mike Sackett (99). They, too, would drive nose-to-tail until the end of the race, while the drivers further back battled for position.
The finishing order was Randy Olson, Iverson, Allec, Sackett, Tim Bost (35), Randy Hall (37), Dale Roth (11r), C.J. Jahnke (77n), Mark Ingersoll (6m), Parnell, Steve Starr (7), John Haxby (24), Donna Fouts (93), Michael Carver (5), Tom Waters (60), Greg Baumgartner (87), Rusty Olson (16), Dane Smith (9), and Jay Bradley (49).
"The car was a little tight in the turns, but got better as the tires came to the track while the race progressed," Randy Olson said. "It would get tight with each caution as the tires cooled down, but worked better as the race went on."
Ingersoll was the winner of the first Tri-State heat race, followed by Fouts in second and Baumgartner third. Smith won the second heat with Haxby taking second and Iverson third. Dale Roth picked up the win in the third heat with Sacket taking second and Randy Olson third. Rusty Olson won the six-lap trophy dash over Ford, Iverson and Allec.
The maverick and late model sportsman also raced Saturday with the points race in each division staying close within the top positions.
Randy Bauer (25) remained on top of the maverick division with another first-place performance in a 20-lap main event. Second-place points man Mike McMordie (77) remained second in the points. Going into Saturday's race,
McMordie was just two points behind Bauer.
Bauer won the main event, with McMordie taking second and Bill Gould (37) just behind in third. Rounding out the field were Thomas Oddone (80), Mike Fuller (44), Allen Hunter (15), Thom Eldridge (68) and Edwin Makemson (00), who drove to the race from Jackson, Calif., and Don Hill (81), who exited the track early with engine trouble.
Hill won the first heat race with Oddone taking second and Fuller third. Bauer won the second heat with McMordie taking second and Gould third. Gould picked up the win in the trophy dash over McMordie, Bauer and Eldridge.
Virgil Miller (21) was the man of the hour for the limited sportsman, winning the 30-lap feature from start to finish. The only driver coming close to Miller in the race was Dean Heller (27), who moved from sixth to second position on the back stretch of the track.
At the checkered flag, it was Miller, Heller and Dave Sciarroni (25) in the top 3 spots. Rounding out the field were Chet Danburg (3x), Al Goss (3), Chris Baker (11), Mike Millard (22), Dave Lester (34), Rafael Gomez (2x), Les Kipler (54), Brian Colodny (14), Steve Planka (10) and Scott Bohemier (8).
"We had a heck of a time tonight with the car," Miller said. "We didn't qualify all that well which luck would have it, put us at the front of the lineup.
"We had a bad set of plugs, four of them were smashed. But I just wanted to concentrate on keeping it smooth and driving a good race. United Rentals, my sponsor, has really helped me out. They're great."
Miller also won the first heat race with Baker taking second and Gomez third. Bohemier won the second heat with Sciarroni finishing second and Colodny third. Colodny also won the sportsman trophy dash over Danburg, Millard and
Lester.
The Bay Cities Racing Association returns to Silver State Raceway this Saturday for a two-week engagement, the second and third races of their championship series. The first challenge was won by seven-time USAC champion
Sleepy Tripp of Costa Mesa, Calif. Gates open at 5 p.m., qualifying is at 6 with racing at 7:30.
For information, call 885-2079.