August 28, 2004

Mesquite, TX (Aug 28) - Gary Lowe set the pace for the late models to claim his first win at Devil's Bowl. Rick McCommas reclaimed the USA modified points lead with victory in a wild punishing race. Danny Zimmerman and Johnny Miller topped the street stocks and super sprints for the second straight race night.

Gary Lowe (c) with his dad Jesse (r) and Chuck Beusch celebrate Gary's first victory in a late model at Devil's Bowl.

Gary Lowe got Chuck Beusch to test his car a couple weeks ago. The changes definitely helped the rookie late model driver as he charged to victory Saturday night. Taking the green flag in the CBX Frame Repair Nr. 31 from the pole position, Lowe quickly pulled away from a battle for second place between Brett Ables and Jimmy Quick, Jr.

Within seven laps, Lowe was putting the slower cars a lap down. Ables had established a firm hold on second spot in the Able's Auto/ Troy's Cars Nr. 51. Behind Ables, Ronnie Long, Skip O'Neal and Darren Ellis were closing in while fighting for third.

The caution flew on the 12th lap, twice. When the race finally resumed, Long was up to second in the Town East Ford Nr. 28, Ellis in the Blueprint Service of Plane Nr. 23 and O'Neal in the Urban Fire Protection Nr. 8 got past Ables to take third and fourth spot.

But none of them could catch Lowe as he flew around the track. Long had to settle for second despite pulling even with Lowe a couple times in the final laps. Ellis claimed third at the checkered flag, with O'Neal fourth and Ables fifth.

Lowe, O'Neal and Woody Weaver in the Weaver Pharmacy / ABT Transmission Nr. 47 won the three heat races.

Rick McCommas has a lot of help in victory lane to get excited about retaking the USA Modified championship points lead.

The USA modified points race is the closest in recent years. Rick McCommas returned to the top of the standings with his victory in the Jimmy Allard Racing Entgines / B&H Painting Nr. 39. Starting outside the sixth row, McCommas had to avoid the early carnage. Three early cautions say several cars knocked out of the race. Rick Preddy paced the first completed lap in his Frontire Truck Lines / Winner's Choice Trophies Nr. V8, but it was Bobby Ruffin in the Smiley's / Hoosier Tire Southwest Nr. 121 who came to the front.

Another caution and other problems later, Ruffin's car faltered and he was forced to drop out. Richard Miller in the Jeanie's Used Auto Parts Nr. 1X took the lead, though he was locked in a tight battle with Johnny Dunn, Jr. in the Martinez Restaurant/ Smiley's Nr. 99 and Randy Kirkland in the Reliable Plumbing / American Locksmith Nr. 77.

McCommas was fourth, with the two and three wide racing in front of him for the top spot. Dunn took the lead for several laps, only to have problems and fall out of the race.

The late caution just before the white flag setup a dash to the checkered flag. McCommas restarted on the outside of the second row and rode around the top of the track to grab the lead. Pulling ahead of a charging Miller to take the checkered flag. Kirkland finished third, with Steve Sickels in the Crandall Cotton Gin Restaurant / Premier Auto Service Nr. 50 in fourth place and Jimmy Goodwin in the Gatlin Motors Nr. 57 rounding out the top five.

Miller won the trophy dash, with Billy Fronterhouse in the Speed Specialties Racing Engines Nr. 5, Richard McGibboney in the Baber's Garage / Red's Meat Co Nr. 19 and Chad Ewell in the Longhorn Urethane / Foam Enterprises Nr. 19R winning the heat races.

Johnny Miller and Chase enjoy Johnny's second straight super sprint victory.

The super sprint night started off rough with three cars flipping at the start of the second heat race. Jeff Shaddock, Larry Neighbors and Joe Wood, Jr. got together as they entered turn one to start the race. All three flipped as the red flag flew. Only Neighbors was able to get his car repaired enough to try an start the feature, but after making a couple warmup laps, he put the car in the trailer.

When the green flag dropped on the feature, Martin Edwards in the White Properties Nr. 10 jumped out to the early lead. Several problems on the opening lap sent a bunch of cars to the pits. On the restart, Edwards again pulled ahead, but Johnny Miller was charging hard in the Mack's Auto Service Nr. 9.

On the fourth lap, Miller grabbed the lead when Edwards pushed high in turn two. After that, Miller ran away. Larry Long in the Town East Ford Nr. 28 took second on the fifth lap and tried to chase down Miller, but he had to settle for second place. A quick run to the checkered flag saw Miller take a ten car length advantage at the finish, with Long second and Eric Winnett in the Nr. 6L making a good run in third. Edwards and Todd Evans in the Nr.14E rounding out the top five. Miller and Jimmy Goodwin in the Nr. 56 won the heats.

