Texas Speedzone - Valley Grass Farms Modified Nationals Friday night 12/2/05

Valley Grass Farms Modified Nationals @ Rio Grande Speedway 12/1-3/05
By J M Hallas

McAllen, Tx. Night number two for the Valley Grass Farms Modified Nationals once again started with ideal weather conditions as drivers in the Modifieds and Limited Modified fought it out for six more transfer spots for Saturday nights big money main events. Thursday nights show filled the top six inside spots, with six outside positions available tonight. Qualifying would run the same as Thursday night to set the fields for the qualifying mains.

Majek Main Man in Mods
As the green flag waved on the 24 car, 25 lap Modified qualifying A-main, polesitter Steve Majek got the jump on Doug Dobson to grab the lead. As the lead group broke away, Jamie Schach, Steve Holzkamper and Scotty Brown ran three wide for fifth. S. Majek began to inch ahead of Dobson on lap 3, while Justin Majek and Chris Brown ran wheel to wheel for third. Lap 4 saw Adam Schach and Eddie Martin get by S. Brown for seventh and eighth.

On lap 7, J. Schach and Holzkamper were side by side for fourth, with A, Schach and J. Majek running beside each other for sixth. That wheel to wheel action continued, on the perfectly prepared track, for another lap. Just as the lead duo had put some distance C. Brown, Holzkamper and J. Schach by lap 10, caution was out a spin by Shane Killingsworth in turn 1.

On the restart, S. Majek was quickly out, with C. Brown, Dobson and Holzkamper three wide for second. Holzkamper made the move into second and C. Brown kicked Dobson back another position. Jason Hollis, using the high side, worked his way to seventh on lap 11. Coming to to halfway Holzkamper was catching S. Majek, while J. Schach and Dobson were side by side for fourth.

At the crossed flags it was still S. Majek holding off Holzkamper, with C. Brown, Dobson and J. Schach rounding out the top five. Hollis got by J. Majek on lap 15 to grab the sixth spot, leaving J. Majek battling three wide with Martin and Brandon Smith. Ronny Gould, in a Mikulencak back up car, spun on lap 16 to bring out the yellow and rebunch the field for the always exciting two abreast restarts.

On the green, the field stacked up with J. Schach getting run over by Martin forcing both to the pits for the night, without causing a caution. This moved Hollis and Smith to fourth and fifth. With five to go the top three had distanced themselves from the pack which was still sorting out for the final transfer spots. Steve Whiteaker jr caught A. Schach and J. Majek as they battled for that all important sixth spot.

Holzkamper got along side S. Majek on lap 22 in a fight for the lead, while Whiteaker fought with Dobson for seventh. On the last lap J. Majek would spin, slowing Whiteaker and others in the scrap for the final transfer. At the front of the field, S. Majek was taking the victory in his Majek Tile, Larson Chassis.

“Our chances are real good for Saturday night,” said Majek. “We’re starting on the outside pole. We’re having too much fun and the car been decent all week. They did an awesome job preparing the night. The guy we’ll have watch out for is Jason Hughes he’s won it the last two years.”

Modified A-main (top 6 to Sat A-main)
1 82 Steve Majek (1)
2 5HK Steve Holzkamper (6)
3 21 Chris Brown (4)
4 5H Jason Hollis (11)
5 210 Brandon Smith (10)
6 28d Doug Dodson (2)
7 07 Adam Schach (9)
8 45 David Trauernicht (13)
9 2 Jarod Herring (15)
10 144 Scotty Brown (5)
11 89 Steve Whiteaker jr (16)
12 44 David Grigg (17)
13 2w Wanye Brooks (19)
14 9L Dennis Lege' (12)
15 56 David Horner (21)
16 42 Bud Longpine (20)
17 11w Jerry Waugh (18)
18 454 Shane Killingsworth (23)
19 12 Roly Rodriguez (24)
20 96 Justin Raybourn (22)
21 187 Ronny Gould (14)
22 4 Justin Majek (3)
23 51 Eddie Martin (8)
24 7 Jamie Schach (7)

Hughes Hauls in Limiteds Too
Dennie Geiber and Jensen Pray led the 25 car, 25 lap Limited Modified qualifying feature to green. But it was Lawrence Mikulencak, in a borrowed car, making a charge from row two going three wide into turn 1 and coming out with the lead. Jason Hughes moved into third on lap1, while Aaron Hudgeons, Jeff Wood and Pray raced three wide for fourth. Dylan Weisse brought out the first yellow as he spun and collected Roger Faulkner on lap 2.

