2007 Race Recap & Results
April 28th, 2007 - Kings Speedway in Hanford, Ca.
De`-Ja`Vu AT KINGS SPEEDWAY
By Dan Fleisher
April 21st Kings Speedway 30-lap main event 30-lap SCRA main event results, Pombo edges Murphy. April 28th Kings Speedway 30-lap SCRA main event results, Pombo edges Murphy.
Yes it was de-ja` vu when Davey Pombo raced past Peter Murphy on the 10th lap restart after rookie Adam Frith-Smith's spin brought out a yellow flag. Murphy led the first nine laps from his outside front row starting position, pulling away from the field and looking extremely strong. Meanwhile, Pombo, fourth at this juncture, looked helpless against the high-flying Murphy until another rookie, Miles Bishop, brought out the first yellow when he spun in turn one on lap six. When racing resumed, Murphy pulled away again and had his sights set on revenge after last week's disappointing second-place finish to Pombo.
However, when the green was displayed by starter Lee Jaskowiak after the Bishop yellow, Pombo took advantage of a mistake by Dean Alexander, who was running third at the time. Alexander jumped the burm in turn one and lost a few positions while Pombo passed second-place Rusty Carlile and set-sail for Murphy. It didn't appear he could catch Murphy until luck entered the scene in the form of the previously mentioned Frith-Smith spin.
Bunching up on Murphy's rear push-bar, Pombo was ready to make his move. He guided his #38 machine into the low groove in turn one and executed a clean pass under Murphy's car and quickly pulled out to a four car-length lead. Murphy kept the pressure on as the two leaders lapped traffic but he couldn't close the gap. Even another yellow flag, courtesy of Richard Harvey's flat tire on lap 19, couldn't help Murphy's cause. For the third time this season, he settled for second place.
Alexander regained his form after the slight bobble and came home an impressive third for his first top-five finish of the year. Even more impressive was the performance of 2006 champion Jonathan Logan. Off to a terrible start in defense of his title, 'Johnny Boy' came home fourth after starting 10th. Rounding out the top-five was Dwayne Marcum, making his first start of the season with SCRA.
The Hard Charger award went to 16-year-old Justyne Hamblin, who passed more cars (12) during the 30-lapper than anyone. Hamblin started 16th but moved to ninth, only to falter after Harvey's lap 19 yellow flag. Primed to move forward, Hamblin instead slipped back to 13th when the green returned. However, she got on the gas and passed five more cars to finish eighth, her third top-ten finish of the season.
Carlile, who won the Riddle Passing Masters Dash and the privilege of starting from the pole, encountered mechanical problems and dropped to 15 in the final results. Heat winners included D. Pombo, Brandon Thomas and Jeff Gardner.
QUALIFYING:
#38 Davey Pombo 16.045
#7 Miles Bishop 16.170
#9 John Niggli 16.172
#21 Peter Murphy 16.321
#11 Dean Alexander 16.425
#51 Rusty Carlile 16.447
#91 Dwayne Marcum 16.459
#19 Brandon Thomas 16.502
#97 Matt Day 16.513
#35 Albert Pombo 16.530
#36b Kevin Barnes 16.683
#51t Jeff Gardner 16.735
#8 Justyne Hamblin 16.750
#32 Jonathan Logan 16.783
#98 Richard Harvey Jr. 16.801
#77s Brian Schuler 16.830
#62 Adam Frith-Smith 17.500
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EXTREME MUFFLERS HEAT #1-10 Laps
D. Pombo, Schuler, Marcum, Murphy, Hamblin, A. Pombo
KAEDING PERFORMANCE/KEIZER WHEELS HEAT #2-10 Laps
Thomas, Alexander, Logan, Barnes DNF, Bishop DNF, Frith-Smith DNF
SPIN TECH MUFFLERS HEAT #3-10 Laps
Gardner, Harvey, Niggli, Carlile, Day
RIDDELL ENTERPRISES PASSING MASTERS DASH-6 Laps
Carlile, Murphy, Alexander, D. Pombo, Niggli, Marcum DNF
KEIZER WHEELS, ALTERNATIVE SWITCHWEAR, BR MOTORSPORTS,
MATT & GLASS, STINGER CHASSIS, SALDANA RACING, RACING OPTICS
MAIN EVENT-30 Laps
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1. D. Pombo
2. Murphy
3. Alexander
4. Logan
5.Marcum
6. Niggli
7. Gardner
8.Hamblin
9. Schuler
10. Thomas
11. Day
12. A. Pombo
13. Bishop
14. Harvey
15. Carlile
16. Frith-Smith
17. Barnes
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Davey Pombo in Victory Lane - April 28th, 2007
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