Desbrow Wins Ventura Mini Stock Main

It looked as if no one was going to get into the winner’s circle of the Mini Stock 20-lap main event at Ventura Raceway on Friday night.

Finally, Marty Desbrow of Ventura, the defending Mini Stock oval champion, emerged from a sloppily driven race to claim his second main event of the season.

Twelve of the starting field of 18 cars were unable to finish either because of mechanical breakdown or rough driving.

Richard Webster of Camarillo took the lead but went out with engine trouble on Lap 6. Bruce Dunson of Santa Barbara held the lead for six laps before Joe Silva of Port Hueneme took the lead on Lap 13. However, on the next lap, Dunson clipped Silva’s rear end and that paved the way for Desbrow to take the lead after the yellow flags had cleared on Lap 15. Kevin Parker of Ventura was second.

Paul Gac of Lancaster and Jim Fay of Los Angeles traded the lead for four laps before Gac took control for good to win the Modified Mini Stock 10-lap main event. Fay was second and Todd Howard of Barstow finished third.

Street Stock eight-lap heat-race winners were Zeke DeRose of Sun Valley, Tom Stephens of Ventura and Lynn Brader of Camarillo. Gary Hubert of Camarillo and Mike Raschke of Ventura each won a heat in the Mini Stocks.

Gac won the Modified Mini Stock heat race and Danny Simkins of Bakersfield and Don Keeter of Ventura drove to heat-race victories in the IMCA Modified division.