The New Stockton 99 Speedway Media Release – 10-2-2010           

Media Relations – David Holman

The Jackson Rancheria Watermelon Bash Enduro brought out some Big Guns and Chris Lancaster proved to be the Biggest

On Saturday, October 2^nd, Jackson Rancheria presented the Second Annual Watermelon Bash Enduro & Fan Appreciation Night.  On the Menu for the evening: the Basically-4-Cylinders, Mini Trucks/Mini Stocks, MST's, Mini Cups and the 299-Lap Watermelon Bash Enduro.  If you love wet and wild this one surely quenched your thirst with twenty cars lined up on the starting grid. 

The Basically-4-Cylinders Crowned Larry Toon as their 2010 Champion two weeks ago, so this one was just for the love, and the fun, of racing.  And, fresh off his first win of the season, Andy Rumsey would prove on this night he was a force to be reckoned with for next year by winning his second in a row.

This one got underway with Stockton drivers Joseph Reichmuth (6) on point and Kelle Bobbitt (61) nibbling at his right side door handle at the drop of the green.  Reichmuth got the great jump and moved into the early lead, despite the #22 of Jake Morgenstern clawing at his fenders, until lap 5 when Morgenstern’s pressure became too intense and Reichmuth had no choice but to relinquish the lead.  Once out front, Morgenstern began to yard the field until lap 19 when Modesto’s JD Silva (56) came to rest against the turn four pit gate, which brought with it the one and only yellow of the race.  On the restart, Morgenstern picked up where he left off and, despite an extremely serious challenge from the #101 of Stockton’s own Andrew Rumsey, Morgenstern would take it to the house in what seemed a very popular victory.  However, during post-race tech, the hammer fell on Morgenstern when his front suspension was deemed out of the ordinary, and he was promptly disqualified, handing the win over to Rumsey, who accepted it graciously and gratefully.  After showing strength in the early go-rounds, Reichmuth settled into second and that’s exactly where he would finish.  Modesto’s Richard Hull, after starting deep on the grid, worked his way through the pack to finish on the podium in third.  Bobbitt slipped, but only slightly, and finished third while Manteca’s Matt Anderson, winner of the Trophy Dash earlier in the day, completed the top five.

Although Ron Robeck has been the provisional Champion in this Division for quite some time, the Mini Trucks/Mini Stocks needed to put an exclamation point on their season.  Tonight, the Speedway would make it official even though Robeck was a no-show.  Due to car-counts, the Mini Truck/Stocks and the MST’s would mix and match and run a combined race, much to the approval of the nearly 1500 fans in the stands.  And, believe it or not, some great racing took place between these two Divisions.  The MST’s appeared very small compared to the Trucks, but that certainly didn’t deter their resolve to win.  And win they did as the #11 MST of John McCollum Jr., starting P6 on the grid, methodically worked his way through the field until a lap 14 restart, when McCollum showed his hand as he planted himself in the number one slot where he would remain for the duration, flying beneath the checkers for the very impressive win.  The #8 of Ken Krause finished second, and in doing so, captured the victory in the Mini Truck/Stocks.  The Mini Truck of Guido Bindi (29) finished on the podium in third with two more Mini Trucks, the #21 of Chris Parker and the #4 of Chad Bindi, rounding out the top five, in fourth and fifth, respectively.

Chris Lancaster nabbed the victory tonight in the Watermelon Bash Enduro while David Papst Jr. grabbed the 2010 Title.  Before this one got underway, the entire crowd was invited down trackside to disperse watermelons onto the racing surface.  The crowd complied very enthusiastically.  When the deed was done, the track was a beautiful mess.  But that is exactly what these Enduro drivers love.  Of course, those in attendance didn’t have a problem with it, either.

This one got crazy fast, as Enduros do, with Chris Lancaster (7) and 2010 Bombers Champ Travis Tucker (350) showing the field the way to green.  Lancaster jumped out early, through the slush, where he would run the entire race, completely unmolested, for the wire to wire victory, his fourth of the year.  David Papst Jr. (2) came into this race as the Points Leader, and by virtue of his second place finish (the only other car on the lead lap), would be Crowned 2010 Enduro Champion at Stockton 99 Speedway.  The #02 of Joe Addison, after starting P18 on the grid, worked his way, masterfully, through the grime and slime to finish on the podium in a more than impressive third.  Adam Baggett (24x), who started the race next to Addison on the grid in P19, found his way all the way up to fourth while Rick Bentz (44), another deep starter on the grid, came through to round out the top five.

On last Saturday, September 25^th, the Bombers results were deemed unofficial at the time of the Press Release because the Top Three finishers were sequestered until Monday for a more technical inspection.  After further review, the original results were declared official as all cars passed without complications.  The Official Results are as follows:

The Speedway will take a well-deserved two week vacation before coming back on October 16^th, for 99 Drift Competition.  Also, mark your calendars for the first weekend in November, the 5^th through the 7^th, for the Second Annual Fall Classic 150.

The New Stockton 99 Speedway is located at 4105 N. Wilson Way, ¼-mile west of Highway 99.  For more information on tickets and times, please contact the Speedway Office at (209)466-9999 or visit their Website at www.stockton99.com. 

The New Stockton 99 Speedway is sponsored by Jackson Rancheria Casino Hotel, California Welding Supply, Budweiser, Alamo Alarm and Lodi Hampton Inn and Suites.