Yearbook Headlines - ...A HammerDown! "work-in-progress" that we enjoy sharing with our readers. Please check back often, as each year will be updated further.
United States Auto Club Western States Sprint Cars Madera Speedway, Madera, CA. August 21, 2004.
Lewis sprints to 100-lap Trigueiro Classic loot - By Bobby Gerould - Madera, CA. - August 21, 2004. …The biggest race of the year for the USAC Western States Sprint Car Series took place Saturday night at warm and breezy Madera Speedway. The "Trigueiro Classic" honored the family that has produced winning race cars in Central California for 45 years. Appropriately it was the Larry Trigueiro Jr. wrenched Western Speed Racing #40 driven by Michael Lewis that emerged victorious in the 100-lap race. Lewis withheld a late challenge from teammate Tony Hunt by slicing through traffic with a surgeon's precision. "The car was awesome", said Lewis after his fifth win of the 2004 USAC Western States season. "To run 100-laps with a perfect car is unbelievable."
Lewis lapped all but the top-five finishers on the paved one-third mile oval located just north of Fresno. Hunt closed in on Lewis in the waning laps, reeling in the defending series champ's lead to a quarter straightaway. However, as he did all race, Lewis was able clear lapped traffic in time to deny Hunt a chance at a serious attack. The $6,500 top prize for Lewis came from the record $29,000 - plus purse for the fourth annual event. Lewis also earned lap-money and a bonus for his track-record quick-time which pushed his winnings to just shy of $8,000 for a single night of action.
After pre race ceremonies honored race sponsor Stu Murray of Wirtgen America, the green flag flew over the 25 non-winged sprinters. Rick Hendrix and Greg Anderson set the pace early, swapping the lead as Lewis charged from sixth up to third in two laps. Anderson was in front until Lewis charged deep into turn three on the bottom of the track to assume command. The first of only two caution flags appeared on lap nine when Garrett Petersen stopped just off the racing groove on the back chute. As the race resumed a battle between Lewis and Hendrix erupted that kept the large crowd entertained. Hendrix dogged Lewis through deep traffic, never getting off the bumper of the Noblesville, Indiana pilot.
Hendrix pressured Lewis from lap ten to lap 60 until Lewis finally pulled out to a five car length advantage by lap 69. As Hendrix scurried to stay with Lewis he became involved in a tangle coming off turn two on lap 79. As Brian McClish and Destiney Hays raced together, Hendrix spun into the infield off the back chute to bring out the second caution flag of the quick-paced race. With the spin, Hendrix surrendered second place to Hunt, and fell to the rear as the last car on the lead lap. The other two drivers not down a lap were Tim Barber and Anderson.
Hunt had 21 laps from the time the green flag reappeared to try to get to Lewis. The restart showed half-dozen cars that were down a lap lined up between Lewis and Hunt. Hunt quickly closed but ultimately ran out of laps in his quest to catch Lewis. Barber was a distant third, followed by Hendrix and Anderson. The top ten was completed by McClish, Nick Rescino Jr., Brad Bumgarner, Mike Murgoitio, and Greg Taylor.
The 100 lap race marked the first time in the history of the USAC Western Sprint Car Series that such a distance was covered. Superstar super modified racer, Troy Regier of Dinuba, CA. made his USAC Western Sprint debut by finishing 14th. The three-time Copper World Classic winner is a welcome addition to the quickly growing series that has created quite a buzz on the Western scene. Lewis started the event off with a new track record. A single lap turned at 13.398 seconds in his Eagle/Wes-Mar #40 was good enough to pace the 25 car field.
Jeff Gardner won the 10-lap Last Chance Race. In the 40-lap California Ford Focus Midget North feature event, Bobby McGowan was the winner.
Summary: Sprint Car Qualifying Name
Fast Lap
Last Chance Race: 10 laps - 1. Gardner, 2. Bauer, 3. Beck, 4. DeMartini, 5. Smith, 6. Regier, 7. Hays, 8. Hogg, 9. Barnes, 10. Mitchell, 11. Petersen
Main Event 100 laps: 1. Lewis, 2. Hunt, 3. Barber, 4. Hendrix, 5. Anderson, 6. McClish, 7. Rescino, 8. Bumgarner, 9, Murgoitio, 10. Taylor, 11. Beck, 12. Monico, 13. Gardner, 14. Regier, 15. Hogg, 16. Simone, 17. DeMartini, 18. Trimble, 19. Mitchell, 20. Smith, 21. Barnes, 22. Hays, 23. Adamson, 24. Bauer, 25. Petersen.
Lap Leaders: 1 Hendrix, 2-6 Anderson, 7-100 Lewis.
Next USAC Western States Sprint Car Races: Friday & Saturday, August 27 & 28, 2004 - Meridian Speedway, Boise, Idaho.
NEW WESTERN SPRINT CAR POINTS: 1-Lewis-482; 2-Hunt-474; 3-Bumgarner-453; 4-McClish-395; 5-Anderson-366; 6-Trimble-349; 7-Hogg-346; 8-Murgoitio-328; 9-Taylor-311; 10-Barber-301.
USAC CALIFORNIA FORD FOCUS (North) MIDGET CAR SERIES RACE RESULTS: August 21, 2004 - Madera, California - Madera Speedway
QUALIFICATIONS: 1. Nick Morago, 99, Morago-14.800; 2. Chris Rahe, 31, Rahe-14.830; 3. Chase Barber, 91, Barber-14.840; 4. Bobby Grewohl, 42, Sutton-14.860; 5. Bradley Galedrige, 19, Galedrige-14.890; 6. Bobby McGowan, 15, McGowan-15.100; 7. Eric Pace, 28, Pace-15.110; 8. Audra Sasselli, 17, Sasselli-15.110; 9. Josh Lakatos, 4, Bristing-15.190; 10. Cary Tanner, 79, Tanner-15.270; 11. Randy Pankratz, 32, Pankratz-15.310; 12. Ryan Pace, 14, Pace-15.320; 13. J.R. Williams, 74, Williams-15.370.
FEATURE: (40 laps) 1. Bobby McGowan, 2. Bradley Galedrige, 3. Chris Rahe, 4. Nick Morago, 5. Randy Pankratz, 6. Eric Pace, 7. Ryan Pace, 8. J.R. Williams, 9. Audra Sasselli, 10. Bobby Grewohl, 11. Chase Barber, 12. Cary Tanner, 13. Josh Lakatos. NT ---------------------------------------
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-40 McGowan.
NEW CALIFORNIA FORD FOCUS NORTH MIDGET CAR STANDINGS: 1-Galedrige-866; 2-Rahe-793; 3-Barber-617; 4-Lakatos-617; 5-McGowan-600; 6-Sasselli-562; 7-E.Pace-552; 8-R.Pace-494; 9-Bobby Michnowicz-492; 10-Morago-453.
NEXT CALIFORNIA FORD FOCUS MIDGET CAR RACE (South): August 28 - Perris (CA) Auto Speedway
