Dorsett Sweeps at Devil's Bowl

Racing Friday night, June 6, will be the O'Reilly ASCS Outlaw Sprint Cars and the USA Modifieds. It will be a points night for the modifieds. The ASCS Outlaw Sprints will be on their annual Speedweek tour for Friday night's races.

Racing on  Saturday night, June 7, will be Super Sprints, Champ Sprints, USA Modifieds, Late Models and Street Stocks. 

Saturday June 7, will be free admission to the grand stands for residents of Arlington, Hurst, Euless, Bedford, Grapevine, Grand Prairie and Irving with photo ID.

Mesquite, TX (May 31) – Walter Dorsett traded the lead a couple times with Michael Murphy before completing a sweep of his heat, the trophy dash and winning his second street stock feature win of the year at Devil’s Bowl Speedway Saturday night. On a night filled with caution flags, Tom Lorenz topped the USA modifieds, Ronnie Long claimed his first late model win this year. Charlie Brown topped the super sprints and Jimmy Goodwin was the top championship sprint.

Three yellow flags flew before the first lap of the street stock main was completed. Dorsett took his Nikon Dallas / Home Care Supply/ R&D Racing Nr. 31 to the lead by holding his car low in turn two and pulling ahead on the back straight. Murphy, who started his Valvoline Nr. 21 alongside Dorsett, also pulled past the other cars to challenge Dorsett for the lead. On the third trip around the Devil’s Bowl half mile, Murphy went high in turn four and claimed the top spot. Three laps later it was Dorsett pulling back into the lead with the low line out of turn four. The two raced side by side for most of the 12-lap distance with Dorsett holding on to take the victory. The pair started the night with Murphy leading the street stock point by 20, but Dorsett’s victory in his heat race, the trophy dash and the feature put him back into the points lead by only 25 points. Dorsett became the first driver this year to win the $100 bonus for sweeping his heat, the dash and feature. Murphy won the other heat race. Behind them, Michael Grubbs overcame being involved in an opening lap crash to finish third in the Fullen’s Crankshaft Service/ Grubbs Motorsports Nr. 00X. Fourth was George Parrish in the Jeanie’s Auto Parts / Parrish Racing Nr. 49 with Kelly Freeman taking fifth W.L. Williams Construction / ABEL Truck & Trailer Sales Nr. 83.

Lorenz started the Smiley’s Racing / Hoosier Tire Southwest Nr. 84 on the 6^th row as 20 USA modifieds took the green flag to start their 15-lap feature. Seven cautions later on a track many drivers could not handle, Lorenz took the checkered flag for his first win in the USA modifieds this season. Temperatures over 100 degrees in the afternoon, a stiff wind, and the sprint feature running earlier in the night made the track very dry and slick in some areas. The second caution flag on the opening lap saw third running Rick Preddy get sideways where the cars funnel from turn four onto the front straight. Almost a dozen cars were damaged in the crash, with Preddy and Clyde Dunn, Jr. Knocked out of the race.

Lorenz had the side of his car bashed in, but it did not hurt the handling on the tough track. Tony Batt in the Nr. 27 and Jerry Cowart in the Texas Roadhouse / Mortgage Support Services Nr. 6P led the early laps before Lorenz grabbed the top spot on the fourth lap. Randy Kirkland and Rowdy Starnes were right behind Lorenz making the battle for the top spot a close one. Starnes dropped out after six laps. His car was damaged in the earlier collision, smoked for several laps and forced him out of the race. After the sixth caution on the sixth lap, Lorenz was able to gain a small advantage on a clear track. Richard McGibboney and Rick McCommas avoided the crashes and spinning cars to come to the front relatively undamaged. They battled alongside Kirkland for the runner-up spot. McCommas took the position on the 13^th lap in his Jimmy Allard Racing Engines/ B&H Painting Nr. 39. Kirkland was third in the Reliable Plumbing / American Locksmith Nr. 77. Fourth went to McGibboney in the Baber’s Garage / Red’s Meat Company Nr. 19 and fifth was David Gailley in his brand new Stanley Commission Company / Rector Equipment Company Nr. 50D. Gailley ran an almost perfect race bringing his car from 17^th on the starting lineup to 5^th without a visible scratch. By passing 12 cars, Gailley earned the Timber Wolf Racing Hard Charger Award. Clyde Dunn, Jr. in the Dunn Motorsports / Master Auto Body Nr. 88, Johnny Dunn, Jr. in the Smiley’s Racing Nr. 99 and McCommas won the heat races.

