 ASC COMPETITORS BET IT ALL IN THE LAS VEGAS SEASON FINALE
Fifteen American Stockcar Challenge competitors came to claim their share of the season’s points prize as they descended upon Las Vegas Motorspeedway’s outside road course for the last race weekend of the season. Several of the top positions were still up for grabs and the racers were ready to gamble to the end for all the positions they could grab. Scott Ivie, the points leader, needed to maintain his lead over last year’s champion, David Arnheiter. Arnheiter entered the weekend 102 points behind Ivie and could have won back-to-back championships if he placed in front of Ivie in one of the races and Ivie was unable to start either Saturday or Sunday’s race. Last year at this track David secured his championship run by dominating the weekend, winning both races, setting the track record, and taking the pole for ASC both days. This year, however, things were to be different.
Friday proved to be a necessary practice day for several of the competitors. Mike Arnheiter, Dave Arnheiter, Al Balding, Jr., Steve R. Carvajal, Alan Huston, Scott Ivie, Brian Colodny, Chris Evans, Kevin Culver, Ed Ochylski, Manuel Gil del Real, Ray Hampton, and Ken Stinnett all took advantage of the opportunity to dial in their cars for the two upcoming races. The day was marred on briefly by Chris Evans’ slide through the chain link fence in the #10 car, after an off track excursion at turn six. The car and driver were basically unhurt. The group was joined on Saturday by Jeff Glowniak’s return with the rebuilt #34 car, and newcomer to the series, (but not to stockcar road racing…), Steve Resenwicki and his Southwest Tour car.
Saturday’s qualifying had Kevin Culver, with the pole, followed by Ken Stinnett, Al Balding, Jr., Jeff Glowniak, Dave Arnheiter, Chris Evans, Steve Resenwicki, Mike Arnheiter, Ed Ochylski, Manuel Gil del Real, Steve R. Carvajal, Brian Colodny, Scott Ivie, Alan Huston and Ray Hampton. Culver was late arriving to the grid and was disqualified for running through the field to attempt starting from the pole. Unfortunately, this was against the series rules and the DQ resulted. Balding and Stinnett battled for 10 laps for the lead, with Balding maintaining the top position until a transmission failure retired him from the race. Ed Ochylski moved up to third place with the black flag for Culver and a spin by Evans, after taking several attempts to pass Resenwicki for the position finally paid off. Carvajal and Ivie had moved methodically through the field, followed by Gil del Real until they were on Ochylski’s rear bumper. Carvajal’s brakes faded badly after lap 7, forcing him to work very hard to maintain the third spot. He was assisted by Ivie, who protected his back against the onslaught of Mike Arnheiter and Gil del Real. Ivie could clinch the series championship by finishing ahead of Dave Arheiter in this race. Carvajal was in the same position with Manuel Gil del Real. Together, working as a team they protected each other’s positions when Dave Arnheiter cut a tire and was forced to pit for a replacement. At the end of the race, the season’s top three positions were secured. Ochylski moved ahead of Gil del Real for fourth place in the season’s points. The championship was Ivie’s, followed by Arnheiter, Carvajal, Ochylski, Gil del Real, Alan Huston, and Mike Arnheiter, and the rest of the field. In the ProTruck Series, Saturday’s race was won by Don Cross, followed by Nathan Swartzbaugh and Jim Swartzbaugh completing the top three positions. At the end of the day, everyone was invited to the home of Ray and Karen Hampton for a wonderful B-B-Q and libations to celebrate the end of a fantastic season for the American Stockcar Challenge Series.
Sunday’s race proved to be a perfect end to the season. The day was wet and rainy, as was the first Sunday race of the season, only this time the competitors chose to race in the rain. The racetrack was dry enough during qualifying for several competitors to improve upon their previous qualifying efforts. Nathan Swartzbaugh drove Stinnett’s # 43 car for the day, and took the pole position, followed by Glowniak, Carvajal, Gil del Real, Ivie, and the rest. By the time the cars rolled off of the grid for the race, it was raining pretty hard and the field charged forward as hard as they dared. Ivie and Culver passed Gil del Real and Carvajal to move into third and fourth place respectively, but collected each other in turn four, following a spin by Culver. Swartzbaugh took off and left the field, being chased hard by Glowniak. Glowniak spun and was passed by Carvajal for the number 2 spot, but battled back and regained the position. Carvajal and Gil del Real maintained their respective positions until the final lap, when Evans came dashing up to finish between Carvajal and Gil del Real, finishing fourth. In the ProTruck Series, Stinnett easily took first place, followed by Don Swartzbaugh and Franz Klarer. Culver later named the race, (which everyone seemed to really enjoy…) “Las Vegas Motorspeedway’s Elephants on Ice”. At the end of the race, Ivie’s crew gave him his well-earned champagne shower for finishing every race, and being the 2004 champion in both his rookie season and the series’ wildest and most difficult year.
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