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Shepard Harvests Calistoga Cash - Hannagan Injured ...By Bobby Gerould, 09/02/01, Calistoga, CA. ...Jeff Shepard made good of his first trip to Calistoga Speedway, Sunday night in capturing the Harvest Classic, sanctioned by the Pennzoil World of Outlaws. Aboard Guy Forbrook's Maxim/Gaerte on Goodyear rubber, Shepard gained command of the race when Andy Hillenburg suffered a flat tire while leading. The $20,000 win was Shepard's second A-main victory in as many weeks.

Popular driver, Randy Hannagan suffered a fractured right leg in a scary A-main crash that saw him run into Craig Dollansky's #7. On lap 3, Dollansky was slowing entering turn one due to front end damage sustained when he and Stevie Smith made high-speed contact on the front chute. Dollansky grazed the front chute wall and was rolling slowly into turn one as Hannagan was racing into the corner behind Dale Blaney. By the time Hannagan saw the damaged #7, it was too late to avoid contact. The right rear portion of Randy's K&C Drywall #1x hit Dollansky in the left-rear, causing a violent impact. The hoop that holds the torque-tube became dislodged, and the torque tube hit Randy's lower right leg.

According to Chris Luck, a sponsor of Hannagan, Randy will undergo surgery later this morning at a St. Helena, CA. hospital. A titanium rod will be inserted into Randy's "shattered" right leg. Doctors told the Hannagan family early Monday morning that if all goes well, Randy will be fitted with a cast from below the knee, down to his ankle. Hannagan may spend a "couple of days" in the hospital, said Luck. There were no immediate plans for the #1x team concerning their upcoming racing schedule.

Hillenburg, the Saturday night prelim winner, looked to be on his way to Harvest glory, until his tire heated up and blistered on lap 27 of 30. The same lap 27 caution for Hillenburg, also brought Donny Schatz, and Stevie Smith into the pits for fresh rubber. Smith did not return to action, citing rear-end problems on his #19.

Danny Lasoski made late moves to garner a runner-up finish. 5-time Harvest "Calistoga" Classic winner, Steve Kinser finished third. Mark Kinser and Paul McMahan rounded out the top five.

Johnny Herrera walked away from a wing-first, impact with the turn one concrete. In the B-Main, Herrera's left rear wheel came off, as he was racing into tun one, causing the car to flip. The roll-cage held strong, despite being badly bent. Herrera is racing with a broken clavicle, suffered August 11, at Knoxville.

The top five: 1. Jeff Shepard, 2. Danny Lasoski, 3. Steve Kinser, 4. Mark Kinser, 5. Paul McMahan (summary)