Though the yellow flag flew only two times, the late models had their share of problems and damaged race cars. Ronnie Long put his Town East Ford Nr. 28 into victory lane with a clean run that avoided problems and handled the tricky track perfectly. Cheyney Hopkins got knocked around on the first start attempt, while Britt Ables led the opening laps in his Ables Auto / Troy’s Cars Nr. 51. A hard lap two crash that took out last week’s winner Woody Weaver. He’d made contact with the car driven by Sloppy Hogg in turn four, and the apparent damage sent Weaver head-on into the front straight wall. He was okay, but the car was badly damaged. Chuck Beusch tried to retake the lead in his Family Chiropractic First Care / Judy’s Café Nr. 13, but Long came around the outside to take the position. As Long raced to the checkered flag over the next ten laps, Tom Lorenz claimed second in the Smiley’s Racing Nr. 84. He tried to catch Long, but the Nr. 28 was too fast with too large a lead. Third behind Lorenz was Skip O’Neal in the Barnsco Construction Materials / Urban Fire Protection Nr. 8, with Hopkins coming back to finish fourth in the Stan Hopkins Company / Starr Graphic Designs Nr. 1. Wayman McMillan rounded out the top five in the P&W Sales / Manifold Systems Nr. 14. Ables and Jack Ambern, Jr. in the Woody Weaver Pharmacy and Home Medical / ABT Transmissions Nr. 2 won the heat races.

Charlie Brown in the City Blues / Koin Kar Wash Nr. 72 won the super sprint heat. Jimmy Goodwin in the Nr. 3 won the championship sprint heat race. All the sprint cars lined up for a common feature, with the super sprints up front and the champ sprints at the back. The wings and big tires started drying and glazing over parts of the track by the third lap. The tricky track conditions were prefect for the less powerful championship sprints to challenge the super sprints. As the green flag dropped, Justin Spoerl in the Nr. 6 got a great start from the outside of the front row. He held off Brown for a few laps, but on the fifth circuit Brown claimed the lead. He pulled way and ran cleanly to the finish, slowed only when passing lapped cars. It was Brown’s third super sprint victory in six feature starts this season.

Goodwin started on the outside of the fourth row, and was able to move toward the front as the more powerful injected super sprints had trouble maintaining traction. Goodwin showed his skill and experience on the Devil’s Bowl half-mile as he was soon challenging Spoerl and Larry Howery in the John’s Wrecker Service Nr. 69 for the second position. While Brown was charging to victory with a full straight-a-way advantage, the three cars battling for second were side by side behind a lapped car. Spoerl managed to slip past the slower car to claim second, with Goodwin diving to the inside and nipping Howery for third. Fifth at the checkered flag was Kurt Summers in the Soulman’s Barbeque / Johnny Suggs Chassis Nr. 99.

This was the fifth time this year that Goodwin has topped the championship sprints.

Next week Devil’s Bowl Speedway hosts two nights of exciting racing action. On Friday night, the ASCS O’Reilly Outlaw Sprint Cars will race at Devil’s Bowl as part of their Annual Speedweek. On Saturday night, the Super Sprints, Championship Sprints, USA Modifieds, Late Models and Street Stocks will all be racing as part of the regular race program. Saturday night residents of Arlington, Hurst, Euless, Bedford, Grapevine, Grand Prairie and Irving 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 31, 2003

SUPER SPRINTS - Heat: 1. #72, Charlie Brown, Greenville; 2. #69, Larry Howery, Hearne; 3. #6, Justin Spoerl, Mesquite; 4. #28, Larry Long, Dallas; 5. #99, Kurt Summers, Mesquite

CHAMPIONSHIP SPRINTS - Heat: 1. #3, Jimmy Goodwin, Garland; 2. #10T, Troy Bontrager, Wylie; 3. #43, Dale Wester, Ovilla; DNS - #96, Browde Keith Snider, Nichol Hills, Okla.

