2003 99 Schedule        

Perry Snaps Belletto's Consecutive Win Streak At Stockton 99

Lincoln’s Phil Perry captured his first Western Late Model victory at Stockton 99 Speedway, but it wasn’t easy. Perry held off a hard-charging Eric Schmidt on the final lap of the 30-lap main event.

Schmidt drove hard into turn-4 but couldn’t keep his No. 05x car from getting loose on the inside, allowing Perry to gain the checkered flag on Saturday night at the Speedway.

Modesto’s Harry Belleto, who won three-straight races this season, finished third in front of rookie John Moore.

Three weeks after leading 28 laps and failing to garner his first victory in the WLM division, Moore led 12 laps but couldn’t hang on down the stretch.

Gary Shafer Jr. continued his dominance in the Pure Stocks with his third-straight victory of the season at Stockton. Richard Harper led the first 20 laps of the 30-lap showcase before yielding to Shafer Jr.

Harper, who resides in Stockton, began smoking from the rear and Shafer Jr. promptly took advantage of Harper’s misfortunes. In a four-way battle, Tom Bolin escaped with a third-place finish ahead of Stockton’s Tom Dahl, Lodi’s Michael Wendt and Lodi’s Aaron Shankel.

In two Grand American Modified races this season at the Speedway, Citrus Heights’ Jay Linstroth has finished in the winner’s circle both times. Linstroth led wire to wire through the 30-lap main event, finishing ahead of Ripon’s Mike Regelman and Sacramento’s Jason Philpot, respectively.

Philpot, however, did win the dash race earlier in the evening, finishing ahead of Regelman.

Modesto’s Kelly Martin led the final 21 laps in the Legends main event, finishing ahead of Wilton’s Jason Fensler for the checkered flag. Martin took the lead from Rick Andrews of Santa Clara on the restart after the second caution of the race.

David Winchel of Sebastopol finished 14th despite moving from the back of the field to third after wrecking on the second lap. Winchel’s stay in the top five didn’t last long after spinning out on lap-21 and loosing control again on the final lap.

Petaluma’s Bret Barney recorded the fastest time during qualifying and won both of his dash and heat races, so it was fitting he grabbed his first victory of the season in the Pro 4 Trucks division.

Barney gained control of the race on the restart of lap-4 after a devastating crash between pole sitter Todd Lewis of Riverbank and leader Robin Ailes. Neither driver was injured in the accident.

Ron Robecks of Milpitas finished second and Bruce Hopper of Manteca placed third.

Racing returns to Stockton 99 Speedway this Saturday with the “HAVOLINE presents DuWayne Starr Classic” USAC Western Sprint Car Championship and Ford Focus Midgets.

The Western Late Models will also be on the card as a final tune-up before the “Hot Wood Tri-Holiday Classic” on May 24.

Lincoln Driver Wins Late Model Main

By Jim Matthews
Record Staff Writer
Published Sunday, May 11, 2003

It had been several years since Phil Perry of Lincoln won a main event at Stockton 99 Speedway. The last time Perry was victorious, he was driving a car owned by Bob Strandwold of Modesto in the Late Model division.

Saturday night, Perry drove his own car to victory in the 30-lap Western Late Model feature.

Perry took the lead from John Moore of Granite Bay on a restart on lap 19 and led the remainder of the race with Eric Schmidt of Roseville on his back bumper.

''(Moore's) car was already washing up real bad, and I knew if I could stay on the bottom on turn one that I could pass him,'' said Perry, who went into the double-points race in seventh place. ''It's been a long time since I've won here, and the first time in this division. The car was pretty loose. I was barely hanging on.''

The race started with Moore on the pole and Harold Rieker of Orangevale taking the lead by the end of the first lap. Moore regained the lead on lap nine and held it until Perry took the lead for good on lap 19.

There have been two races in the Grand American Modified division this season, and Jay Linstroth of Citrus Heights has won both. Linstroth started on the pole and never relinquished the lead. Mike Regelman of Ripon finished second and Jason Philpot of Sacramento third.

''We did good. Once I got going and heated up the tires, it really hooked up nice,'' said Linstroth, who last won back-to-back races in 2001, his rookie year.

Brad Barney of Petaluma completed a sweep in Pro 4 Truck by winning the 20-lap main event. He also was the fast qualifier (16.198 seconds) and trophy dash winner.

Gary Shafer Jr. of Stockton captured his third consecutive 30-lap Pure Stock main event. Shafer, who went into the race fourth in points, didn't compete in the opener March 30.

Kelly Martin of Modesto took the lead from pole sitter Rick Andrews on a restart on lap nine of the Legends main event and won the race by holding off Jason Fensler of Wilton on three more restarts. The race, scheduled for 30 laps, ended under a checkered-yellow flag at the end of lap 29.

David Ball held off fellow Stocktonian Ray Bird to win the Pure Stock B main.

Etc.

A memorial lap was run for Don Tuttle, grandfather of two-time Pure Stock track champion Danny Guibor. Tuttle passed away Thursday. ... Other fast qualifiers were Pat Appleby (Legends), Wes Miller (Western Late Model), Chad Holman (Pure Stock) and Linstroth (Grand Am).

* To reach reporter Jim Matthews,
phone 546-8285 or e-mail
jmatthew@recordnet.com

* Main event winners:
Phil Perry (Western Late Model), Jay Linstroth (Grand American Modified), Gary Shafer Jr. (Pure Stock), Brad Barney (Pro 4 Truck), Kelly Martin (Legends)

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