Texas Speedzone - Hexsel Makes it Three in a Row at Thunder Hill Raceway

Hexsel Makes it Three in a row at Thunder Hill Raceway

By Neil Upchurch, Texas Pro Sedans Race Director

Kyle, Texas (September 11, 2005) - Sergio Hexsel won the Texas Pro Sedan (TPS) feature at Thunder Hill Raceway (THR) Saturday night. The San Antonio driver led all 20 laps to top the 11-car field in his Don’s VW Service, Buggy Warehouse, Jones Auto Works VW Rabbit.

Hexsel has won a total of four TPS races so far this season and has notched impressive wins in his last three outings at San Antonio Speedway on August 20, at THR on August 27 and again last night at THR.

In the qualifying heat races, Tom Johnson won the pole for the feature by winning the first heat in his VW Rabbit while Hexsel won the second heat to earn the outside pole position. It was Johnson's first TPS visit to the winner’s circle.

On the first lap of the feature, Hexsel took the lead in turn one from Johnson who fell into second behind Hexsel. The pair maintained a close formation until Bill LaBarge, driving a BMW, took over second place from Johson. Hexsel and LaBarge then dueled nose to tail for the remainder of the race and crossed the finish line only 0.30 seconds apart.

TPS Rookie Johnson and veteran VW Scirocco driver Mike Knotts finished third and fourth in a photo finish. They were the only other cars on the lead lap. Fifth place went to Donnie Moore in another VW Scirocco who finished the race a lap down.

The TPS feature was run caution free.

With his win, Hexsel extends his slim lead for the TPS Championship to nine points ahead of Moore, who in turn leads LaBarge by only two markers. Johnson’s third-place finish puts him 22 points ahead of Honda driver Lloyd Hart for the coveted “TPS Rookie of the Year” title.

This event was the tenth race in the 12-race 2005 season. The San Antonio-based series is conducting it’s 30th consecutive year of four-cylinder stock car racing in Texas and the southwest. TPS will be one of nine classes scheduled to race in the 9th Annual Thunder Hill Raceway “Stock Car Spectacular" on Saturday night, September 24.

Results of the Texas Pro Sedan 20-lap Feature at Thunder Hill Raceway, 9/10/05

Position, Car, Driver/Hometown, Car Type/Engine CC, Laps

1. (20) Sergio Hexsel/San Antonio, VW Rabbit/2042 20 laps
2. (27) Bill Labarge/Bryan, TX, BMW/2085, 20
3. (15) [r] Tom Johnson/Kingsland,TX, VW Rabbit/1825, 20
4. (48) Mike Knotts/Universal City, VW Scirocco/1825, 20
5. (70) Donnie Moore/ Hutto, TX, VW Scirocco/1690, 19
6. (71) Bruce Mabrito/San Antonio, VW Scirocco/1648, 18
7. (2) Jack Dishman/Devine, TX, Ford Mustang/2060, 18
8. (72) Candi Hogan/Cedar Park, TX, VW Sedan/2060, 18
9. (19) [r] Lloyd Hart/San Antonio, TX, Honda CRX/1834/4Valve, 17
10. (78) [r] John Miesen/Marion, TX, VW Sedan/1835, 8
11. (01) [r] Mike O'Connor/Weatherford, Ford Taurus/2030, dns

[r] eligible TPS "Rookie Of The Year" Award
Margin of Feature Race Victory 0:30 seconds
Race leader: Hexsel led laps 1-20