The action was fast and furious Saturday during the IMCA Modifieds racing at Rattlesnake.
Rattlesnake Raceway was blessed with spring like weather, a good track and car counts for its second points race of the season. And this time one driver dominated the IMCA Modified main, which is usually pretty competitive.
“The car really felt good, I mean the track had some grip to it but I think this shock package we got made it feel like I had a lot more grip,” Robert Miller said after winning the race. “It feels real good to get this win and we’ve got one more to that 100 IMCA wins and hopefully we can get that pretty soon.”
Then he thanked R&J Landscaping, Clay Daly with Twisted and his crew. He also mentioned another young man, Cody that Miller let help in the pits and of course he also thanked the fans.
Miller also had an advantage as he started from the pole and after the green he and Dave Sciarroni took off with the pack in hot pursuit. As the cars rounded Turn 4 the train wreck began.
Due to some pushing and shoving the care of Travis White got sideways, was hit then barrel rolled at least twice before coming to rest, facing backwards by the berm. The officials quickly stopped the race and ran to assist White.
Although he was uninjured the same can’t be said for his car. Besides the bodywork the car’s rear suspension was torn off its mounting bolts.
Further back of the wreck apparently the cars of Fred White and Jake Aker may have tangled as they both wound up sideways in the Turn 3 area.
After cleaning the wreck scene the field was ordered back into its proper place and the restart began. On the green Miller took off pursued by Mark Skender and Cory Sample.
Only a lap later Skender spun out of contention bringing out a caution. Two laps later after that restart Dave Sciarroni spun out in Turn 2.
There were two more quick cautions but each time Miller led the charge followed by Sample and Carl Barlow, substituting for Mike White.
Six laps later there was another caution after which the green waved and Miller took off. Now Shawn Natenstedt was in fourth but soon moved up to third and would soon begin to challenge Sample for second.
One more caution slowed the race when Aker and Jim Jurad tangled.
In the final laps Sciarroni had carved his way back to fourth ahead of Natenstedt. Finishing second was Sample, who was unable to catch the flying Miller.
The Hobby Stocks had a field of 17 cars take the green and up front Tori Edgington led the charge from the pole followed by Royce Goetz. But two cars had contact with one losing a right rear wheel brought things to a halt.
Once the wreck was cleaned up the drivers lined up for their second attempt at a start. Once again Edgington led the charge followed by Goetz.
Soon however Cody Morris was second while back in the pack defending class champion Dave Ausano was on the move.
Four laps later there was another caution but this time, on the restart Morris used an inside move to take second. Only six laps later the leader was in lap traffic while, behind him Bob Vaden was carving his way toward the front.
Then all three leaders, Edgington, Ausano and Jeff Tuttle were slowed as they worked through the traffic.
After the next caution Morris had the lapped cars of Tami and Dennis Buehn between him and second place. On the green Morris took off while Tami Buehn got sideways coming out of Turn 4 and Vaden had claimed third.
Ausano brought out the next caution due to a flat that would drop him from contention. Two more cautions would slow the race but up front Morris streaked away to claim his first feature victory at Rattlesnake while Vaden and Edgington came home second and third.
“It’s my first main event win in Fallon,” Morris said at the victory celebration. “Lap traffic, sometimes it was pretty intimidating so I just picked them all off, one by one.”
Then he thanked his mother, father Warren, family, Robbie Grace and all his sponsors for their help.
The track is trying to rebuild the Mini Stock class but this time only two drivers showed up. At the end of their night Chris Jimenez won with Stephanie Horback finishing second.
There were seven Mod Minis and when their main began Janet Lyford lead Galen Reese. Behind them Travis Showe spun on the back stretch but was okay.
Dennis Crook started in the back was soon zeroing in on the leader and would take the point by Lap 3. Behind him there was a three-way battle for third between Lyford, Reese and Justin Busch.
Early on it seemed that Crook was in the catbird’s seat. The first caution came after there was contact between Reese and Donovan Chilton, who then stopped in Turn 4.
On the restart Crook led Lyford and Busch until he spun and came to a stop in Turn 4 after something broke in his car’s drive line.
Crook was towed to the pits and on the green Lyford was holding off Busch. Then she went too fast into Turn 4 slipped up the track and collected Busch.
Once racing resumed Busch took over the lead with 97 Lyford and Rich Innis close behind. In one of the cautions Reese lost a lap but the scoring crew didn’t catch that until later so he got the checkered flag first.
However Busch won the race followed by Lyford and Innis with Reese actually in fourth.
Rounding out the show were the Rattlesnake Outlaw Karts and as usual the 2500cc class raced their main first.
Chris Annas and Blake Rauscher led first until an early caution slowed things. After racing resumed Rauscher would take the lead briefly until Annas took it back.
There was another caution and this time Annas and Jacob Dias dueled for the lead. There would be two more cautions but when the checkered waved Annas won followed by Dias and Rauscher.
Next up are the Box Stock racers. Their main was stopped early when two karts tangled and one of the drivers was slightly hurt.
The medic rushed over to asses him and get him away from the track.
Once racing resumed Brysyn Simeral was on point and held it until the end with Evan Gularte taking second ahead of Ollie Gibbins.
When the Beginners started their main Mallory Evenson was on point but soon would be replaced by Corbin Howse.
After a quick caution Howse was again on point with Logan Cassel giving chase. Round and round they went, soon Logan Cassel took over second.
At the checkered Howse won followed by Cassel, Jaden Allec and Evenson.
Finally it was time for the 500cc machines. Kevin Kentopp was on point first but the caution came out when Joe Owen slid onto the infield.
Once everyone got into their proper place the race was started for the second time and once again Kentopp led with Chris Annas giving chase.
Another caution, due to karts sliding off the course, caused a restart. This time Annas got the jump and led Kentopp.
There would be one more caution when Kentopp spun and fell back to fourth. Up front Annas took the victory followed by Joe Owen and Mark Dempsey.
Next race at Rattlesnake will be on May 30.