SPRINT CAR A FEATURE: 1. #72, Charlie Brown, Greenville; 2. #6, Justin Spoerl, Mesquite; 3. #3, Jimmy Goodwin, Garland; 4. #69, Larry Howery, Hearne; 5. #99, Kurt Summers, Mesquite; 6. #10T, Troy Bontrager, Wylie; 7. #96, Browde Keith Snider, Nichol Hills, Okla.; 8. #28 Larry Long, Dallas; DNS - #43, Dale Wester, Ovilla;

USA MODIFIEDS - Heat 1: 1. #88, Clyde Dunn, Jr., Sunnyvale; 2. #84, Tom Lorenz, Balch Springs; 3. #50X, Rowdy Starnes, McKinney; 4. #16, Clarence Greer, Mesquite; 5. #4, Tracy Adams, Rowlett; 6. #15, Chris Locke, Mesquite; 7. #12C, Chuck Hooks, Mesquite; DNS - #90, Johnny Hitt, Kaufman

Heat 2: 1. #99, Johnny Dunn, Jr., Sunnyvale; 2. #77, Randy Kirkland, Mesquite; 3. #12, Dale Wester, Ovilla; 4. #27, Tony Batt, Princeton; 5. #81, David Flanagan, Terrell; 6. #5, Billy Fronterhouse, Wylie; 7. #50D, David Gailley, Mesquite

Heat 3: 1. #39, Rick McCommas, Balch Springs; 2. #6P, Jerry Cowart, Mesquite; 3. #19, Richard McGibboney, Dallas; 4. #50, Steve Sickels, Rowlett; 5. #64, Rick Preddy, Aubrey; 6. #00, Dink McCullough, Balch Springs; 7. #17, Charles Lasater, Garland

A FEATURE: 1. #84, Tom Lorenz, Balch Springs; 2. #39, Rick McCommas, Balch Springs; 3. #77, Randy Kirkland, Mesquite; 4. #19, Richard McGibboney, Dallas; 5. #50D, David Gailley, Mesquite; 6. #50, Steve Sickels, Rowlett; 7. #6P, Jerry Cowart, Mesquite; 8. #15, Chris Locke, Mesquite; 9. #27, Tony Batt, Princeton; 10. #81, David Flanagan, Terrell; 11. #99, Johnny Dunn, Jr., Sunnyvale; 12. #12, Dale Wester, Ovilla; 13. #16, Clarence Greer, Mesquite; 14. #5, Billy Fronterhouse, Wylie; 15. #50X, Rowdy Starnes, McKinney; 16. #4, Tracy Adams, Rowlett; 17. #12C, Chuck Hooks, Mesquite; 18. #90, Johnny Hitt, Kaufman; 19. #64, Rick Preddy, Aubrey; 20. #88, Clyde Dunn, Jr., Sunnyvale; DNS - #00, Dink McCullough, Balch Springs; DNS - #17, Charles Lasater, Garland

LATE MODELS - Heat 1: 1. #51, Britt Ables, Wylie; 2. #13, Chuck Beusch, Red Oak; 3. #1, Cheyney Hopkins, Combine; 4. #12, Jimmy Goodwin, Garland; 5. #28, Ronnie Long, Dallas; 6. #19, Jeff McGibboney, Dallas; DNS - #29, Mike Ambern, Longview

Heat 2: 1. #2, Jack Ambern,Jr., Arp; 2. #ZZ, Sloppy Hogg, Arlington; 3. #84, Tom Lorenz, Balch Springs; 4. #94, Woody Weaver, Tyler; 5. #8, Skip O'Neal, Midlothian; 6. #14Wayman McMillan, Gladewater

A FEATURE: 1. #28, Ronnie Long, Dallas; 2. #84, Tom Lorenz, Balch Springs; 3. #8, Skip O'Neal, Midlothian; 4. #1, Cheyney Hopkins, Combine; 5. #14, Wayman McMillan, Gladewater; 6. #51, Britt Ables, Wylie; 7. #ZZ, Sloppy Hogg, Arlington; 8. #19, Jeff McGibboney, Dallas; 9. #13, Chuck Beusch, Red Oak; 10. #94, Woody Weaver, Tyler; 11. #2, Jack Ambern,Jr., Arp; 12. #12, Jimmy Goodwin, Garland; DNS - #29, Mike Ambern, Longview

