Nichols tops Rodella in Speedway Harvest Classic duel By Mark Smith The Madera Tribune The LoanMart Madera Speedway wrapped up its annual two-day Harvest Classic Saturday night as two drivers in a zippy car class gave fans arguably one of the best races all season in a duel for first, with the winner coming back after late-race contact that sent him to last place. In the United States Auto Clab/Bay Cities Racing Association Midgets, top qualifier Chad Nichols – in the orange 17 car – had his eyes on the checkered flag from the outset of the 30-lap race and started outside the top three. Starting from the second spot, Jerome Rodella and his electric blue five car was also hungry for victory, as he moved into first within three laps. For the next five turns around “The Fastest 1/3 Mile in the West,” Nichols first moved into third place behind the three car of David Goodwill, then pushed hard for the second position as he kept trying to power underneath Goodwill going into turns and was finally succesful. From then on, it was the orange of Nichols versus the blue of Rodella. Nichols stayed right on Rodellas bumper as the two flew into turns and even tried to squeeze into narrow gaps on the inside line, but Rodella continually boxed him out to keep his lead. In lap 15, the two had to suspend their battle when Tommy McCarthys engine apparently blew and sprayed oil all over the high line in turn one, forcing a red flag as crews performed extensive cleanup. Once the race restarted, Rodella and Nichols were at it again, until lap 18 when Nichols again tried to go on the inside line, but hit Rodellas back-left wheel then spun out, forcing a yellow flag which sent him to the back of the pack. But that wasnt going to stop him. In the final 10 laps of the race, Nichols – who later said he “was on a rail” – drove like a man possessed. By lap 20, Nichols was in fourth place. Three laps later, he was in third after getting by past USAC/BCRA winner Nick Chivello. After Jarid Bondel spun out on his own, Nichols was again in second place with less than five laps to go, and he said he knew Rodella wasnt going to give him the win. “I actually thought (Rodella) had the faster car so I was really pushing it there at the end,” Nichols said. “I saw him in front of me and I was on a rail, so I went for it.” In lap 29, with only one lap to go, Nichols pulled the trigger. As Rodella entered turn three, Nichols slid hard underneath him and took the lead, but as Nichols moved to the outside line Rodella swooped back underneath in to first, only to see Nichols steal it back when he accelerated out of turn four into the final lap and the eventual checkered flag, accompanied by raucous cheers from the crowd. “Im on cloud nine, man,” Nichols said in victory lane. “I just gave it all I could. And honestly it was kind of fun having cars to pace off of from the back of the pack there. I really didnt think I was going to have time to catch (Rodella) but lap traffic helped me late … it was really a ton of fun and a great race.” “My car was getting looser and looser there at the end,” Rodella said of his second-place finish. “I was struggling and losing a lot of time. But its good, I havent raced for five years. Seconds first loser and I thought we had it, but sometimes it just doesnt go that way.” Other winners on the night included: Scott Alves as he cruised to a Twisted Tea Open Modified Series win – though Victor Machado was crowned season champion in points; 15-year-old Toni Breidingar in the USAC HPD Midgets; Audra Sasseli in yet another Northern California Modified Association Sprints victory; and DJ Hamilton in a rare winged sprints car win during the 360/410 Super Modified vs. Winged Sprint Series, though super modified driver Kyle Vanderpool ended up the points champion this season. Before and in between the nights races, the popular, and always awe-inspiring sport of tractor pulling had its own time to shine, as a host of massive tractors and modified pickup trucks took turns dragging a 38,000-pound sled