RSS Feed
Print Story
E-mail Story
Moore's trip to Bakersfield memorable
| Saturday, Oct 11 2008 11:15 PM
Last Updated: Saturday, Oct 11 2008 11:25 PM
Dean Moore's third trip to Bakersfield Speedway will always be a memorable one for the Late Model driver from Grand Junction, Colorado.
BAKERSFIELD.COM HOT TOPICS:
Loading Stories
Advertisement
Moore made sure of that by winning the 50-lap Late Model main event during Saturday night's 23rd Budweiser Dirt Track Nationals .
Moore out-dueled A.J. Kirkpatrick and Bobby Hogge to win the $3,000 dollar winner's purse on a track that was extremely slick by the time the race ended.
"I had to tell myself to stay straight," Moore said after the race.
Hogge passed Moore on lap 24. But three circuits later Moore regained the top spot as the two continued to battle side-by-side. The two drivers remained 1-2 as they worked their way through lap traffic until the first yellow flag of the race fell on lap 39.
From there it was clear sailing for Moore.
Late in the race, after a restart, Kirkpatrick got past Hogge but couldn't catch Moore.
Dick Shepherd won the six-lap Late Model Dash for Cash with an outside pass of Dean Moore. Shepherd credited his crew chief with making a pre-race adjustment to fix a loose condition with his car's setup that allowed for the winning move.
"I haven't won anything in a long time," Shepherd said. "I won one last night too."
A.J. Kirkpatrick, a three-time main event winner this past season, was the Late Models Quick Time Qualifier posting a lap time of 13.248 seconds.
Rob Mayea of Bend, Oregon won the Late Model B-Main event
Hogge pulling double duty dominated the Modifieds 40-lap main event. The pole sitter jumped out to a sizeable lead at the drop of the green flag and never relinquished it.
The win was Salinas native's second in two nights on the third-mile clay oval.
Alex Stanford finished second, drawing the attention of Hogge during the race.
"I saw his number come up on the board," Hogge said. "Alex is always a threat."
Brad Pounds took third after losing a late battle for position with Stanford. Steve Smoothermon finished fourth.
Michael Johnson looked like he was headed to victory in the B-main event until he lost control and spun out in turn two late in the race. The incident allowed Pounds to take the lead and eventually claim victory after a holding off the field in a final-lap dash to the checkered flag.
Jason Bannister climbed out of his car and happily pounded both of his fists on the roof after edging Darrell Hughes II and Justin Schweitzer to win the Hobby Stocks main event.
Bannister took early control of the 30-lap race. But it took everything Bannister had to hold off the two determined challengers during a five-lap shootout after a late-race caution.
Hughes ended up finishing second followed by Schweitzer and Kevin Johnson.
"I won it (the Bud Nationals) last year and I told everyone I wanted to win a second one," Bannister said. "I'm just glad to be up here in the winner's circle again."
Pole sitter Richie McGowan held the point until Bannister went inside in turn three to take the lead on lap eight.
Marshall Weaver of Santa Maria won the Hobby Stocks 20-lap B-main race.