Archive for the ‘SMRA News’ Category

Lonnie Adamson & S-S Team

Rhonda Costa Photo

By Rhonda Costa

LAS VEGAS – The heat was on at The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway not only in air temps but on the track as Lonnie Adamson gained his first win in a supermodified since running a full year in 2003. Adamson, of Salt Lake City, ran for the S&S Motorsports team, replacing recently retired Troy Regier.

Eight teams in all made the tow to Las Vegas, including Seattle’s Ray Stebbins, Dale Lamborn of Carson City and Pat Whittet of Boise. Other teams included Jim Birges of Fresno, Bryan Warf of Meridian, Idaho, AJ Russell of Clovis, Calif., and Jeff Collins of Three Rivers, Calif., who ran the No. 89 in his first-ever supermodified race.
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by Gerald Laurie

Troy Regier not only won the Saturday’s fifty lap Supermodified feature at the LVMS Bullring, he took the 2009 Supermodified Racing Association Championship by merely starting the feature. This was the eighth time Troy has won the West Coast Championship in recent years. Although many were expecting Troy to announce his retirement from full time competition in Victory Lane, no announcement was forthcoming and he refused to get specific when asked in the pits after the races.

There were 12 Supermodifieds in the pits with five additional competitors stuck on the East side of the Rockies by a huge Blizzard. One Colorado competitor called and said they had made twenty miles in four and a half hours and they all just packed it in and went home. Maybe next year.

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by Gerald Laurie

The 2009 edition of Madera Speedway’s Annual Harvest Classic turned out to be the proverbial barnburner that keeps fans on their feet. The Classic featured  the SMRA Supermodifieds, and Madera Speedway’s 360 Supermodifieds. When the dance was finally over for the night, Troy Regier had won his third Madera SMRA feature of the year, and Kenny Kinchen had bested the 360 Supermod field.

The 360 Supermodifieds were the first to challenge the clocks. Kenny Kinchen proved fastest at 13.280 followed by Lance Tatro at 13.399, Lance Jackson at 13.399, Dan Vanderpool at 13.484, and David Tuey at 13.618.

The Supermodified Racing Association Supers rounded out time trials. Jeff Russell paced the field at 12.392 seconds. Bryan Warf was next with a time of 12.409, followed by Troy Regier at 12.426, A.J. Russell at 12.492, and Davey Hamilton at 12.566.

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by Gerald Laurie

Madera Speedway hosted the fifth Super Saturday Event of 2009 on August 15th. The SMRA Supermodifieds and Madera’s 360 Supermodifiedswere the featured divisions. By the time the shouting was done, Troy Regier and Willie Northammer had collected winner’s trophies in the respective classes.

During the afternoon practice session, Kenny White suffered a mechanical failure which put the number 26 Supermodified into the turn one wall with sufficient damage to end his evening of racing.

The first order of business was 360 Supermodified Time Trials. Dan Vanderpool came out of retirement and jumped in the Hayes Bros. Super to set fast time at 13.336 seconds. Second through fifth were David Tuey at 13.357, Lance Tatro at 13.376, Kyle Vanderpool (Dan’s son) at 13.387, and Kenny Kinchen at 13.437.

When the Supermodified Racing Association Supermodifieds hit the track, Jeff Russell cracked off a lap at 12.216 seconds to lead the field. Troy Regier was next at 12.287 followed by Bryan Warf at 12.290, A.J. Russell at 12.436, and Jim Birges at 12.523.

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by Gerald Laurie

The Annual Al Pombo Classic at Madera Speedway featured the SMRA Supermodifieds and the Madera Speedway 360 Supermodifieds in this fourth of six Super Saturday Events. Fresno’s Jim Birges claimed the top prize for the Supermodified Racing Association traveling circus. Madera’s own Lance Tatro was the top 360 finisher.

The 360 Supermodified Time Trials were topped by Lance Tatro(72) with a time of 13.392 seconds. He was followed by David Tuey(6) at 13.475, Kenny Kinchen(5) at 13.524, Lance Jackson(18) at 13.550, and Willie Northammer(15) at 13.921.

Jeff Russell(85) was fastest of the Supermodified Racing Association Supers at 12.396 seconds. Second through fifth fast were Troy Regier(98) at 12.441, Jim Birges(89) at 12.460, Bryan Warf(91) at 12.527, and A.J. Russell(7) at 12.611.

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by Rhonda Costa

WEST VALLEY CITY, UTAH — At Rocky Mountain Raceways Saturday, the Supermodified Racing Association performed in front of its biggest crowd with about 6,000 screaming race fans cheering on the fastest racecars ever to perform at the three-eights mile banked oval. And the drivers didn’t disappoint their enthusiasm for exciting racing.

After winning at The Bullring Thursday, the S&S Motorsports team made few changes to the No. 98 racecar. They were happy with the results of set up, handling and their driver’s performance. It was close to perfection, so they didn’t mess with it.

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by Rhonda Costa

LAS VEGAS — Troy Regier, driver of the No. 98 supermodified racecar based in Carson City, has been pretty lucky when it comes to racing in Las Vegas. Thursday proved to be yet another good day for Regier as he picked up his 77th career win at The Bullring.

“It feels good to win another race,” an exhausted Regier said after the 40-lap feature event. Drivers and crew worked in 108-degree heat with high humidity and the threat of thunderstorms Thursday afternoon. The temperature was still more than 100 degrees at the start of the main event.
“I almost pulled off with five laps to go,” Regier said. “But I had to win. I don’t give up.”

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By Bill Poehler • Statesman Journal • July 2, 2009
MILL CITY — There are times in a race car driver’s career when he is forced to take a step away.
Tony Thomas had another in April.
Starting his second season racing a supermodified at Shasta Raceway Park in Anderson, Calif., Thomas went on the asphalt oval for a practice session and was getting the car owned by Al Lytle up to speed when it happened.

Coming down the backstretch, a joint broke on the left front suspension and the car suddenly turned right and was nearly destroyed. Thomas had a concussion.

It forced one of the best non-wing sprint car drivers from the Northwest to step away from racing that has continued to today.

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by Rhonda Costa

CARSON CITY, NEV. –  The Supermodified Racing Association’s regular competitors of the 2009 season are making their way to Las Vegas and Salt Lake City this week for a two-race venture in the summer heat.
Drivers and teams will make their way from Washington, Idaho, Nevada, California and Massachusetts to take on two tracks of the three-eighth mile length, which produce higher speeds and exciting racing venues for the thousands of race fans expected to make the show.

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