Raceway Park crowns champions in several classes

The Daily Inter Lake

The 2005 short-track auto racing season ended last Saturday night with several championships on the line.

Gene Streitz took the fast time, 15:72 seconds, in the Compacts and finished up by winning the main event and the season championship. Kevin Fehr took his first win in the B Heat race, and in the A Heat race it was Dr. Steve Irwin crossing the finish line in first.

In the Hobby Stock Division, Jed Shue came in as the points leader and only needed to complete one lap to hold on to his lead spot. Only 30 points separated Dan Lewis and Josh Robinson for second and third place. Corey Pilsch wound up taking the checkered flag in the 35 lap main for the first time all season. Lewis was next followed by Chad Lundstrom and Robinson. The points leaders stayed the same with Shue, Lewis and Robinson.

Jason Robinson, the track record holder, posted the fast time, 14:17, in the Sportsman Division. Eric Brechel took the win in the trophy dash and Danny Morris won the heat race over Robinson and Dirk Lybeck. In the main, points leader Lybeck finished first with Micah Sampson second and Danny Morris third. Lybeck wound up with 607 points, Robinson was second with 574 and Sampson third, 548.

In the Bomber Division, leaders Randy Vickhammer and Zach Havens both came in with 503 points. Zach Mongan, 479, was third.

Vickhammer took the fast time, 16:74; Derek Brooks won the dash; Mongan claimed the slow heat and Josh Sagen won the fast heat.

When the main event started, Vickhammer had an eight point lead. Ryan Troutline took the checkered flag in the main with Vickhammer second and Bill McCallum third. Vickhammer claimed the title. Havens took second for the year followed by Mongan in third.

The Flathead Legends were the last main event of the night. Jake Grosswiler, who lost two engines the previous weekend, claimed the main over Sampson and Alex Lessor. Tim Corbett had his best finish of the year with a fourth and rookie driver Tyler Corpron came in fifth.

The top three points leaders for the season in the Bandoleros Division are John Hillicker, 382, Trevor Delay, 344, and Wrango West, 340.

The 2005 awards banquet is Oct. 15th at WestCoast Hotel starting at 6 p.m. Tickets are $20 and available at Total Speed and Performance or by calling 257-RACE.

Visit the following Web site www.montanaracewaypark.com for more information.