By Alan Plummer
The morning looked bleak for Riverside Speedway, a PASS sanctioned track, but Mother Nature decided to let them run the race and cleared for a beautiful evening. There was some great racing in all divisions.
The Dwarfs started the evening out. The 98 of Alex Rancourt started on the pole, with the 99 of Toby Merchant outside. Rancourt took the lead as Ernie Laplant moved to 2nd and Eric Hall to 3rd. Laplant and Hall each moved up a spot on lap 2. As the checkers approached, Laplant and Hall had lapped almost the whole field, and were at the 3rd through 6th cars. When the checkers flew, Rancourt slowed with the leaders, but did not realize they were behind him and never finished the last lap. Laplant took the win followed by Hall and Dana Huoppi.
Daniel Gooden started on the pole for the Street Stocks, with Kevin Whittum Jr. outside. Gooden took the lead, but Whittum pinched Gooden down, and he went into the infield giving Whittum the lead. Cody Hodge and Tyler Therrien moved to 2nd and 3rd respectively. On lap 4 Hodge took the lead, and Michael Smith moved to 2nd. Hodge took the win, followed by Smith and Therrien.
The Angels were up next. Mary Eastman started on the pole, with Cynthia Litvin outside. Eastman took the lead. On lap 4, Jennie Dion moved to 3rd, then 2nd. Johanna Christman moved to 3rd on lap 7, 2nd on lap 8, and took the lead on lap 26. The yellow flies on lap 29 when Miranda Gervais spun in turn 2. Christman took the lead. Traci Nelson moved to 3rd, but slides up the track and hits the turn 4 tire wall. She continues the race. Eastman takes the initial restart, but Christman pulls to the lead. Min Kennett gets together with Litvin sending Litvin around in turn 3. Single file restart. Christman takes the win followed by Eastman and Vanessa Brown.
Steve Hodgdon started on the pole for the Late Models, with Peter Gilcris outside. Gilcris took the lead, but Kyle Caron and Brian Greer tangle. Gilcris takes the restart. Bob Ailes Sr. moves to 3rd on lap 4. On lap 13 Corey Mason overtakes 3rd. Ailes goes off turn 2 on lap 15 bringing out the yellow. Gilcris takes the restart, as Corey Mason moves to 2nd, and his brother Brian moves to 3rd. The yellow flies on lap 17 for debris on the front stretch. Corey Mason takes the lead. On lap 20 Brian Mason moves to 2nd. Corey Mason takes the win followed by Brian Mason and Gilcris.
The Super Stocks were up next. Allyn Briggs started on the pole, with Dean Switser Jr outside. Switser took the lead, as Jason Kenison moved to 3rd. Brian Middleton and Jason Rogers get together on lap 4 sending Rogers around. Brian Gosselin takes the restart, but he and Switser get together in turn 1. Nathan Swallow goes over turn one while avoiding the spinning cars, and returns to the track. Kenison takes the restart and Luke Shannon moves to 2nd. Jamie Longley spins in turn 4. Shannon takes the initial restart, but Kenison regains. On lap 7 Matt Carbone moves to 2nd, and Nathan Swallow moves to 3rd. Shannon and Gosselin get together on lap 9 sending Gosselin off turn 3 and backwards into the dirt bank. Gosselin calls it quits for the night. Single file restart. On lap 13 Swallow moves to 2nd and Denny Degreenia moves to 3rd. Jason Emerson spins on lap 20. On lap 21 Swallow moves to the lead as he and Kenison touch but both recover. Swallow takes the win followed by Kenison and Degreenia.
The 100 lap cyclone feature was the final event of the night. Andy Simpson started up front, with Anthony Mason outside. Simpson took the lead. I quickly lost track of who was in the lead, and had to rely on the updates over the scanner. By lap 30 Charlie Rockwell had made his way to the leas with Loren Vear and Anthony Hill in 2nd and 3rd. The top 3 were in the same positions at lap 50. At lap 70 Rockwell was still in the lead, but Jamie Swallow Jr. had moved up to 2nd. Rockwell took the win followed by Swallow, Vear, Hill, and Shaun Stetson.
Come out and join the fun next Saturday. On the card will be the Outlaws, Super Stocks, Street Stocks, Angels, Daredevils, Cyclones and Spectator Drags. Post time 6pm. Hope to see you there. Pictures and archived FANatic articles can be seen at http://racing.apcomptech.com If you have any questions or comments email me at riversidefanatic@apcomptech.com