Danny Zimmerman (2nd from left) is joined by family and friends to celebrate his second straight street stock feature win.

For the second straight week it was Danny Zimmerman in the PepBoys / Steve's Welding Nr. 11 pulling into victory lane after the street stock feature. Zimmerman and George Parrish in the Jeanie's Used Auto Parts / Parrish Racing Nr. 49 won the heat races.

In the feature, Parrish led the opening lap, with Michael Murphy coming from the third row to the front on the second lap. While Murphy tried to pull away, Zimmerman was charging, and on the fifth circuit, got past Murphy's Nr. 21 Valvoline stocker tof the lead.

A couple cautions and restarts kept the field close for most of the race, but Zimmerman clearly had the best handling car this night. He put a lapped car between himself and the Nr. 31 Nikon Dallas/ R&D Racing car of points leader Walter Dorsett by the time the checker flag fell.

Dorsett got past Murphy on an eighth lap restart. Parrish was fourth at the final flag, with Derek Eckles taking the fifth position.

SUPER SPRINTS - Heat 1: 1. #56, Jimmy Goodwin, Garland; 2. #72, Charlie Brown, Greenville; 3. #10, Martin Edwards, Mesquite; 4. #99, Kurt Summers, Mesquite; 5. #6L, Eric Winnett, Ft. Worth; 6. #14E, Todd Evans, Georgetown; 7. #28, Larry Long, Crandall

Heat 2: 1. #9, Johnny Miller, Garland; 2. #24, David Gailley, Mesquite; 3. #33, Mark Huddleston, Mount Pleasant; 4. #5, Jeff Shaddock, Rowlett; 5. #03, Joe Wood,Jr., Oklahoma City, Okla.; 6. #36, Larry Neighbors, Oklahoma City, Okla.

A FEATURE: 1. #9, Johnny Miller, Burleson; 2. #28, Larry Long, Crandall; 3. #6L, Eric Winnett, Ft. Worth; 4. #10, Martin Edwards, Mesquite; 5. #14E, Todd Evans, Georgetown; 6. #33, Mark Huddleston, Mount Pleasant; 7. #56, Jimmy Goodwin, Garland; 8. #24, David Gailley, Mesquite; 9. #99, Kurt Summers, Mesquite; 10. #72, Charlie Brown, Greenville; Did not start - #5, Jeff Shaddock, Rowlett; #03, Joe Wood,Jr., Oklahoma City, Okla.; #36, Larry Neighbors, Oklahoma City, Okla.

USA MODIFIEDS - Heat 1: 1. #5, Billy Fronterhouse, Wylie; 2. #39, Rick McCommas, Balch Springs; 3. #51, Rusty Trevathan, Wylie; 4. #3Z, Jason Christopher, Terrell; 5. #121, Bobby Ruffin, Crandall; 6. #57, Jimmy Goodwin, Garland; 7. #50, Steve Sickels, Rowlett

Heat 2: 1. #19, Richard McGibboney, Dallas; 2. #99, Johnny Dunn, Jr., Sunnyvale; 3. #V8, Rick Preddy, Aubrey; 4. #16, Clarence Greer, Mesquite; 5. #17, Charles Lasater, Garland; 6. #20, Steve Roach, Mesquite; 7. #88, Clyde Dunn, Jr., Sunnyvale

Heat 3: 1. #19R, Chad Ewell, Forney; 2. #1X, Richard Miller, Terrell; 3. #77, Randy Kirkland, Mesquite; 4. #4, Tracy Adams, Rowlett; 5. #72, Scooter Bates, Gatesville; 6. #58, Rodney Stanford, McKinney; 7. #69, A.J. Judkins, Flower Mound; 8. #35, Ed Weatherby, Dallas

Trophy Dash: 1. #1X, Richard Miller, Terrell; 2. #99, Johnny Dunn, Jr., Sunnyvale; 3. #5, Billy Fronterhouse, Wylie; 4. #19R, Chad Ewell, Forney; 5. #39, Rick McCommas, Balch Springs; Did not start - #19, Richard McGibboney, Dallas

