Plagued by rainouts for the past three weekends, the 2002 Devil’s Bowl Championship Points Season started Saturday night under cloudy skies and a threat of thunderstorms. The track was fast and tacky as the cars took to the half-mile clay oval.

Defending USA sprint car champion Skip Wilson was presented with an award as the fan’s favorite driver in 2001 at intermission, just after he had won the first heat race in the Forney Koin Kar Wash / Bubba’s Plumbing Nr. 65. Matt Clevenger drove the H&H Steel Fabrication / NAPA of Lewisville & Grapevine Nr. 31 to victory in the second heat race. The pair started on the front row for the 20-lap sprint car feature. Wilson squeezed past Clevenger on the front straight just after the green flag fell. Clevenger fought back, but had to settle for second. Young got past Glenn Stubblefield, Jr. for third place on the third lap. The next trip around the track, leader Wilson had problems and went over the top of the cushion in turn two. Clevenger took over the lead as Wilson pulled off the track.

Moving into lapped traffic on the seventh lap, Clevenger had a comfortable lead but working past the slower cars allowed Young to bring his Mack’s Auto Service Nr. 9 close to the leader. The 18year old Clevenger demonstrated how much he has improved as a sprint car driver in his three previous seasons at Devil’s Bowl by quickly and carefully passing several slower cars. Even though Young got within one car length of Clevenger on the 13^th lap, Clevenger was able to keep the lead for a couple laps. Despite holding the lead, Clevenger was having brake problems. A warped rear brake rotor was forcing him to pump the brakes.

On the 16^th lap Clevenger tried to slow the car entering turn one while going around Marvin Lough. With Young alongside on the bottom, Lough moved up the track, forcing Clevenger over the cushion. Young shot into the lead and even a turn four bump with a lapped car did not keep Young for taking a five car length victory over Clevenger in the caution free race. Stubblefield was a strong third with Brandon Erwin and Larry Long rounding out the top five.

Trandel White won the first street stock heat in his Garcia’s Lawn Care / Whitestar Trailers Nr. 10. Also winning heat races were defending champion Thomas Weeks in the Bobby Duncan Nr. 5X and Pat Walls in the Walls Racing Nr. 39. White and Weeks were on the front row for the 12-lap feature. Weeks jumped out to the early lead. Doug Smith charged up to take second. The race was close but Weeks was in charge until the yellow flew on the ninth lap. Under caution a fire was visible under Weeks’ hood, forcing the leader to stop while it was extinguished. He dropped out of the race. On the restart White got past Smith in turn two and started to pull away. A lap later smoke and fluid came out from under Smith’s car and he was out of the race. White stayed out front to take the victory with Chuck Hall second, several car lengths back. Travis Pace, Michael Murphy and Mike Meeks, Jr. were third through fifth.

Long took off at the start of the late model 15-lapper. Darren Ellis tried to catch Long, but could only watch as the defending champion pulled away. Long had the race in hand until the caution flew on the 13^th lap. That put Ellis and Harry Hronas right on Long’s rear bumper. When the race resumed, Long pulled ahead and took the victory in his Enduro Powder Coating / Simpson Race Products Nr. 28. Ellis was a close second with Brad Zimmerman taking third from Hronas on the last lap. Steve Trevathan was fifth. Long and Ellis in the Quaker State / Sport City Toyota Nr. 2 won the late model heat races.

The USA modifieds were fast from the start, with Tom Lorenz winning the first heat in the sponsorless Nr. 84. McCommas drove his B&H Painting / McCommas Coonstruction Nr. 39 to victory in the second heat. Clyde Dunn, Jr. topped the third heat in the Smiley’s Racing Products / Dunn Brothers Nr. 88. McCommas and Dunn started on the front row as 24 USA modifieds took the green flag. The yellow flag flew as the first lap was completed when Richard Miller spun into the inside front straight wall. Lorenz had taken second from Dunn on the opening lap. When the race resumed, Lorenz and Dunn challenged McCommas for the lead. They were racing three wide for the top spot, but McCommas pulled ahead. The yellow flew again on the fifth lap. On the restart two more cars spun around. Dunn made a strong charge for the lead on the restart, going around the outside in turn two. But again McCommas was faster through three and four to hold the lead, with Lorenz keeping second. Another caution on the 10^th lap put the challengers on McCommas’ rear bumper. They could not catch him, despite a fifth caution on the 18^th lap. Dunn had a good run on the final restart, getting past Lorenz, as did Starnes. Dunn pulled close to McCommas on the final lap, but had to settle for second, with Starnes third, Lorenz fourth and Richard McGibboney fifth. Randy Kirkland had trouble in his heat race, and started 21^st. He finished 10^th and earned the Timber Wolf Hard Charger Award for passing 11 cars in the feature.

