Phipps Discovers New Car Yields Familiar Results

The car was new, but it must have seemed like old times Saturday night for Simi Valley’s Dave Phipps.

Phipps, Saugus Speedway’s three-time defending Sportsman division champion, showcased for the first time his freshly painted, orange and white 1989 IROC Camaro before a crowd of 3,983 at the one-third-mile paved oval.

And just as he did so often last year in his 1980 Buick Regal, Phipps darted into an early lead and sped to the checkered flag.

However, the going was anything but easy for Phipps, who stole the lead from pole-sitter Jerry Bosson of Simi Valley on Lap 6 and was challenged until the end by hard-charging Will Harper of Tarzana.

Harper, gunning for his third consecutive main-event win, stole up on Phipps’ bumper under a yellow flag on Lap 23.

Phipps survived two brief yellow flags and a slight spin in a turn on Lap 34 to win.

“Yeah, I was worried,” said Phipps, who began the evening fourth in the points standings behind Harper. The win was Phipps’ second of the year, tying him with Harper and Keith Spangler of Northridge.

“I just drove as fast as I could,” Phipps said. “I knew I had to be real careful and that Will Harper was going to be fast.”

Said Harper, who nudged Phipps’ bumper for several laps: “A few more laps and I would have beat him.”

Five drivers traded the lead in the 25-lap Hobby Stock oval main event before Shannon Flavin of West Hills crossed the finish line for his division-high second main-event win of the season.

Douglas Strom of Van Nuys (Lap 5) and Scott Wade of Burbank (Lap 11) both were ordered to the pits and forced to surrender the lead under yellow flags after fluid leaks were discovered beneath their cars.

Flavin slipped inside James Kusch of Sepulveda on Turn 2 of Lap 13 and survived two yellow flags to the finish.

In other races, Joe Barreras Jr. of Canyon Country won the 15-lap Hobby Stock oval semi-main event.

Eight-lap Sportsman heat-race winners included Harper, Bosson and Phipps.

Eight-lap Hobby Stock oval heat-race winners included Barreras, Kusch and Thad Friday of Reseda.

Wade won the eight-lap Hobby Stock figure 8 heat race.

Trophy-dash winners included John Watkinson III of Canyon Country (Sportsman), Friday (Hobby Stock oval) and Tom Siebuhr of Sylmar (Hobby Stock figure 8).

Brian Kelley of Arleta, who began the evening atop the Hobby Stock points standings, won the 15-lap figure 8 main event. It was Kelley’s second main-event win of the year.