Lucas Oil Modified Series

BY DAVE GRAYSON
 
When the SuperClean Modified Racing Series made its 2009 season debut, March 28th, at the Havasu 95 Speedway in Lake Havasu City-Arizona, the expectations were high and the teams that comprises the series' class of 2009 delivered in a very big way.
 
That was clearly evident during the test and tune session held on the Friday night before the race. There were enough modified teams present the day before the race to completely fill the 22 car starting field for Saturday night's Sunoco Fuels 75. The closeness of the practice times clearly indicated that the series' opener was going to be very competitive. By late Saturday afternoon 30 modified teams registered for the race. The qualifying session held later that day was also a direct indication regarding how competitive the starting field was going to be. Simi Valley-California's Andrew Phipps won the Budweiser Fast Time Award by blistering the Havasu 95 Speedway's quarter mile oval in 15.780 seconds. The qualifying gap between the fastest and the slowest SuperClean Modified was 1.053 seconds.
 
However the roll of the pre race invert dice produced the number eight and that moved drivers Jim Mardis and Josh Gross to the front row for the Sunoco 75. When the green flag fell on the race Mardis made quick work of jumping into the lead. His modified was strong on this night and it appeared that he might be on the way to his first ever series' win.
 
But Lake Havasu City's Chris Gerchman was coming on strong in his newly constructed modified. The Havasu 95 Speedway's reigning Modified Division champion clearly has designs on the winner's share of the SuperClean Modifed Series' regional touring points fund and proved that point with his performance during this race. Gerchman started sixth on the field, moved into second on lap 28 and began the process of eliminating the asphalt between himself and the race leader Mardis. Five circuits later Gerchman made his race winning move with an outside pass that was launched on the backstretch,
 
On lap 38 Burbank-California's Tim Morse took over second and began the process of chasing down Gerchman. Morse got a huge opportunity on lap 52 when the only caution flag of the race, due to debris, came out. Under the green flag again Gerchman and Morse ran close with each other but the difference maker was Gerchman's quick work of maneuvering his way through lapped traffic. Morse and Mardis followed Gerchman under the checkers while Andrew Phipps and Austin Barns completed the top five.
 
The Sunoco 75 turned out to be everything that the SuperClean Modified Racing Series was hoping for. There was hard and close racing all through the 22 car field. This was especially true of the mid pack drivers who were racing in positions ten through twenty. This group of drivers were extremely exciting to watch and were racing wheel to wheel, and on occasion even three wide, while trying to gain positions on each other.
 
The win at the Havasu 95 Speedway was a case of Chris Gerchman picking up where he left off from last season. He won the SuperClean Modified Racing Series 2008 season finale last November. After the race the very happy winner said "our new car that we built absolutely made us proud. However at first we actually found a couple of problems with the car and how we put it back together. We got that figured out and then it was a night and day difference the car just became an animal."
 
Commenting on his win at the Havasu 95 Speedway, Gerchman said "It was part of a plan. I knew I wasn't going to win this thing during the first half of the race. I had to just take my time, I knew I was in a good spot so I could work on catching them."
 
New car construction was also a factor in Tim Morse's second place finish at the Havasu 95 Speedway. "The car was really good tonight. I put a lot of hard work and time in it during the off season and everything on it is brand new. We had no time to test at all. We just came out here and it was fast right off of the trailer. I'm very happy with the second place finish but if we had just one more little adjustment then I might have had something for Chris Gerchman. But all in all it was good and I'm really looking forward to the next race in Blythe" Morse said.
 
Commenting on his third place finish, Jim Mardis said "we were pretty strong tonight but then we had a driver oops when I burnt the right rear tire off of the thing trying to get away from those guys when I should have laid back, let them come to me and saved our stuff. This was only my third race ever here and we're learning from each time. It's also just the third that we've raced this car. I think we'll be strong, it's a good start for the new season and we'll take third any day."
 
Garnering a lot of attention from this race was 14 year old Austin Barns who scored a top five finish in his first ever series appearance who said the experience "was awesome. I over heated my tires about 15 laps into the race and sometimes I had trouble working my way through traffic but I had a really good car." The father and son racing team, based out of San Diego, are planning on running the entire SuperClean Modified Racing Series schedule this year.
 
Needless to say series co promoter Greg Scheidecker was very pleased with the season debut race and, during some post race comments said "without a doubt these guys put on a great show tonight. One yellow flag in 75 laps is just fantastic. From A to Z what a group we have this year."
 
Following Friday night's test and tune session Lucas Oil hosted a reception for the teams and sponsor representatives at the Two Guy Pizza Restaurant in Lake Havasu City. A special thank you goes out to Martha. Melodie and Cindy for the hospitality and great food.
 
The SuperClean Modified Racing Series returns to action during the weekend of April 17th and 18th at the always challenging and exciting Lucas Oil I0 Speedway in Blythe-California.
 
In addition to its title sponsor, the SuperClean Modified Racing Series is supported by a highly potent marketing concept known as "Team Lucas" which includes Lucas Oil Products, E3 Spark Plugs, R&L Carriers, Dixie Chopper, General Tire, K&N Performance Filters and Jim Beam.
 
The 2009 series sponsors include SuperClean, Hoosier Tire West, Budweiser, Blue Water Resort and Casino, Sunoco Fuel, Frank's Radio, DJ Safety and STR-Steve Teets