Clevenger Takes Sprint Win in Final Turn at Devil's Bowl

Racing Saturday night, May 10 will be Super Sprints, Champ Sprints, USA Modifieds, Late Models and Street Stocks. 

Saturday May 10, will be free admission to the grand stands for residents of Garland, Sachse, Wylie, Rowlett, Rockwall, Heath and Royse City with photo ID.

Mesquite, TX (May 10) – Loyd Clevenger saved his best move for the last lap as he slipped past Charlie Brown to win Saturday night’s sprint feature at Devil’s Bowl Speedway. Michael Murphy made it two street stock victories in a row. Rick McCommas topped the USA modified main while Skip O’Neal survived a mid-race crash to win the late model main.

Clevenger won his super sprint heat race in the Allied Glass / Braud Racing Engines Nr. 42, as did Brown in his City Blues / Koin Kar Wash Nr. 72. Troy Bontrager won the championship sprint heat in the Grice Machine Nr. 10T. Kurt Summers was jubilant after winning the trophy dash, his first victory in any sprint car race, in the Soulman’s Bar-B-Que / Johnny Suggs Racing Chassis Nr. 99. The combined field of super and championship sprints lined up for the 15 lap feature with Brown on the pole and Summers on the outside of the front row. Brown’s experience helped him drive around Summers on the front straight and take the lead going into the first turn. Brown pulled away by five car lengths as Clevenger challenged Summers for the runner-up spot. On the fourth lap, Clevenger made his move and began to chase down Brown. Behind them super sprint points leader Justin Spoerl in the Nr. 6 and Sam Hafertepe in the G-H Plumbing / Plumb East Racing Nr. 15 battled for fourth.

Brown caught the cars at the back of the field by the ninth lap, and the lead evaporated. The top three cars were bumper to bumper as they sent past the slower cars. Clevenger was close a couple times, pulling almost even with Brown, but never making a serious challenge for the lead. After getting past the slower cars the leaders had a clear track. Brown held a car length advantage as they took the white flag. Clevenger had looked low in turn three a couple times, but on the final lap, he went to the top of the track. Riding the rim about three and four, Clevenger had the momentum coming out of turn four to pull ahead and take the victory by a car length. Brown could only settle for second as Clevenger made his move too late in the race for Brown to counter. Summers, son of former Devil’s Bowl champion Ricky Summers, got a great driving lesson as he finished third right behind the pair. Hafertepe took fourth with Spoerl third. Jimmy Goodwin in the Nr. 3 was the fastest champ sprint, finishing sixth overall.

Trandel White in the Garcia’s Lawn Care / Whitestar Trailers Nr. 10 and Murphy in the Valvoline Nr. 21 won the street stock heat races. Their point averages put them on the fourth and fifth row for the start of the 12-lap feature. Gayla Jones set the early pace in the Koool Touch Refrigeration / Imperial Electric Nr. 42. Justin Trevathan got into Johnny Philpot on the next lap and their spin brought out the first caution. On the restart Michael Grubbs went low in turn two in his Fullen’s Crankshaft Service / Grubbs Motorsports Nr. 00X to pull even with Jones on the back straight. As they raced through turns three and four, Murphy was able join the battle. Grubbs came out of turn four with the lead and Murphy was second. Two laps later Murphy was able to pull to the bottom of turn two and take the lead on the back straight. Points leader Walter Dorsett in the Nikon Dallas/ Home Care Supply Nr. 31 and White moved up, passing Grubbs for second and third on the sixth and seventh laps.

The yellow flew again on the ninth lap for problems at both ends of the track. George Parrish lost a wheel in turn two, while someone lost a fuel tank on the other end of the track. On restart, Murphy pulled ahead, with Dorsett reclaiming second from White. Murphy was easily able to run to victory, while White took second as the white flag came out. Dorsett was third, followed by Grubbs in fourth. Fifth place went to Shayne Gatlin in the All American Locksmith Nr. 30.

Rick McCommas 2003 season has not started well, but Saturday night he was unstoppable as he charged to victory in the USA modified main. The top 20 modifieds took the green flag with Chris Locke taking the lead in the Broadband Specialists / US Broadband Fleet Service Nr. 15. Behind him the action was close as McCommas was moving up from his tenth place starting spot in the Jimmy Allard Racing Engines/ B&H Painting Nr. 39. After four laps McCommas was up to third. The yellow flag flew on the next circuit as modified points leader Rowdy Starnes slowed suddenly on the front straight. Kevin DeLashaw got spun as the cars tried to avoid Starnes. Richard McGibboney tried to squeeze between DeLashaw’s spinning car and the inside wall, but there was not room. The contact knocked both cars out of the race.

