2014 99 Race

Car trouble puts new spin on Tri-Holiday race

By Scott Linesburgh
Record Staff Writer
Posted Aug. 29, 2014 @ 10:30 pm

STOCKTON – The sure thing in the third and final race of the Tri-Holdiay Classic is the NASCAR Western Sportsman points leader and defending champion will not win the series.
Matt Scott of Pine Grove won in 2013 and has the lead, but he doesn’t have a functioning vehicle. So he’ll sit this one out and others will compete for the holiday crown today at Stockton 99 Speedway. Racing begins at 6 p.m.
It’s a tough break for Scott. He suffered major engine failure in the Pacific Challenge Series race on Aug. 9 at Stockton 99. He said the problems were severe, and the car won’t be ready to go in the foreseeable future.
“We blew up pretty bad,” Scott said. “I don’t think the motor will be the same for a while. We’re going to have to put in a lot of hard work and throw a lot of money into it.”
Scott was in a tight points race with David Phillpot of Tracy and Danny Allen of Lincoln. Scott has 171 points, Phillpott has 163 and Allen has 161. Stanislav Osterlund of Los Gatos (149) and Michael Wendt of Lodi (146) are still in the hunt.
“It’s one of those deals where you want to have a chance to beat him on the track and not because he didn’t show up,” Philpott said. “It’s unfortunate when something like this happens. It has happened to me. Hopefully he can get back out there soon.”
Philpott won the second leg of the series on July 5. He said it’s going to be important to show patience in a longer race.
“It’s 100 laps, so the important thing is to be there at the end and hopefully we do enough to lock up the Tri-Holiday,” Philpott said. “We have to stay in front of (Allen).”
The other divisions are not as close going into the final events.
Mike Regelman of Ripon leads Robbie Knittel of Lodi 279-214 in the Grand American Modifieds class. Matt Wendt of Lodi has a 240-196 advantage over Dominic Lopez of San Leandro in the Super Stocks.
Contact reporter Scott Linesburgh at (209) 546-8281 or slinesburgh@recordnet.com. Follow him at recordnet.com/sportsblog and on Twitter @ScottLinesburgh.