USA SPRINT CARS - First Heat Race: 1. #65, Skip Wilson, Garland, TX; 2. #44, Glen Stubblefield, Jr., Seagoville, TX; 3. #55, Bill Harvill, Irving, TX; 4. #5E, Brandon Erwin, Lake Kiowa, TX; 5. #99, Rick Summers, Mesquite, TX; 6. #47, Jim Holder, Georgetown, TX; 7. #34, Mike Blanton, Wylie, TX; Disqualified - #52, Keith Walker, Irving, TX

Second Heat Race: 1. #31, Matt Clevenger, Flower Mound, TX; 2. #9, Greg Young, Wichita Falls, TX; 3. #28, Larry Long, Dallas, TX; 4. #39, Marvin Lough, Fort Worth, TX; 5. #31B, Brian Harvill, Irving, TX; 6. #43, Phil Valvra, Ennis, TX; 7. #72, Charlie Brown, Greenville, TX

A FEATURE: 1. #9, Greg Young, Wichita Falls, TX; 2. #31, Matt Clevenger, Flower Mound, TX; 3. #44, Glen Stubblefield, Jr., Seagoville, TX; 4. #5E, Brandon Erwin, Lake Kiowa, TX; 5. #28, Larry Long, Dallas, TX; 6. #52, Keith Walker, Irving, TX; 7. #39, Marvin Lough, Fort Worth, TX; 8. #31B, Brian Harvill, Irving, TX; 9. #47, Jim Holder, Georgetown, TX; 10. #43, Phil Valvra, Ennis, TX; 11. #55, Bill Harvill, Irving, TX; 12. #99, Rick Summers, Mesquite, TX; 13. #65, Skip Wilson, Garland, TX; Did not start - #34, Mike Blanton, Wylie, TX; Did not start - #72, Charlie Brown, Greenville, TX

USA MODIFIEDS - First Heat Race: 1. #84, Tom Lorenz, Balch Springs, TX; 2. #34, Jay Miller, Terrell, TX; 3. #6P, Jerry Cowart, Mesquite, TX; 4. #20, Ronnie Welborn, Princeton, TX; 5. #04, Darrell Hathcock, Dallas, TX; 6. #82, Brandon Houk, The Colony, TX; 7. #5, Billy Fronterhouse, Wylie, TX; 8. #23, Gary Lowe, Red Oak, TX

Second Heat Race: 1. #39, Rick McCommas, Balch Springs, TX; 2. #50X, Rowdy Starnes, McKinney, TX; 3. #50D, David Gailley, Mesquite, TX; 4. #19J, Jeff Welborn, Princeton, TX; 5. #ZZ, Sloppy Hogg, Arlington, TX; 6. #17, Charles Lasater, Garland, TX; 7. #18, Frank Rose, Mesquite, TX; Did not start - #27, Tony Batt, Princeton, TX

Third Heat Race: 1. #88, Clyde Dunn, Jr., Sunnyvale, TX; 2. #121, Bobby Ruffin, Crandall, TX; 3. #19, Richard McGibboney, Dallas, TX; 4. #23Z, Richard Miller, Terrell, TX; 5. #11, Dave Peoples, Royse City, TX; 6. #98, Marc Madison, The Colony, TX; 7. #77, Randy Kirkland, Mesquite, TX; 8. #64, Rick Preddy, Little Elm, TX; 9. #90, Johnny Hitt, Kaufman, TX

A FEATURE: 1. #39, Rick McCommas, Balch Springs, TX; 2. #88, Clyde Dunn, Jr., Sunnyvale, TX; 3. #50X, Rowdy Starnes, McKinney, TX; 4. #84, Tom Lorenz, Balch Springs, TX; 5. #19, Richard McGibboney, Dallas, TX; 6. #121, Bobby Ruffin, Crandall, TX; 7. #6P, Jerry Cowart, Mesquite, TX; 8. #20, Ronnie Welborn, Princeton, TX; 9. #04, Darrell Hathcock, Dallas, TX; 10. #77, Randy Kirkland, Mesquite, TX; 11. #98, Marc Madison, The Colony, TX; 12. #19J, Jeff Welborn, Princeton, TX; 13. #17, Charles Lasater, Garland, TX; 14. #5, Billy Fronterhouse, Wylie, TX; 15. #82, Brandon Houk, The Colony, TX; 16. #34, Jay Miller, Terrell, TX; 17. #23, Gary Lowe, Red Oak, TX; 18. #11, Dave Peoples, Royse City, TX; 19. #ZZ, Sloppy Hogg, Arlington, TX; 20. #50D, David Gailley, Mesquite, TX; 21. #18, Frank Rose, Mesquite, TX; 22. #64, Rick Preddy, Little Elm, TX; 23. #23Z, Richard Miller, Terrell, TX; 24. #27, Tony Batt, Princeton, TX; Did not start - #90, Johnny Hitt, Kaufman, TX