McCommas got a run a lap after the restart, only to have the caution wave again before the lap was complete. Billy Fronterhouse Nr. 5 Wade’s Rod and Custom of Wylie / C&H Wrecking of Nevada modified slowed entering the front straight, Tony Batt could not avoid Fronterhouse’s car, crashed and slid to a stop. Tom Lorenz slid hard into Batt’s stopped car. Locke was put back out front for the restart, and ran a better line on the restart. McCommas had to work for four laps before he could make the pass for the lead in turn three. McCommas went on to win the race with Locke second. Dale Wester came from 16^th at the start to finish third in his Jimmy Allard Machine & Supply / T - N - T Truck Parts Nr. 12. Ronnie Carty was fourth in the Southwest Engines / Hanson & Sons Chassis Shop Nr. 71 and Johnny Dunn, Jr. was fifth in his Smiley’s Racing Nr. 99. Wester won the Timber Wolf Racing Hard Charger Award for the third time this year. He also won the B main. Steve Sickels in the Troy’s Used Cars / S&S Fabrication Nr. 50, Kevin DeLashaw in the Kustom Machine Shop / ABC Auto Salvage Nr. K2 and Randy Kirkland in the Reliable Plumbing / American Locksmith Nr. 77 won the heat races.

O’Neal in the Barnsco Construction Materials / Urban Fire Protection Nr. 8 and Steve Trevathan in the Nr. 3 won the late model heat races. When the 15-lap feature started they were side by side on the fifth row. Jack Ambern, Jr. took the early lead in his Woody Weaver Pharmacy and Home Medical / ABT Transmissions Nr. 2. Right behind him was Cheyney Hopkins in the Stan Hopkins Company / Starr Graphics Designs Nr. 1. Ambern was able to pull away to a couple car length lead while the battle for second became three wide. On the fifth lap Hopkins was forced high coming out of turn four, Tom Lorenz in the Smiley’s Racing Nr. 84 and Jimmy Goodwin in the RC Drywall / M&M Machine Nr. 12 were under Hopkins. The cars were three wide when they made contact near the start finish line. Goodwin’s steering and brakes were damaged and his car went straight off turn one, spinning Lorenz and knocking O’Neal sideways as he tried to clear the wreck. Goodwin was out, Lorenz continued for a few laps before dropping out. O’Neal inherited third place for the restart. O’Neal took second on the restart and got past Ambern on the eighth lap by going around the outside in turn two. Trevathan had a much less exciting race until the final five laps when he moved up to second and challenged O’Neal. However, O’Neal would not be denied as he took the victory ahead of Trevathan. Sloppy Hogg crossed the finish line third, but his car was light at the scales, dropping him to last place. That put Hopkins third. Ronnie Long in the Town East Ford Nr. 28 was fourth with Lorenz credited with fifth.

Next week Devil’s Bowl Speedway hosts the Super Sprints, Championship Sprints, USA Modifieds, Late Models and Street Stocks on Saturday night. Residents of Garland, Sachse, Wylie, Rowlett, Rockwall, Heath and Royse City will be admitted free to the speedway grandstands with photo ID.

Story by Reggie Fields, Photos by Linda Fields

Devil’s Bowl Speedway – Race Results – Sat, May 10, 2003

SUPER SPRINTS - Heat 1: 1. #72, Charlie Brown, Greenville; 2. #10, John Bontrager, Poetry; 3. #43C, Loyd Clevenger, Jr., Oklahoma City, Okla.; #28X, 4. Jeff Day, Greenville; 5. #8, Wayne McNally, Dallas; DNS - #2, Carl Lamb, Garland

Heat 2: 1. #42, Loyd Clevenger, Oklahoma City, Okla.; 2. #15, Sam Hafertepe, Jr., Sunnyvale; 3. #99, Kurt Summers, Mesquite; 4. #6, Justin Spoerl, Mesquite; 5. #10X, Jeff Garnett, Oklahoma City, Okla.

Trophy Dash: 1. #99, Kurt Summers, Mesquite; 2. #42, Loyd Clevenger, Oklahoma City, Okla.; 3. #15, Sam Hafertepe, Jr., Sunnyvale; 4. #10, John Bontrager, Poetry; DNS - #72, Charlie Brown, Greenville; DNS - #43C, Loyd Clevenger, Jr., Oklahoma City, Okla.

