Spoerl Tops Devil's Bowl Sprints

Mesquite, TX (July 2) – Justin Spoerl topped the super sprints for his first victory of the season Saturday night. Trandel White claimed his second street stock victory, as did Rick McCommas in the USA modifieds. Darren "The Royse City Rocket" Ellis captured his fifth late model victory.  

Justin Spoerl had to be looking over his right shoulder as he came out of turn four looking for the checkered flag. Two weeks ago, Spoerl led the super sprint feature until the final turn, only to have Matt Clevenger sling shot around him.

This week, Spoerl had no worries, though without a rear view mirror or radio, he did not know he had a comfortable four or five foot lead.

The super sprint feature got off to a rough start. On the initial start, last week's feature winner, Martin Edwards dove under David Gailley in turn three. But as the cars entered turn four, Edwards slid up into Gailley's left front wheel. That send Edwards over for a high flip and Gailley into the front straight wall. When the green flag flew again, Matt Clevenger dived under Kurt Summers entering turn one, but also slid up the track, clipping Summers and sending his car over. Summers, Edwards and Gailley were all able to walk away from their damaged cars.

The race finally got going with Michael Lang taking the point in his Nr. 14. Spoerl moved from the fourth row to the second row after the flips. That helped him get clear of traffic and pull past Lang and put the Quest / Berryman Nr. 6 into the lead on the third lap.

Larry Long took his Town East Ford / Speed Specialties Nr. 28 into second on the fifth circuit. However, Spoerl was almost a full straightaway ahead. That lead evaporated when the caution flew moments later.

That setup a tight battle between Spoerl and Long as they raced toward the finish. Another caution late in the race only kept the battle tight. Long made a hard charge a lap before the white flag flew, but Spoerl maintained the lead.

On the final circuit, Long ran hard out of turn two and again closed up on Spoerl's rear bumper. But Spoerl was not letting anyone get around the outside as he charged out of turn four to take the checkered flag with Long right on his rear bumper. Brandon Erwin ran a solid third in the Mack's Auto Service / Coldwell Banker Nr. 9, with Chris Tarrant in the Auto Meter / Jett's Performance Nr. 71 in fourth. Clevenger rounded out the top five in the JTM Materials / JRJ Paving Nr. 31. Lang and Jeff Shaddock in the Bono's of Plano Racing Collectibles / Southern Living at Home - Sue Reinhart Nr. 12 won the heat races.

Michael Fink got a great start to lead the street stock main for the opening circuits in his Nr. 85F. On the fifth trip around the Devil's Bowl half-mile oval, Aaron Lawrence in the Johnson Frame and Alignment Nr. 52 took the low line through turn four in a bid for the lead. The cars made slight contact, but appeared to be hooked together for much of the race down the front straight. Lawrence spun around in front of Fink and brushed the wall. Fink slid into the turn one tire with David Gailley and Jason Mayfield crashed with him. Lawrence was able to restart the race, but Fink, Gailley and Mayfield were done for the evening, along with James Shaw who got turned into the front straight wall as he tried to slow.

Gary Corbin in the Nr. 021 took over the lead when the green flag came out. Two laps later it was Jason Trevathan moving in to the top spot in the Anson Powder Coating / Pit Stop Pizza Nr. 3.

Coming up from a start on the outside of the sixth row, Trandel White claimed the second position on the ninth circuit. But a lap later Danny Zimmerman got past White. Another corner and White pulled past both Zimmerman and Trevathan with the white flag flying. White scored his second feature win of the season by a car length in the Verna May / Garcia's Lawn Care Nr. 10. Trevathan held second in a side by side run with Zimmerman in the Quality Intermodal Delivery Service / Masters Auto Body Nr. 11X in third. Fourth was Walter Dorsett in the Nikon Dallas / R&D Racing Nr. 31 and Corbin rounded out the top five. Zimmerman, Gailley in the Gailley Motorsports Nr. 24 and Mark Ross in the Tommy G's Welding / Speed Specialties Nr. 8 won the street stock heat races.

Just like all the other feature winners Saturday night, Rick McCommas had to start a long way from the front row, back in the 12th position. Up front, Rusty Trevathan took off from the pole in his Chicken Express / C&R Lawn / Day Motorsports Nr. 751. Setting a fast pace, Trevathan had several drivers come close to challenge, but Trevathan ran his line and kept his modified out front.

With only one caution to slow the race, McCommas relied on the high route around the turns to gain positions. He was up to fifth on the seventh lap and brought the Unlimited Sprinkler - Fire Protection Nr. 39 up to challenge Trevathan in the final five laps.

Roaring through the turns, McCommas grabbed the lead and managed to put a couple car lengths between himself and Trevathan. With a sight advantage, McCommas charged to the checkered flag. Trevathan had his hands full in the final laps with Jeff Welborn fighting for the position. The Baxter Motorsports / Kountry Kids Day Care Nr. 19J was fast, but Welborn had to settle for third. Fourth after an exciting battle with cars swapping three or four positions a lap was Colby Smith in his The Shop / Innovative Designs Nr. 01. Clyde Dunn, Jr. took fifth in the Smiley's / Crandall Cotton Gin Restaurant / Young Chevrolet Nr. 88. McCommas, Smith and Charles Lasater in the Acelco Services Nr. 17 won the heat races.

Jerry Horn in the Horn's Medical Supply / Meltin' Pot Candles Nr. 9D charged into the lead as the late model field took the green flag. Right behind him was Justin Ingalls in the Lazy 8.

After a couple laps, Horn pulled way to a small lead. Ingalls was fighing to old the second spot with several cars. During the tight racing, the Royse City Rocket - Darren Ellis climbed through the field.

On the 10th lap of the feature, Ellis got a run coming out of turn two and claimed the top spot in his Adams Fence / Race Ragz / Performance Auto Supply Nr. 21X. The points leader in the late model field, Ellis was running perfectly through the turns. He pulled out to a four car length lead before taking the checkered flag for is fifth feature win of the year.

Horn crossed the line second, but his car was under the minimum weight at the scales after the race. That moved Justin Ingalls up to the runner-up spot, with Ronnie Long in the Town East Ford / Enduro Powder Coating Nr. 28 in a strong run for third, followed by Ray Moore in the Moore Wireline/ K& P Grocery Nr. 93 and Britt Ables in the Ables Auto / Troy's Cars Nr. 51.

Winning the heat races were Ellis, Ronnie Welborn in the Baxter Motorsports / Kountry Kids Day Car Nr. 20 and Chuck Beusch in the Sam's Pizza Pasta and Subs / Family Chiropractic Nr. 13. Horn topped the late model trophy dash.

Devil’s Bowl Speedway – Race Results – Sat, July 2, 2005

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Next At Devil's Bowl

Sunday

July 3rd

FIREWORKS

SUPR Late Models

USA Modifieds - $2,000 to win

Street Stocks - $400 to win