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Irwindale, CA., May 23 � Three-time NASCAR Auto Club Late Model Series track champion Tim Huddleston won his second consecutive $1,000 victory Saturday on the Toyota Speedway at Irwindale banked half-mile in a 50-lap event. The race was round six of 18 this year. About 2,800 spectators took the “2 for 1 Night”offer to witness the four feature evening. The team leader of the Justice Brothers High Performance Racing “blue crew” of five ACLM Chevrolets began the race 22 points behind point leader Nick Joanides and knocked four points from his lead (274-256). It was Huddleston's 40th at the track (all in the ACLM series). He ranks third on the list of feature winners, only one behind Legends six-time track champion Tom Landreth and 17 in back of Rip Michels. Other feature winners were Larry Cerquettini in a Vista Paint Super Stock 35-lap run on the half-mile. Ken Michaelian, in a 30-lap race for Classic Stocks on the third-mile, and Bill Thiebert won a seven-car demolition derby in the watered-down infield. He earned $1,000 for his eight minutes of smashing and bashing his six fellow DD competitors into submission with his black sedan that appeared to be a well-used Buick Regal.
ACLM: With 23 late models again qualifying after the National Anthem (from 7:08 to 7:28 pm), the inversion number came up five—leaving FQ Mike Johnson's Chevy in fifth grid position. Kevin Vernon's 19th fastest qualifier (No. 58) was unable to start. Beau DeBard, 21, shot out from the outside front row position and led the opening lap over pole starter Miles Copenhaver, who was returning to action. He missed the last three races following a wrist injury in a crash during the second race of the year. DeBard, from Reno, kept his No. 55 HPR Chevy Monte Carlo out front for the first 36 laps despite yellow flags on lap 2 (after teammate Travis Motley hit the wall leaving turn two), and another on lap 14 for debris from second place Johnson's cut RF tire. DeBard held off the pressing Johnson from lap 3 until his No. 17 tire problem struck and sent him to the pits for a replacement under caution. DeBard's team leader/team owner Huddleston had passed Copenhaver on the lap 14 green flag and inherited second with Johnson's departure. Huddleston pressed his pupil closely from lap 14 to the lap 36 caution when the lapped No. 35 moved up and Johnson's charging No. 17 contacted eighth place Brandon Loverock who spun out in the second turn. Officials sent both unhappy Johnson and Loverock to the back of the field.
At the start of lap 37, Huddleston dived low entering turn one and slid up in front of DeBard for the lead. He paced the final 14 laps and won by several lengths (0.483 officially). DeBard held off point leader Joanides by 0.117 for his ACLM career-best second place. He ran two races last year in the HPR No. 51 subbing for rookie Ryan Kaplan. It was DeBard's eighth ever ACLM race and sixth of 2009. Winner Huddleston trimmed Joanides' point lead from 24 to 18 (274-256) after six of the 18 scheduled races this season. Travis Irving started third and finished fourth in his CHP-backed Toyota Camry. He was 1.943 seconds behind the winner. Copenhaver finished fifth in his No. 8. Ray Robinson, HPR rookie Dallas Colodny, 20, Johnson (after his second fan-captivating charge through the field from the back), Loverock, and rookie Tim Smith, 23, completed the top ten. All 18 finishers ran 50 laps in the 41-minute race.
In post-race interviews over the infield PA microphone, runner-up and USAC Ford Focus Midget graduate DeBard told the crowd, “I wish those yellows didn't come out. I think I could've won it without them. He (Huddleston) got around me on the restart (lap 37).” Winner Huddleston praised his pupil DeBard and told the crowd, “He's America's next wheel-man. He'll win one of these soon.” When the top three finishers later met the media in the press box Huddleston added, “The only thing that saved it for me were those yellow flags. I had to pass him.” He continued that if the cautions hadn't come DeBard would have won his first stock car feature. “He had a missile and was great on long runs. I'm sure he would have won he was so fast. He was incredible,” the happy winner added. His wife Lisa, son 12, daughter 8, and son 5 joined him in the crowded press box as usual.
SUPER STOCKS: A Vista Paint Super Stock 13-car field (a season-high 15 cars were present) ran 35 laps on the half-mile. Kenny Brown's Camaro led the first five laps from the outside front row position. Rich DeLong III, in a new Chevy Impala SS, led lap 6-21 before fastest qualifier/fifth starter Larry Cerquettini, also in an Impala SS, passed him on the inside exiting turn four on lap 22. He ran off to a 20-yard advantage by the lap 35 checkers. It was his fourth straight VPSS triumph and the fourth of his career. He also set quickest qualifying time at all four races this year. DeLong took second for the third consecutive race and was 1.177 back in a 18:44.228-timed race. Gerrit Cromsigt, a track veteran at Irwindale, returned to action in a No. 5 Camaro. He raced from seventh in the 13 car starting field and was third by lap 23. He trailed the winner by 2.352 seconds. Eric Sunness and Brown finished fourth and fifth respectively in Camaros. Gary Read, Scott Corrigan, rookie Andrew Anderson, 16, Gary Frankovich and Larry Sampson followed and all ran 35 laps as 12 of 13 starters finished.
CLASSIC STOCKS: Point leader Ken Michaelian, 20, continued his dominance in Classic Stocks by leading all 30 laps from pole position in his No. 43 Petty-blue l1975 Dodge Dart. It was his fourth victory on the third-mile track in five races this year. He extended his already stout point lead of 36 points to 40 points over third finisher Mike Colato, Jr., who started 13th (last) in his 1976 Chevy Nova. Series 2008 champion Tommy Agosta raced from 11th to third. Teenager Jimmy Rouse, Jr. finished fourth in a bright green Camaro, but he was disqualified for not taking his car to the standard post-race technical inspection. Harry Michaelian (father of the winner) moved up a notch to fourth in his 1973 Plymouth Roadrunner. Dave Foster completed the top five in his 1975 Chevy Monte Carlo. CHP Sgt. Mark Garrett made his second racing start and was 12th on lap 24 when the engine of his No. 17 Chevy Nova “track house car” blew and oiled turn one. It was the only caution of a 17-minute race.
DEMO DERBY: A seven-car demolition derby on the water-soaked third-mile infield was the final event. The eight-minutes of smashing and crashing for a $2,000 purse awarded $1,000 to winner Bill Thiebert. Stan McDonald, a retired USMC sergeant, took the second place $500 check with Ken Metts third for a $350 payday. Adam Ditto was fourth in a Volvo station wagon. Tom Tucker drove his stretch limo, which he drove in the trailer race last week, to fifth place. The fan-pleasing event drew ooohs and aaahs from enthusiastic fans and concluded action at 9:42 p,m.
Fastest Qualifiers: (C/S) � K. Michaelian's 17.233 (69.564 mph) was a new track record that beat his own 17.317 on October 25, 2008. (VPSS) � Cerquettini's 20.724 (86.856 mph) was the best time in his division. (ACLM) - M. Johnson's 18.852 (95.481 mph) beat his late model competitors. Hard Chargers: The award carries a $100 gift certificate for each recipient. (C/S) � Patrick Miller went from tenth to seventh; (VPSS) � Gary Howell drove from 13th to 11th; (ACLM) � Tim Smith (No. 98) raced his younger brother Kenny (No 61) most of the race and advanced from 18th grid position to 10th at the finish for his second hard charger honor of the year.
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