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SCOTT PRETTY SLICK AT SMS
By: Robert Mayson
SANTA MARIA, CA, Oct. 7 - John Scott may be on his way to earning a reputation for his proficiency on slick race tracks. Scott's second Sprint Car Racing Association (SCRA) win of the season came Saturday at the Santa Maria Speedway under conditions reminiscent of his win three months ago in Kansas. After the race, Scott indicated that his prior racing experience on pavement is one of the keys to his slick track success.
"Our tire wear was really good in Wichita even when everyone was popping tires. Tonight was a little different because the track was abrasive, but we weren't smoking the tires off, it was just kind of hard to get a hold of the race track," Scott said after his wire-to-wire 30 lap victory. "I definitely think that my pavement experience is helpful because it taught me how to let the back end follow the front end."
Scott's third career SCRA win shouldn't come as much of a surprise. With Ron Knerr preparing the car during the week and the luxury of a Bubby Jones in the pit area on race night, Scott has built a program that can now compete with the top teams on a weekly basis thanks to a good sponsorship program.
"We worked hard to try to put a good deal together and Pace Electronics has stepped-up and done more for us than we ever could have imagined. More than just the financial part, the support they give us as human beings is just phenomenal, " said Scott.
Scott earned the pole for the feature race after winning his second JE Pistons Dash of the season. On the opening lap, Scott secure the lead by running the middle of turn two and was followed back to the line by Tony Jones, Mike English, Rickie Gaunt, Mike Kirby and Sander Engineering Fast Qualifier Troy Rutherford.
Fourth place Gaunt brought out the first yellow flag of the race on lap four after a driveline problem left him stopped on the edge of turn two. Scott pulled away from the field after the restart as English pressured Jones for the second spot. As it turns out, English would cause the next caution period on lap seven after he spun in turn two.
Jones managed to stay close to the leader for a lap on the next restart, but like before, Scott pulled away. The action was halted once more on lap eight after Lance Gremett and Rip Williams tangled sending Gremett into the wall. Gremett's hobbled car came to a stop on the front stretch only to be collected by English. Neither driver was injured. The yellow light quickly turned to red on the ensuing restart after fifth place Michael Smith skated high and flipped after hitting the turn three wall. Smith was not hurt.
"The track had really slicked off so we were going to tighten the car up during the red but decided not to. We probably should have because it was really a handful there at the end," Scott later confessed.
Even with a car that could have used some tightening, Scott again pulled away from the Gene Cowherd / GC Aero No. 48 driven by Jones after the restart. One lap following the midway mark of the race, Rutherford pushed the Jack Gardner, Jr. / Beach Manufacturing No. 6 Sled into the runner-up spot, but found himself nearly a full straightaway behind Scott.
Scott reached lapped traffic for the first time two laps later. With track conditions making the overtaking of lapped cars more difficult than usual, Rutherford was able to cut Scott's lead in half by the 20th circuit.
Although Scott had finally freed himself of lapped traffic in the closing laps, Rutherford was now within striking distance. Working lap 28, Rutherford stuck a wheel under Scott in turn two. Scott managed to keep the lead and responded by moving away from his middle line. Electing to run the turn two cushion on the following lap, Scott was able to put some distance between himself and Rutherford.
"Troy poked his nose under there and kind of played his hand a lap early," Scott commented. "I moved to the cushion because I wasn't getting off the corner at all and I knew I needed to carry a little more momentum or he was going to get us going down the back straightaway. As it was, I was only able to run about a quarter throttle because the track was so slicked-off."
After starting ninth, Richard Griffin threw his hat into the ring on lap 29. Driving the Ron Chaffin / Arizona Race Mart No. 50 Jon Boy, Griffin bumped wheels with Rutherford coming down to accept the white flag and in the process took away either drivers chances to challenge Scott on the final lap of the race.
Rutherford beat Griffin to the checkered flag for second place with Jones closely behind in fourth. Greg DeCaires came from the tenth starting spot and finished fifth in the Mike Hasebe / Hanford Radiator No. 17 Stinger to gather his first top-five finish with the SCRA.
