'Iceman' picks up early-season points

By Kevin Niendorf

Record Correspondent

April 14, 2013 12:00 AM

STOCKTON - On a night when drivers began accruing points for the 2013 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series at Stockton 99 Speedway, Manteca's Chad "Iceman" Holman claimed an opening-night victory in the Super Stocks division while several other area racers also pick up early points.

Saturday's estimated crowd of 1,000 saw Holman, the 2010 Western Late Model champion, take the lead away from Lodi's Robbie Knittel on the fourth lap and keep it throughout the 30-lap race.

"I knew Robbie would race me real clean," Holman said. "Once I'm in front, I concentrate on what's in front of me. But it's not really over until you see the white flag."

Holman said his car wasn't faring well during practice laps, being "four-tenths off the pace," so he credited his crew for making the necessary adjustments to make up the difference.

"I'm real happy; we worked hard on this thing," Holman said.

Riverbank's Aaron Coonfield finished second after Knittel's flat tire on the seventh lap knocked him out of the race. Atwater's Jason Aguirre, the 2012 division champion, finished third.

In the first of two Western Late Model races, Pine Grove's Matt Scott claimed the lead away from Manteca's Jacob Gomes on the eighth lap shortly before a major oil leak resulted in a 25-minute delay to clean the track. When racing resumed, trophy-dash winner Justin Philpott of Tracy overtook Gomes on the 23rd lap and finished second behind Scott. Gomes was third.

"It took five or six laps to get back the normal feel of racing after the long offseason," said Philpott, who had 10 top-five finishes, including three wins, last season. "We don't want to show up if we don't have a top-five car. You can come and practice, but it's not the same until you take the green flag and you're racing side by side."

Results of the second Western Late Model race were not available at press time.

In the B-4's division, Mantecans Dave Kong and Brad Mast finished first and second, respectively, ahead of Stockton's Torre Dahl. Kong battled into the top four by the third lap and he eventually took the lead away from Dahl on the sixth lap. The two battled throughout the 30-lap race until Mast passed Dahl on the 29th lap for second place.

Stockton's Andrew Vanderpool claimed the checkered flag in the Mini-Cup event.

Attn. Visitors; Rooms available at Stockton 99's New Official Hotel!

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