RON LANEY MEMORIAL A MAIN 40 LAP $10,000 to Win

by Leo Dougherty
This, the final night of the King of 360s portion of the Winternationals at East Bay Raceway started with some much needed lightness as Speedo the Clown, one of a handful of Master Clowns alive in the country, married his companion Miss Gretchen and it ended with the 40-lap Ron Laney Memorial race.

Jason Sides of Bartlett, TN started on the outside pole, jumped into the lead immediately when pole-sitter Lance Deweases car seemed to falter, and almost immediately had to contend with a red flag condition. When the race finally did get started he fell out of the top three but recovered to win the race.



Jason Sides in victory lane with his trophy, crown and the Queen of East Bay Raceway after the Ron Laney Memorial race. (Leo Dougherty)

Before the first lap was completed Wayne Penningtons car jumped over a wheel and began a series of end over end flips, bringing out the first red flag. He was unhurt.

Dewease was better on the restart, getting the jump on Sides. As soon as the first lap went on the scoreboard Shane Stewart, Curt Michael, Casey Johnson and Chad Kemenah made contact in turn one. They too began a series of violent flips bringing out another red flag. All were unhurt.

From that point forward it was 39 laps of green flag racing.

Dewease held the lead for two laps but gave it up to Sport Allen on the third one. Allen led until lap 26 when Sides laid claim to the lead and never gave it up. He worked his way back into the top three by lap six and then into second on lap sixteen.


Sport Allen came close (Robin Lane)

For the last four laps Dewease and Allen fought it out for second place with Allen getting the second spot and Dewease the third spot.

But for the tragedy on Wednesday and the weird twist with Gary Wrights accident on Friday, this was some of the most competitive and exciting sprint car racing Ive seen. It promises to be even more competitive next year. At the completion of drivers introductions prior to the race, track owner Stan Kolan announced that next year he will pay $25,000.00 to the winner of the 2003 Ron Laney Memorial race if that driver has been supporting the Winternationals since its inception in 1999.

I said when we started this out our goal was to pay $25,000.00 to win, said Kolan. Its a loyalty race for those guys who have supported us. They supported us and we have a duty to support them.

Jeff Shepard, the defending champion of the Winternationals, was unable to report for the C Main. He was given the option of a provisional start as the defending champion.

One of the best races of the entire four days was a war in the B Main for second place between Travis Rilat, Don Droud, Jr., Mike Woodring, and Wayne Pennington. These four drivers went lap after lap in the closing laps fighting for the position, at times running three abreast through the turns. Droud, who started on the inside of the fifth row, was the lucky one to finish second.

Christi Passmore of Pryor, OK is giving a throw blanket to announcer Jack Miller to auction or raffle off at East Bay Raceway when the 410 sprint cars begin their segment of the Winternationals in two weeks. The proceeds raised from this will be donated to the Jan Opperman Fund to aid Jans parents. This article is large enough to cover an adult and is woven. It has a likeness of her sprint car as well as her autograph on the blanket. It will make a very unique racing souvenir. Ill make an effort to get a photo of the blanket posted here in the next day or two.

It was announced tonight that a torsion bar broke in the front end of Ron Laney's car Wednesday night. It was also announced the cause of death was a severed spinal cord.

RON LANEY MEMORIAL A MAIN STARTING LINEUP

1. Lance Dewease Jason Sides
2. Joey Saldana Greg Wilson
3. Sport Allen Phil Gressman
4. Gary Wright Jason Johnson
5. Greg Leonard Terry McCarl
6. Tim Crawley Kenny Adams
7. Wayne Johnson Chad Kemenah
8. Shane Stewart Travis Rilat
9. Curt Michael Johnny Gilbertson
10. Mike Woodring Casey Johnson
11. Don Droud, Jr. Jeff Shepard
12. Michael Dupuy Jac Haudenschild
13. Wayne Pennington Mike Chadd


HEAT WINNERS

1. Greg Leonard
2. Terry McCarl
3. Tim Crawley
4. Kenny Adams
5. Wayne Johnson

Wednesday Nights Dash completed Saturday night Jac Haudenschild

Thursday Nights Dash completed Saturday night Ryan Coniam

C Main Kevin Welsh
B Main Michael Dupuy


RON LANEY MEMORIAL A MAIN 40 LAP $10,000 TO WIN RESULTS

1. Jason Sides 14. Jac Haudenschild
2. Sport Allen 15. Michael Dupuy
3. Lance Dewease 16. Mike Woodring
4. Gary Wright 17. Shane Stewart
5. Terry McCarl 18. Phil Gressman
6. Joey Saldana 19. Johnny Gilbertson
7. Greg Wilson 20. Travis Rilat
8. Jason Johnson 21. Curt Michael
9. Jeff Shepard 22. Casey Johnson
10. Tim Crawley 23. Chad Kemenah
11. Kenny Adams 24. Don Droud, Jr.
12. Wayne Johnson 25. Mike Chadd
13. Greg Leonard 26. Wayne Pennington

Leo Dougherty is the writer of "Makin Tracks" on Hoseheads.com

Photos: Robin Lane FASTLANE Photos

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