Steve Daniels continued a season-long trend of balanced and competitive WESTCAR Late Model Series racing Saturday night when he won the 100-lap Desert Rose feature race at Champion Speedway.
Daniels, of Orangevale, Calif., became the seventh different driver to take a checker flag in seven races so far in the inaugural season of a touring series being held between Champion and All-American Speedway in Roseville.
This marked the final stop for Champion's Desert Rose Series, but two more dates remain on the series scheduled - Aug. 20 and Sept. 24, both at All-American.
"You can't ask for anything better than that. I'd like to see nine races and nine different winners," said Phil Perry, co-promoter for the series and long a familiar racing sight in Carson City. "You don't see anybody dominating. I think it says a lot for the balance, which is especially impressive when you have 28 cars showing up."
Ten cars raced in the B main, with only two transferring over to the 20-car field for the 100-lap feature race.
"There's so much balance, it's getting to be hard just to make the feature," Perry said.
Eleven cars finished on the lead lap, led by Daniels in just his second series appearance. He finished eighth in his debut on July 23 at All-American.
Gary Glenn, who won the July 9 100-lapper at Champion, finished second and Billy Butler third. Reno's Craig Paulsen was fourth, his best finish in the series so far this season, and Bobby Butler rounded up the top five.
Meanwhile, another highly competitive race was staged in the Legends division, as Chris Handley of Sparks edged Bobby Hodges at the wire to secure his first victory of the season. It was his first win and fourth top-five finish.
Todd Thompson captured third-place, ahead of 14-year-old Sierra Jackson from Boise, Idaho, and 15-year-old Carson City driver Mackena Bell to complete the top five.
In the Hornets division, Kim Robbins drove to her eighth main event victory and Chris Walton, 16, finished second. Sandy Clark was third, ahead of Shawn Chaufty and Stephanie Crawford to round out the top five.
Note: Sponsors for WESTCAR's 2005 season include the Peppermill, Scott Performance Wires, Xbox, Amsoil, California Door and Frame, Sierra Racing Products, Circle Track Steering, Competition Carburetion, Jim Courage Pools, Fensler Racing, DPI, F.R.E., JME, John L. Sullivan, Perry Racing and Plaza Hotel. Go online to www.westcarseries.com for information about the series.
Champion stats
LATE MODELS
Main event: (100 laps) 1, Steve Daniels; 2, Gary Glenn; 3, Billy Butler; 4, Craig Paulsen; 5, Bobby Butler; 6, Mike Mansch; 7, Rich Lawlor; 8, Melissa Davis; 9, Christina Davis; 10, Byron Gonzales; 11, Mike Lehman; 12, Scott Chappell (99 laps); 13, Dan Knight (99); 14, Andrew Livingood (99); 15, Chet Danburg (98); 16, Travis Combs (98); 17, Chuck Glick (91); 18, Henry Hodges (70); 19, Mark Holeman (50); 20, Donny Lehman (46).
B main: 1, Andrew Livingood; 2, Travis Combs; 3, Tim Bost; 4, Dan Cherry; 5, Harold Long; 6, Dave Sciarrone; 7, Sal Lopez; 8, John Callas; 9, Virgil Miller; 10, Jay Bradley.
LEGENDS
Main event: 1, Chris Handley; 2, Bobby Hodges; 3, Todd Thompson; 4, Sierra Jackson (Boise, Idaho); 5, Mackena Bell; 6, Jack Randall; 7, Terry Madjeski; 8, Fred Handley; 9, Bob Cose; 10, Lester Mitchell; 11, Jason Anderline; 12, Michelle Argetsinger; 13, Mike Cullum (Boise, Idaho); 14, Bill Brown; 15, Bubba Hockersmith (Ogden, Utah); 16, Mike Hays (St. George, Utah).
Trophy dash: 1, Hodges; 2, Bell; 3, Cose.
First heat race: 1, Mitchell; 2, Bell; 3, Hodges.
Second heat race: C. Handley; 2, Thompson; 3, Jackson.
HORNETS
Main event: 1, Kim Robbins; 2, Chris Walton; 3, Sandy Clark; 4, Shawn Chaufty; 5, Stephanie Crawford; 6, Bill Holbert; 7, Tiffany Mans; 8, Matt Collier; 9, Gregg Salaices; 10, Bill Bernard; 11, Amanda Cole; 12, Jason Flores; Mark Turner.
Trophy dash: 1, Flores; 2, Walton; 3, Clark; 4, Holbert; 5, Turner; 6, Mans.
First heat race: 1, Clark; 2, Walton; 3, Chaufty; 4, Turner; 5, Mans.
Second heat race: 1, Flores; 2, Robbins; 3, Turner; 4, Salaices; 5, Mans.
