This message was edited on
September 09, 2007 at
01:57:59 PM by ljennings
POMBO WINS SCRA SPRINT SHOW
By Dan Fleisher
Same ‘ol, same ‘ol. For the sixth time in 13 events this season, Davey Pombo and Peter Murphy finished one-two in SCRA’s 360 non-winged 30-lap Sprint Car feature at Kings Speedway in Hanford, CA on Saturday night.
Good fortune played a major role in the outcome for this dynamic duo, while ill fortune plagued young Myles Bishop, who “had it won” with only five laps to go. It looked like the series would have another new winner following Michael Faccinto’s victory two weeks ago. Starting from third on the grid, the teenager looked like a seasoned veteran for the majority of the event as he blew by Murphy on lap 16 and then literally brushed Pombo aside on the following circuit to assume the lead. As Pombo attempted to recover from the exchange with Bishop, Murphy jumped into second.
Bishop began pulling away, breezing toward his first SCRA victory when the “rookie” within (too much exuberance), took over. He barreled into turn three too hot, jumped the cushion and flipped his brand new Maxim chassis machine three times. Fortunately he was not injured. All Bishop could do was lament as to what could have been as he sat in the pits forlornly looking at his damaged car.
After the red flag was removed, Murphy led his fellow competitors on the restart and had only five laps remaining to rack up victory number six for the season. However, Pombo had other ideas and made a bonsai moved going into turn three on lap 26, dove below Murphy to take the lead and breezed to his fifth win of the year. Murphy came home second a few yards ahead of Greg Bragg, who was nipping at his heals. Rusty Carlile and Jonathan Logan rounded out the top-five. Hamblin, Gardner, Knott and Wise were the other remaining cars on the track.
Once Bishop took the lead, up until his crash, the small field pretty much remained in the same running order with Murphy, Pombo, Niggli, Bragg, Carlile, Logan, Hamblin, Gardner, Knott and Wise following in hot pursuit. The only other change occurred when Niggli pulled of the track with mechanical problems. During the final two laps, Hamblin passed Logan for fifth only to be re-passed just prior to the checkers being displayed.
Niggli recorded quick qualifying time of 16.298 while Bishop and Murphy collected Heat wins. Murphy added another trophy to his mantel when he captured his fourth Dash of the season and also maintained his seasons’ point lead with 937 markers over Pombo’s 859, with only three events remaining on the schedule.
RESULTS:
QUALIFYING:
1. #9 John Niggli 16.298
2. #51 Rusty Carlile 16.472
3. #51t Jeff Gardner 16.490
4. #11 Greg Bragg 16.513
5. #38 Davey Pombo 16.572
6. #21 Peter Murphy 16.750
7. #7 Myles Bishop 16.840
8. #32 Jonathan Logan 16.931
9. #8 Justyne Hamblin 17.014
10. #28 Dave Knott 17.317
11. #59 Richard Harvey 17.661
12. #14 Adam Frith-Smith 18.025
13. #23 Jerry Wise Jr. 18.171
EXTREME MUFFLERS HEAT #1 10 LAPS
Bishop, Pombo, Gardner, Niggli, Hamblin, Harvey, Wise
KAEDING PERFORMANCE/KEIZER WHEELS HEAT #2 10 LAPS
Murphy, Knott, Logan, Bragg DNF, Frith-Smith DNF, Carlile DNF
RIDDELL ENT. DASH 6-LAPS
Murphy, Pombo, Bishop, Bragg, Niggli, Gardner
KEIZER RACING WHEELS, ALTERNATIVE STITCHWEAR, BR MOTORSPORTS, MATT & GLASS, STINGER CHASSIS MAIN 30-LAPS
Pombo, Murphy, Bragg, Carlile, Logan, Hamblin, Gardner, Knott, Wise, Bishop DNF, Niggli DNF, Frith-Smith DNF, Harvey DNF
TOP 20 POINT STANDINGS:
Peter Murphy 937
Davey Pombo 859
Rusty Carlile 750
Jeff Gardner 697
Jonathan Logan 633
John Niggli 557
Justyne Hamblin 546
Richard Harvey Jr. 499
Myles Bishop 447
Kiwi Alexander 382
Michael Faccinto 354
Greg Bragg 303
John Iturriria 284
Adam Frith-Smith 260
Kevin Barnes 254
Dave Knott 211
Albert Pombo 206
Ryan Kaplan 190
Danny Faria Jr. 151
Matt Day 144
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