Sigman Wins His 1st Main at Saugus in ’90

Neither Gary Sigman of Carson nor Keith Spangler of Northridge had won a main event this season at Saugus Speedway entering Saturday night’s feature race before a crowd of 4,256.

So, plenty was to be gained when Sigman--ninth in the division’s points standings--and Spangler (fourth) leaped ahead of the pack on the opening lap.

And, although three lengthy yellow flags and one red delayed proceedings considerably, they did nothing to alter the positions of Sigman and Spangler.

Sigman, who started on the pole for the 40-lap, Sportsman Division main event, went wire to wire for his first victory in two years while Spangler finished second.

“I didn’t think about (starting in front),” Sigman said. “I just thought about driving 40 smooth ones and not making a mistake. I had some tough guys behind me.”

They stayed there. Spangler, who finished second in last season’s points standings, tried unsuccessfully to make several passes. Starting third in the race, his second-place finish also was his best of the season.

Points leader and defending champion Will Harper of Tarzana finished ninth. Dave Phipps of Simi Valley, who entered the evening fifth in the points standings, finished seventh.

In other races, Oliver Aguilar of Sun Valley and Shannon Flavin of West Hills staged a high-speed duel in the 25-lap Hobby Stock oval main event before Aguilar held off Flavin to win.

Flavin started in second position and leaped into the lead on the first lap. He had trouble holding off Aguilar, who moved from the middle of the pack to just behind Flavin by Lap 10. On Lap 13, Aguilar took the lead for good.

The victory was the third in a row for Aguilar who, surprisingly, is not among the division’s top 10 points leaders. Flavin entered the evening fifth in the points standings.

Four drivers held the lead in the 15-lap Jalopy main event, the last being Richard Smith of Reseda for the final six laps. Smith shot past Jeffrey Holmes of North Hollywood on the backstretch of Lap 9 and sped away to the checkered flag.

Holmes, who entered the evening tied for second in the points standings with Smith, led from Laps 5 to 9. John Fleming stole the lead from pole-sitter Harrison Bartholomew of North Hollywood on the first lap.

Eight-lap Sportsman Division heat-race winners included Harper, Phipps and Tom Eurton of Valencia. Charles Reed of Newhall won the eight-lap Hobby Stock figure-eight heat race.