
Slideways Racing Presents
Chowchilla Speedway, Chowchilla, CA
May 10th, 2013
Round 2 of the “King of the Valley” series
Photos and story by Karen Gould, Checkered Flag Photography
After a couple of days of
rain the Chowchill Speedway track was flooded when the track prep guys
went out on Wednesday to begin the preparation for Friday’s
race. After eight hours of pumping the water off the track
they were able to begin moving the mud and grooming what was to be a
perfect race track by the time the gates opened for racing. Craig
Scroggins and Richard Lopez did an outstanding job providing an
excellent blue groove banked surface that proved to be fast and
racey. Comments after the race from the riders included “I
haven’t ridden a blue groove that good in a long time”, “are there
gonna be more races here?”. Yes, yes there are!
Today’s races were not only
the final event of the three race King of the Valley Series but also
the second event in the California Championship Series. The
youngsters were excited to go racing during the afternoon while the
pros were filling the pits getting ready for the evening racing.
Young Hanna took the victory in the 4-6 year
old PW class, Andy Wallace took the open amateur win and Phillip
Finelli led the youth quad class to the checkers. Series award
winners were presented with beautiful trophies with their racing
pictures attached.
Twenty five riders were
entered in the pro class. Riders included several AMA Grand
National riders looking for easy money and some seat time on the
track. Very close to the same size as the Stockton 99 race track
that will host the AMA Grand National Half Mile on Saturday, this track
provided an opportunity to loosen up for the big race in Stockton.
Four heat races and two
semis would determine the positioning on the starting grid for the main
event. Sixteen riders would make the main.
Heat race winners included
Grand National riders Rob Pearson, Brad Baker and pro singles riders
Austin Scaggs and Shayna Texter. Semi winners were Briar Bauman and
Jethro Halbert. The first three riders in each heat race and the
first two from each semi would complete from the 16 rider grid for the
main event.
Seven Pro quads were on the
track for the main event after running two heat races. Heat race
winners were Tom McCarroll and Keith Roush. Roush took the lead
from Charlie Lyles in lap 4 and Andrew Robers overtook Lyles in the
10th and final lap. Roush and Andrews were back finishing
first and second respectively in the 10 lap main event.
Kevin Keernan got the hole
shot and held that lead for the first two laps in the Open expert heat
race. AJ Herrera wasted no time in finding his way to the front.
In the main event Keernan again got the hole shot but it was Herrera
that took the checkers with Sam Knox was not far behind.
Andy Wallace finished third.
Anthony Mitchell showed the
Vet Expert class the fastest line on the track. Getting the hole
shot and riding all 10 laps in the lead Mtchell won the race.
Behind him Dean Coca went into the first turn in front of Hill
and piloted his bike in the second position through the fourth
lap. Hill overtook Coca to finish second followed by Coca to the
finish.
After working on the track
tirelessly Craig Scroggins lined up with the other Senior heads up
riders to compete for the win. Donnie Darrah was first off the
line when the light glowed green and rode all ten laps in front of his
competition. Scroggins held the second position through lap
6. It was then that Gene Fitzsimmons was able to get around
Scroggins after working his way around Perri Turner in the second
lap. This race finished Darrah, Fitzsimmons, Scroggins and
Perri. Perri was back on the track to finish second in the
Vintage heavy class behind Gary Durbin and in front of Mitch
Gallagher. Fitzsimmons was fourth in this class followed by Mike
Fowler and the other four competitors. Fowler rode earlier in the
Vintage Light class taking the win in front of Tim Rott.
The Pros took their
positions on the starting grid for the most exciting race of the
night. As a result of the heats and semis their starting
positions had been determined. At the green light there was no
stopping Briar Bauman as he took the lead and kept going, riding all 20
laps in the front of the pack. Behind him Baker, Pearson and Ryan
Foster were fighting a dog fight for the second spot. Baker
claimed the second position in lap 8 and began chasing Bauman
down. In lap 14 he over took the lead and consequently
suffered the misfortune of blowing up his bike. Bauman was again
in the lead with Pearson and Foster following to the finish.
Bauman finished the
first King of the Valley event second at Chowchilla Speedway in
Chowchilla behind Shayna Texter. Andrew Luker claimed the round
two victory at the Stanislaus County fairgrounds in Turlock and Bauman
claimed the victory in Chowchilla again at round three earning the
“Slideways King of the Valley” title. Ryan Foster was second in points
behind Bauman.
Round three of the
California Flat Track Association will take place June 15th in Prairie
City. Information about the series can be found at
www.californiaflattrack.com.
PW 50 4-6

1. Hunter
Hannah(right); 2. Bradon Fanelli (left)
Quad Youth
1. Philip
Fanelli; 2. Trent Jarvis; 3. Trent Fanelli; 4. Jax Jarvis
Quad Novice
1. Steve
Talley
230 Amateur
1. Nolan
Reitz
Open Amateur
1. Andy
Wallace; 2. Sam Cullom; 3. Mitchell Green; 4. Nick Garner; 5. Beau
Thompson
85-150 cc Expert
1. Clayton
Williams; 2. Nolan Reitz; 3. Tyler Raggio
Open Expert

Open Expert
1. A.J.
Herrera; 2. 81z-Sam Knox; 3. 22-Andy Wallace; 4. Sam Cullom; 5.
61c-Kevin Keernan;
6. 93-Beau Thompson; 7. Brandon Watters
250 Expert
1. Clayton
Williams
Vintage Light

Vintage Light
1. 13vMike
Fowler; 2. 45 Tim Rott
Vintage Hesavy 350 – Open
Expert
1. Gary
Durbin; 2. Perri Turner; 3. Mitch Gallagher; 4. Gene Fitzsimmons; 5.
Mike Fowler; 6. Tim Waters; 7. Alan Shaw; 8. Robert Morris; 9. Jack
Jones
Vet Expert 35+
1. Anthony
Mitchell; 2. Steve Hill; 3. Dean Coca; 4. Kevin Keernan
Sr. Heads Up
1. Donnie
Darrah; 2. Gene Fitzsimmoms; 3. Craig Scroggins; 4. Gary Cordeiro; 5.
Perri Turner; 6. Mike Fowler; 7. Roger Bowerman; 8. Brenton Tatom
Pro

Pro
1. 10 z Briar
Bauman; 2. 27 Rob Pearson; 3. 23y Ryan Foster; 4. Cory Texter; 5
Dominic
Colindres; 6. Shayna Texter; 7. Jethro Halber; 8. Mikey Martin; 9.
James Manaco; 10. Austin Scaggs; 11. Kayl Kolkman; 12. Ryan Kearns; 13.
Kale Fisher; 14. Damon Coca; 15. Jeremy Hannah; 16. Brad Baker
x
12 Brad Baker - 10z Briar
Bauman
Quad Pro

1. 175 - Keith
Roush; 2. 4 Andrew Rogers; 3. Tom McCarroll; 4. Greg Kathner; 5. Brian
Talley; 6. 9 Charlie Lyles; 7. Clay Nixon

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