|
|
GM John McLaughlin leads a qualifying
heat. |
Car selection reservations for the
Final. |
Leaving
the Pits ...
What an exciting race the WBC 500 turned out to be in 2009. 26
drivers earned their way into the grand oval championship race
this year, ensuring a full house as the race got underway. Ken
Richards in the #10 Tide car took an early lead from pole sitter
Phil White in the #33 Old Spice car while Virginia Melton (#57
Halloween Havoc) and John Wellage (#21 Air Force) tried repeatedly
to get to the front.
Defending Champion Steve Caler (#19 Dodge) had engine trouble
from the start and tried desperately to hold on to position but
his repeat chances looked grim. The first big wreck happened
on lap 36 as Virginia Melton (#57 Halloween Havoc) bounced off
the retaining wall, collecting Steve Cameron (#37 Little Caesars) and
Luke Koleszare (#66 K-Mart) in her wake and sending all three
back to their trailers trading "woman driver" jokes.
Steve Caler took advantage of the resulting yellow flag to clear
up his engine problems. Ken Richards pulled away from the
pack on the restart ,taking Seth Gunter (#42 Havoline) with him.
On lap 48 Doug Porterfield (#23 John Deere) made a good move
on the outside while Kaarin Engelmamn (#9 Mopar) took the lead
with two-time champion Seth Gunar (#42 Havoline) drafting her
into second place. On lap 51, Anthony Ricchuito (#6 AAA)
pulled a textbook perfect slingshot move to pass three cars and
moved up to the outside lane taking Doug Porterfield (#23 John
Deere) with him, who then passed him for the lead. Meanwhile,
the Alyssa Gumkowski (#05 Daisy Duck) and Carol Caler (#99 Dominos
Pizza) teamed up in the back of the pack and started to make
their move to the front. The racing up front was fierce
as Doug Porterfield (#23 John Deere) managed to keep the lead
going into the pits on lap 75. Unfortunately he dropped
15 spots after trouble in the pits while Steve Caler (#19 Dodge)
moved up ten spots with a two-tire stop. Angelo Ricchuito
(#12 Mobil, brother to Anthony in #6 AAA) came out in the lead. He
took off on the restart, pulling away from the pack and took
a commanding lead.
On lap 111 Kaarin Engelmann made her move for the lead with
a slingshot pass on the outside lane only to be followed and
passed by George Seary (#8 Bass Pro Shops). Phil White
(#33 Old Spice) finally took the lead, leaving John Welage out
to dry in the outside lane. On lap 126 Bill Beckman (#44
Slim Jim) used up all his tires trying to get to the front, while
Jim Doughan (#29 Scooby Doo) pulled up even on the outside but
it was George Seary who finally took the lead. Anthony Ricchuito
(#6 AAA) got loose on lap 141 while Matt Deuber (#47 Sunoco)
passed #29 and #44 for the lead. On lap 165 John Weber (#3
Goodwrench) finally got some cooperation in the back of the pack
and started to move up to fill the gap with the lead draft. Meanwhile,
Bill Beckman drafted by #44 to take the lead with worn tires. The
second round of pit stops occurred on lap 171 the big gainers
being Seth Gunar (#42 Havoline) and Alyssa Gumkowski (#05 Daisy
Duck). Matt Deuber (#47 Sunoco) fell back nine spots while
Kaarin Engelmann (#9 Mopar) ended her race in the pits with a
blown transmission.
Anthony Ricchuito (#6 AAA) was first out of the pits and held
on to the lead until lap 183 when Seth Gunar followed Joseph
Betz (#28 Texaco) to the front and passed him convincingly for
the lead. He lead until lap 249 when the lead draft ran
into some slow traffic which ultimately allowed Jim Doughan (#29
Scooby Doo) to get to the front and lead them into the pits for
the last time. Unfortunately, he ran into some problems
and came out last while Haim Hochboim (#24 Dupont) managed to
come out first. In the final lap, Doug Porterfield (#23
John Deere) passed ten cars in a valiant attempt to win but it
was Phil White in #33 Old Spice who managed to pass Gunar (#42
Havoline) on the outside for the win.
|
|
No event provides more spectacle than
the Stockcar oval track Final. |
Ass't GM Joshua Garton lends a hand
in the big race. |
|