A FEATURE: 1. #39, Rick McCommas, Balch Springs; 2. #1X, Richard Miller, Terrell; 3. #77, Randy Kirkland, Mesquite; 4. #50, Steve Sickels, Rowlett; 5. #57, Jimmy Goodwin, Garland; 6. #72, Scooter Bates, Gatesville; 7. #20, Steve Roach, Mesquite; 8. #35, Ed Weatherby, Dallas; 9. #88, Clyde Dunn, Jr., Sunnyvale; 10. #4, Tracy Adams, Rowlett; 11. #99, Johnny Dunn, Jr., Sunnyvale; 12. #V8, Rick Preddy, Aubrey; 13. #58, Rodney Stanford, McKinney; 14. #121, Bobby Ruffin, Crandall; 15. #17, Charles Lasater, Garland; 16. #51, Rusty Trevathan, Wylie; 17. #3Z, Jason Christopher, Terrell; 18. #19, Richard McGibboney, Dallas; 19. #19R, Chad Ewell, Forney; 20. #5, Billy Fronterhouse, Wylie; 21. #16, Clarence Greer, Mesquite; Did not start - #69, A.J. Judkins, Flower Mound

LATE MODELS - Heat 1: 1. #31, Gary Lowe, Red Oak; 2. #23, Darren Ellis, Quinlan; 3. #00X, Michael Grubbs, Sachse; 4. #2, Jack Ambern,Jr., Arp; 5. #84, Tom Lorenz, Balch Springs; 6. #66M, Richard Mills, Cut'N'Shoot; 7. #V8, J.D. Wilson, Kaufman

Heat 2: 1. #47, Woody Weaver, Flint; 2. #28, Ronnie Long, Dallas; 3. #51, Britt Ables, Wylie; 4. #55, Jimmy Quick, Jr., Terrell; 5. #75, Patrick Daniel, Wills Point; 6. #57, Jimmy Goodwin, Garland

Heat 3: 1. #8, Skip O'Neal, Midlothian; 2. #24, Aaron Morey, Dallas; 3. #19, Jeff McGibboney, Dallas; 4. #1, Cheyney Hopkins, Combine; 5. #74, John Sliney, Keller; 6. #ZZ, Sloppy Hogg, Arlington

A FEATURE: 1. #31, Gary Lowe, Red Oak; 2. #28, Ronnie Long, Dallas; 3. #23, Darren Ellis, Quinlan; 4. #8, Skip O'Neal, Midlothian; 5. #51, Britt Ables, Wylie; 6. #1, Cheyney Hopkins, Combine; 7. #84, Tom Lorenz, Balch Springs; 8. #24, Aaron Morey, Dallas; 9. #2, Jack Ambern,Jr., Arp; 10. #47, Woody Weaver, Flint; 11. #V8, J.D. Wilson, Kaufman; 12. #66M, Richard Mills, Cut'N'Shoot; 13. #57, Jimmy Goodwin, Garland; 14. #19, Jeff McGibboney, Dallas; 15. #ZZ, Sloppy Hogg, Arlington; 16. #75, Patrick Daniel, Wills Point; 17. #00X, Michael Grubbs, Sachse; 18. #55, Jimmy Quick, Jr., Terrell; 19. #74, John Sliney, Keller

STREET STOCKS - Heat 1: 1. #11, Danny Zimmerman, Mesquite; 2. #31, Walter Dorsett, Royse City; 3. #12, Johnny Philpot, Sunnyvale; 4. #8, Mark Ross, Royse City; 5. #7C, Brandon Shupak, Crandall; 6. #26, Brandon Leopolos, Seagoville; 7. #14, Steve Trevathan, Post Oak Bend

Heat 2: 1. #49, George Parrish, Terrell; 2. #19, Brad Wesp, Dallas; 3. #21, Michael Murphy, Ferris; 4. #10, Trandel White, Balch Springs; 5. #15, Derek Eckles, Mesquite; 6. #39, Pat Walls, Frisco; 7. #42, Gayla Jones, Dallas

A FEATURE: 1. #11, Danny Zimmerman, Mesquite; 2. #31, Walter Dorsett, Royse City; 3. #21, Michael Murphy, Ferris; 4. #49, George Parrish, Terrell; 5. #15, Derek Eckles, Mesquite; 6. #19, Brad Wesp, Dallas; 7. #42, Gayla Jones, Dallas; 8. #12, Johnny Philpot, Sunnyvale; 9. #39, Pat Walls, Frisco; 10. #7C, Brandon Shupak, Crandall; 11. #8, Mark Ross, Royse City; 12. #26, Brandon Leopolos, Seagoville; 13. #10, Trandel White, Balch Springs; Did not start: #14, Steve Trevathan, Post Oak Bend