We have started our 2015 racing trail and though we had to make a slight adjustment to our vacation travel plans to southern California, just to get that first race under our belts, we are glad we did! We visited Cocopah Speedway for an IMCA Winter Nationals race on February 13...yes, Friday the 13th, at the great facility located near Yuma, Arizona, and right outside of the small town of Somerton, Arizona. It's a 3/8 mile track that sits right across the street from the Cocopah Tribe's casino and resort. They took over the facility in 2010 after it had sat idle since 1999 when it was known as the Yuma Speedway. The Tribe reopened the refurbished track---a state-of-the-art motorsports facility with a new scoreboard, new victory lane, good lighting and cement grandstands with wide seating, and good concession stands. We were very impressed with the facility. We were also pleasantly surprised at the track prep and the way the track held together, as we expected it to be a dusty, gritty night of racing. It was not. The track took on rubber, and stayed smooth.
There were four divisions of IMCA racing on this night. The IMCA Modifieds, Stock Cars, Northern SportMods and Hobby Stocks. The Stock Car, SportMod and Hobby Stock classes were mainly local racers, but we were happy to see a nice field of 59 Modifieds with familiar names from across the country.
The Hobby Stock 20 lap feature went to Leonard Manos piloting the #48 hot rod. Manos is from nearby Yuma, as were second place, Leonard Jones, third place Tim Whitehead, and fourth place Mason Morris. Fifth went to Wayne Rebello from Alpine, California. We watched a Canada driver, Scott Shaw from Red Deer, Alberta, try his darnedest to have a good finish after a successful run at the previous weekend's first round of IMCA Winter Nationals with a second one night, and a win the other night. He had misfortune with an early flat tire, retired to the pits, and tagged the field a lap down. He FLEW through the field of cars, passing car after car. A yellow flag sent him again to the back with what we thought perhaps put him on the lead lap, but even after passing all the field except for the leader, he was still only scored in seventh place. It was impressive to see him pass all of the cars a second time though.
The IMCA Stock Cars are sanctioned for the first time this season at the track. Thirteen of the cars were in competition. Unlike the Hobby Stocks being dominated by local area drivers, the Stock Car 20-lap main event went to a Minnesota driver and one we were familiar with.....Andy Altenburg. Altenburg led all 20 laps of the feature, being challenged a few times by another racer from the Northern country....Green Bay, Wisconsin's Jon Courchaine. Altenburg held on, outlasting Courchaine's challenges as they crossed the finish line 1-2 respectively. Third went to Tony Hill, fourth was Manny Baldeviez and Jimmy Davey was fifth. The following night, we learned that Altenburg and Balderviez were challenging each other for the lead in the A main, when contact was made and Altenburg ended up on his lid. He was okay.
Fourteen Northern SportMods tried their hand on the 3/8 oval. Again, these were mostly area drivers competing. Chris Toth and Nick Spainhoward swapped the lead several times, with Spainhoward opting for the high line, while Toth kept it low. Toth won the battle at the checkers for the win, outlasting Spainhoward. Toth hails from Holtville, California, Spainhoward is from Bakersfield, California. Spainhoward just missed out on the National IMCA Northern SportMod title in 2014. Both drivers drove an excellent race on the shiny, rubbered over track. Third place went to Yuma's Miles Morris, fourth was Sean Callens, another California driver, as was fifth place's Corey Clayton.
There was an excellent field of 59 IMCA Modifieds for the first night of round two for the Winter Nationals. Drivers from scattered points across the country were on hand, as well as representatives from Canada. They ran six heats and three B mains. Heat winners were Tyler Mecl (Arizona), David White (Yuma, AZ), Shawn Strand (ND), RC Whitwell (Tucson, AZ), Jeff Taylor (Arkansas) and Dylan Smith (Nebraska). The B Mains went to California's Alex Stanford, Bryan Burnes, another Californian, and Iowa's Ryan Ruter.
By the time the 25-lap Modified A main was taking the track, it was still a wonderful 72 degrees---in February,--- and these two Iowans were loving it! Tyler Mecl and RC Whitwell were sitting on the front row, with a strong field chomping at the bit behind them. Whitwell established a comfortable lead quickly, maneuvering the slick track easily. The real race was for second place as Shawn Strand and Jeff Taylor were duking it out. I can recall only one yellow slowing the action during this 25-lap battle, showing that the field really knew how to race the slick, racy track. RC Whitwell, maintained his lead the entire feature, taking the win in easy fashion. Strand held off Taylor as they finished second and third respectively. Fourth was Tyler Mecl and Dylan Smith, the Osceola, Nebraska former IMCA National Champion, rounded out the top five.
We roamed the pits before the races, and visited with some of the racers. One was Iowa's own "Flying Banana", Mike Jergans, who came from Plover, Iowa and Hunter Marriott from Brookfield, Missouri. Marriott is the young hot shoe we see so often racing back in Iowa, especially during the early race season, and he told us he was planning on doing it this year also. Other familiar faces we see race especially at the IMCA Super Nationals or the Harris Clash, were Scott Drake, Tim Ward, Zane DeVilbiss, Paul Stone, Mike Wedelstadt, Sherman and Christy Barnett, Marlyn Seidler, Eric Center, Ricky Thornton, Jr., Phil Penney (who still lists Percival, Iowa as home), Randy Brown, Jason Briese, Cleghorn, Iowa, and Aaron Spangler. Scott Drake was piloting the 2014 Super National's winning car that Kyle Strickler had driven.
We also caught up with the Speed Shift TV crew of Chet Christner....who was on the mic for the night, and camera man Darren Shanley. Thanks for the plug for Positively Racing, Chet! It was nice to visit with the two of them, so far away from our stomping grounds. We can't forget to mention that we had a wonderful experience at the track, enjoying it all with IMCA's Western Regional Director, Paul Vetter, and partner Vicki Johnson. It's always an enjoyable and entertaining time whenever we spend it with those two! Thanks for the fun times and for giving us a heads up on the races at Cocopah.
We continued on our way to California the following morning, and for the next nine days, had a wonderful time in the Newport Beach area with son, daughter-in-law and two grandkiddos. Yes, we did the Mickey Mouse thing....a couple of times, but also loved the beaches, and time away from the cold back in Iowa. We did have to avoid the predicted snowstorm in the New Mexico, Texas area on our travels home, but stayed ahead of it by driving LONG distances for two days! We arrived home just in time to have it hit here at home! Welcome back to Iowa, huh!!
Hopefully, things will start looking up weather wise around here soon. Right now, we are thinking our first racing in Iowa will be at the Lee County Speedway in Donnellson on March 27 and 28, for the 3rd Annual Spring Extravaganza. Come on Mother Nature.....be kind!
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