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United States Auto Club Western States Sprint Cars Meridian Speedway, Boise, Idaho August 28, 2004.
Sportsmanship helps rookie Anderson to first USAC win - By Bobby Gerould - Boise, Idaho. - August 28, 2004. …Greg Anderson didn't know if his family operated team would be able to race Saturday at Meridian Speedway after a hard crash Friday night heavily damaged his Eagle chassis #2 sprint car. However, with a helping hand from many traveling USAC Western States Sprint Car teams, the rookie not only was able to compete but he walked off with his initial sprint car feature event win. The 22 year-old son of Wendell (JR.) and Sharon is the nephew of former NARC driving champions Billy and Johnny Anderson.
Greg's pit crew along with help from Western Speed Racing, and Ken Pierson's team were able to compile enough parts and expertise to get the Rex Hutchinson Race Engines sprinter ready for competition. Anderson then went out and led all 50 feature event laps on the quarter-mile paved track.
Defending series champion Michael Lewis of Noblesville, Indiana finished second and regained the USAC Western States Sprint Car points lead from teammate Tony Hunt who finished fifth. Third and fourth place Saturday night went to Kenny Hamilton and Brian McClish. Lewis posted quick time for the second night in a row at Meridian.
Shauna Hogg won her heat race for the second consecutive night with Stuart Birkinbine winning the other heat race. Birkinbine was involved in a feature event crash that necessitated a trip to a local hospital. Birkinbine was complaining of neck and back pain. Friday night winner, Mike Murgoitio also had back luck Saturday. A start of the feature crash on the back chute ended the popular local driver's night prematurely.
USAC VALVOLINE WESTERN SPRINT CAR SERIES RACE RESULTS: August 28, 2004 - Boise, Idaho - Meridian Speedway
QUALIFICATIONS: 1. Michael Lewis, 40, Western Speed-12.706; 2. Tony Hunt, 60, Western Speed-12.923; 3. Tim Barber, 14, Pierson-12.923; 4. Brian McClish, 80, Western Speed-12.938; 5. Brad Bumgarner, 88, Bumgarner-12.999; 6. Mike Murgoitio, 19, Murgoitio-13.026; 7. Kenny Hamilton, 98, Tyler-13.042; 8. Greg Anderson, 2, Anderson-13.075; 9. Michael Trimble, 15, Trimble-13.164; 10. Cody Veenstra, 7, Veenstra-13.192; 11. Shauna Hogg, 5, Hogg-13.205; 12. Stuart Birkinbine, 02, Hamilton-13.324; 13. Robert Beck, 03, Beck-13.403; 14. Gene Johnston, 52, Johnson-13.404; 15. Jimmy Hamilton, 97, Hamilton-13.431; 16. Matt Elliott, 77, Elliott-13.757; 17. Chase Hightower, 94, Hamilton-13.814; 18. Butch Freeman, 01, Freeman-13.852.
FIRST HEAT: (10 laps) 1. Hogg, 2. Trimble, 3. Lewis, 4. K.Hamilton, 5. Barber, 6. J.Hamilton, 7. Beck, 8. Bumgarner, 9. Hightower. NT
SECOND HEAT: (10 laps) 1. Birkinbine, 2. Veenstra, 3. Anderson, 4. McClish, 5. Hunt, 6. Murgoitio, 7. Johnston, 8. Freeman, 9. Elliott. NT
FEATURE: (50 laps) 1. Greg Anderson, 2. Michael Lewis, 3. Kenny Hamilton, 4. Brian McClish, 5. Tony Hunt, 6. Tim Barber, 7. Michael Trimble, 8. Cody Veenstra, 9. Shauna Hogg, 10. Robert Beck, 11. Brad Bumgarner, 12. Jimmy Hamilton, 13. Gene Johnston, 14. Butch Freeman, 15. Matt Elliott, 16. Chase Hightower, 17. Stuart Birkinbine, 18. Mike Murgoitio. NT
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-50 Anderson.
NEW WESTERN SPRINT CAR POINTS: 1-Lewis-606; 2-Hunt-597; 3-Bumgarner-544; 4-McClish-495; 5-Trimble-445; 6-Hogg-440; 7-Anderson-432; 8-Murgoitio-417; 9-Barber-413; 10-Beck-390.
NEXT WESTERN SPRINT CAR RACE: September 4 - Stockton (Calif.) 99 Speedway
