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Congratulations to the 2011 Tri-Track Challenge Modified Series champion
Jason Philpot
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2011-09-03/04 at Ukiah Speedway
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Philpot Takes Modified Tri-Track Championship With Win At Ukiah
By Nadine Strauss
On Sunday night races were run, winners emerged, and championships were decided during the conclusion of the Labor Day double header at Ukiah Speedway. Two days of action plus the boat race gave race fans all they hoped on the holiday weekend.
It was the final race of the all new Modified Tri Track Challenge Series, and when it was over Jason Philpot of Sacramento not only won the 50 lap main event, but he earned enough points to pass series leader Rich Lindgren of Rio Linda and claim the Tri Track championship by only four points.
The starting positions for the Tri Track Modified feature were determined by Saturday night's 20 lap heat races, and when fast heat winner Jason Philpot drew the number 8 pill, the inversion put Richie Potts and Rich Lindgren on the front row. Potts' new car seems to be fast where ever it goes so it was no surprise that he shot out into the lead at the drop of the green flag. Lindgren immediately pulled back in line in front of Oregon driver Willie Thompson. This left the outside lane open to Corey James who passed Thompson on lap two. Thompson was nursing rear-end problems, and when his car pushed high on lap four both Dustin DeRosier and Philpot dove under him.
With only 15 laps down Potts began lapping slower cars. Trophy dash winner Norm Boucher's night ended early when his car broke and he retired to the infield on lap 17. The race was slowed on 23 when Drew Smith spun on the back stretch in front of on-coming traffic. All cars drove around Smith's stalled cars, and when racing resumed Lindgren got trapped behind a lapped car and lost ground to both James and DeRosier. More bad luck plagued Lindgren when his car developed a severe smoking problem and he was forced to pit twice to fix the nerf bar that was rubbing on a tire. Thompson pitted at the same time. Second place runner James' car also started to smoke and he pulled off the track on lap 37.
As Potts was enjoying a healthy lead, Lindgren was struggling at the back of the pack where he was twice involved with a confrontation with Brenton Smith. The first double-file restart saw DeRosier fade in the high groove putting Philpot in second and Darrin Knight in third. Philpot was along side of Potts for the second restart and when the green was displayed Philpot took control of the race and stayed out in front the final five laps to take the win over Potts, Knight, DeRosier and Eric Johnson. Rounding out the top 10 were Dustin Knight, Kenny Spencer, Lindgren, D. Smith and B Smith.
The final Modified Tri-Track Challenge points standings saw Philpot the series champion followed by Rich Lindgren, Guy Young, Drew Smith and Kyle Borden.
Winters Victorious In His First Tri-Track Start
By Rick Faeth
Saturday Night August 20th the Tri-Track Challenge Modified Series blasted into Shasta Raceway Park with a good field of 18 cars.
Warm but pleasant late August weather saw a nice crowd cheer on Redding-raised Scott Winters cop fast time with a very quick 16.259. Veteran Richie Potts captured the four-lap trophy dash. The 10-lap slow heat qualifier found Kelseyville’s Dustin Knight picking up the win, and in the fast heat 10-lapper it was point leader Rich Lindgren with the victory.
Lindgren pulled a six invert putting Potts on the pole with Winters outside for the 50-lap feature. At the start, Potts pressed the issue and was ahead of Winters for the first two laps. Then the #24 throttled down and passed Potts on the outside where he paced the field by 4 to 8 car lengths.
Back in the pack Kyle Borden stumbled to 10th at the start but then started methodically picking off spots. Potts held steady over Guy Young and Jason Philpot. At the half-way mark, Philpot had displaced Young and Potts and was gaining on Winters as he weaved through traffic. The first caution came out on lap 41 where Darren Snider and Brenton Smith were found parked sideways in turn 2.
