Phipps Wins at Saugus Before 5,048

Dave Phipps of Simi Valley slipped by Larry Krieger of Reseda on Lap 3 of the 40-lap Sportsman Main Event and went on the win the feature before a season-high crowd of 5,048 Saturday night at Saugus Speedway.

Defending champion Will Harper of Tarzana, the season points leader, edged by Krieger on Lap 37 to finish second. Krieger held on for third and Lance Hooper of Palmdale placed fourth.

In earlier events, John Covan of Simi Valley withstood two yellow flags and a red flag to win the Sportsman 15-lap semi main by nearly a straightaway over Jerry Bosson of Simi Valley, and Joe Barreras Sr. of Canyon Country led from start to finish in the Hobby Stock oval 12-lap semi main.

Eight-lap heat-race winners included Krieger (Sportsman), Russ Wolff of Glendale (Hobby Stock figure-eight), Scott Dinger of Simi Valley (Jalopy) and Gerald Gledhill of Reseda (Hobby Stock).

Fastest qualifying times were posted by John Cran of Reseda in the Sportsman class (16.87 seconds; 71.13 m.p.h.), Mike Mandel of Arleta in the Hobby Stock division (19.54; 61.41 m.p.h.) and Richard Smith of Reseda in the Jalopies (20.75, 57.83 m.p.h).

Trophy-dash winners included Cran (Sportsman), Wolff (Hobby Stock), Jeff Holmes (Jalopy); and Shannon Flavin of West Hills (Hobby Stock figure-eight).

Holmes and Smith battled well ahead of the field in the 15-lap Jalopy main event before Holmes, seventh in the points standings, held off Smith to win. However, Smith later was disqualified and Jerry Carfley of Mission Hills was moved into the runner-up position.

In the 25-lap Hobby Stock main event Oliver Aguilar, who had failed to finish in two previous tries this year, passed Flavin on the backstretch of Lap 14 and went on to an easy win. Flavin, fifth in the season points standings, finished second and Wolff was third.