Mintey Travels Wire to Wire for Saugus Win

Pat Mintey Jr. of Quartz Hill is not even listed among the top 15 drivers in the Saugus Speedway Sportsman division points standings.

Ostensibly, he’d be listed 16th, but the track’s program includes only the top 15 in the standings.

But Mintey, a track rookie, was at the top of the list of competitors at the beginning and end of Saturday night’s 40-lap Sportsman division main event before a crowd of 3,486.

Mintey led from pole to checkered flag to claim his second main-event win of the season in a crash-free race that featured only one change in position among the top four drivers.

“I knew (Will) Harper was back there the whole time. He always is,” Mintey said. “He’s a clean driver; he only bumped me once. But I knew that I had what it takes to beat him.”

Harper, of Tarzana, the division’s points leader, and Dave Phipps of Simi Valley, the two-time defending track champion, finished second and third, respectively.

Keith Spangler of Northridge, who started third ahead of Phipps, finished fourth after Phipps moved ahead of him on Lap 6.

The evening also proved to be a memorable one for Eric Foster of North Hollywood, who won his first Street Stock division oval main event of his four-year career and his second consecutive main event after posting a figure 8 win two weeks ago.

“This one is very special,” Foster said.

Especially considering the disappointment the 29-year-old has suffered.

In the 25-lap oval main event on June 24, Foster held the lead with three laps to go and was ready to claim his first oval win. But a flat front tire forced him to pull out and he finished at the back of the pack.

On Saturday, Foster’s blue and white Chevelle sustained a broken clutch during qualification, making it necessary for Foster’s wife Jennifer to speed through town in search of a clutch plate minutes before the start of the main event.

“I went 80 m.p.h. down Soledad Canyon Road, going in and out of traffic,” she said. “I went into an auto parts store and said, ‘Please help us!’ ”

She returned with the part just in time for her husband to make a quick repair and hit the track.

“We didn’t get to set it or anything,” Foster said. “We just put it in and took off.”

Foster took off past pole sitter Sue Pittinato of West Hills on the opening lap and breezed unmolested to the checkered flag.

Jim Marlewski of Simi Valley finished a distant second with Craig Rayburn of Simi Valley third and Pittinato fourth.

Dennis Andrews of Redlands won his third of four Mini Stock main events this season, passing Tim Mitchell of La Crescenta on the 19th lap of the 25-lap race.

In other races, John Lindley Jr. of Newhall won the 12-lap Street Stock oval semi-main event to lead four drivers who advanced to the main event. Greg Benner of Whittier, Arnold Fagan of Palmdale and Dale Petty of Agoura also advanced.

Eight-lap Sportsman heat race winners included Larry Krieger of Reseda, Keith Spangler of Northridge and Arlyn Olson of Chatsworth.

Eight-lap Street Stock oval heat race winners included Lindley, Pittinato and Rayburn.

Russ Beckers of Sepulveda won the eight-lap Street Stock figure 8 heat race ahead of Steve Nickolai of Simi Valley and Rayburn.

Eight-lap Mini Stock heat race winners included Mitchell and Pat Dennison of Van Nuys.

Trophy dash winners included John Watkinson III of Canyon Country (Sportsman), Rip Michaels of Arleta (Street Stock oval) and Nickolai (Street Stock figure 8).