Results June 16th Western Region Rentals & 103.1 JACK FM Stock Cars, Sportsman, IMCA, Dwarf cars Parkinson Tops Stock Car Feature Dwarf Cars, IMCA Modified Series, the Sportsman Series, and the Stock Cars made up the program of Trophy Dashes, Heats, and Main Events for all classes under threatening skies and cool temperatures at Victoria’s Western Speedway. Jeremy Stevens won the Dwarf Car Heat, Tony Johnson won the IMCA Series Heat, Tim Christy came in first for the Sportsman Series, Larry Graham and Rory Smith were victorious in the Stock Car Series Heats. The Sportsman Heat race had Dale Robinson lead pretty well from the outset, but on the final turn Tim Christy pulled to the inside, going through turn four to try and take the lead. Bart Smith followed Christy through to make it very close between these three drivers at the flag with Christy winning the drag race down the main stretch. Robinson had to settle for third. Miles Maxie and John McNabb held the front row for the Dwarf Car Main with McNabb getting out to the quick lead. It only took Jeremy Stevens four laps to get into contention moving from close to the rear to second spot. Bob Pridge had the lead but was under constant pressure from Stevens. Bob Greenaway and Gord Kraus also moved from the back to fight for one of the top four positions. On the final lap, Stevens went inside and grabbed the lead and the win followed by Pridge and Greenaway. Brad Purdy grabbed the win in the IMCA Series Main Event making him a two-time Feature winner at Western Speedway as he also won the last event here. Tony Johnson was second followed by Chris Beaulieu. Otto Bahati held the inside pole with Dale Robinson to the outside for the start of the Sporstman Series 40-lap Main Event. This was the first appearance for this series for 2007 and marked the first race for Geoff Morris in the Sportsman Series pitted against brother Brent. Over the first three laps positions didn’t change much as they remained tightly bunched up. On the fourth lap, Smith, along with Geoff, got tangled up with both cars suffering lots of sheet metal damage. Geoff lost all of the driver’s side metal while Smith just had bent metal. Christy also suffered front end damage but was able to stay in the race. On the restart, Robinson held the lead with Bohati, Rob Leighton, and Rob Haslam in the first four positions. Leighton quickly moved into second place as Brent Morris moved up now to challenge the front pack. Leighton finally grasped the lead from Robinson while behind him Mark Stewart, Christy, and Smith all got into a battle for spots while Robinson tried to stay in it as well. Brent used the outside groove to try and take over from Leighton several times but couldn’t quite make the pass. Coming out of turn four the two leaders touched a bit with Morris having to drop back to keep control. This little bumping allowed Stewart to take the second spot. Going into turn one, Christy and Smith got together side by side in the furious battle for second spot thus bringing out a yellow flag. Leighton continued to lead on the restart as the rest of the field changed spots with abandon. Haslam got the better of Stewart in their quest for the second spot and Smith got the better of everyone else coming home in third. Leighton survived all challenges and won a very entertaining and ruff Feature Event. This series, if this night’s race is any indication, should prove to be one of the best Late Model Series here in some time. Jeff Hamstra, returning this year to Stock Cars, shared the front with Ken Hearns for 50 laps of racing in the Western Region Rentals and Jack FM Stock Car Series. Ray Anderosov, the “hot” driver and winner of the last two Main Events, was mired back in the ninth starting position along with Brian Clutchey a couple of spots back of him. Clutchey has suffered mechanical problems all year while in the battle with Anderosov. Last race, plug wires coming off caused Clutchey to drop off the pace as he was gunning for the win. He said, “ I don’t have a first place car but should have a podium car” on this night. Hamstra got away first with a good battle shaping up for second between Tyler Clough, Kirk Peacey, Brian Bickford, and Jeff Cesari. Peacey’s car came to a stop on the backstretch bringing out the yellow. On the restart, Hamstra held the lead again but behind him, Anderosov was now in the bid for third moving up through the pack and putting the pressure on Cesari. Meantime, Marc Parkinson, Ryan Wade, and Clutchey were also coming toward the front sometimes running three wide. Cesari continued to gain ground on Hamstra up front with Parkinson gaining ground as well. Cesari made his way to the inside of Hamstra and finally wrestled to the lead. Parkinson got by Hamstra as did Clutchey and Wade. Kevin Knight and Aaron Wilkie got together in turn four bringing out a yellow flag with twenty-six laps in the books. On the restart, Cesari still maintained the lead and held it for the next four laps when Parkinson got to the inside and made the pass to take over the top spot. Brandon Carlson and Curt Haugen got together on lap 32 bringing out the yellow. Again, Parkinson brought the field to the green followed by Cesari, Clutchey, Wade, and Anderosov. Wade grabbed the third spot from Clutchey as yet another yellow waved 40 laps down. Two laps later, Wade took the second spot as Clutchey also passed Cesari moving him back to fourth. Over the last few laps, the yellow came out for several spins causing a green, white, checkered finish. Marc Parkison held off a determined Ryan Wade and walked away with the Western Region Rental and Jack FM Stock Car Series Feature Race Saturday night at Western Speedway. He was followed by Wade in second, while Clutchey won the battle for the third spot. During hot laps, Brandon Carlson took a wild ride when his accelerator stuck and forced him over the rocks behind the wall on turn one. His car was left with all wheels virtually off the ground. Two tow trucks were used to free his car and he was able to complete repairs and compete in the Feature Event. Photos and Story by Ken Keating, Illusion Photography