LATE MODELS - First Heat Race: 1. #2, Darren Ellis, Royse City, TX; 2. #92, Harry Hronas, Sunnyvale, TX; 3. #11X, Brad Zimmerman, Mesquite, TX; 4. #19, Jeff McGibboney, Dallas, TX; 5. #4, Tracy Adams, Rowlett, TX; Did not start - #12, Jimmy Goodwin, Garland, TX

Second Heat Race: 1. #28, Ronnie Long, Dallas, TX; 2. #V8, J.D. Wilson, Kaufman, TX; 3. #22, James Williams, Combine, TX; 4. #8, Skip O'Neal, Midlothian, TX; 5. #77, Ronnie Welborn, Princeton, TX; 6. #21, Steve Trevathan, Forney, TX; Did not start - #1, Scott Prather, Mesquite, TX

A FEATURE: 1. #28, Ronnie Long, Dallas, TX; 2. #2, Darren Ellis, Royse City, TX; 3. #11X, Brad Zimmerman, Mesquite, TX; 4. #92, Harry Hronas, Sunnyvale, TX; 5. #21, Steve Trevathan, Forney, TX; 6. #8, Skip O'Neal, Midlothian, TX; 7. #77, Ronnie Welborn, Princeton, TX; 8. #V8, J.D. Wilson, Kaufman, TX; 9. #19, Jeff McGibboney, Dallas, TX; 10. #1, Scott Prather, Mesquite, TX; 11. #4, Tracy Adams, Rowlett, TX; 12. #22, James Williams, Combine, TX; 13. #12, Jimmy Goodwin, Garland, TX

STREET STOCKS - First Heat Race: 1. #10, Trandel White, Balch Springs, TX; 2. #21, Michael Murphy, Ferris, TX; 3. #37, Mike Meeks, Jr., Mesquite, TX; 4. #5, Mark Reedy, Mesquite, TX; 5. #9, Andy Jones, Mesquite, TX; 6. #38, Mike Walls, Flower Mound, TX; 7. #42, Gayla Jones, Mesquite, TX; Did not start - #11X, Brad Zimmerman, Mesquite, TX

Second Heat Race: 1. #5X, Thomas Weeks, Quinlan, TX; 2. #48, Rick Wycough, Richardson, TX; 3. #99, Dewitt Donald, Garland, TX; 4. #00X, Michael Grubbs, Sachse, TX; 5. #57, Don Tyner, Forney, TX; 6. #34, Jimmy Luker, Terrell, TX; 7. #8, Mark Ross, Mesquite, TX

Third Heat Race: 1. #39, Pat Walls, Frisco, TX; 2. #4, Doug Smith, Mesquite, TX; 3. #17, Travis Pace, Mesquite, TX; 4. #7, Chuck Hall, Mesquite, TX; 5. #31, Walter Dorsett, Royse City, TX; 6. #03, Chad Noyes, Mesquite, TX; 7. #29, Tim McManus, Dallas, TX

A FEATURE: 1. #10, Trandel White, Balch Springs, TX; 2. #7, Chuck Hall, Mesquite, TX; 3. #17, Travis Pace, Mesquite, TX; 4. #21, Michael Murphy, Ferris, TX; 5. #37, Mike Meeks, Jr., Mesquite, TX; 6. #39, Pat Walls, Frisco, TX; 7. #48, Rick Wycough, Richardson, TX; 8. #34, Jimmy Luker, Terrell, TX; 9. #31, Walter Dorsett, Royse City, TX; 10. #42, Gayla Jones, Mesquite, TX; 11. #4, Doug Smith, Mesquite, TX; 12. #99, Dewitt Donald, Garland, TX; 13. #29, Tim McManus, Dallas, TX; 14. #5X, Thomas Weeks, Quinlan, TX; 15. #5, Mark Reedy, Mesquite, TX; 16. #03, Chad Noyes, Mesquite, TX; 17. #11X, Brad Zimmerman, Mesquite, TX; 18. #9, Andy Jones, Mesquite, TX; 19. #57, Don Tyner, Forney, TX; Did not start - #00X, Michael Grubbs, Sachse, TX; Did not start - #38, Mike Walls, Flower Mound, TX; Did not start - #8, Mark Ross, Mesquite, TX