as far as possible. With engines that likely could be heard miles away, many of the great mechanical beasts – such as the gigantic, 8,000-pound monster Max Kakl driven by Donnie Fagundes– roared to life on the tracks infield to the delights of the crowd, churning up dirt and dragging the sled as far as 348 feet. The Speedway will return Saturday, Sept. 20 for a night of racing entertainment with a triple-point, 100-lap Enduro race. Also on that nights schedule are: the LunkerDaddy Limited Late Models, Hobby Stocks, MSTs, Toyota Sedans, and 4-Bangers. For information, visit racemadera or call (559) 673-7223. RESULTS MAIN EVENTS 360/410 Super Modifieds vs. Winged Sprints (50 laps) DJ Hamilton Kyle Vanderpool-(-1.735) Cody Gerhardt-(-2.380) Tim Skoglund-(-5.377) Donnie Large-(4 laps) Eric Humphries-(34 laps) Alan Beck-(42 laps) Marvin Mitchell-(45 laps) Twisted Tea Open Modified Series (60 laps, 30-lap split) Scott Alves Robbie Knittel-(-0.438) Dave Campbell-(-0.888) Victor Machado-(-1.329) Rick Anderson-(-2.089) Mike Regelman-(-2.458) Nathan Smith-(-2.882) Rodney Tripp-(-4.222) Keegan Walmer-(57 laps) USAC/BCRA Midgets (30 laps) Chad Nichols Jerome Rodella-(-0.416) Nick Chivello-(-1.933) David Goodwill-(-3.428) Jarid Bondel-(-5.507) Kevin Morris-(-5.944) Gary Conterno-(-7.340) JR Williams-(1 lap) Tommy McCarthy-(15 laps) Cody Gerhardt-(19 laps) Floyd Alvis-(29 laps) USAC HPD Midgets (30 laps) Toni Breidingar Dylan Nobile-(-1.014) Cody Jessop-(-3.038) Christine Breckenridge-(-4.572) Tom Patterson-(-9.778) Shawn Buckley-(-10.657) Duke Love-(-11.855) Annie Breidingar-(-12.706) Courtney Crone-(-13.180) Joel Rayborne-(-14.964) Jesse “James” Burks-(1 lap) Ashley Hazelton-(1 lap) NCMA Sprints (30 laps) Audra Sasseli David Goodwill-(-1.624) Denny Burell-(-6.034) Carl Mott-(-9.140) David Burcett-(1 lap) Don Arriaz-(26 laps) HEAT RACES 360/410 Super Modifieds vs. Winged Sprints (Heat 1, 6 laps) Kyle Vanderpool Tim Skoglund-(-0.979) Eric Humphries-(-1.866) DJ Hamilton-(-3.459) 360/410 Super Modifieds vs. Winged Sprints (Heat 2, 6 laps) Donnie Large Cody Gerhardt-(-0.858) Alan Beck-(-6.243) Marvin Mitchell-(5 laps) USAC/BCRA Midgets (Heat 1, 8 laps) Chad Nichols David Goodwill-(-0.693) Jerome Rodella-(-1.177) Gary Conterno-(-4.279) JR Williams-(-7.707) USAC/BCRA Midgets (Heat 2, 8 laps) Nick Chivello Jarid Bondel-(-0.669) Kevin Morris-(-2.052) Tommy McCarthy-(-4.115) Floyd Alvis-(-7.763) USAC HPD Midgets (Heat 1, 6 laps) Dylan Nobile Christine Breckenridge-(-0.528) Shawn Buckley-(-1.425) Tom Patterson-(-2.307) Joel Rayborne-(-3.408) Jesse “James” Burks-(-8.179) USAC HPD Midgets (Heat 2, 6 laps) Cody Jessop Toni Breidingar-(-1.167) Duke Love-(-2.944) Ashley Hazelton-(-3.487) Courtney Crone-(-3.784) Annie Breidingar-(4 laps) NCMA Sprints (Heat 1, 8 laps) Audra Sasseli David Goodwill-(-1.080) David Burcett-(-2.495) Denny Burell-(-3.231) Carl Mott-(-3.702) Don Arriaz-(1 lap) QUALIFYING (2 LAPS): 360/410 Super Modifieds vs. Winged Sprints Tim Skoglund-12.756 Kyle Vanderpool-12.800 DJ Hamilton-12.931 Eric Humphries-13.005 Cody Gerhardt-13.133 Donnie Large-13.228 Alan Beck-13.316 Twisted Tea Open Modified Series Robbie Knittel-15.528 Dave Campbell-15.535 Scott Alves-15.565 Victor Machado-15.583 Mike Regelman-15.609 Keegan Walmer-15.611 Rodney Tripp-15.635 Rick Anderson-15.752 Nathan Smith-15.847 USAC/BCRA Midgets Chad Nicholes-13.973 Nick Chivello-14.051 David Goodwill-14.158 Jarid Bondel-14.250 Jerome Rodella-14.261 Kevin Morris-14.540 Gary Conterno-14.741 Tommy McCarthy-14.808 JR Williams-14.842 Floyd Alvis-15.009 USAC HPD Midgets Dylan Nobile-14.909 Cody Jessop-15.008 Christine Breckenridge-15.056 Toni Breidingar-15.111 Shawn Buckley-15.133 Duke Love-15.152 Tom Patterson-15.189 Annie Breidingar-15.230 Joel Rayborne-15.302 Courtney Crone-15.336 Jesse “James” Burks-15.524 Ashley Hazelton-15.753 NCMA Sprints Audra Sasseli-14.635 David Goodwill-14.888 Carl Mott-14.961 David Burcett-15.136 Don Arriaz-15.919
Posted on: Sun, 14 Sep 2014 18:35:37 +0000
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