Texas Speedzone - Steve Green Makes it Two-in-a-Row at San Antonio Speedway

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Steve Green Makes it Two-in-a-Row at San Antonio Speedway

by JM Hallas and Nick Holt

San Antonio, TX (July 30, 2006) – Lady Luck was with United States Racing Association (USRA) Truck Series driver Steve Green at San Antonio Speedway Saturday night. Green took advantage of some misfortune suffered by race-leader Craig Roper to win the “Magnum Trailers 50” at the venerable half-mile paved oval.

Green picked up his second victory in-a-row after Roper, who dominated the first two-thirds of the 50-lap event, suffered a flat tire and had to pit in the later stages of the race to relinquish the lead to Green, who had patiently hung around the top three during the first half of the race. With the win, his third of the season, Green took over the USRA Truck Series points lead from Roper. The two had been tied in the standings going into the Saturday’s event.

Jason Marshall got the jump from the pole as green waved on the 12 truck field, but Roper quickly got by Marshall on the back stretch to grab the top spot and started to pull away from the field. By the fifth circuit Roper had a three second advantage over Marshall and Green.

However, Roper lost his huge lead on lap14 when Rusty Mirth’s engine went up in smoke to bring out a caution.

It didn’t take long after the green waved again until Roper was again getting away from field while Green pressured Marshall for second. Back in the pack, Cameron Moore, Jr., and Brent Bell had their own fight going on for eighth.

Jim Albert brought the yellow on lap 24 when he blew a tire and spun into the turn 1-2 wall. As Albert bounced of the wall and back down the track, Moore tried to dodge him and collected Bell in the process.

The crossed flags were shown under caution with Roper, Marshall, Green, Bendele and Jody Buzbee in the top five.

Once back to green, Roper wasn’t as fast as he had been with Marshall and Green hanging close.

Meanwhile, Green finally worked his way past Marshall and was challenging Roper on lap 33. Green looked inside Roper on a lap later as they went three wide around a lapped car. Green secured the point on lap 36 as Roper continued to slide high in the corners.

Yellow waved on lap 36 for Kevin Bendele whose truck had given up and stopped on track.

Green got a big jump on as racing resumed with Marshall, Buzbee and Kelly getting past Roper who was now slowing dramatically. Roper finally was forced to pit on lap 38 with slowly deflating right front tire

Up front, Green was increasing his margin over Marshall as the top five separated out. Roper returned to action but several laps down.

With five to go, Green had built a two second lead on lead on Marshall and as he took the white flag was out front by nearly a half straightaway. Green, who won the last race at Thunder Hill Raceway easily took the checkers in the Magnum Trailers, Smokey Js BBQ, Royal Vista Custom Homes, GM Crate motored, ARTS Chassis ride.

“I thought we were running pretty even with him (Roper) and I really don’t know if I had anything for him,” Green said after the race. “I didn’t know what happened to him, but it happened fast. All of a sudden he picked up a big push and slid up the track in corners and we got around him.”

“It didn’t come easy tonight,” Green said. “We practiced on Friday and it seemed like we’d take two steps forward and three steps back. The truck would be fast; we’d make a small change and lose ground. We’d go back the other way and lose some more. It really left us scratching our heads. Today it started coming around. We talked about setting up for long green runs. The longer I drove it the better it got. I think it was faster at the end of the race, than the beginning.”

“I’ve been in Craig’s position before. You have a dominating truck and you think something’s going to happen. Every lap, every turn you hear things, feel vibrations. You look up at the scoreboard to see what lap you’re on.”

USRA Trucks Results

Position, Car Number, Name, Qualifying Time, Laps Completed

1. (54) Steve Green, 20.969, 50 Laps
2. (42) Jason Marshall, 21.223, 50
3. (1) Jody Buzbee, 21.429, 50
4. (57) John Kelly, Jr., 22.378, 50
5. (2) Matthew Howell, 21.410, 50
6. (72) Brent Bell, 22.519, 49
7. (12) Kevin Bendele, 21.250, 49
8. (43) Chris Snocker, 24.058, 48
9. (40) Craig Roper, 20.771, 45
10. (31) Jim Albert, 21.371, 33
11. (38) Cameron Moore, Jr., 21.953, 27
12. (07) Rusty Mirth, No Time, 24

Lap Leaders: Roper led 1-35; Green led 36-50