Daum Edges Pickens in Tuesdays
Chili Bowl Opener!
Brad Loyet Wins Race of Champions
Lonnie Wheatley, TULSA, Okla. (January
12, 2010) Eighteen-year-old Zach Daum of Pocahontas, IL, put the finishing touches
on a spicy Chili Bowl opener with a dramatic last-corner pass of New Zealands
Michael Pickens to win Tuesday nights 25-lap Warren CAT Qualifying A
Main event at the QuikTrip Center's Tulsa Expo Raceway.
Daum and Pickens swapped the point
several times along the way before The Dauminator crossed underneath the Kiwi
shoe exiting turn four and surged into the lead to take the checkered flag that closed out
the first of four qualifying nights at the 24th Annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl
Nationals.
Also on Tuesday night, Missouris
Brad Loyet backed up a 21-win season in 2009 by wiring the field in the 20-lap Vacuworx
Race of Champions that featured past event winners and perennial contenders.
While Daum and the 27-year-old Pickens
took the top two positions in the nightcap, California teen Shane Golobic snared the third
and final lock-in position to Saturday nights 50-lap Chili Bowl championship main
event.
It marks the first time for both Daum and
Golobic to crack the Saturday night main event, while Pickens placed sixth in his only
previous Chili Bowl outing in 2005.
Just missing out on a guaranteed starting
position in Saturdays finale was Brent Beauchamp, who rallied from 16th
to fourth, with Bob East rounding out the top five.
Piloting his fathers (Dan Daum)
Esslinger-powered Daum Insurance No. 5d Midget, Daum earned the pole position for the main
event by accumulating the most passing points through heat race and qualifying action.
However, it was front row outside starter
Cale Conley from West Virginia gunning into the lead at the outset and pacing the opening
circuit before a caution flew for second-row starter Dustin Morgan, who looped it in turn
two.
Twenty-one laps of wild green flag racing
action followed, with Daum racing into the lead on the second round and then Conley
finally succumbing to the advances of both sixth-starter Pickens and third-starter Tyler
Walker by the seventh lap.
Piloting Simon Longdills Synergy
V8-powered CRC/Transitainer No. 88nz Aggressor-chassis, Pickens reeled in Daum and began
pressuring for the lead as traffic came into play at the midway point.
Pickens raced into the lead to complete
the 15th lap only to bobble in turns one and two, allowing Daum to reclaim the
point as Californias Walker entered the fray.
The trio diced for the top position over
the next several rounds, with Pickens back in front on the 21st lap. Two laps later, the races second and final
caution appeared when Walkers move for the lead resulted in a spin that sent him to
the tail along with Dave Darland, who had advanced to sixth after starting 17th.
With just three laps remaining, Pickens
continued to work the high side of the track as Daum kept the pressure on. And, when Pickens got the slightest bit loose
exiting turn four with the checkered flag in sight, Daum pounced on the opportunity to
snare the win.
Holding down fourth until Walkers
spin, Golobic crossed the stripe a close third in the Gaerte-powered Corey Tucker
Racing-BCI Country Builders No. 39c Spike.
Beauchamps rally from eight rows
deep aboard Cruz Pedregons Esslinger-powered Snap-On/Sioux City Truck No. 75b Spike
came up one position short in fourth, with Bobby East advancing a handful of positions in
the Klatt Enterprises Ford-powered No. 4 Beast.
Steve Buckwalter rebounded from a wild
qualifying race flip in turn two to race from 19th to sixth in the main event,
with Oklahomas Brady Bacon climbing from 15th to seventh. Matt Streeter was eighth, with Chili Bowl veteran
David Camfield, Jr., and 20th-starting Missouri teen Andrew Felker completing
the top ten.
Pickens, Buckwalter, Darland, Walker,
Greg Bragg, Streeter, Kevin Ramey and Tim Crawley topped heat race action for Tuesday
nights 63 competitors, with Billy Wease, Conley, Joey Moughan and East winning the
qualifying races.
Jon Stanbrough and Ray Allen Kulhanek won
the twin C Mains, with Darland and R.J. Johnson victorious in the twin B
Mains. Stanbrough had rallied through his
B Main to a transfer position in third only to be sent to the tail of the
field after hitting the cone on a lap 13 restart in the 15-lapper.
Ricky Williams flipped in heat race
action, with Curtis Bailey and Zach Cougill both getting upside down in the C
Mains. Cole Smith, Buckwalter and Felker each
flipped on consecutive attempts to start the second qualifying race, with Chad Frewaldt
taking a wild turn two tumble in the third qualifier.
