Harper Wins Improbable Saugus Sportsman Title

Will Harper of Tarzana capped the celebrated 50th season of Saugus Speedway with a spectacular rally before 3,844 spectators Saturday night to claim his first Sportsman division title.

Harper, 34, finished sixth in the 40-lap main event, the final points race of the season. More importantly, however, Harper finished two positions ahead of pre-race points leader Keith Spangler of Northridge--a value of four points--to edge Spangler by a single point to claim an unofficial track championship.

Spangler entered the evening as the division’s points leader, three points ahead of Harper.

Dave Scheidecker of San Bernardino, not among the top 15 in the points standings, took the checkered flag for his first main-event win of the season.

But the evening clearly belonged to Harper, who started 20th and apparently had been eliminated early in the race.

After seven laps, Harper was out of the race, forced to the pits because of a broken fuel cell after a Turn 2 tangle with Dennis Andrews.

During a lengthy yellow flag, Harper made the necessary repairs to his car and returned to the track in 22nd place. Yet his shot at a first track title seemed, well, shot.

He quickly climbed to 12th on Lap 23, three positions behind Spangler. By Lap 26, Harper was 11th. On Lap 33, Harper made a nifty outside pass around Spangler in heavy traffic to move into eighth position.

For good measure, Harper climbed to sixth and waited out a lengthy red flag while track officials tended to an ailing spectator in the pits.

Tim Martinez of Long Beach won the 12-lap Sportsman semi-main event to lead four drivers who advanced to the main event. Glen Mullins of Valencia, Larry Krieger of Reseda and Chris Peedan of Palmdale also advanced to the main.

In the 12-lap Street Stock oval main event, Leonard McDonald of Simi Valley claimed the checkered flag to advance to the main event. Bruce Tarpey of North Hollywood, Tony Watson of Los Angeles and Kenny Wilson of Lancaster also advanced.

In other races, Frank White of Los Angeles won the eight-lap qualifying race to advance to the Sportsman division’s “Clash for Cash” exhibition.

Eric Foster of North Hollywood and Jim Marlewski of Simi Valley both won eight-lap Street Stock figure 8 heat races. Scott Wade of Burbank won the eight-lap Hobby Stock figure 8 heat race.

Trophy-dash winners included Pat Mintey Jr. of Quartz Hill (Sportsman), Ken Maler of Castaic (Street Stock oval), Gerrit Cromsigt of Palmdale (Street Stock figure 8), Jim Gunnarson of Reseda (Hobby Stock oval), Thad Friday of Reseda (Hobby Stock figure 8) and Scott Harmon of Reseda (Jalopy).