Mikulencak got clear of the pack as green waved again, with two and three wide action back through the pack. Hughes wasted little time getting by Mikulencak to grab the top spot on lap 3. By lap 5 the lead duet were checking out from the five car fight for third. That battle saw Adam Schach, Geiber and Pray go three wide for fourth on lap 6.

Pray and Geiber fell back into another three wide scrap with Wood for fifth on lap 8. A. Hudgeons caught Mikulencak just before the midpoint while Schach and Pray faught for fourth. At halfway it was Hughes with a big lead over Mikulencak, A. Hudgeons, and Schach, with Pray and Geiber wheel to wheel for fifth.

Hudgeons got by Mikulencak for second on lap 13, while Pray got by Schach for fourth. Hudgeons was trying to reel in Hughes and got a break when Vince Louden tagged the wall on the front stretch to bring out a yellow on lap 16. On the restart, Wood spun in turn 1 and collected Ben Haddox and Michael Tanner. On the next restart, Jamie Burford buzzed by Geiber and Pray on the high side to take over fourth.

Haddox brought out the caution on lap 17 when he clipped an infield tire and stopped on the track’s edge. Pray’s transmission let go on the restart, but he was to get off the track, as Burford got around Mikulencak for third. Schach followed Burford through to take fourth away from Mikulencak on lap 18. Those three continued that battle for third on lap 20.

The top six had just got a secure margin over seventh when the yellow waved for a spin by Trent Sousa in turns 1-2. As the field barreled to green it bunched up, causing a multi-car tangle that sent Tanner over the turn 1 hill. As the green waved again Hudgeons and Burford made contact with Schach snagging third.

Mikulencak retook a spot on lap 22 as he got past Burford for fourth. with the white flag waving, Mikulencak got by a fading Hudgeons for third. At the checkers in was Hughes taking his second qualifying main win of the weekend driving the Brandt Oil Field Repair, Spillars Automotive, P&B Towing, Mickey’s Auto Repair, Cash Pest & Termite Control, Moser Race Car, the first one built.

“Our chances are pretty good for the main Saturday, we’re starting up front,” stated Hughes. “We have the same shot as everyone else. We hope to win both races tomorrow. I don’t know any of these guys, so I’m not sure who will be my toughest competition. We’ve been pretty good in both and haven’t torn much stuff up this weekend. The track was real racey tonight. I hope it’s the same way tomorrow night.”
“Justin Moser built the car and called to ask if wanted to drive it. I just like to race so I told him to load it, bring it down and see what it will do. So far the cars been real good, we haven’t had to make many changes.”

Limited Modified A-main
1 C02 Jason Hughes ((6)
2 07 Adam Schach (4)
3 13 Lawrence Mikulencak (3)
4 119 Jamie Burford (9)
5 24 Dennie Geiber (1)
6 7 Aaron Hudgeons (5)
7 80 Mike Bearden (7)
8 33A Gary Rollo (15)
9 86 Justin Collins (10)
10 50 Grey Tolleson (18)
11 12 Art Rodriguez (12)
12 331 Jason Zarbock (25)
13 911 Will Hudson (19)
14 8m Michael Tanner (17)
15 51 Greg Price (24)
16 98 Ben Haddox (20)
17 21S Trent Sousa (14)
18 57 Jensen Pray (2)
19 33 Bobby Fehring (16)
20 7 Brad Brumley (23)
21 333 Jeff Wood (8)
22 6 Vince Louden (21)
23 84 Fran Collins (13)
24 27 Roger Faulkner (22)
25 22 Dylan Weisse (12)

