Silver State sportsmen bump and grind

Racing was a bit hectic Sunday at Silver State Raceway, with drivers in the limited sportsman division doing most of the "bump and grind" action.

On the start of the 30-lap main event, Henry Hodges Jr. (89) got into the rear of pole-sitter Dave Brant (31), causing Brant to get sideways, tag the rear of Les Kipler (54), who was in the front outside position and as a result, involving nearly every other car in the field. Dave Lester (34), who started in the sixth position, made a very quick decision as to which line to drive and made it through unscathed. Lester would go on to win the main event, which was slowed still by three other cautions.

"I never saw so much carnage out of a 30-lap main event," Lester said. "We were lucky we didn't get any damage to the car as a result. But it was an exciting race and lots of fun."

Chet Danburg (3x) finished second and Mike Millard (22) was third. Millard suffered the most serious damage in the start of the race, but was able to continue, albeit minus a fender and lots of other dents.

Rounding out the field were Hodges, Dean Heller (27), Kipler, Rafael Gomez (2x), Al Goss (3), Mike Glisson (7), Bill Muscanell (driving the No. 87 car of Steve Whipple), and Brant.

Heller also won the trophy dash, his first ever. Hodges won the first heat race over Kipler in second and Gomez in third. Al Goss won the second heat over Millard in second and Danburg third.

In the legends division, C.J. Bawden (50) won his second main event of the season (third if you include the season opener) with a lap-to-lap battle with his father, Jim Bawden (441). Jim Bawden finished second by just a few feet behind C.J., with Jeff Pisciotta (88) in third and Bill Brown (111) fourth. Jim Bawden picked up the win in the trophy dash.

Mike McMordie went 3-for-3 in the maverick division, winning the trophy dash, second heat race and the main event.

"It's fun to be out here racing," said McMordie. "North Valley Wreckers, my sponsor, gave me this car last year. We've done a lot of work on it over the winter and right now we've got a really good set up.

"If the set up holds, we may be in a race for the points here. I'll know more later in the season. But for right now, I'm here to have fun."

Finishing second to McMordie in the main event was Randy Bauer (25) with James Meerly (23) taking third. Rounding out the field were Bill Gould (37), Thom Eldridge (68), Mike Fuller (44), Brad Sloan (13), Greg Michel (86) and Dow Lazenby (86x).

Lazenby won the first heat race with Fuller taking second and Eldridge finishing third. McMordie won the second heat with Meerly taking second and Bauer third.

Racing switches to Saturday nights this week, with qualifying at 7 p.m. For information, call 885-2079.