Jason Fensler Rallies to Win Comcast 100 at Altamont Raceway & Arena
 

Tracy, (Calif.) -- Jason Fensler grabbed his fifth victory of the 2005 season on a beautiful Saturday evening at Altamont Raceway & Arena. Jeff Anthony finished second behind Fensler as Joey Zampa finished third, Troy Ermish fourth, and Mark Smith fifth.

Jason Fensler also set fast time during qualifying with a blistering lap of 18.002 seconds around Altamont's fast half-mile. Roseville's Eric Schmidt qualified second (18.109), Mark Smith third (18.110), Joey Zampa fourth (18.114), as Victory Circle Chassis and Parts Rookie of the Year contender Jeremy Wood rounded out the top five with a lap of 18.185 seconds. Joey Zampa won the four lap trophy dash beating Eric Schmidt, Jason Fensler, and Mark Smith.

The ten car invert put Randy Hedrick and 2002 Series Champion and Altamont Ace Jeff Anthony on the front row. Anthony jumped out to an early lead. Ken Boyd moved into second place on lap four as Anthony held a ten car length lead. Pole sitter Randy Hedrick slowly started fading back and Jason Fensler moved into sixth by lap 10. Harold Rieker Jr. ran third with Joey Zampa taking fourth from Troy Ermish on lap 11 as Anthony stretched his lead. Lap 15 saw Jason Fensler in the fifth position after starting in the tenth position. The first of two cautions flags was displayed on lap 19 as Jeremy Wood and Erich Schmidt made contact heading into turn three. Schmidt was able to keep his car off the wall as Wood made an impressive save and continued on with slight damage. Anthony continued to lead after the lap 21 restart with Boyd second, Fensler third, Zampa fourth, Rieker Jr. fifth, followed by Ermish, Wood, Mark Smith, Aaron Days, and Rusty Buholz.

The second of two cautions came out on lap 26 as Aaron Days and Rusty Buholz spun exiting turn four while battling for the ninth position. Days and Buholz were both forced down one lap and would later finish 12^th and 13th respectively. Jason Fensler attempted to make a pass before the start/finish line on the inside as the race restarted. As a result Fensler was sent to the rear of the field. Ken Boyd who was running second suffered mechanical problems on lap 28 and restarted in the 11^th position. For the second time Fensler had to charge his way from 10^th to the top three. "I made a mistake and you have to be punished for that. But I wasn't expecting to get to the front as quick as we did." Fensler said. Boyd pitted on lap 45 and never returned and finish 16^th. Jeff Anthony continued to lead at the half way point with Zampa, Rieker Jr., Ermish, and Smith behind. Ermish took third away from Rieker Jr., as Smith followed into fourth. Fensler moved back into the top five on lap 53 and had his sights set on the four cars in front of him.

Mark Smith and Jason Fensler raced clean and hard for ten laps before Fensler took the fourth spot away from Smith on lap 63. Fensler had his sights on Ermish and the third spot on his mind. He made his way around Ermish on lap 66. Lap 71 Fensler snuck by Zampa and set his sights on race leader Jeff Anthony. Fensler spent ten laps in second place before taking the lead away from Anthony with 19 laps to go. Mike Mendenhall jumped into the sixth place behind Smith on lap 82. Jeremy Wood followed Mendenhall into seventh as the scoreboard showed 90 laps in the book. Rieker Jr. fell to eight with Tracy Bolin in ninth. Bolin broke a motor earlier in the practice and the team was fortunate to put a spare in just before qualifying. Greg Potts rounded out the top ten with five laps to go.

Jeff Anthony could not catch and pass Fensler in the final five laps and Fensler earned his fifth SRL Victory of the 2005 season. Joey Zampa finished third followed by Ermish, Smith, Mendenhall, Wood, Rieker Jr., Bolin, Potts, Hedrick, Days, Buholz, Jim Courage Jr., Schmidt, and Boyd. "I give credit to all these drivers out here tonight they all drove respectively and make this league exciting and fun to race." A smiling Fensler said in victory lane. Second place finisher Jeff Anthony said "We've had some tough luck this year, you name it we've done it but it feels real good to be back in the tope three.” Joey Zampa earned his fourth top five finish Saturday night. "We were catching up to Jeff (Anthony) and then Jason came up and I knew he was going to pass Jeff so I just battled for second." Zampa said.

Jason Fensler has a 49 point over Troy Ermish heading into the SRL Wild West Shootout’s next event which is Saturday, July 2^nd at Stockton 99 Speedway. Ermish has a 15 point lead over Mark Smith in third as Joey Zampa sits fourth one point behind Smith. Ken Boyd dropped to fifth in the championship standings after his 16^th place finish at Altamont Raceway & Arena.

The SRL Wild West Shootout heads to Stockton 99 Speedway on Saturday, July 2nd.

Davey Hamilton’s SRL “Wild West Shootout” would like to thank their 2005 Sponsors, which include: Afco, Apex Financial Group, Bassett Racing Wheels, Brodix Inc., Casciaro Homes, 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, Paul Oil Co., Perry Race Cars, Peterson Fluid Systems, Pit Stop USA.Com, Sunoco, Total Seal Inc., U. S. Brake, and Victory Circle Chassis and Parts.