2006 SRL Wild West Late Model Shootout Final Point Standings 

 Pos.

Car

Name

Total

1

05

ERIC SCHMIDT

352

2

33

JIM COURAGE JR.

339

3

6

JEFF BELLETTO

327

4

10

MIKE MENDENHALL

318

5

92

JOEY ZAMPA

309

6

38

TROY ERMISH

279

7

26

KEN BOYD

259

8

27

AARON DAYS

250

9

02

TRACY BOLIN

242

10

21

KYLE GOTTULA *

233

11

44

JASON GILBERT *

228

12

30

STEVE BELLETTO

201

13

22

JEREMY WOOD

170

14

100

ANGELO QUEIROLO

140

15

37

KEITH SPANGLER

128

16

1

CODY PRUITT

114

17

88

JAMIE DICK

111

18

17

BRYAN HERZOG

100

19

5

DAVID MANTOOTH *

96

20

12

HAROLD REIKER JR.

88

21

1

ERIC HOLMES

82

22

1

RYAN FOSTER

72

23

54

JOE FARRE'

66

24

48

MIKE LAY

62

25

88

DENNIS SCHLUNDT

59

26

3

WES BANKS

58

27

11

CARL PEARCE

56

28

57

WES MILLER

56

29

99

JUSTIN WESTMORELAND

56

30

1

DAVE BYRD

48

31

48

CHRIS STRAKA

48

32

28

JOHN GAALSWYK

46

33

19

EDDY MCKEAN

44

34

18

ROD KNEELAND

36

35

36

KEVIN VERNON

34

36

9

MIKE MANSCH

26

37

90

BRAD PETERS

26

38

2

NATHAN TUCKER

26

39

03

JIM PETTIT III

19

40

86

RYAN PHILPOTT

18

41

14

JOHN WOOD

18

42

57

MIKE GARCIA

16

43

2

RICK TOMPSON

16

44

15

RICK RUZBARSKY

12

45

5x

DON CAMPBELL

10

46

43

GREG POTTS

7

Hit Counter
 

Eric Schmidt Wins SRL Finale and Championship

Madera, Calif. (Oct. 8th)— Five drivers had a mathematical chance of winning the 2006 SRL Wild West Late Model Shootout Series Championship Saturday night at Madera Speedway. Eric Schmidt entered the 100 lap race with a five point lead over Jim Courage Jr. Schmidt knew if he finished in the top five and kept the fenders on his car he would win the 2006 Championship. Schmidt did exactly that and more as he jumped out to an early race lead and never looked back winning the race and the championship by 13 points over Courage Jr. Finishing second behind Schmidt in the race was Mike Mendenhall, Jeff Belletto, Ken Boyd as Jim Courage Jr. rounded out the top five.

Jeff Belletto was the fastest of 25 qualifiers. Belletto’s lap of 14.752 kept Joey Zampa was sweeping the fast time position at Madera Speedway in 2006. Zampa stopped the clock in 14.762 seconds. Steve Belletto qualified third, Ken Boyd fourth and Aaron Days fifth.

The 10 car invert placed Bryan Herzog and Mike Mendenhall on the front row for 100 laps of exciting racing. Mendenhall jumped out to an early race lead until lap four when Eric Schmidt took over the lead from his sixth starting position. The first caution flag flew on lap pole sitter Bryan Herzog who lost power and stopped in turn two. The field restarted on lap 25 with Schmidt still the leader but the yellow flag waived again on lap 26 as Jim Courage Jr. spun in turn four. Courage Jr. remained on the lead lap when the field restarted on lap 29.

Schmidt continued to lead at the halfway point as Mendenhall trailed. Jeff Belletto continued in third followed by Steve Belletto, Joey Zampa, Ken Boyd, Troy Ermish, Aaron Days, Angelo Queirolo, and John Gaalswyk. Rick Thompson brought spun on lap 56 bringing out another yellow flag. Thompson would end up finishing in the 18th position. Joey Zampa moved into the fourth position on lap 67 as Steve Belletto fell to fifth. Zampa and Belletto made contact on lap 69 as the two exited turn four. Zampa spun and restarted at the rear of the field. Steve Belletto was put to the rear of the field by the SRL officials for making contact with Zampa. Both drivers restarted at the rear of the field with 29 laps to go.

Meanwhile Jim Courage Jr. was charging his way thru the field after an early race spin. Courage Jr. moved into the fifth position on lap 85. With just 15 laps remaining Mendenhall continued to trail Schmidt and tried everything he could to pass the eventual race winner. Schmidt would go on to win his second race of the 2006 season and the series championship. Schmidt also became the first repeat winner in the 2006 season. "This is why we race, for the championship." Schmidt said. "We had some trouble yesterday during practice and had to repair the rear end, but we got it on the track and running well and we were able to get the win. I want to thank all my sponsors and my crew for all the hard work this year." Mendenhall crossed the finish-line second, Jeff Belletto third, Ken Boyd fourth and Jim Courage Jr. fifth. Troy Ermish recorded another top 10 finish as he finished sixth followed by Joey Zampa, Aaron Days, Angelo Queirolo, as Steve Belletto rounded out the top ten.

Kyle Gottula was awarded the Victory Circle Chassis and Parts Rookie title after a 12th place finish. Gottula beat fellow rookie Jason Gilbert by just 5 points. Previous winners of the Victory Circle Chassis and Parts Rookie of the year award: Jeremy Wood (2005), Mark Smith (2004), Ryan Foster (2003), Rick Ruzbarsky (2002), Tim Stratmeyer (2001).

Ken Boyd won the Performance Electrical Co. trophy dash. Steve Belletto crossed the finish-line second followed by Jeff Belletto and Joey Zampa.

Rick Thompson won the 15 lap non-qualifiers race with Tracy Bolin, Jon Wood, and Chris Straka transferring to the 100 lap feature event. Don Campbell, David Mantooth, Mike Lay, Dennis Schlundt and Scott Sanchez failed to transfer into the feature event.

The SRL Wild West Late Model Shootout will celebrate the 2006 season at the season-ending awards banquet on November 11th at the Holiday Inn Capital Plaza in Sacramento. Eric Schmidt will be crowned the 2006 Series Champion and Kyle Gottula will be awarded the 2006 Victory Circle Chassis and Parts Rookie of the Year title.

November 11th, 2006
Holiday Inn Capital Plaza Sacramento
Interstate 5 and J Street
Block of rooms under SRL
Rate is $114.00 per room
Hotel Front Desk: 1-916-446-0100

The SRL Wild West Shootout would like to thank their 2006 Sponsors, which include: Afco, Bassett Racing Wheels, Brodix Inc., Dynatech, DPI, Eibach Springs, FRE, Five Star Stock Car Bodies, Frank’s Radio Service, G. P. Fabrication, Hoosier Tire West, Impact Racing, Fensler Racing Inc., Madera Auto Center, MUD-Racing.net, Paul Oil Co., Performance Electrical, Peterson Fluid Systems, Pit Stop USA.Com, Sunoco, U.S. Brake, and Victory Circle Chassis and Parts.

SRL Banquet Information:

November 11th, 2006
Holiday Inn Capital Plaza Sacramento

Interstate 5 and J Street

Block of rooms under SRL

Rate is $114.00 per room
Hotel Front Desk: 1-916-446-0100