Zimmerman Sweeps Street Stocks at Devil's Bowl

Mesquite, TX (May 14) – Danny Zimmerman put on a stellar show for his sponsors Saturday night, winning his heat, the trophy dash and the street stock feature. Danny Jennings took home the cash for winning the super sprint main. Rick McCommas made his first trip to victory lane this year by winning the USA modified main. Darren Ellis made the most of a late race opportunity to win his second late model main of the year. 

Quality Intermodal Delivery Service added some money as a bonus to the street stock purse Saturday night, and Danny Zimmerman was determined to do his best for his sponsor. Pat Walls started on the pole of the street stock feature and jumped out to an early lead in the Walls Racing / Sue Walls CPA Nr. 39. However Danny Zimmerman was flying in the Quality Intermodal Delivery Service / Pro Muffler Nr. 11X - passing four cars on the opening lap, two more the next lap and taking the lead on the third trip around the Devil's Bowl half-mile clay oval. 

The first caution flew on the fourth lap. On the restart, Terry Carter took the second spot in his S&J Construction / A-1 Custom Tile Nr. 35. He tried to close on Zimmerman's rear bumper, but was soon in a tight battle with Mark Ross in the Tommy G's Welding / Speed Specialties Nr. 8. 

Zimmerman set a blistering pace and stayed out front even though the caution flag flew two additional times during the feature. He had no trouble charging to take the victory, along with winning his heat race and the trophy dash earlier in the evening.

Ross got past Carter for the second spot on the eighth lap. Doug Smith was third across the finish line, but his car was under minimum weight at the scales. Walter Dorsett edged ahead of Carter at the finish line in the Nikon Dallas / R&D Racing Nr. 31 and was credited with third. Fifth behind Carter in the final finish was Michael Clugston, Jr. in the RTB Motorsports Nr. 00.

Arin Lawrence in the A-9 Align / Hunter Equipment Nr. 52 won the B-main while Johnny Philpott in the J&S Direct Doors / M&M Machine Nr. 12 and Trandel White in the Verna May / Garcia's Lawn Care Nr. 10 won their heats. Despite having the front suspension broken in a crash and finishing 11th in the feature - White retained the points lead.

 Danny Jennings was started his Goodyear / Lucas Oil Nr. 61J on the outside of the fourth row as the super sprint 15-lap feature took the green flag. Polesitter Justin Spoerl took the lead as the race began in his Quest Nr. 6, with Jeff Shaddock right behind in the DalTex Rental & Sales Nr. 12. As the cars charged around the track, Larry Long moved up to take third in the Town East Ford / Enduro Powder Coating Nr. 28.

However, maintaining position was difficult on the dry track. The close side by side racing shuffled the order several times. Drivers would fall from third to sixth in a single lap, or slip past three or four cars who got slightly out of line.

When the caution flag flew for the first time on the tenth lap, Spoerl was still in the lead, but working his way through lapped traffic, with several other fast cars right on his rear bumper.

Matt Clevenger was second in the JTM Materials/ RJ Paving Nr. 31, with Jennings, Charlie Brown and Larry Neighbors all in the top five. On the restart, Neighbors passed Brown before the restart cone, bring out another caution and sending Neighbors to the back of the field.

When the race resumed, Clevenger got a fantastic run through turns three and four, pulling ahead of Spoerl with just two laps remaining in the feature. Jennings also managed to get past Spoerl as the white flag flew.

Unfortunately, Clevenger's car was under the minimum required weight at the scales after the race. That gave the victory to Jennings, with Spoerl second. Long was third with Brandon Erwin in the Mack's Auto Service / Coldwell Banker Nr. 9 and Phillip Dietz his The Shop Diesel Service Nr. 41.

Brown maintained his lead in the points race, despite dropping out on the 13th lap when his Keith's Truck & Accessories / Forney Kar Wash Nr. 72 slowed. Long and Shaddock won the heat races.

A close exciting battle for the USA modified feature set the tone for the evening. Rick Preddy in the Winner's Choice Awards Nr. V8 pulled ahead from the pole position as the green flag dropped on the 15-lap feature, with Charles Lasater in the Acelco Services / Troy's Used Cars Nr. 17 right behind him.

The race for the top spot was close with several drivers contending for the position. Preddy slipped high Lasater took over the lead on the fourth circuit. The restart was a mess, and the field was reset with Lasater out front.

Rick McCommas was on the outside when the race resumed and went around Lasater to put the Unlimited Sprinkler / B&H Painting Nr. 39 in the lead. Colby Smith in the Nr. 01 The Shop / Innovative Designs modifed moved into second and began to chase McCommas.

Two additional cautions slowed the race with McCommas and Smith dicing for the lead on every lap. Smith was able to pull alongside a couple times - but could never get the run he needed to complete the pass. It was McCommas' first feature win this season, with Smith second. Working his way patiently through the field to take third was Randy Kirkland in the Reliable Plumbing / American Locksmith Nr. 77, with Lasater fourth and Steve Sickels in the Crandall Cotton Gin / Second Hand Performance Parts Nr. 50 taking fifth. Smith and Don Jensen in the Jeanie's Used Auto Parts / Corker Tire Nr. 40 won the heat races.

Though he swept the late models last week, Jon Wallace's season point average and the decision of another driver to start at the back of the feature put the Nr. 55 Ron's Racing / Lane's Automotive car on the pole. Wallace wasted no time in pulling into the lead and setting the early pace of the race. Skip O'Neal followed Wallace into second place, with Darren Ellis moving into the third spot. The leaders roared around the track at top speed, right at the top of the turns. Ellis put his Adams Fence / Race Ragz Nr. 21X into the second spot on the third lap.

As the race continued from flag to flag without a caution, the track was changing and Wallace began to have trouble getting smoothly through the turns. That gave Ellis the opportunity he needed to jump into the lead on the ninth lap.

The track came to Ellis and he was able to work cleanly through lapped traffic and grab his second checkered flag of the season. Wallace had a solid run and took the second spot at the final flag. Points leader O'Neal was third in the Urban Fire Protection / O'Neal Race Engines Nr. 8. Britt Ables came back from a hard crash last week to take fourth in the Ables Auto / Troy's Cars Nr. 51 with Tom Lorenz rounding out the top five in the Smiley's Race Car Products / Hoosier Tire Southwest Nr. 84. Wallace topped the late model heat race. 

Devil’s Bowl Speedway – Race Results – Sat, May 14, 2005

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Next At Devil's Bowl

Saturday, May 21

O'Rielly Free Admission Night for residents of Garland, Sachse, Wylie, Rowlett, Rockwall, Heath, Royse City - with photo ID proof of residence.

Super Sprints,  USA Modifieds, Late Models, Street Stocks