Sean-Mikael Dodenhoff, Harris Brooks, Danny Burke and Kevin Ramey all flipped in
B Main action.
Californias Keith Bloom was the
only Chili Bowl rookie contender to make Tuesday nights feature cut. Bloom took the checkered flag 16th in a
race that had 22 of 24 starters completing the distance.
Wease was unable to make the call due to mechanical issues, while Conleys
front row start was overshadowed by a DNF.
Fifteen drivers drew for position in the
Vacuworx Race of Champions before Brad Loyet, leaving him with the number one position for
the start. It was all the 21-year-old from
Sunset Hills, MO, needed, as he gunned into the lead at the outset and led all the way in
the Esslinger-powered Beaver Stripes & Graphics No. 05 Spike.
USAC Midget champion Brad Kuhn closed the
gap in the final rounds but fell just short of mounting a serious charge, with Jay Drake,
Cole Whitt and Garrett Hansen rounding out the top five.
Sammy Swindells Chili Bowl began on
a somewhat inauspicious note after sweeping the 2009 edition of the event. Last years Race of Champions winner drew the
14th starting position among the 16-car field and then got upside down in turn
four on the third lap after Gary Taylor and Tracy Hines got together.
Action at the 24th Annual
Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals continues with Wednesday nights River Spirit Casino
Qualifying Showdown firing off at 6:00 p.m.
Tuesday Nights Warren CAT Qualifier
Results from the 24th Annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals:
Heat Races (Top 40 in passing
points to A Qualifiers; Balance to twin C Mains)
Heat 1: 1. #88NZ Michael Pickens, Auckland, NZ; 2. #86c David Camfield Jr.,
Decatur, IL; 3. #16 Jimmy Winkler, Parkville, MO; 4. #1TX Paul White, Temple, TX; 5. #99
Brady Bacon, Broken Arrow, OK; 6. #99K Kyle Rayburn, Pueblo, CO; 7. #5M Zach Cougill,
Greenwood, IN; 8. #7RS Matt Gilbert, Shawnee, KS
Heat 2: 1. #25 Steve Buckwalter, Royersford, PA; 2. #5D Zach Daum, Pocahontas, IL;
3. #39C Shane Golobic, Fremont, CA; 4. #13X Andrew Elson, Carmel, IN; 5. #8 Randi
Pankratz, Atascadero, CA; 6. #97 Jon Stanbrough, Avon, IN; 7. #67H Harris Brooks, Houston,
TX; 8. #15J Jeff Wimmenauer, New Whiteland, IN
Heat 3: 1. #4X Dave Darland, Lincoln, IN; 2. #78 Nick Wean, Phillipsburg, NJ; 3.
#27S Andy Shouse, Oklahoma City, OK; 4. #15B Danny Burke, Houston, TX; 5. #75B Brent
Beauchamp, Fairland, IN; 6. #5* Ray Allen Kulhanek, Magnolia, TX; 7. #10X Alissa Geving,
Penngrove, CA; 8. #27 Brock Lemley, Bellingham, WA
Heat 4: 1. #32 Tyler Walker, Encino, CA; 2. #92W Billy Wease, Noblesville, IN; 3.
#3C Cale Conley, Vienna, WV; 4. #11S Chris Sheil, Englewood, CO; 5. #6D Lex Burritt,
Redding, CT; 6. #16F Aaron Fiscus, Sun Prairie, WI; 7. #40H Andy Huston, Roseville, IL DNS
#85 Matt Johnson, Oklahoma City, OK
Heat 5: 1. #0X Gregg Bragg, Visalia, CA; 2. #76 Kellen Conover, Sumner, IL; 3. #51J
R.J. Johnson, Phoenix, AZ; 4. #73S Cole Smith, Plainfield, IN; 5. #54 Evan Pardo,
Gatesville, TX; 6. #82 Eric Johnson, Rockford, IL; 7. #35M Matt Sherrell, Owasso, OK: 8.
#11X Ricky Williams, Clinton, OH
Heat 6: 1. #14JR Matt Streeter, Galt, CA; 2. #6B Keith Bloom, Anderson, CA; 3. #19
Colby Copeland, Roseville, CA; 4. #7S Shannon McQueen, Bakersfield, CA; 5. #4 Bobby East,
Brownsburg, IN; 6. #6E Rafe Essary, Stillwell, OK: 7. #60 Eric Sandage, Alexander, AR; 8.
