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NCMA Sprints
Altamont Motorsports Park
Tracy, CA
May 19, 2007
Gentleman Jim Has First Win of 2007
by Sharyn Bragg
Brentwood’s Jimmy Lavell had his first win of the 2007 season in an action packed 30 lap main event on the “fastest half mile in the west” this evening.
NCMA Sprints returned for the second time this season to the asphalt of Altamont. Lavell’s Maurie Financial Services Sprinter was fast time to start the evening.
Two heats were held. Burt Siverling from Concord and Patterson’s Steve Amador brought the first heat to the green flag. Siverling lead the pack for several laps. Rob Hammond from Morgan Hill got to the front and won the eight lap event. The second heat had Pat Ariaz start mid pack and take the win.
The Trophy Dash found Ed Amador, current pavement point’s leader, and Michael Zarevich on the front row, with Gary Koster and Lavell behind them. It took Koster around or two and he had the lead. Amador was doing fine in second until Lavell snuck past him on the last lap on the last turn to come in second. Amador was third and Zarevich finished fourth.
The Main Event started with an inversion that put Lavell on the pole and Siverling shotgun. Jeff Burrows, E. Amador and Zarevich made up the five front starters. Lavell headed for the front and left the rest of the pack behind. But behind him is where the race was as Burrows, Koster, E. Amador and Zarevich were trading places. Ariaz was cruising around close to the main pack but ahead of the next group. Hammond and Steve Amador were doing their race within a race, and David Goodwill, Denny Burrell, and Dusty Renteria were slicing and dicing with each other. In other words, you could look anywhere on the track and see something going on. About a third of the way in, Hammond slipped in something, thought he had broken a hose and got off to the in field. Goodwill was starting to have a problem, and headed for the top of the track. He was headed for the infield to keep the race green and unfortunately Ariaz was coming off turn four somewhat faster than anyone thought. A horrendous meeting of sprint cars happened as the XX and 3G met at the bottom of the track. Ariaz did the big flip and landed on the side of Goodwill’s ride. Ariaz got his bell rung and Goodwill was also shaken up. This brought out the red flag. On the restart, Lavell resumed the lead and won the Randy Jones-Santos Ford, Toscano RV, Westside Ford main event. Koster had gotten around Burrows for second; he gave Lavell a run for first before the red flag and again after the restart. He was definitely giving Lavell something to worry about. E. Amador was running fourth and Zarevich was fifth. With very few laps to go, E. Amador made it around Burrows for third. Burrows finished fourth and Zarevich rounded out the top five.
Altamont seems to have their show on a great schedule for the second season. The national anthem starts at five and racing was complete before nine. Fans have time to meet the racers and get home before the sun comes up! NCMA Sprints will return to the pavement of Altamont on Saturday, June 16th. Great way to spend an excitement filled evening. And speaking of excitement with a capital E, the dirt division of NCMA Sprints will be heading to Reno-Fernley Raceway, Fernley, NV and Rattlesnake Raceway, Fallon, NV for a holiday weekend double header. Come join us for a totally different way to spend Memorial Day weekend. For more details, check out the web site at NCMASprints.com.
Summary:
Main: Lavell, Koster, E. Amador, Burrows, Zarevich, S. Amador, Burrell, Siverling, Renteria, Ariaz, Goodwill, Hammond.
Dash: Koster, Lavell, E. Amador, Zarevich.
Heat I: Hammond, Koster, E. Amador, Siverling, Burrell.
Heat II: Ariaz, Zarevich, Burrows, Lavell, Goodwill, Renteria.
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