This provided the break which Philpot wanted to see and Winters didn’t. Doubling up the top two on the front row for the restart saw Philpot gain the advantage on the outside where the track seemed to be the fastest. Two laps later saw another caution for Mike Wright and a scrum of others in turn three.
On lap 45 under full acceleration on the front straightaway, Philpot’s driveline yoke exploded ending what was looking like a very promising finish. The final restart saw Winters pull away from Potts.
At the 50-lap finish it was “Mr. Modified” Scott Winters with his fourth win in his last four starts at SRP over Potts, defending SRP track champion Borden, Guy Young, and Darrin Knight.
Series Changes
There are changes to the series rules and procedures that will take effect starting with the August 20 race at Shasta. The Championship points payout has also been determined. Please refer to the summary table at the bottom of this web page.
Snider Claims Tri-Track Challenge Race #3
By Nadine Strauss
(Ukiah CA, 2011 June 25) For the second week in a row, Darin Snider of Kelseyville set fast time and captured the 50 lap main event in the Bill Binns Machine Shop Modified class during race #3 of the Tri Track Challenge Series at Ukiah Speedway night. Snider started on the pole and led every lap, holding off the challenges of first Rich Lindgren of Rio Linda and then Sacramento's Jason Philpot for the very impressive win.
The stage was set for the start of the modified feature when fast heat winner Philpot drew the #4 pill placing Snider and Lindgren in the front row. Drew Smith and Philpot shared row 2 with Tri Track points leaders Guy Young and Kyle Borden next in line. Snider pulled ahead slightly at the start and Lindgren pulled back in line after a 2-lap attempt to pass on the outside failed. Philpot dove in front of Smith as Borden and Young battled for fifth and sixth.
Philpot tagged the back of Lindgren's car on lap five but backed off so Lindgren could gain control as Snider was driving away. Snider had a quarter of a lap on the rest of the field by the 10th circuit, and on 15 the lapping process began giving Philpot an opportunity to dive under Lindgren to assume second place.
The first yellow flew on lap 24 when Brenton Smith lost a drive shaft after blowing his engine dropping oil the entire length of the race track. On the restart Young made contact with Lindgren sending Lindgren into a spin. This put Young and Lindgren to the rear moving up D. Smith and Borden. The race was slowed again two rounds later when Richard Knight spun on the front stretch. This tightened up the field where Philpot stayed on Snider's bumper the remaining laps.
With only two laps to go Borden went high allowing Young to take over fourth, and at the checkered flag it was Snider for a $750 win followed by Philpot for $400, D. Smith for $300, Young for $225 and Borden for $150. Lindgren, Eric Johnson, David Lyndall, Knight and B. Smith rounded out the top 10. Heat winner Shelby Helm and Tri Track Race #1 winner Thomas Wright both suffered engine problems and were unable to start the main event.
The next Modified Tri Track Challenge Series race will be at Redwood Acres Raceway in Eureka on July 9.
Philpott Cops Second Round of Tri Track Challenge - Craig Brown Memorial
By Rick Faeth
Saturday Night May 14th was John Lambirth Trucking Night at Shasta Raceway Park, featuring the 4th Annual Craig Brown Memorial 50-Lap Modified Race which coincided with the second round of the new Tri Track Challenge Modified Tour. A total of 19 sleek mods were present under threatening skies.
The event got off to a sour note when likeable SRP veteran Stan Gunderson had a carburetor malfunction causing his throttle to stick. The #64 car veered into the tractor tire in turn one and vaulted over it, continuing out the pit exit gate and finally coming to rest in the pit area behind the turn two bleachers. Gunderson was awake and alert but was transported for observation to a local hospital.
Guy Young battling the flu was the fastest qualifier at a stout 16.343. Rich Lindgren in the Firehouse Racing entry copped the four lap dash. In qualifier action it was Ukiah Speedway's Dustin DeRosier first to the checkers in the fast heat and Klammath Falls, Oregon's Rich Cobb dominating in the slow heat. A fortuitous 4 pill invert drawn by DeRosier put veteran Young on the pole for the 50-lapper.