CHAMPIONSHIP SPRINTS - Heat 1: 1. #10T, Troy Bontrager, Wylie; 2. #3, Jimmy Goodwin, Garland; 3. #43, Jimmy Allard, Ennis

COMBINED SPRINT CAR A FEATURE: 1. #42, Loyd Clevenger, Oklahoma City, Okla.; 2. #72, Charlie Brown, Greenville; 3. #99, Kurt Summers, Mesquite; 4. #15, Sam Hafertepe, Jr., Sunnyvale; 5. #6, Justin Spoerl, Mesquite; 6. #3, Jimmy Goodwin, Garland; 7. #43C, Loyd Clevenger, Jr., Oklahoma City, Okla.; 8. #10T, Troy Bontrager, Wylie; 9. #43, Jimmy Allard, Ennis; 10. #8, Wayne McNally, Dallas; 11. #10X, Jeff Garnett, Oklahoma City, Okla.; DNS - #10, John Bontrager, Poetry; DNS - #28X, Jeff Day, Greenville; DNS - #2, Carl Lamb, Garland

USA MODIFIEDS - Heat 1: 1. #50, Steve Sickels, Rowlett; 2. #71, Ronnie Carty, DeSoto; 3. #50X, Rowdy Starnes, McKinney; 4. #34, Richard Miller, Terrell; 5. #98, Marc Madison, Tioga; 6. #17, Charles Lasater, Garland; 7. #12C, Chuck Hooks, Mesquite; 8. #6P, Jerry Cowart, Mesquite; 9. #16, Clarence Greer, Mesquite; DNS - #1X, Jay Miller, Terrell

Heat 2: 1. #K2, Kevin DeLashaw, Hendrix, Okla.; 2. #15, Chris Locke, Mesquite; 3. #90, Johnny Hitt, Kaufman; 4. #99, Johnny Dunn, Jr., Sunnyvale; 5. #88L, Tom Lorenz, Balch Springs; 6. #64, Rick Preddy, Aubrey; 7. #17X, Aaron Morey, Dallas; 8. #66, Mike Goodson, Ardmore, Okla.; 9. #19, Richard McGibboney, Dallas; 10. #84X, Tim Clonch, Quinlan

Heat 3: 1. #77, Randy Kirkland, Mesquite; 2. #39, Rick McCommas, Balch Springs; 3. #5, Billy Fronterhouse, Wylie; 4. #27, Tony Batt, Princeton; 5. #50D, David Gailley, Mesquite; 6. #4, Tracy Adams, Rowlett; 7. #88, Clyde Dunn, Jr., Sunnyvale; 8. #3, Charles Nelson, Austin; 9. #12, Dale Wester, Ovilla; 10. #18, Frank Rose, Mesquite

B Main: 1. #12, Dale Wester, Ovilla; 2. #19, Richard McGibboney, Dallas; 3. #88, Clyde Dunn, Jr., Sunnyvale; 4. #17X, Aaron Morey, Dallas; 5. #17, Charles Lasater, Garland; 6. #6P, Jerry Cowart, Mesquite; 7. #66, Mike Goodson, Ardmore, Okla.; 8. #84X, Tim Clonch, Quinlan; 9. #3, Charles Nelson, Austin; 10. #12C, Chuck Hooks, Mesquite; 11. #64, Rick Preddy, Aubrey; 12. #4, Tracy Adams, Rowlett; DNS - #18, Frank Rose, Mesquite; DNS - #16, Clarence Greer, Mesquite; DNS - #1X, Jay Miller, Terrell

A FEATURE: 1. #39, Rick McCommas, Balch Springs; 2. #15, Chris Locke, Mesquite; 3. #12, Dale Wester, Ovilla; 4. #71, Ronnie Carty, DeSoto; 5. #99, Johnny Dunn, Jr., Sunnyvale; 6. #88, Clyde Dunn, Jr., Sunnyvale; 7. #90, Johnny Hitt, Kaufman; 8. #34, Richard Miller, Terrell; 9. #50, Steve Sickels, Rowlett; 10. #98, Marc Madison, Tioga; 11. #17X, Aaron Morey, Dallas; 12. #17, Charles Lasater, Garland; 13. #50D, David Gailley, Mesquite; 14. #88L, Tom Lorenz, Balch Springs; 15. #5, Billy Fronterhouse, Wylie; 16. #27, Tony Batt, Princeton; 17. #K2, Kevin DeLashaw, Hendrix, Okla.; 18. #19, Richard McGibboney, Dallas; 19. #50X, Rowdy Starnes, McKinney; 20. #77, Randy Kirkland, Mesquite

