News Feed
Oct. 5, 2011
BY DAVE GRAYSON
When the Lucas Oil Modified Racing Series, presented by Rockstar Energy Drink, completed their October 1st race at the Lucas Oil I 10 Speedway, in Blythe-California, there was a very familiar sight parked in victory lane. It was the blue #51A modified racer belonging to driver Austin Barnes who, once again, found a way to scorch the competition.
Barnes took command of the K&N Performance Filters 75 on lap ten and held that point all the way to the checkers. It was his fourth win of the season as well as his third, consecutive, win. To say that the 16 year Escondido-California has been on fire, during the second half of the series' season, would be a major understatement.
His excellent evening in Blythe began that afternoon during qualifying where Barnes ripped off a fast lap of 14.621 seconds. That lap was more than fast enough to earn him the $100 Budweiser fast time bonus. He has now won the Budweiser bonus six times in eight starts. The pre race inversion moved Barnes to the third starting position which moved drivers Tim Morse and Doug Hamm to the front row.
When the initial green flag fell, on the K&N Performance Filters 75, Tim Morse jumped into the lead. Barnes and Jim Mardis, the primary contenders for the series' championship, made quick work of moving into second and third on the second lap. Working towards lap ten Barnes and Mardis dived low, through turns three and four, and worked their way underneath the Morse car. to move up first and second.
For Barnes it would turn out to be the race winning move. For Mardis it was go time and he put on a furious charge to find away to steal the win much to the delight of the capacity crowd most of whom were standing and cheering. The race rhythm of the two leaders were disrupted three times due to caution flags that stemmed from minor racing incidents. Other than that, the K&N Performance Filters 75 was all about hard, competitive, racing from the leaders to the back markers.
Doug Hamm crossed under the checkers to claim third with Tim Morse right behind him in fourth. Aaron McMorrin made a brilliant pass that allowed him to move from seventh to fifth in the final rundown. On lap 39 drivers Brian Collins and Larry Gerchman were racing hard for position through turn two. They inched up high, at the exit of the turn, and left just enough room for McMorran to dive low and then perform a slide job on the backstretch to claim fifth.
That move earned McMorran a $100 bonus for winning the Magnaflow Exhaust Products Clean Pass Award, In a very good evening for the young Las Vegas driver, McMorrin earned another $100 bonus for winning the E3 Sparks Plugs Hard Charger Award. Earlier in the evening Jim Mardis won the Dart Machinery Trophy Dash which comes with a $200 bonus.
A very happy race winner parked his MasterCraft Safety, STR, Electro Tech Powdercoating modified in the Roush Yates Performance Parts/J E Pistons victory lane, Austin Barnes said "we had a great race tonight. We started in third and moved to second right at the start. Several laps later we able to move around Tim (Morse) and just cruised in from there."
Barnes only made one mistake during the K&N Performance Filters 75: He spun his car out in turn one. Fortunately that happened approximately 100 feet past the checkered flag. Explaining that situation he said "after we crossed the finish line I started to slow down and I got on the gas and the brake at the same time and I locked up the rear end and it just went around. But it was after the checkers so we're good."
From Riverside-California, Jim Mardis is the defending series champion and is leading the points en route to seeking a second, consecutive, title. After finishing second, in the K&N Performance Filters 75, he left Blythe with an 18 point lead over Austin Barnes. Commenting on his night he said "we missed it just a little bit tonight. But I bet you when we come back here in April we'll be a lot better. It gets a little frustrating finishing second, but consistency will pay off in the end."
Mardis made it a point to thank his sponsors including: Rockstar Energy Drink, Makita Industrial Power Tools, Blue Water Technologies, Premiere Wraps, JAM Sportswear, Hot N Nasty Streetwear, SB2 Sports Bar and Grill, Arce Engines, Travel Lodge Lake Havasu, and Lucas Oil.
Las Vegas modified veteran Doug Hamm was very pleased with his third place finish and, with a big smile on his face, said: "this team works hard and they have to put up with me as a driver. This team is really gelling together. It's our first season with each other and I feel that everything is coming together, we can really run with these boys. We got just a little bit more to work on, including myself, and then we'll be up there every week." Hamm also made it a point to thank his sponsors including : Discount Dumpsters, Silver State Truck and Trailer, Vegas Machine, Stout Roofing, Mahon Trailer, H&B Construction and Salm Engineering. "I absolutely want to thank my sponsors for their support and I especially want to thank my crew. They make everything happen, I couldn't do this without this crew," he added.
After bringing his Morse Muffler, Arce Racing Engines.Com, Pro Tech Custom Cars modified to a fourth place finish, Tim Morse said "it was a good run, everyone raced clean. I tired to hold the field off by running the bottom of the track but I had a leak in my intake and it just oiled the entire back underneath of the car. It wasn't leaking super bad but it was just enough to get on my rear tires and that killed by rear end traction."
After finishing fifth, Aaron McMorran said:"there was a lot of traffic for about the first 40 laps. This track is hard to pass on but, in a way, that's what makes it fun. I like to thank all of my guys, I think they're one of the best crews out here, along with my sponsors Wahl Traction, Absolute Air Technologies and Jack's Machine Shop.
Commenting on that beautiful pass that led to the top five finish, McMorran said:" I was right behind those two guys for awhile and I was a little bit quicker. Larry (Gerchman) and Brian (Collins) made contact and it just opened up a hole. I think we were probably a third or fourth place car, I just needed more laps."
After the event Lucas Oil Modified Series Race Director Bill Rozhon said "we were a little down on the car count tonight but we anticipated that. It's late in the season and our economy is not any body's friend at this time. But the racing was very good tonight. What can you say about Austin Barnes? The kid is just on a roll and he's doing really good. The only damage he did to his car is when he screwed up his victory burn out or whatever you want to call that after the checkers. All of our guys did such a good job tonight. This is a tough little race track. We only had a few minor incidents tonight but overall the guys respect each other and generally they all get along with each other and I'm very proud of them.
Series General Manager and Promoter Greg Scheidecker said "after the race I asked myself is the story of tonight's race about how fast, how successful, perhaps even how lucky Austin Barnes is or is the real story is how smart is Jimmy Mardis by just keeping Austin Barnes in his sight? Obviously, Austin has now won four feature races and he started peaking right in the middle of the season. But, at the same time Mardis got off to a good start and the bottom line is: he driving smart races. He's not tearing up his car. When you have a main event like we did tonight and every single car finishes the race on a tight bullring track that's saying a whole lot about the caliber of drivers that we have."
The Lucas Oil Modified Racing Series, presented by Rockstar Energy Drink, is strongly supported by a highly potent marketing concept known as "Team Lucas." Team members include: Lucas Oil Products, Magnaflow Exhaust Products, E3 Spark Plugs, General Tire, K&N Performance Filters, GEICO, CANIDAE All Natural Pet Food, MAV TV, Dart Machinery LTD, Rockstar Energy Drink and MasterCraft Safety Equipment.
The series is also strongly supported by a group of associate sponsors including: Eibach Springs, Hoosier Tire West, Budweiser, Blue Water Resort and Casino, Sunoco Race Fuels, Frank's Radio, Racing Plus, Roush Yates Performance Parts and J E Pistons.