The full field took the green and went clean for the first 20 laps. A single car spin for rookie Tim Heisler was the first caution on lap 20. On lap 28 there was a four car scrum toward the rear of the pack with Cobb, DeRosier, and Darin Knight getting the worst of it.
The next 22 laps were all green flag racing with Philpott passing Young on the outside with 10 to go. Dicey racing was seen from Randy Houston, Thomas Wright, and rookie JJ Dotzenrod making up multiple positions in the last dozen laps. At the checkers it was an ecstatic Jason Philpott garnering his first ever SRP win over the 5-time champion Young, Houston was third over Lindgren, and defending track champion Kyle Borden.
The next race Tri Track Challenge Modified Tour Event will be June 25th at Ukiah Speedway.
Race Procedure changes for the 2011-05-14 Event at Shasta Raceway Park
Race procedures will evolve over time as the series develops. Here are some changes and clarifications decided upon by the Promoters after the first race at the Ukiah Speedway to be used at the next race at Shasta Raceway Park.
- All cars will get two laps of qualifying.
- There will be two qualifying heats a fast and a slow, fully inverted based on qualifying times.
- The fast heat winner will pull the invert pill 4, 6, 8, or 10 (dependending on number of cars in the fast heat).
- The main event starting line-up will be determined by the fast heat finish order inverted by the pill, followed by the slow heat finish order uninverted.
Press Realease 2011 January 6
The promoters of Shasta Raceway Park, Redwood Acres Raceway, and Ukiah Speedway have announced the formation of a Northern California Traveling Modified Series for the 2011 racing season. The series is being called the Tri-Track Challenge Series and will feature 6 events in 2011, three events at Ukiah Speedway April 23, June 25, and a two-day show Labor Day Weekend Sept 3-4. Shasta Raceway Park will host two events including the 4th Annual Craig Brown Memorial May 14 and August 20. Redwood Acres Raceway will host an event on July 9 which for many years previously was an historic Modified date at that facility.
The series is open to all IMCA/GA-type Modifieds and will run on the Goodyear D2862/D2863 tires. The series will utilize the successful Northern California Open Show Rules which will be 2,500 lb. minimum weight, maximum 58% left side weight, maximum spoiler height of 8", interior slope of 6".
Each 50-lap main event purse will be $750 to win and a $3,700 payout for a 20 car-field. Points will be awarded towards a season championship with a points fund payout. Procedurally, all racers will qualify and run heats, and main event lineups will be based on pill draw for inversion. The entry fee will be a modest $30 per car. Memberships for each track will be honored so that competitors will be able to gain access to the pits for each track at the member price.
For more information, questions, or comments, please contact any of the following
- 408-499-6845 Rick Faeth - Shasta Raceway Park promoter
- 707-349-1221 Blair Aiken - Ukiah Speedway promoter
- 707-274-1354 Nadine Strauss - Ukiah Speedway manager / N.S.R.A. Treasurer
- 707-442-3232 Redwood Acres Raceway information and message line
The 2011 Tri-Track Challenge Modified Series
| April 23 | Ukiah Speedway (Test & Tune Friday April 22 4pm - 8pm) |
| May 14 | Shasta Raceway Park |
| June 25 | Ukiah Speedway |
| July 9 | Redwood Acres Raceway |
| August 20 | Shasta Raceway Park |
| September 3 - 4 | Ukiah Speedway |
Rules
Open to all IMCA/GA-type Modifieds Competitors acknowledge the right of the promoters to impound specific parts as well as complete cars for the purpose of thorough technical inspection. |
Procedure
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Points
All non-starters will receive last place main event points |
Purse (Main Event)
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FeesMembershipsMembers from Shasta Raceway Park, Ukiah Speedway, and Redwood Acres Raceway will be charged the member pit pass fees at each track. Entry$30.00 |
Championship Points Fund
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