Jeff Montgomery wins Saturday night Daffodil Cup race

Daffodil Cup A Main night two 2nd place Andy Alberding

Daffodil Cup A Main night two 3rd place Matt Hein

Scott C » Sun Aug 21, 2011 5:04 pm

Quick qualifier “Hurricane” Jeff Montgomery nearly lapped the entire seventeen car field Saturday night on his way to a most convincing win. Montgomery first demonstrated his car’s unbelievable speed in his heat race separating himself from the next competitor by nearly three seconds in just eight laps which included a red flag for Todd Coleman and Guy Barrett coming together entering turn three.

Montgomery had this to say of his runaway win, “ I had a really good car, they’re fun to drive when they’re like that eh. The car I had last night wasn’t very fun to drive. We were pretty frustrated when we left here last night, but we worked hard on it today, changed a whole lot of stuff and got it right so its good. It feels good when its like that.”

2nd place finisher Alberding commented, “Jeff (Montgomery) was on a rail and we didn’t have anything for him. The car was really good before the first caution but even then I think we were both saving tire. I don’t think we’d have anything for him anyway, he was a rocket.” Andy continued, ”I’m happy with tonight’s second, felt like we ran a good second place, didn’t lose it at the end anyway so it didn’t hurt as bad, at least we were never really there.” About the last caution on lap 46 Andy went on to say,”I didn’t really want that last caution. I tried to learn from last night, I knew Scott (Aumen) was going to the outside and there was a bunch of lapped cars there so I tried to get up there beforehand so I didn’t get hung out to dry there. It seemed to work out, I never heard him back there but I figured they were there. I’m happy, that’s three second places in a row here after crashing out for eight years in a row.”

3rd place finisher Matt Hein about the two race series that makes up the Daffodil Cup had this to say, “Glad to be going home in one piece. My car was okay, it wasn’t that good after the 2nd yellow.” About the Championship points race Hein commented, “Should’a had a little bit bigger points lead than we had. Going into Meridian and Roseburg, tracks I’m not good at I’d like to have had a little bit bigger one.”

Going into the A Main Montgomery started tenth in the field as a result of a ten car invert. Within the first five laps Montgomery had moved from tenth up to fifth and would continue to gobble up cars. By the eight lap he had moved around the #98h of Matt Hein into third setting his sights on the #76 of Andy Alberding. The first of two cautions flew with ten laps completed for the #4 of Greg Middendorf. Middendorf came into turn one too hot. The #25z of Chris Schmelzle was just ahead forcing Middendorf to brake hard to avoid Schmelzle causing the car to spin. With a double file restart the current leader #14 of Matt Mansell chose the inside. That put Alberding on the outside, Hein behind Mansell and Montgomery on the outside. On the restart Montgomery drove around both Hein and Alberding to take over second. Just a few short laps later Montgomery would take the lead from Mansell starting his relentless drive to lap the field. Montgomery would put a lap up through the seventh place car #91 of Darren Yates. Only a timely caution with forty-six laps complete would keep #25j of Sierra Jackson on the lead lap. The second caution flew for Schmelzle brushing the outside wall on the front stretch, trying to keep the car high but he had effectively lost his steering due to the front panhard bar breaking. He came to rest low in turn one. Because of a quick response by NSRA officials the yellow was out in time to get the field slowed down allowing the other cars to avoid Schmelzle.

With just four laps to go the field reformed this time single file. Montgomery in the lead. In four quick laps he was able to build up a four and a half second lead over 2nd place Alberding to take the checkered flag. The “hurricane” simply blew away the field this night !

The three championship points leaders battled to finish as well as they could to either protect or gain in their points positions. Alberding, starting 6th worked his way up to 2nd , holding that spot to the checkered flag. Hein, starting 8th pointed his nose forward to the 3rd spot at the checkers. Jackson started 7th finishing 6th, the last car on the lead lap. She did not have the handling the other two did. Jackson found herself battling consistently with Yates for 6th, that position swapping cars more than once.

