Open Wheel Racing Puts on a Show at Altamont Motorsports Park
 

Tracy, Calif., June 16, 2007 - Open Wheel racing fans had quite a treat at Altamont Motorsports Park this Saturday night as no less than five divisions raced at the track just outside of Tracy, Calif.

Keeping to its namesake, "The Fastest 1/2-Mile in the West" saw its feature event, the USAC-CASA Sprint series, complete its 50 lap event on the 1/2-mile in just under 15 minutes.  Tanner Swanson took the checkers, leading all laps of the caution free event.

Swanson was followed by the #1 of Tony Hunt with the #21 of Ryan Kaplan rounding out the top three.

Points leader Kaplan won the last Western Sprint race and held a six-point lead over JoJo Helberg coming into the 50 lap event at Altamont Motorsports Park.

In 2006, Altamont Motorsports Park was awarded the Race Organizer of the Year Award by the United States Automobile Club (USAC) racing organization.

Matt Mitchell won the Midget race on the 1/2-mile, passing teammate Johnny Rodriguez on lap 22 of the 30 lap event.

Rodriguez led the most laps of the race until suffering engine problems on lap 27, bringing out a red flag caution to clean up a large fluid spill in turn 3.

Mitchell was able to hold on after the restart to secure the win. 

Dallas Melby finished in the second position with the 11 of Paul Zimmerly rounding out the top three.  Zimmerly recovered from an earlier incident in which contact with Rodriguez for the second position sent Zimmerly spinning in turn one.

Tom Dyer took the checkers in the Ford Focus series on the 1/4-mile.  Dyer led the first 7 laps of the 30 lap event until losing the lead to the 40 of Tim Skogland.  Dyer regained the lead on a restart on lap 33 and held onto it for the win.  Skogland finished in the second position with Beau Debard, Nic Fass and Daniel Adler rounding out the top five.

Focus drivers Mike Maier and Robby Josett won their respective heats earlier in the afternoon. 

In NCMA Sprint action, Gary Koster took the lead and the victory with a thrilling last minute pass of Rob Hammond with two laps to go in the 30 lap event on the 1/2-mile oval.  Hammond led the first 28 laps of the event.

Twenty-two Legends of the Pacific race cars showed up for a duel on the 1/4-mile oval with 17-year old Zack Kavert taking the checkers after the dust settled.

Altamont Motorsports Park will get back to local NASCAR Whelen All-American Short Track racing at the end of the month with Western Late Model Twin 50s, Grand American Modifieds and American Limited Stock Cars scheduled for June 30th.


Jeff Downey - Press Relations/Track Reporter

Altamont Motorsports Park

   2006 NASCAR Best Facility Improvement Award as a Premier Short Track
   2006 USAC the Race Organizer of the Year Award
Jeff Downey - Press Relations/Track Reporter

Altamont Motorsports Park

   2006 NASCAR Best Facility Improvement Award as a Premier Short Track
   2006 USAC the Race Organizer of the Year Award