Forum: Northern California Sprint Car (go)
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Martinez sees Dirt Cup opportunity fly away with wheel

Andrew Kunas



ALGER, Wash. – Barry Martinez was cautiously optimistic on Friday afternoon, as he sitting seventh in points after Thursday’s Jim Raper Memorial Dirt Cup preliminary event at Skagit Speedway. Just another solid night Friday and he could find himself in Saturday’s A-Scramble and potentially starting near the front of the field in the Dirt Cup Race of Champions.



The car was in good shape. The 3/10-mile, high-banked clay oval was holding up well, and he was quietly confident about his chances against the likes of Brent Kaeding, Roger Crockett and two-time defending Dirt Cup champion Jonathon Allard. It has been 15 years since a local car / local driver combination has won the Dirt Cup, and Martinez would’ve liked to end that drought.



Then a wheel flew away.



The rear axle in Martinez’s car came apart and his right rear wheel detached from the car as he raced down the front stretch late in the second heat race. Martinez and crew chief Jerry Bundy, along with Scott Perry, made repairs and came back out for the C-Main, which Martinez won before finishing 11^th in the B-Main.



As a result, the 2005 Skagit Speedway 410 sprint car champion was dropped to 18^th in the points after Friday’s event, putting him in the B-Main event as only the top 16 are locked in. Martinez, however, was riding up against the fence in tonight’s B-Scramble once racing got underway following a rain delay. Martinez won, putting him on the pole for tonight’s B-Main event, which transfers eight to the Dirt Cup Race of Champions.



More bad news came mere minutes ago as it was revealed that Martinez blew his motor. His spare motor was in Colton Heath’s car. It is expected that Heath, scheduled to start 15^th in the B-Main, will pull the motor out and give it back to Martinez.



Time is against Martinez as the 15-lap C-Main is about to start.