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RACE #35 - SANTA MARIA SPEEDWAY
SANTA MARIA, CA
Date of Race: 10/07/00
SCRA SANDER ENGINEERING TIME TRIALS
1. Troy Rutherford, Ojai CA, Gardner, Jr 6 , 13.453 2. Rickie Gaunt, Torrance CA, Gardner Jr. 96 , 13.456 3. Mike English, Norwalk CA, Priestley 10 , 13.472 4. John Scott, Hesperia CA, Scott Mtrsprts 83 , 13.506 5. Richard Griffin, Silver City NM, Chaffin 50, 13.543 6. Jerome Warmerdam, Hanford CA, Warmerdam 75X , 13.724 7. Steve Ostling, Corona CA, Pratt 12 , 13.795 8. Greg DeCaires, Elk Grove CA, Hasebe 17 , 13.947 9. Bobby Graham, Riverside CA, Silver State 14, 13.953 10. Tony Jones, Corona CA, Cowherd 48 , 13.965 11. Tom Downing, Lakewood CA, Downing 90 , 13.970 12. Mike Kirby, Lomita CA, Geurin 5, 13.975 13. Michael Smith, Trona CA., Fischer Mtrspts 29, 13.990 14, Jeremy Sherman, Phoenix AZ, Lloyd. 41 , 14.000 15. Bobby Michnowlcz, Harbor City CA., Mlchnowicz 21, 14.053 16. Rodney Argo, Hawthorne CA, Argo 19, 14.075 17. Mark Nation, Los Olivos CA., Nation 3N, 14.122 18. Lance Gremett, San Marcos CA, Gremett 85, 14.140 19. George Gervais, Mira Loma CA,, Gervais 9, 14.157 20. Brian Venard, Tustin CA, Venard. 47 , 14.186 21. Will Perkins, Victorville CA., Perkins 70, 14.195 22. Larry Brown, Bakersfield CA, Brown 36, 14.215 23. Jordan Hermansader, Long Beach CA., Acosta 77, 14.258 24. Jimmy Thompson, Nipomo CA, Thompson 71T, 14.275 25. Greg Porte, Atascadero CA., Mattice Bros. 3G, 14.306 26. Tom Stansberry, Bakersfield CA, Stansberry 75T, 14.352 27. Keith Williamson, Pomona CA, Williamson 95 , 14.353 28. Jarrett Chaney, Clovis CA, Chaney 69, 14.354 29. Rip Williams, Yorba Linda CA, Jory 3 , 14.405 30. Lynn Anderson, Bakersfield CA, Anderson 7X, 14.460 31. Josh Davis, Atascadero CA, Davis Racing 98D , 14.658 32. J Hicks, Torrance CA, Alexander 89 , 14.705 33. Jack DeArmond, Jr., Corona CA, DeArmond, Sr. 24 , 14.977 34. Tony Lima, Industry CA, Lima 30 , 15.280 35. Tim Ore, Livermoore CA, Ore 00 , 19.427
SUPERTRAPP MUFFLERS HEAT 1
1. Mark Nation, 2. Troy Rutherford, 3. Michael Smith, 4. Rip Williams, 5. Greg Porte, 6. Jack DeArmond, Jr., 7. Will Perkins, 8. Richard Griffin, 9. Bobby Graham,
SHAVER ENGINES HEAT 2
1. Larry Brown, 2. Rickie Gaunt, 3. Lance Gremett, 4. Tony Jones, 5. Jeremy Sherman, 6. Tom Stansberry, 7. Lynn Anderson, 8. Tony Lima, 9. Jerome Warmerdam,
KSE PRODUCTS HEAT 3
1. George Gervais, 2. Steve Ostling, 3. Jordan Hermansader, 4. Mike English, 5. Bobby Michnowicz, 6. Tom Downing, 7. Keith Williamson, 8. Josh Davis,
DESIGN 500 HEAT 4
1. Mike Kirby, 2. Brian Venard, 3. John Scott, 4. Rodney Argo, 5. Greg DeCaires, 6. J Hicks, 7. Jarrett Chaney, 8. Jimmy Thompson,
JE PISTONS DASH
1. John Scott. 2. Tony Jones. 3. Mike English. 4. Rickle Gaunt. 5. Mike Kirby. 6. Troy Rutherford. 7. Steve Ostling. 8. Michael Smith.
B FEATURE
1. Richard Griffin. 2. Bobby Graham. 3. Jeremy Sherman. 4. Greg DeCalres. 5. Greg Porte. 6. Jimmy Thompson. 7. Tom Downing. 8. Keith Williamson, 9. Bobby Michnowicz. 10. J Hicks. 11. Tom Stansberry, 12. Lynn Anderson. 13. Tony Lima. 14. Josh Davis. 15. Jack DeArmond, Jr..
A FEATURE
1. John Scott. 2. Troy Rutherford. 3. Richard Griffin. 4. Tony Jones. 5. Greg DeCalres. 6. Mike Kirby. 7. Steve Ostling, 8. Jeremy Sherman. 9. Rip Williams. 10. Bobby Graham. 11. Rodney Argo. 12. Larry Brown, 13. George Gervais, 14. Mark Nation. 15. Jordan Hermansader. 16. Brian Venard. 17. Michael Smith, 18. Lance Gremett. 19. Mike English. 20. Rickie Gaunt.
Laps Led: Scott 1-30
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