Fortunate Phipps Prevails at Saugus

In order to win, you can either be skilled or lucky. Dave Phipps of Simi Valley was both Saturday night before a crowd of 4,081 at Saugus Speedway.

Phipps started in the No. 3 position in the Winston 100 Sportsman division double points race and skillfully maneuvered past Tobin Witt of El Cajon, third in points in the Sunbelt region, on Lap 64.

Then Phipps got lucky when points leader Will Harper of Tarzana, who led from the start of the race, spun out on Turn 3 of Lap 92 while coasting with a quarter-lap lead.

Phipps held on to win his third consecutive Winston 100 race and walk away with the race’s $1,200 purse.

“I didn’t think I had a chance to catch Harper. He’s just too fast for me,” said Phipps, who got a standing ovation. “I don’t know what happened to him. I just saw his tires smoke and him spin out.”

Said Harper: “Craig Rayburn turned his wheel into me and the steering wheel jumped from my hands. . . . I didn’t see why there needed to be a yellow flag. I got right back in.”

After the spin-out, Harper was put in the back of the pack.

John Kirby of Ventura passed Steve Nickolai of Simi Valley on Lap 21 and held on to win the 25-lap Street Stock division main event by half a car length.

Kirby started the race in the No. 3 spot and moved into the second position on the fourth lap of the crash-ridden race, which had three yellow flags.

The win was the second of the season for Kirby, who entered the night fifth in the points standings.

“I knew I’d only have one shot at him,” Kirby said. “So I nudged by him on turn 2 and moved in on him on the next turn.”

Nickolai finished second, followed by Rick Crow of Canyon Country, who started in the 13th position, and Greg Brenner of Whittier.

Points leader Craig Rayburn of Simi Valley failed to finish, pulling into the pits on Lap 11.

The race was restarted when Tim Staubs of Littlerock lost a tire before a full lap was completed.

A 25-lap Sportsman division semi-main event was held in order to advance four cars to the night’s featured race, the Winston 100, which was in progress at press time.

Dennis Woolridge of Riverside led from the start to win and was followed in order by Ed Hale of El Cajon, Danny Hornaday of Moorpark and Arlyn Olson of Chatsworth.

Dale White Jr. of Simi Valley blew his engine during the trophy dash, but, driving the car normally driven by Leonard McDonald, also of Simi Valley, White won the 15-lap Street Stock semi-main event and advanced to the main event.

White passed Dale Petty of Agoura on turn No. 2 of Lap 10 and held on to win. Petty finished second.