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

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