Hooper’s 5th-Place Finish Assures Title at Saugus

The boy-prince was crowned king Saturday night at Saugus Speedway.

Lance Hooper of Palmdale, who has been winning fans and races with equal consistency this summer, made it official before 4,710, clinching his first Sportsman points championship in just his second season.

Last year’s rookie of the year, Hooper, 24, finished fifth to eliminate Gary Sigman of Carson, who finished second in the race and is second in the points standings.

For the record, rookie Doug Renno of Canoga Park won the race, his fourth main-event win of the season. The 25-lap Hobby Stock oval main was a doozy for more than one reason.

For starters, points leader Mark Miller of Chatsworth, along with Joey Bolio of Sun Valley and Ron Cerven of Lancaster, combined for one of the season’s more exciting finishes.

Bolio led from Lap 2 and felt no heat until Miller weaved his way to second place by Lap 12. By Lap 20, Cerven had third place.

The race took a wild turn when Cerven sneaked past Miller on Turn 2 of Lap 22, and the three cars rode tightly for the final three laps. But when they came around Turn 4 of Lap 25, Cerven appeared to have the edge, until Bolio shot past him by a quarter-length for what appeared to be a photo-finish win.

But race officials ruled that Bolio had blocked Miller, bumping him to third behind Miller and giving the win to Cerven.

In the 15-lap Jalopy main event, Harrison (Bart) Bartholomew of North Hollywood passed leader Dave Cash on Turn 2 of Lap 13 and raced to his second main-event win. Rookie Joe Heath, who had won three of the past four 40-lap Sportsman main events entering the evening, won the six-lap Sportsman trophy dash.

Other trophy dash winners included Cerven (Hobby Stock oval); Bartholomew (Jalopy); and Russ Wolff of Palmdale (Hobby Stock figure eight).