LAKEPORT — The drivers put on a show for the fans on hand for the Kelseyville Lumber-Lake County Car Audio Fan Appreciation Night at Lakeport Speedway last weekend.
The action got off to a fast pace in the evening with the Taco Bell Bombers taking the track, where Travis Thorn picked up his first trophy dash.
The main event for the bomber was slowed after the initial green because of contact between Evan Smith and Robert Taylor, which broke the rear axle on Smith”s car, sending him hard into the outside retaining wall. After the car made contact with the wall, the fuel pump ignited, sending the speedway safety crew into action to douse the flames and make sure the driver and passenger were OK. Everyone, except Smith”s borrowed car, came out of the wreck unscathed.
The race restarted with Anthony Esberg sitting on the pole and veteran driver Andy Norton sitting on the outside of him. After the green fell, Norton jumped out to the lead, soon followed by Thorn on his rear bumper. On lap 12, Thorn got trapped by a lapped car while passing for the lead and was pushed back to fifth place.
That left the hole open for Mike Swaney, of Nice, to pass Norton for the lead and he never to look back, taking the main event win and the points-lead away after a successful weekend.
The Clover Hydro Jammers saw Hayley Bishop starting on the pole with Jason Hunter on the outside pole. It did not take long for the veterans to weave their way through the field, but they had a challenge on their hand because the points leader for the Jr. Jammers, Jackson Long, made a run and was putting distance on the veteran drivers.
Weaving in and out of slower traffic, Ellis Thornton, was making his way up through the field of race cars, with Eddie Klein right on his tail. Klein almost pinned Thornton behind a slower car, but Thornton made a move through the infield to maintain his lead in the Pro Jammer main. Long was passed for the lead on lap 14.
At the checkers it was Thornton taking another win for the Pro Jammers, and Long taking another win for the Jr. Jammers.
The Lake County Extreme Asphalt Outlaws saw Charlie Collins, of Lakeport, and Kyle Tellstrom battle side-by-side for more than 20 laps before the tires on the Collins” car gave way, forcing him to retire behind Tellstrom for second spot. At the flag, it was Tellstrom followed by Collins.
For the night”s last race, the Coors Light Modifieds, Tom Lyndall, of Kelseyville, and Alex Andrews, of Lakeport, sat on the pole. They ran to the green flag, but after the flag person did not like the start, it was called back.
The next start was good and saw Lyndall jump out to the lead after the first round, but the action was halted by contact between Richie Potts and Collins on the front straight, which sent Collins spinning along with Justin Dutcher.
The race restarted with all of those involved starting in the rear of the race, and on the pole again it was Lyndall, but on the outside it was Mike Smithhart waiting his turn.
Smithhart jumped out to the lead after the second lap of the race setting a face pace, but Aaron Hicks was moving his way up through the field. Hicks eventually took the lead.
The race continued at a fast pace, seeing Potts pass again for the lead on Lap 18 as the pair of Potts and Hicks was catching the slower traffic.
Going into Turn 1, contact was made between the cars of Collins and Potts. The wreck finished with Collins hitting the wall hard coming out of Turn 3, which ended his night.
Potts retired to the pits to make some repairs, which left Hicks in the lead followed by Smithhart who battled for a few laps, until Sweeney made his way through traffic and to challenge Hicks.
The two battled side-by-side for several laps, but their battle was interrupted by contact that ultimately sent Potts hard into the outside retaining wall, collecting Taylor and Lyndall and ending the night for all three drivers.
The race restarted single file with fewer than 10 laps to go with Hicks in front of Sweeney. The two drivers battled back and forth leaving, not very much room for each other, but enough not to crash. At the checkers it was Hicks, followed by Sweeney and Smithhart.
The next race at the speedway will be Saturday with the BCRA Midgets, Coors Light Modifieds, Taco Bell Bombers, INEX Legend Cars and Lawn Mower Racers.
For event details and current information, visit the website at www.lakeportspeedway.com or call the speedway office at 279-9577. Gates will open at 5 p.m. with racing starting at 6:30 p.m.