#36F Frank Flud, Broken Arrow, OK
Heat 7: 1. #7M Kevin Ramey, Fort Worth, TX; 2. #4F Chad Frewaldt, Kansas City, KS;
3. #24 Rick Eckert, York, PA; 4. #11A Andrew Felker, Carl Junction, MO; 5. #05L Danny
Lasoski, Higginsville, MO; 6. #11H Garrett Hood, Concordia, KS; 7. #17K Austin Mero,
Kingsburg, CA; 8. #73X Greg Edenholm, Malibu, CA
Heat 8: 1. #05C Tim Crawley, Benton, AR; 2. #55B Joey Moughan, Springfield, IL; 3.
#U1 Dustin Morgan, Tulsa, OK; 4. #15D Andrew Deal, Caney, KS; 5. #23 Tadd Holliman, Beaver
Lake, NE; 6. #9D Sean-Mikael Dodenhoff, Bakersfield, CA; 7. #56X Curtis Bailey,
Bartlesville, OK
C Mains (Top 4 in each transfer
to back of corresponding B Main)
C Main 1: 1. #97 Jon Stanbrough, Avon, IN; 2. #16F Aaron Fiscus, Sun Prairie, WI;
3. #9D Sean-Mikael Dodenhoff, Bakersfield, CA; 4. #67H Harris Brooks, Houston, TX; 5. #11H
Garrett Hood, Concordia, KS; 6. #36F Frank Flud, Broken Arrow, OK; 7. #17K Austin Mero,
Kingsburg, CA; 8. #85J Matt Johnston, Oklahoma City, OK; 9. #15J Jeff Wimmenauer, New
Whiteland, IN; 10. #82 Eric Johnson, Rockford, IL; 11. #56X Curtis Bailey, Bartlesville,
OK. DNS -- #40H Andy Huston, Roseville, IL
C Main 2: 1. #5* Ray Allen Kulhanek, Magnolia, TX; 2. #35M Matt Sherrell, Owasso,
OK; 3. #6D Lex Burritt, Redding, CT; 4. #10X Alissa Geving, Penngrove, CA; 5. #60 Eric
Sandage, Alexander, AR; 6. #73X Greg Edenholm, Malibu, CA; 7. #7RS Matt Gilbert, Shawnee,
KS; 8. #5M Zach Cougill, Greenwood, IN; 9. #6E Rafe Essary, Stillwell, OK: 10. #11X Ricky
Williams, Clifton, OH; 11. #27 Brock Lemley, Bellingham, WA
A Qualifiers (Top 16 in
combined passing points to A Main; Balance to twin B Mains)
A Qualifier 1: 1. #92W Billy Wease, Noblesville, IN; 2. #5D Zach Daum, Pocahontas,
IL; 3. #14JR Matt Streeter, Galt, CA; 4. #15B Danny Burke, Houston, TX; 5. #4X Dave
Darland, Lincoln, IN; 6. #51J R.J. Johnson, Phoenix, AZ; 7. #16 Jimmy Winkler, Parkville,
MO; 8. #11S Chris Sheil, Englewood, CO; 9. #99K Kyle Rayburn, Pueblo, CO; 10. #15D Andrew
Deal, Caney, KS
A Qualifier 2: 1. #3C Cale Conley, Vienna, WV; 2. #76 Kellen Conover, Sumner, IL;
3. #39C Shane Golobic, Fremont, CA; 4. #99 Brady Bacon, Broken Arrow, OK; 5, #7M Kevin
Ramey, Fort Worth, TX; 6. #0X Greg Bragg, Visalia, CA; 7. #8 Randi Pankratz, Atascadero,
CA; 8. #11A Andrew Felker, Carl Junction, MO; 9. #25 Steve Buckwalter, Royersford, PA; 10.
#73S Cole Smith, Plainfield, IN
A Qualifier 3: 1. #55B Joey Moughan, Springfield, IL; 2. #86C David Camfield, Jr.,
Decatur, IL; 3. #32 Tyler Walker, Encino, CA; 4. #75B Brent Beauchamp, Fairland, IN; 5.
#05C Tim Crawley, Benton, AR; 6. #24 Rick Eckert, York, PA; 7. #27S Andy Shouse, Oklahoma,
City, OK; 8. #7S Shannon McQueen, Bakersfield, CA; 9. #54 Evan Pardo, Gatesville, TX; 10.
