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GM Michael Garton leads a qualifying
heat. |
No woman driver jokes here ... Carol
Caler runs with the guys. |
Leaving
the Pits ...
We welcomed back original GM Michael Garton and his son
Joshua last summer after a five-year hiatus. They joined co-designer
John McLaughlin, who has held the fort the past three years,
in running WBC's most visually spectacular event.
The WBC 250 Final of the Stock Car Championship Racing
Card Game took place after six qualifying preliminary races.
18 drivers qualified with 15 following through for the spectacle
that occurs only at the WBC Final. It took place using a custom
track deck made exclusively for the WBC 250. Fabio Pelligrino
(#93 Amoco) came all the way from Italy to participate in this
prestigious event.
At the drop of the green flag, 2008 champion Steve Caler (#9
Dodge) starting in the second position immediately played a Pull
Away and dropped down to the inside to take the lead from the
Pole Position, Scott Nerney in #88 Amp. #9 Dodge held the lead
for the first 24 laps, but faded back never to contend again.
Eric Ritter in #99 Dominoes moved up from his initial third position
to take the lead on lap 25 and held it for the next 72 laps (six
turns). During this dominating run by 99, a crash occurred on
lap 67, bringing out the yellow flag and knocking Mike Buchheri
(#26 Ricky Bobby "If you ain't first, you're last!!")
out of the race. On the restart, a second crash occurred and
Danny Lewis (#16 Prime Star) and Dave Albin (#24 McDonalds) got
caught in the wreckage and were too damaged to continue.
The first round of green flag pitstops happened on lap 91
with no change to the lead. On lap 97, defending champ Phil White
(#17 Western Auto) pulled into the lead - having worked his way
forward from dead last. Western Auto worked his way up the inside
lane and was behind the leader when he made a slingshot move
to the outside lane to take the lead and hanging #88 Amp with
no drafting help. Western Auto went on to lead 78 of the next
102 laps, temporarily giving up the lead to #88 Amp and two-time
champ Seth Gunar in #72 Detroit Gasket during this stretch. On
lap 120, Henry Pfeiffer's #29 Cartoon Network experienced engine
trouble, but continued racing, nursing his car around the track.
On lap 170, the second round of green flag pit stops occurred
with Detroit Gasket giving the lead back to Western Auto. #9
Dodge blew his transmission coming out of the pits causing the
yellow flag to fly once again. On lap 199, #29 Cartoon Network
took the lead, despite his engine troubles, from 17 Western Auto
for 24 laps, but rubbed the wall slightly causing body damage
further weakening his car's ability to compete. On the last turn
of the race, #17 Western Auto) bumped drafted Bill Beckman in
#33 Old Spice into the lead and himself to second, dropping #29
Cartoon Network) to third. #33 Old Spice coasted to the winner's
circle as Cartoon Network was too damaged to make any kind of
last ditch challenge. Carol Caler in #05 Disney finished fourth
with Seth Guner (#72) rounding out the top five.
Thanks to all drivers for participating. The race had ten
lead changes over 19 turns with the new green flag pit stop rules
instituted to everyone's liking.
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Scott Nerney, Henry Pfeiffer, Bill
Beckman and Steve Caler enjoy the seating at the corner. |
Two GM's - no waiting ... as Michael
Garton and John McLaughlin move the cars in the big oval. |
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