FERNLEY 95A SPEEDWAY RACE RESULTS for 5/12/2012

The weather was perfect and the track was smooth and fast for Fernley 95A Speedway’s third race of the season. More than 70 cars were on hand for the five racing divisions on the 3/8 mile clay oval, with an additional nine Outlaw Karts racing on the small infield track.
The Hobby Stocks led off the action, and David Partelow of Minden led the way into the first turn followed by Dayton drivers Royce Goetz and Randy Boyd. Partelow immediately opened up a big lead, only to see it erased when the yellow flag came out for a spin. This was to become a pattern, and Partelow drove away on every restart. Carl Barlow of Silver Springs worked his way up through the pack until contact in turn three ended his race. Reno’s Richard Italiano also came from the back into the top five, while Goetz and Boyd swapped second place. At the checker it was Partelow with a flag-to-flag win followed by Goetz, Italiano, Fallon’s Chris Neal, and Paul Stephens of Fernley. Italiano, Barlow, and Joe Pierson won the three heat races.
The Pure Stock division was up next, with Loghan Cologna of Dayton leading from the pole. Silver Springs driver Justin Schilling then took over the lead with Fallon’s Al Bishop and Reno’s Travis Barr charging from the back of the pack. Bishop took over the lead and looked like he would run away with the race until a red flag stopped the proceedings when Cologna hit spinning Fernley driver Cody Reeves, wrecking her car and injuring her ankle. The race resumed, but a Barr took advantage on the restart after a late caution to pull alongside Bishop and pass for the lead. Bishop had to settle for second place, followed home by Schilling, Bracee Langevin of Silver Springs, and Fernley’s Shawn Burton. Barr and Schilling were the heat race winners.
Attrition was the name of the game in the Modified Mini race. Reno’s Dennis Crook quickly passed polesitter Zach Barchi of Fernley for the lead, and stayed there the whole race. Behind him, Barchi coasted to the infield with a mechanical problem, Fernley’s Jesse James’s car blew its engine, Robert Reader of Spanish Springs limped to the pits, and there were just three cars running at the checker; Crook, Sparks driver Justin McIlvain, and Steve Singley. Heat race wins went to Crook and James.
Just six cars took the green flag for the Dwarf car A main, and Carson City’s Shane Ramthun proceeded to put on a driving demonstration with a dominating wire to wire win. Ramthun, a former Hobby Stock driver, is enjoying his move to Dwarf cars immensely. Fernley’s Tate Morehead ran a lonely second while Carson City’s Billy Wilson and Calvin Rile of Fernley ran side by side for third until Wilson spun. At the checker it was Ramthun, Morehead, and Ryle with Wilson and Roy Peterson of Yerington both a lap down. Ramthun also won the heat race for a perfect record on the evening.
Reno’s Jack Randall led convincingly at the green flag and on each of many subsequent restarts in the caution-plagued Pro Stock A main. Behind him, Reno’s Scott Deutsch, Gardnerville’s Dwight Bolton, Ken Gotchal of Winnemucca, Reno’s Craig Nieman, and Chris Coclich of Fernley battled for second through sixth. Then Randall tangled with Nieman in turn three when the two cars locked together, and both went to the rear of the field. Derrick Rauscher hit the front straight wall on the next restart, bringing out a red flag. It was a fortunate turn of events, because the cars had just started moving again when a power failure plunged the track into darkness. The race resumed after a 45 minute delay, and Fallon’s Jesse Gonzalez led the rest of the laps to take the win over Gotchal, Carson City’s Gary Nevers, Josh Ogg of Sparks, and Coclich. Gonzalez and Nieman took a heat race victory apiece.
The IMCA Modified A main looked like another Shawn Natenstedt romp when the green flag flew, with the Fernley ace rocketing into the lead. But Natenstedt hadn’t figured on young Jake Holland from Calpine, California. Holland quickly tracked down the flying Natenstedt, passed him, and opened up a huge lead. Polesitter Darren Manning of Sparks held third, with Reno drivers Bill Pearson and Jay Sears squabbling over fourth. Behind them, Gardnerville’s Robert Miller and Russell Rosario of Truckee stayed in touch. The only caution of the race was for a three-car tangle in turn four, and Holland pulled away to the win on the restart. Natenstedt hung on for second, followed by Manning, Miller, and Rosario. Holland and Natenstedt took the heat race wins.
The next race at Fernley 95A Speedway will be Saturday, May 26. Spectator gates open at 3pm, racing begins at 6. Go to www.Fernley95ASpeedway.com for more information.