LATE MODELS - Heat 1: 1. #8, Skip O'Neal, Midlothian; 2. #51, Britt Ables, Wylie; 3. #1, Cheyney Hopkins, Combine; 4. #ZZ, Sloppy Hogg, Arlington; 5. #12, Jimmy Goodwin, Garland; 6. #28, Ronnie Long, Dallas; 7. #44, Cameron Wilson, Gainesville

Heat 2: 1. #3, Steve Trevathan, Forney; 2. #2, Jack Ambern,Jr., Arp; 3. #84, Tom Lorenz, Balch Springs; 4. #14, Wayman McMillan, Gladewater; 5. #47, Woody Weaver, Tyler; 6. #13, Chuck Beusch, Red Oak

A FEATURE: 1. #8, Skip O'Neal, Midlothian; 2. #3, Steve Trevathan, Forney; 3. #1, Cheyney Hopkins, Combine; 4. #28, Ronnie Long, Dallas; 5. #84, Tom Lorenz, Balch Springs; 6. #13, Chuck Beusch, Red Oak; 7. #2, Jack Ambern, Jr., Arp; 8. #14, Wayman McMillan, Gladewater; 9. #51, Britt Ables, Wylie; 10. #12, Jimmy Goodwin, Garland; 11. #14, Cameron Wilson, Gainesville; 12. #47, Woody Weaver, Tyler; 13. #ZZ, Sloppy Hogg, Arlington

STREET STOCKS - Heat 1: 1. #10, Trandel White, Balch Springs; 2. #49, George Parrish, Terrell; 3. #3, Justin Trevathan, Denton; 4. #31, Walter Dorsett, Royse City; 5. #00X, Michael Grubbs, Sachse; 6. #47, Danny d'Happart, Wylie; DNS - #72, Joe Crowder, Garland

Heat 2: 1. #21, Michael Murphy, Ferris; 2. #1, Flash Fifield, Mesquite; 3. #12, Johnny Philpot, Sunnyvale; 4. #30, Shayne Gatlin, Mesquite; 5. #42, Gayla Jones, Mesquite; 6. #9, Arin Lawrence, Carrollton; 7. #8, Mark Ross, Royse City

A FEATURE: 1. #21, Michael Murphy, Ferris; 2. #10, Trandel White, Balch Springs; 3. #31, Walter Dorsett, Royse City; 4. #00X, Michael Grubbs, Sachse; 5. #30, Shayne Gatlin, Mesquite; 6. #3, Justin Trevathan, Denton; 7. #42, Gayla Jones, Mesquite; 8. #12, Johnny Philpot, Sunnyvale; 9. #49, George Parrish, Terrell; 10. #9, Arin Lawrence, Carrollton; 11. #8, Mark Ross, Royse City; 12. #1, Flash Fifield, Mesquite; 13. #47, Danny d'Happart, Wylie; DNS - #72, Joe Crowder, Garland 

T

The biggest smiles in the pits Saturday were on the faces of Ricky Summers and his son Kurt. The victory in the trophy dash was the first race in a sprint car that Kurt has won.

Rick McCommas was happy with second last week, but really happy this week with his first victory this season. Crashes early in the year forced him to watch several feature finishes from his trailer. It looks like his luck has turned for the better, and worse for the other drivers in the USA modified class. 

Dale Wester won his third Timber Wolf Hard Charger Award of the season Saturday. Driver's are limited to four awards each season.

Gayla Jones showed she is getting better with her strong run early in the street stock feature. But she got boxed in by more experienced drivers and fell back in mid race. But she's getting better and finished seventh.

Three second place finishes in a rwo for Trandel White in the street stocks. A good run for White, despite having the car slide up into Walter Dorsett in turn four on the sixth lap. After a caution Dorsett reclaimed second, but White passed him again, this time not coming within ten feet of Dorsett's car.

Britt Ables had to work on his late model before the race. When he pulled into the starting lineup, his car had a lot of smoke coming from the engine. They got it fixed, but Britt dropped out after running about half the feature.

Loyd Clevenger brought his son, Loyd Clevenger, Jr. to race Devil's Bowl for the first time Saturday. The younger Clevenger gained a lot of valuable experience while running seventh in the feature.

Jeff Day had the Enduro Powder Coating sprinter at Devil's Bowl Saturday. He used a borrowed wing without his familiar 95, but still ran well. Unfortunately his engine lost a lot of fluid in his heat, putting him on the trailer for the night.

Ronnie Long took it easy on his first night this season. He avoided all the problems and ended up with fourth place in his great looking Nr. 28 Town East Ford late model.

The Championship Sprint class is building, but promoter Lanny Edwards decided to run a combined sprint feature Saturday with the Championship Sprints running with the Super Sprints. Jimmy Goodwin was the top finishing Champ Sprint.