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  1st Place: #23 - Peter Ernst | |
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WESCAR OKTIRE Challenge Series - McNabb’s Tire & Auto/Petroline Rentals 100 Results:
August 26, 2006,
Hythe Motor Speedway - Hythe, AB
In a heat race during the earlier part of the afternoon the #0 Young Monte Carlo came into contact with the #71 David Olson in turn 2 when Olson spun. This contact later proved to be a hard knock for the #0 team in the 100-lap main. Peter Ernst in the #23 had luck on his side again as he qualified 11th and with the WESCAR inversion of the field, Peter ended up on the pole. As the green waved Peter pulled out to a 3 length lead over the #2 Chase Larson Regency Chrysler Intrepid. The #2 Larson racing hard for the Red Bluff Pub Rookie of the year pushed a little too hard on lap 7 coming off the high bank of turn 2 and got loose slapping the rear of the car into the outside wall. The contact then caused the front end to also slap the wall hard as he came to a stop on the back straight a short way past the pit exit against the concrete wall barriers. This would end the raceday early for the curly haired 17yr old Larson as the crowd cheered his ability to climb out of the car uninjured.
The green waved again on lap 11 with #23 Ernst leading the way. The #38 of Lee Thomas and the #5 Bob Williams chased down the Ernst Monte Carlo as they entered the last half of the 100 lap event but #38 was never able to close within a quarter of a second of Ernst. The #33 Bill McNabb was running in 4th spot when the second caution flag flew on lap 70 as the #88 John Beaumont of Ft. St. John spun unassisted in turn 1. As the field of cars retook the green flag #23 Ernst was still leading with the #38 Thomas and #5 Williams close behind. When #23 passed under the checkered flag the order had not changed, #33 Mcnabb was still in 4th and #0 Young who struggled with a car affected by an event earlier in a heat race finished in 5th with #6 Sheldon Mayert 1.5 seconds behind.
A failed post race inspection caused Lee Thomas to lose his previous points lead, hurting his chances for the 2006 WESCAR OKTire Challenge Championship. This put #5 Williams in 1st in points, and #0 Young in 2nd and #23 Peter Ernst in 3rd, followed by #38 Lee Thomas.
Chris Babcock of Fort St. John in the #22 2003 Taurus running the only Ford, captured 6th as the last car on the lead lap with local driver Kary Rogers of Grand Prairie, Alberta in his #19 Monte Carlo in 7th one lap off the pace. Another Grande Prairie driver #39 Dave Rounds was 3 laps back in 8th. Dave Olson of Hixon B.C. finished in 9th helping him in the battle for the Red Bluff Pub Rookie of the Year as the #43 Dallas Mayert had damaged his car in an earlier race not able to make the main and #2 Larson was out on Lap 7.
The next race in the OKTire Challenge Series tour is at PGARA Speedway in Prince George, B.C. on Sept 9th. You can hear the race announced live on 99.3 the Drive as we broadcast the last of the 7 races in the 2006 WESCAR OK Tire Challenge Series with Ron St. Clair and Doug Waller covering the lap by lap action.
WESCAR OK Tire Challenge Series/media rep.