Slideways Racing Presents
Chowchilla Speedway, Chowchilla, CA
April 27, 2013
Round 1 of the “King of the Valley” series
Photos and story by Karen Gould, Checkered Flag Photography
The first race of the three race series “King of Valley”
promoted by Slideways Racing took place Saturday night, April 27th at
the Chowchilla Speedway. The track. about 3/8 of a mile in
diameter had been completely dug up, topped with new soil and packed to
a speedy banked blue groove. Slideways Racing, Randy and Mary
Kremlaceck and their team put their heart and soul into this series,
evident by the gifts tossed into the crowd during the races, the jump
house set up on the grass for the little kids and the professionalism
of the event. The main sponsor for this series is
PowersportsSupply.com, Jack Cudia, of Turlock, CA. Both Jack and
Randy began their love of the sport on the track racing
themselves. Series sponsors include Rod Lake Racing and Orchard
Supply Hardware as well as others.
A day full of events started in the morning with a few riders
on hand to coach the little guys and first time racers. After
lunch practice was held for the amateurs followed by their heats and
main events.
Racing is a family affair for many but today in particular it
would have been difficult not to notice a long time racing family, the
Hannahs. In the pits were 4 generations of Hannahs to cheer for
young Hunter Hannah as he took the PW 50 win in the 4 to 6 year old
class. Young Hannah was aboard the same Honda 50 ridden by his
dad, his grandfather and all his cousins and their neighbors as they
grew up. It got a “remodel” of new plastic, a paint job and tires
and looked shiny bright with the young Hannah on board as the checkered
flag flew.
Also new comers to organized racing, Chase and Blake Petree
rode their bright new quads in the Youth quad class. Early
in the day they were obvious new comers but by day’s end they had
picked up the pace and were enjoying the competition. Philip
Fanelli earned top spot on the podium but the Petree brothers finished
second and third behind him.
Other top finishers in the afternoon events included Mitchell
Green who took the top spot in the open amateur class in front to f
Nick Garner and Stacey Allison. Driving the water truck on the
track most of the day Roger Bauerman switched his attire and took to
the track on two wheels finishing behind Tim Walters in the vintage
heavey 350 class. Grant Holmes, Michael Manion and Nolan Reitz
also all finished first in their respective class.
In the quad novice class Ron Talley took an early lead in
front of the five other racers and showed them all the fast way to the
checkers.
Expert and pro class riders took to the track when the amateur classes
finished getting a feel for the track and their bike set up. For
several of the day’s riders this was to be their first experience with
a banked blue groove track where the combination of the banking and the
speed of the track took you to the top and in some cases over the rim.
Chad Foster got the Open Expert lead from the time the light
went green. Foster rode all ten laps in the lead of this class.
Calaeigh Ryan took the second spot. Robert Morris had to work to
get stay on top of the box in the 0-349 expert and vintage heavy expert
class. Gary Durbin wanted that win too. Morris got the hole
shot and led through lap three. Durbin found the chance he needed
between turns two and three to overtake Morris getting under him in lap
four. Morris wasted no time recapturing the lead, again on the
back straight but leaving nothing to chance held his line tight getting
some breathing room by the time the checkers flew. Perri Turner
rounded out this podium.
Ten quads formed two rows on the starting grid. At the
green light Keith Roush wasn’t letting ladies go first. Roush was
first to the first turn but newly engaged Kristi Bolin was right on his
tail pushing. Behind them Aaron Garpli and Kristi’s fiancé,
Mitch Cornelious, filling the third and fourth spots respectively.
Steve Hill wowed the crowd in the vet expert class.
Getting past Jason Craven in lap four there was no stopping Hill from
winning this one. Once taking over the lead he continued to put
land between himself and Craven. Anthony Mitchell maintained his
third place position all ten laps and Tim Brock brought up the
rear. Craig Scroggins, Donnie Darrah and Roger Bowerman powered
their two wheeled machines from start to finish in that order.
The evening’s final event consisted of sixteen pro class
riders competing for the first place $500 win as well as placement
points for series final pay out awards. Two rows of eight riders
lined up waiting for the light to go green. National Pro
Expert rider and winner of the AMA Pro Expert Singles in
Knoxville Tenessee during the 2012 season, Shayna Texter was in
the front of the pack before the first turn with AMA Grand National
riders Mike Rush and Kayl Kolkman and National singles rider Kale
Fisher following her three wide behind her. Coming out of the
turn Rush followed Texter. Behind them and gaining ground Briar
Bauman was picking off riders in front of him moving into fourth by the
end of lap one and capturing the third position from Kolkman by the end
of lap three. Another Pro Expert national rider, Michael
Inderbitzen finished lap one in the fifth spot behind Kolkman. AMA
National Pro Expert Ryan Foster captured the fifth spot when Rush fell
back in the pack in lap thirteen. By the checkers Texter had put
some real estate behind her and Bauman who finished second.
Round two of the “King of the Valley Series” will take place
this Saturday, May 4th at the Stanislaus County Fairgrounds in
Turlock. In addition to it’s being the second King of the Valley
venue it is also the first of the California Flat Track Association
seven round series that will include races in Turlock, Chowchilla,
Prairie City, Willow Springs, Santa Rosa and Perris Raceway.
Information for “King of the Valley” is available at
http://www.slidewaysracing.com Information about the California Flat
Track Association Series can be found at http://www.californiaflattrack.com
Results:
PW50 – 4-6 yrs old
1. Hunter Hannah; 2. Landon Fanelli; 3.
Austin Bellew
Quad Youth
1. Philip Fanelli; 2. Chase Petree; 3.
Blake Petree; 4. Landon Fanelli
85-150cc Amateur
1. Grant Holmes
230 ateur
1. Michael Manion; 2. Alex Crosby
230 pert
1. Nolan Reitz
Quad Novice
1. Ron Talley; 2. Greg Kathner; 3. Clay
Nixon; 4. Steve Talley; 5. Clay Childers; 6. Ethan Sullivan
Vet Amateur 35+
1. Pete Gillum
Vintage heavy 350 Open Amateur
1. Tim Walters; 2. Roger Bauerman
Open Amateur
1. Mitchell Green; 2. Nick Garner; 3.
Stacey Allison; 4. Robie Hannah; 5. Brandon Watters
85-150 Expert
1. Nolan Reitz; 2. Clayton Williams
Open Expert
1. Chad Foster; 2. Calaeigh Ryan
Vintage Light 0-349
1. Tim Rott
Vintage Heavy 350-open Expert
1. Robert Morris; 2. Gary Durbin; 3. Perry
Turner
Quad Pro
1. Keith Roush; 2. Kristi Bolin; 3. Aaron
Garpli; 4. Mitch Cornelious; 5. Bobby Borba; 6. oHeather Manefee; 7.
Tom McCarroll; 8. Ronnie Talley; 9. Charlie Lyles; 10. Dan Elderbaum
Vet Expert 35+
1. “Driver” Steve Hill; 2. Jason Craven; 3.
Anthony Mitchell; 4. Tim Brock
Sr. Heads Up
1. Craig Scroggins; 2. Donnie Darrah; 3.
Roger Bowerman
Pro Main
1. Shayna Texter; 2. Briar Bauman; 3. Kayl
Kolkman; 4. Michael Inderbitzen; 5. Ryan Foster; 6. Kale Fisher;
7.
Austin Scaggs; 8. Brandon Bergen; 9. Mikey Rush; 10. Nick Armstrong;
11. Kris Bunch;
12. Jame Monaco; 13. Jeremy Hannah; 14. Bobby Bolin;
15. Zack Lenhof; 16. Chad Foster
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