LAKEPORT — Speedway promoters Nadine and Bob Strauss were honored Saturday night during the final points race of the season at the Lakeport Speedway, where Robert Schmidt of Lucerne locked up the mini-stock points championship in the King of the Hill Challenge Series.
While the King of the Hill Series has two more races remaining at Ukiah, where champions in the Late Models, bonus bombers, bombers and modified divisions will be crowned, this past weekend”s race in Lakeport was the final points race at Lakeport”s quarter-mile oval, which will host the Marlene Baker Memorial on Sept. 14-15 and the KXBX October Classic on Oct. 19-21.
The Strausses were honored for 35 years of service to Lakeport Speedway and the Northern California Racing Association, which they helped establish and helped promote, and for creating the King of the Hill Series, which is split between the Ukiah and Lakeport racing facilities. The two are stepping down at the end of the season.
Mini-stocks
Schmidt wrapped up the points championship by winning the mini-stock main event in front of heat winner Don Presler and fast qualifier Kevin Barba (14.217 seconds).
Schmidt concludes the 2007 season with 932 points, easily beating runner-up Todd Armstrong (774).
Brad Laird won the other heat race and Schmidt took the trophy dash.
Modifieds
Noel McCormack Jr. won the modified main event in front of David Furia, points leader Terry McIntire, Codi Barba and Thomas Wright. McCormack missed a clean sweep by the margin of McIntire”s fast time (12.695) as he also won the trophy dash and second heat. Mark Marek won the first heat race.
McIntire”s third-place finish combined with his fast time earned him enough points to stay well out in front of Derrick Crayford in the modified points race. McIntire has 1,221 points to Crayford”s 1,099, with Jeremy Nowlin close behind in third at 1,086.
Late Models
Andrew Snider won the Late Models main event in front of points leader Forrest Kuecker, Charlie Collins, David Furia and Kevin Estep. Snider also set the fast time (12.692). Mike Bourbon won the trophy dash and Collins captured the heat race.
Going into the final points race of the season, Kuecker has 948 points to Collins” 845.
Bombers
In the Guy Strohmeier Auto Center bomber division, George Abella took the checkered flag in front of Anthony McCoy, Manya Tenney, B-main event and trophy dash winner Randy Portlock, and Jimmy Sorrels.
Heat winners were Dylan Rose, Shawn Kennedy and Jon Waner, while Tommy Nugent won the B trophy dash.
Fast time went to Roman Rose (15.049).
Ron Duke holds the bomber points leads with 1,497 points to Shelby Helm”s 1,463. Abella is third with 1,415.
Bonus bombers
In the Guy Strohmeier Auto Center bonus bomber class, Eric Johnson topped the field, beating George Mavrakis and points leader Andy Vander Veer to the finish line. Bill Mucci came in fourth and Manuel Antonio was fifth.
Vanderveer did set the fast time and is comfortably in front in the point standings with 1,557 points to Mavrakis” 1,338 and Johnson”s 1,300.
Johnson won the trophy and David Jones won the only heat race.
Racing at Ukiah this coming weekend features the Legends Cars of the Pacific as well as the Late Models, modifieds, bonus bombers and bombers. It will be the final points race for the modifieds. The final points race for all other divisions is Sept. 8.