Limited Modifieds Heat Race Winners
1 24 Dennie Gieber
2 86 Justin Collins
3 57 Jenson Pray
4 21 Ron Carrol
5 C02 Jason Hughes
6 119 Jamie Burford

Modified Heat Winners
1 82 Steve Majek
2 119 Jamie Burford
3 11w Jerry Waugh
4 128 Doug Dobson
5 5h Jason Hollis
6 4 Ronnie Barbee
7 21 Chris Brown
8 42 Bud Longpine

Limited Qualifier #1 (Top 7 to Main)
1 24 Dennie Gieber
2 07 Adam Schach
3 80 Mike Bearden
4 86 Justin Collins
5 84 Fran Collins
6 33 Bobby Fehring
7 911 Will Hudson
8 51 Greg Prince
9 93 Travis Brandt
10 331 Jason Zarbok

Limited Qualifier #2
1 57 Jenson Pray
2 7 Aaron Hudgeons
3 333 Jeff Wood
4 22 Dylan Weisse
5 21s Trent Sousa
6 8m Michael Tanner
7 98 Ben Haddox
8 7b Brad Brumley
9 27 Roger Faulkner
10 00 Rodney Norton
11 66t Johnny Torres

Limited Qualifier #3
1 13 Lawrence Mikulencak
2 C02 Jason Hughes
3 119 Jamie Burford
4 12 Art Rodriguez
5 33a Gary Rollo
6 50 Grey Tolleson
7 6 Vince Louden
8 26 Mitcvhell Johnson
9 37 Bryan Nunn
10 25 Steve Vandever

Mod Qualifier #1 (Top 5 to A)
1 82 Steve Majak
2 144 Scotty Brown
3 07 Adam Schach
4 45t David Trauernicht
5 44 David Grigg
6 3 Terry Woodall
7 56 David Horner
8 14m Mark McKim
9 21w Greg Waugh
10 99h Jeremy Haddox

Mod Qualifier #2
1 28 Doug Dobson
2 5hk Steve Holzkamper
3 210 Brandon Smith
4 187 Ronnie Gould
5 11w Jerry Waugh
6 31 Elias Anderson
7 57 Dale Flanagan
8 10 Aaron Hudgeons
9 98td Tracy Denby
10 78 Ty Russell

Mod Qualifier #3
1 4m Justin Majek
2 7 James Schach
3 5h Jason Hollis
4 2 Jerad Herring
5 2w Wayne Brooks
6 454 Shane Killingsworth
7 12 Roly Rodriguez
8 357 Brain Killingsworth
9 17 Adan Arambula
10 25 Bobby Grobe

Mod Qualifier #4
1 21 Chris Brown
2 51 Eddie Martin
3 9L Dennis Lege
4 89 Steve Whiteaker Jr
5 42 Bud Longpine
6 96 Justin Rayburn
7 91Bobby Maupin
8 12b Wade Bates
9 148 Russell Moore
10 9n Brent Nicholas

Limited B Feature (top 4 to A)
1 27 Roger Faulkner
2 7b Brad Brumly
3 51 Greg Price
4 331 Jason Zarbock
5 562 David Kulhanek
6 66t Johnny Torres
7 37 Bryan Nunn
8 45 Bobby Craft
9 93 Travis Brandt
10 17 Jerry Hitchcock
11 11j David Boggs
12 21 Ron Carroll
13 22 Dylan Weisse
14 23 Jorge Rodriguez
15 12p Steve Parker
16 Mike Silman

Mod B Feature (Top 4 to A)
1 56 David Horner
2 96 Justin Rayburn
3 454 Shane Killingsworth
4 12 Roly Rodriguez
5 31 Elias Anderson
6 91 Bobby Maupin
7 12b Wade Bates
8 98td Tracy Denby
9 357 Brian Killingsworth
10 78 Ty Russell
11 55 Danny Brown
12 21w Greg Waugh
13 17t Johnny Thomas