Pounds pulls away for third IMCA Modified win

BY STEVEN LYNCH Special to The Californian

Brad Pounds figured he wasn’t going to get many opportunities to get around Troy Morris Jr. during the closing laps of the IMCA Modified feature Saturday night at Bakersfield Speedway. So when he finally spotted a chance to make his move, Pounds pounced on it, powering inside of Morris to take the lead with seven laps to go. After that Pounds pulled away and won his third IMCA Modified main event of the year. “Troy didn’t mess up too much,” Pounds said. “When he did I was in a position to get underneath him getting into (turn) one. It all worked out.” Morris took second. Robby Sawyer was third. Jay Marks finished fourth and Bret Bennett came home in fifth. The win capped off a perfect night for Pounds. He also finished first in his heat race and won the IMCA Modified Trophy Dash. Chet Reeves led a race-high 13 laps before he was overtaken by Morris, who led five laps. Morris took advantage of a bobble by Reeves in turn two on lap 14 to get within half-a-car length of the lead. One lap later Morris passed Reeves on the inside to take over the point. Moments later Reeves’ car went up in smoke. But it was only a matter of time before Pounds, the defending IMCA Modified track champion, caught Morris and passed him. “I am worn out,” Morris said. “I am so out-of-shape. My left arm, coming out of turn four down there when we had one lap to go and I got up in the marbles; that was because my arm literally fell off steering wheel. I couldn’t hold on anymore.”