Friday night’s winner #44s of Scott Aumen started 9th and moved forward to fourth over the course of fifty laps but didn’t seem to have quite the same car as the previous night. He was able to advance but didn’t show the same quickness this night. The caution on the 46th lap sealed his fate for a repeat win. Lapped traffic holds their positions under a caution keeping Aumen many cars back from the leader. In the last four laps Aumen could not advance around Hein or Alberding to even attempt challenging Montgomery.

Heat 1 produced what many would consider the best finish of the night. Both Hein and Alberding were in this Heat Hein starting 5th, Alberding 4th. The #2 of Randy Vincent sat on the pole for the eight lap race. Hein immediately started his move forward dispensing with Alberding, #4 Greg Middendorf, and #V23 Darren Spiers. By lap six Hein was challenging the leader Vincent. For nearly two laps Hein went after Vincent. Coming off turn four on the outside Hein got a great run on Vincent to take the checkered flag just eight thousandths of a second ahead ! It was the closet, most exciting race of the day.

Heat 2 had the previous nights Main event winner and the one favored to win. #44s of Scott Aumen did not disappoint. Starting last in the six car field he powered his way to the win. #25j Sierra Jackson started fifth in this race but could only move up two spots to hold the 3rd position at the finish. With two laps complete the #15 of Rob Scott tapped the outside wall coming off turn four causing a caution. Scott’s car was removed from the track to allow racing to continue. With six laps complete a spirited battle between #14 Matt Mansell and Jackson caused the second caution. The two tangled going into turn one, Mansell on the outside spun and backed into the outside wall ending his race. Under green again with only two laps to go Aumen held a commanding lead, #25z Chris Schmelzle secured 2nd, Jackson 3rd, #7 Mark Fisher 4th.

Heat 3 produced the most extensive carnage of this night. Montgomery was seeded into this heat giving the first glimpse to the capacity crowd just how dominating he would be later in the evening. Montgomery started last in the six car field swiftly moving through the field to take over first. With just one lap complete #44c Todd Coleman and #42 Guy Barrett tangled down the backstretch just at the entry to turn three bringing out the red flag. Both slammed the outside wall with substantial damage to the cars. Barrett’s car suffered the most extensive damage very nearly flattening the entire left side of the car. Coleman’s car received somewhat less damage, tearing the main wing from the car, damaging the front axle as well. Coleman had borrowed a main wing from Mansell’s team for tonights racing, his car having damage from Friday nights racing. Both drivers exited their cars without help, both found to be okay. After the race Guy Barrett commented, “ Thank goodness for the Hans device, I don’t think I’d be standing here without the Hans device.” On the restart Montgomery was already in 2nd, coming out of turn two he took over the lead never looking back. In the remaining laps he distanced himself from 2nd by nearly three seconds, coming close to lapping the fourth place car.

The A Dash had the four quickest qualifiers with #42 Guy Barrett on the pole, #98h Matt Hein second, #44s Scott Aumen third, #33j Jeff Montgomery fourth. In the four quick laps only the top two exchanged positions, Hein trading places with Barrett to take the win.

A Dash trophy winner Matt Hien

The B Dash contained #84 Marty Venoit, #4 Greg Middendorf, #25z Chris Schmelzle, #44c Todd Coleman. The first start was too uneven for the flagman, so the field was recalled for a second start. The second time the start was good, the field staying the same over the four laps. Venoit took the checkers by a half second over Middendorf.

B Dash trophy winner Marty Venoit

Of the many cars damaged from the previous night’s racing most were made ready for tonight’s racing. Only the #2L of Ron Larson and #51 of Jeff Bird would not be able to make the call. Larson found broken roller lifters and valve pushrods after their push to fire. The team had made repairs to the extensive damage not expecting the engine to have damage as well. Bird’s team made a monumental effort to get their car race ready but just could not get it all accomplished in time. Their team called it quits after missing qualifying as Bird was also running a car in the non wing sprint car class as well as the #51 winged sprint car. Additionally, the #94 of Merv Barcelo retired his car after finding metal particles in the engine oil.