Texas Speedzone - Moore wins TPS feature at Corpus Christi amid Protests

Donnie Moore wins mid-season TPS Race at CCMS

By: Neil Upchurch, Texas Pro Sedans – Race Director

Corpus Christi, Texas - (July 9, 2005) - Donnie Moore of Hutto, Texas started 1st and finished 1st in the Texas Pro Sedans race at C.C. Motor Speedway. The Texas Pro Sedans series contested their 6th TPS race of the 2005 season at C.C. Motor Speedway. The event signaled the half way point of the 30th consecutive racing season of the TPS organization. The event was highlighted by a large entry list with 17 cars signing in at CCMS.

Qualifying Time Trials saw the TPS Qualifying record broken by Donnie Moore. He turned a 15.370. Moore’s best time trial lap bested Lalo Leal’s TPS/CCMS track record by .190 seconds. Three other TPS drivers also broke the former record. They were Bill LaBarge, Tom Johnson and Sergio Hexsel.

The Texas Pro Sedans four cylinder stock cars played to a good grandstand crowd. Of 17 entries at the track, three were unable to race after having taken time trial laps. They were unable to take the green flag and compete in the 25 lap TPS Feature Race and were withdrawn. #07 Mike O’Conner’s Ford Taurus discovered an engine malfunction, #24 was a back-up car brought in by Lalo Leal due to engine failure of his regular #26 ride. #24 posted a slow time trial lap and Leal withdrew it. The #2 Mustang had the 5th fastest time trial lap, but lost it’s qualifying time when the driver Jack Dishman left impound before inspection was done by TPS officials. Dishman stated that his car was not competitive.

Moore and Hexsel and LaBarge dueled with their fast four cylinder stock cars for the entire 25 lap race. The race was slowed five times by yellow caution periods.

A total of only three Texas Pro Sedan drivers completed the race on the lead lap. Recording 25 laps were #20 Sergio Hexsel who was the race runner-up in his VW Scirocco. He trailed Moore by only 1.50 seconds at the checkered flag. Placing 3rd right behind Hexsel was #27 Bill LaBarge in his BMW.

Three post race technical protest were filed by Jesse Sandoval Jr, Lalo Leal and Mike O’Conner against the first three cars driven by Donnie Moore, Sergio Hexsel and Bill LaBarge alleging engine displacement to weight ratio infractions. All engines were torn down. Bore and stroke measurements of all three cars did not support the alleged infractions. Protest fees were awarded to the protested car owners and no post race penalties resulted.

The TPS Championship mid-season Points standings lists Donnie Moore with a seven point lead over Sergio Hexsel with six races remaining on the 2005 Texas Pro Sedans twelve race schedule. The TPS “Rookie of the Year” half-way points leader is Tom Johnson of Kingsland, Texas in his VW Rabbit.

The third and final Texas Pro Sedans race at C.C Motor Speedway during the 2005 season will be held on Saturday night, August 13th.

The next TPS race will be contested at Thunder Hill Raceway in Kyle, Texas on Saturday night, July 30th.

Finish Car # r Driver/Hometown Car Type/Engine CC Best Lap Laps
1 70 Donnie Moore/ Hutto, TX VW Scirocco/1710 15.370 25
2 20 Sergio Hexsel/San Antonio, TX VW Rabbit/2042 15.520 25
3 27 Bill Labarge/Bryan, TX BMW/2085 15.470 25
4 19 r Lloyd Hart/San Antonio Honda CRX/1834/4Valve 17.340 24
5 30 r Chip Harmon/Portland, TX Ford Pinto/2338 17.660 24
6 28 r Lisa Avalos/Corpus Christi, TX Ford Pinto/2030 17.420 24
7 15 r Tom Johnson/Kingsland, TX VW Rabbit/1825 15.500 23
8 29 Rico Guiterrez/Corpus Christi, TX Ford Mustang/2338 17.970 22
9 3 r Jesse Sandoval Jr/Corpus Christi,TX Ford Pinto/2300 18.310 22
10 72 Candi Hogan/Cedar Park, TX Datsun 510/1800 18.270 21
11 48 Mike Knotts/Universal City, TX VW Scirocco/1825 16.120 9
12 O1 r Eddie Orr/Weatherford, TX Ford T Bird/2030 16.060 8
13 71 Bruce Mabrito/San Antonio, TX VW Scirocco/1648 17.510 8
14 22 r Harry Osburn Jr/San Antonio, TX Ford Mustang/2338 20.320 6
15 O7 r Mike O'Connor/Weatherford, TX Ford Taurus/2030 16.290 0
16 24 Lalo Leal/Corpus Christi, TX Ford Mustang/2338 17.080 0
17 2 Jack Dishman/Devine, TX Ford Mustang/2338 time/dq 0