Let's do the math. . .
4 Races + 4 Winners = #4 Leads
Saturday, June 9, 2007

The Modifieds for 2007 have been so unpredictable this season that the winner of each event can be drawn from anywhere in the line up. No one is a sure thing in this highly competitive crate-motor class.

Race #1 found first-time winner #80 Tod Alonzo [photo inset left] driving a Harris chassis taking home the trophy and the points lead. Race #2 found that same car climbing the wall with its rear tires and the event win going to another first-time Modified winner; #18 Johnny Luttmer. Race #3 brought winner #3; the #10 car of Jason Aposhian [photo inset right] and an incredible battle with the #4 of Lynn Hardy. Tonight was Race #4 and it brought winner #4; the #45 Modified of Shawn Price.

After four different Main Event winners; who is leading the point standings? It is the familiar face of the #4 Modified driven by Lynn Hardy [photo inset]. In case you've forgotten the familiar face of Lynn Hardy you need to look no further than the west side of the VIP tower. There you will find a mug shot of the #4 car and a mug shot of the #4 driver.

Over the past few seasons Lynn has learned that champions don't win a championship in just one race. Patience from the driver and crew will put points in your pocket every time. Through the first three Main Events, the #4 has averaged 3.5 overall in his finishes and now is standing tall with his points lead hitting nearly three digits (97 points). The season championship for the Modifieds will result from 12 events (minus the rainout from Race #2 on May 5th).

The Modifieds drivers are taking their series one race at at time. Every turn can change the season's outcome and send them to the front or the back of the pack! Here's the play-by-play of tonight's battle . . .

Drivers for the Modified Main had a couple things on their minds before the pace car lead them onto the racing surface; 50 laps, 26 cars, and 3 winners. The Top 5 on the leader board to start the event was #45 Shawn Price, #48 Rob Davis, #77 Todd Beach, #41 Michael Haddenham [photo inset], and #6 Michael Holder.

The first two cars to cross the start/finish line to complete Lap 1 was the #45 of Shawn Price [photo inset] followed a half-car back by the #77 of Todd Beach.

Farther down the pack on Lap 2, the #28 of Jeff Verlin and #27 Jeff Price got crossed up at the approach for Turn 2. No harm, no foul and Tod and Jeff got it all worked out and were able to rejoin the line up and waited for the green flag to drop again. When the green flag dropped to start Lap 3, the Top 5 had changed to #45 Shawn Price, #77 Todd Beach, #48 Rob Davis, #6 Michael Holder, and #94 Michael Schultz.

Laps 2 and 3 had the #77 car planted in the rearview mirror of the #45 but by Lap 6, the #45 had placed some safety distance between him and 2nd Place. On Lap 8, the #27 of Jeff Price had a solo spin out in virtually the same spot he got tangled up with #28 back on Lap 2. Also on Lap 8, the #40 had some sort of trouble and he left the track under his own power. The yellow flag was brought out at that point which allowed #77 Todd Beach [photo inset] to close that gap back up that #45 Shawn Price had worked hard to create.

To start Lap 9, the leader board's Top 5 were #45 Shawn Price, #77 Todd Beach, #6 Michael Holder, #94 Michael Schultz, and #48 Rob Davis. After a somewhat rough first 8 laps with spinouts, fights with the wall, and yellow flags, the drivers settled down for the next 29 laps. The worst incident during those 29 laps was during Lap 21 with the #20 of Dan McCoy [photo inset] was braking hard into Turn 3. He ran out of track real estate and gave #80 Tod Alonzo a hard bump from the back. Tod had smoke coming from all four tires but kept it straight and by the start/finish line, everyone was back up to speed and staring down Turn 2.

The #45 of Shawn Price had maintained the lead since the opening line up but the Main Event had reached Lap 30 and Shawn had started to deal with lapped traffic. The blue flag with the orange stripe was a regular lap after lap at this point while the officials ensured the fast line stayed clean and open for the quicker cars. The leader board as the Top 5 turned in their transponder signals when Lap 35 had been completed was #45 Shawn Price, #6 Michael Holder [photo inset], #50 Roger Wilson, #11 Gary Madsen, and #77 Todd Beach.

The pace and the noise was slowed during Lap 39 because the #08 of Tanner Frey [photo inset] had a solo crash in Turn 2. After sitting stationary for several seconds, the crowd wondered if Tanner's car was done for the night. Tanner revved up his motor and rejoined the line up after the race traffic had cleared his temporary parking spot. The Modifieds were barely back under green and full throttle when a wreck between #28 Jeff Verlin and #49 Carlton Ruesch in Turn 4 slowed the race back down. Both Jeff and Carlton were trying to occupy the same spot on the track while trying to get a jump on the green flag.

On Lap 44, the #94 of Michael Schultz  [photo inset] had a losing battle with the wall in Turn 2. Michael left the track under his own power with a wrecker trying to chase him down. The Main Event had barely gotten back under green from the yellow drawn out by Michael Schultz when the #27 of Jeff Price did a solo spinout near the lower apron of Turn 4. At this point, driver's began to sense the checkered flag was just 6 laps away. The pace car left the 11-degree banking with lights off and racing was back underway.

The pace of the Modified Main wasn't controlled by the pace car, it was controlled by the pace of #45 Shawn Price. He dominated the race and the title of race leader was rarely contented during the entire event.

Saturday, April 28, 2007
Modified Winner = #80 Tod Alonzo

Saturday, May 19, 2007
Modified Winner = #18 Johnny Luttmer

Saturday, June 2, 2007
Modified Winner = #10 Jason Aposhian

Saturday, June 9, 2007
Modified Winner = #45 Shawn Price

Saturday, June 23, 2007
Modified Winner = Anyone from the line up!

Additional highlights from tonight's ASA Weekly Racing Series came from the Focus Midget ranks. #22 Tim Savage doubled up with the AutoTrader Fast Qualifier award and the Main Event win. Tim's time of 15.066 seconds is also a new Rocky Mountain Raceways track record for the Midget class. Tim went from there and won the Main Event which means he has swept the first four races of 2007. Tim's closest competitor [#12 Billy Cox] has won the first three AutoTrader Fast Qualifier awards and taken four straight 2nd Place finishes. Billy damaged the motor in his #12 car but landed himself in a borrowed Midget. Billy Cox drove the borrowed #96 to his fourth straight 2nd Place finish behind the #22 of Tim Savage. Billy Cox clocked a better best lap during the Main Event with a 16.003 seconds over Tim Savage's best of 16.058 seconds

In the USAC Sprints, #36 Ryan Burdett wasn't able to pull out another win but his 6th place finish keeps him 11 points ahead of tonight's Main Event winner #3F Greg Anderson. The rulebook sent Ryan and Jimmy Waters to the back of the pack late in the Main Event but Ryan's car was clearly the one to beat. Ryan's car was the only Sprint to dip into the 13's with a best lap of 13.944 seconds. Ryan also posted the best speed of the Main Event at 96.816 mph.

Mark Pittman
Public Relations Director

Tonight's Winners