Sanders wins quick Late Model feature at Bakersfield Speedway
BY MIKE GRIFFITH mgriffith@bakersfield.com
Bakersfield’s Robert Sanders made quick work of the Late Model field on Saturday night at Bakersfield Speedway, winning a caution-free 30-lap feature.
The race took only around eight minutes to complete.
“The car actually was really good,” said Sanders. “I’ve gotta thank Chris Sivesind for all the work he does on this at Victory Circle. We’ve had a lot of ups and down, had a lot of top fives, but this is only our second victory this year.”
Sanders started on the outside of the second row in an eight-car field and took the lead from Larry Childress on the third lap.
“You try to get out front as fast as you can and run your own line,” said Sanders who did just that, running in the high groove. “This (track) was kind of a one-groove deal, right up on the cushion and I jumped it a couple of times.”
Sanders led by more than a straightway at one point but Nick Bartels and Clay Daly closed in as the race wore on.
However, they needed a caution which never came and Sanders finished several car lengths ahead of Bartels. Daly was a close third with Childress fourth.
Kevin Collier came from the middle of the Hobby Stock field to win his eighth feature.
Collier dove low a to get past Mike Hill Jr. with two laps to go.
“I tell you what, Mike Hill Jr. had a heck of a fast car,” said Collier, who made the winning move after a restart. “It took everything I had to dive it down low under him.”
Matt Wankum followed Collier past Hill to finish second with Hill third. Steven Johnson was fourth.
Wayne Dotson held off multiple challenges after multiple restarts for his first victory of the season in a caution-played 25-lap Sports Mod feature.
Dotson started on the second row, had the the lead on the first lap and pretty much spent the rest of the race fending off Kruz Griffith.
“I knew the top side would be good,” said Dotson, who stayed there the entire race while Griffith tried to get by on the low side. “We had a good car.”
Point leader Nick Spainhoward was caught up in a wreck midway through the rae, changed a tire in the pits and came from the rear of the field to finish second, passing Griffith on the final lap.
Roger Welch doesn’t race all that often, but he’s made the most of his starts in the American Stock division.
Welch made his seventh start on Saturday night and came from last to first for his second straight victory and fourth of the season.
Welch, who now leads the division in wins, used the high groove to take the lead from Trevor Baker midway through the 20-lap feature.
“We were in the back, (passed them) one after the other and all of a sudden we were up front,” Welch said. “It was fun.”
Baker finished second, followed by Charles Morrison and Tara Childress.
Doug Shepherd took the lead on the eighth lap and went on to his third victory in the 20-lap Mini Stock race.
Shepherd had a large lead evaporate when a caution fell, setting up a one-lap dash to the checkered flag, but he easily pulled away from Steve Roard . Jonathon Krope was third.
Points leader Tina Bell did not start the race due to mechanical problems. Loni Spiller started the night in second, 46 points behind, lost lost a chance to gain a lot of ground when she spun 10 laps into the race and was hit by Kenny White, ending the night for both drivers.
There were several other crashes as well with just five from a starting field of 14 finishing.
