The MRolfeDesigns Pro Late Model Series headed to the west coast to visit the Irwindale Speedway tonight, fresh off of an impressive race last week in the season opener. 30 drivers would bring their cars out for the 100 lap event, and they were told before qualifying that every car would start the feature event. Things started off with open qualifying putting all 30 cars out on the track trying to set their hot laps. Bill Martin would set the fast lap of the session, picking up the pole with a time of 18.262, over Justin Brooks who qualified second on the night.
As the green flag dropped, with 30 cars on track, the field would have a little bit of trouble settling in early. A couple quick cautions would fly, and with each one Martin would get the jump and hang onto the lead. On the third restart of the race, the drivers finally began to settle in and we had plenty of green flag action throughout the rest of the race. Martin would pull out to the lead, but Brooks wouldn’t let him go as he stayed right on his tail. Behind them, last week’s winner Trey Jarrell wouldn’t be too far behind as he looked to hold off Jared Fountain and Jeff Ramsdell as they fought within the top 5.
A restart on lap 45 would set up the longest run of the night as drivers battled it out for the next 42 laps. The lead cars would start the run off all running in the same spots, while behind them the rest of the field all jostled for positions. Clay Snider held onto the 6th place for a while as he held off Matt Rolfe, Darrell Hamlin, and Stan Bragg who worked his way up from the 30th starting spot. Back up front though, Brooks would grab the lead from Martin on lap 60 and looked to check out but Martin would keep him close as the run went on. During the course of the run, lapped cars would begin to come into effect as some stayed low and some moved high to let the leaders by. And the action picked up with the leaders as two cars got together out in front of them causing them to check up, and in the next turn another lapped car would get loose and spun right in front of the leaders collecting both Brooks and Martin in the wreck. This would end both cars’ night after a great battle up front.
This would hand the lead over to Trey Jarrell who had been sitting back in 3rd waiting for something to happen with the leaders. On the 6th and final restart on lap 92, Jarrell would get the jump and pulled out to the lead and held the field off for the remaining laps and came around to take the checkers, which would be his 2nd consecutive win to start off the season. Ramsdell would run solidly for a second place finish, while Matt Rolfe moved up to 3rd and held off Fountain who finished 4th. And right behind them would be Bragg in 5th, gaining 25 spots over the course of the race.
- Trey Jarrell
- Jeff Ramsdell
- Matt Rolfe
- Jared Fountain
- Stan Bragg Jr
- Darrell Hamlin
- James Linkiewicz
- Mike Testa
- Brian Tedeschi
- Clay Snider
- Bill Martin
- Michael Rennebu
- Mike Belanger
- Matthew Eddy
- Scott Hutchison
- Scott Dunlap
- Anthony Celentano
- Ken Belanger
- Tim Bills
- Mitchell Cowan
- Justin Brooks
- Sam Clark
- Ronald Williams
- James Moss
- Ronald Kirk
- Jarrett Lawrence
- Kenneth Lindsley
- Charles Denny
- Jacob Linkiewicz
- Mackenzie Brewer
Next week the series makes their first ever trip to The Rock for a 75 lap event.
For full results and standings, click HERE.