#4F Chad Frewaldt, Kansas City, KS
A Qualifier 4: 1. #4 Bobby East, Brownsburg, IN; 2. #U1 Dustin Morgan, Tulsa, OK;
3. #88NZ Michael Pickens, Auckland, NZ; 4. #78 Nick Wean, Phillipsburg, NJ; 5. #6B Keith
Bloom, Anderson, CA; 6. #19 Colby Copeland, Roseville, CA; 7. #1TX Paul White, Temple, TX;
8. #05L Danny Lasoski, Higginsville, MO; 9. #13X Andrew Elson, Carmel, IN; 10. #23 Tadd
Holliman, Beaver Lake, NE
B Mains (Top 4 in each transfer
to A Main)
B Main 1: 1. #4X Dave Darland, Lincoln, IN; 2. #25 Steve Buckwalter, Royersford,
PA; 3. #19 Colby Copeland, Roseville, CA; 4. #0X Greg Bragg, Visalia, CA; 5. #1TX Paul
White, Temple, TX; 6. #05L Danny Lasoski, Higginsville, MO; 7. #78 Nick Wean,
Phillipsburg, NJ; 8. #16 Jimmy Winkler, Parkville, MO; 9. #16F Aaron Fiscus, Sun Prairie,
WI; 10. #11S Chris Sheil, Englewood, CO; 11. #99K Kyle Rayburn, Pueblo, CO; 12. #97 Jon
Stanbrough, Avon, IN; 13. #67H Harris Brooks, Houston, TX; 14. #9D Sean-Mikael Dodenhoff,
Bakersfield, CA; 15. #13X Andrew Elson, Carmel, IN; 16. #23 Tadd Holliman, Beaver Lake, NE
B Main 2: 1. #51J R.J. Johnson, Phoenix, AZ; 2. #11A Andrew Felker, Carl Junction,
MO; 3. #8 Randi Pankratz, Atascadero, CA; 4. #24 Rick Eckert, York, PA; 5. #27 Andy
Shouse, Oklahoma City, OK; 6. #5* Ray Allen Kulhanek; 7. #54 Evan Pardo, Gatesville, TX;
8. #7S Shannon McQueen, Bakersfield, CA; 9. #73S Cole Smith, Plainfield, IN; 10. #15D
Andrew Deal, Caney, KS; 11. #35M Matt Sherrell, Owasso, OK; 12. #10X Alissa Geving,
Penngrove, CA; 13. #6D Lex Burritt, Redding, CT; 14. #7M Kevin Ramey, Fort Worth, TX; 15.
#15B Danny Burke, Houston, TX; DNS Chad Frewaldt, Kansas City, KS
Vacuworx Chili Bowl Race of
Champions (20 Laps)
1. #05 Brad Loyet, Sunset Hills, MO; 2. #17B Brad Kuhn, Avon, IN; 3. #71K Jay
Drake, Val Verde, CA; 4. #71 Cole Whitt, Alpine, CA; 5. #47 Garrett Hansen, Manhattan
Beach, CA; 6. #15H Scott Hatton, Roscoe, IL; 7. #91X Kasey Kahne, Enumclaw, WA; 8. #21K
Cory Kruseman, Ventura, CA; 9. #57B Johnny Heydenreich, Indianapolis, IN; 10. #1AU Gary
Taylor, Snohomish, WA; 11. #44D Damion Gardner, Concord, CA; 12. #39B Bryan Clauson,
Noblesville, IN; 13. #11W Tim McCreadie, Watertown, NY; 14. #40 Jason Leffler, Long Beach,
CA; 15. #1 Sammy Swindell, Germantown, TN; 16. #11 Tracy Hines, New Castle, IN
A Main (25 laps Top 3
advance to Saturday Night's Main Event)
1.
#5D Zach Daum, Pocahontas, IL; 2. #88NZ Michael Pickens, Auckland, NZ; 3. #39C Shane
Golobic, Fremont, CA; 4. #75B Brent Beauchamp, Fairland, IN; 5. #4 Bobby East, Brownsburg,
IN; 6. #25 Steve Buckwalter, Royersford, PA; 7. #99 Brady Bacon, Broken Arrow, OK; 8.
#14JR Matt Streeter, Galt, CA; 9. #86C David Camfield Jr., Decatur, IL; 10. #11A Andrew
Felker, Carl Junction, MO; 11. #05C Tim Crawley, Benton, AR; 12. #24 Rick Eckert, York,
PA; 13. #8 Randi Pankratz, Atascadero, CA; 14. #51J R.J. Johnson, Phoenix, AZ; 15. #4X
Dave Darland, Lincoln, IN; 16. #6B Keith Bloom, Anderson, CA; 17. #32 Tyler Walker,
Encino, CA; 18. #55B Joey Moughan, Springfield, IL; 19. #U1 Dustin Morgan, Tulsa, OK; 20.
#19 Colby Copeland, Roseville, CA; 21. #76 Kellen Conover, Sumner, IL; 22. #0X Greg Bragg,
Visalia, CA; 23. #3C Cale Conley, Vienna, WV; DNS #92W Billy Wease, Noblesville, IN |