STREET STOCKS - Heat 1: 1. #31, Walter Dorsett, Royse City; 2. #00X, Michael Grubbs, Sachse; 3. #49, George Parrish, Terrell; 4. #42, Gayla Jones, Mesquite; 5. #83, Kelly Freeman, Tyler; 6. #10, Trandel White, Balch Springs; 7. #47, Danny d'Happart, Wylie

Heat 2: 1. #21, Michael Murphy, Ferris; 2. #8, Mark Ross, Royse City; 3. #12, Johnny Philpot, Sunnyvale; 4. #30, Shayne Gatlin, Mesquite; 5. #86, William Ott, Lancaster; 6. #3, Justin Trevathan, Denton

Trophy Dash: 1. #31, Walter Dorsett, Royse City; 2. #00X, Michael Grubbs, Sachse; 3. #8, Mark Ross, Royse City; 4. #12, Johnny Philpot, Sunnyvale; 5. #21, Michael Murphy, Ferris; 6. #49, George Parrish, Terrell

A FEATURE: 1. #31, Walter Dorsett, Royse City; 2. #21, Michael Murphy, Ferris; 3. #00X, Michael Grubbs, Sachse; 4. #49, George Parrish, Terrell; 5. #83, Kelly Freeman, Tyler; 6. #42, Gayla Jones, Mesquite; 7. #30, Shayne Gatlin, Mesquite; 8. #12, Johnny Philpot, Sunnyvale; 9. #3, Justin Trevathan, Denton; 10. #10, Trandel White, Balch Springs; 11. #86, William Ott, Lancaster; 12. #8, Mark Ross, Royse City; 13. #47, Danny d'Happart, Wylie

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The points battle and on track battles of Michael Murphy and Walter Dorsett are producing some of the closest and best racing at Devil's Bowl in years. It is great to see two very good drivers race cleanly side by side in fantastic races.

Rick McCommas got a new nickname from announcer Calvin Jones this week. Now knows as Rick "The Bumper" McCommas. This week he did not use the bumper much, and his car was almost dent free at the end of the modified feature.

Rowdy Starnes had more bad luck Saturday night. The rear of his car was damaged in the big crash, and something started leaking from the car during a mid race caution. Starnes early end to the race and McCommas second place finish cut Starnes modified points lead to 20 points with two feature wins for each driver.

Tom Lorenz joined Jimmy Goodwin with two feature wins in different classes this year. Goodwin races late models and championship sprints. Lorenz runs both late models and USA modifieds. The only other driver racing two classes regularly is Dale Wester in USA modifieds and championship sprints.

It was a rough night for the Woody Weaver Pharmacy late model team from east Texas. Mike Ambern scratched for the night after problems in hot laps. Jack Ambern, Jr. had smoke start coming out fron under his car just as he won his heat race. He started the A but quickly dropped out. Woody Weaver ended up in the wall with the newly purchased Nr. 94 badly torn up in the feature.

David Gailley had one of his best nights in the USA modified feature Saturday. Starting 17th, he avoided all the trouble and crashed to bring his new McGibboney chassis to a fifth place finish, and earn the Timber Wolf Racing Hard Charger Award by one position over Rick McCommas.

Dink McCullough spun while leading the third USA modified heat race. Most of the cars missed him, but Charles Lasater crashed head-on into McCullough's car. Lasater was shaken by the crash. Both cars were knocked out for the night.

Kurt Summers has been doing a great job this year, especially considering his total lack of racing experience. He made his first major mistake this week, clipping one of the tires in turn one in his heat race. Luckily the damage was realtively minor and easily repaired. He ran the feature, but steered well clear of the tires at the bottom of the track.

Jerry Cowart certainly did not give up when Tony Batt got past him early in the USA modified feature. He stayed right on Batt's rear bumper and reclaimed the spot on the next lap.

Dale Wester did not have a very good night. The Jimmy Allard Racing Nr. 43X Championship Sprint had problems in the heat and could not start the feature. Wester got involved in an early crash in the USA modified feature. The team repaired the car enough for him to complete the race, but he was several laps down.