Record Crowd Sees Sigman Win Grand Am : Auto racing: Carson driver posts his first victory in the division during a mishap-filled evening at Saugus Speedway.

Fireworks came before and after the final checkered flag of the evening Saturday night at Saugus Speedway.

Before an all-time record crowd of 6,925, Gary Sigman of Carson (Grand American Modified), Jeff Saelid of San Dimas (Street Stock oval), Chuck Berry of Woodland Hills (Hobby Stock oval) and Rock Ake Jr. of Moorpark (Mini Stock) posted main-event victories.

The crowd broke the record set last July 4.

But before spectators were treated to a program finale that included a 29-car destruction derby and 25 minutes of fireworks, they witnessed racing mishaps that featured two loose wheels, a flying car door and a barrel roll by Street Stock driver Scott Roark.

No one was injured. Roark, in fact, returned from the pits to finish the Street Stock oval main event, then went on to finish second to Saelid in the 15-lap figure-eight main event for Hobby Stocks and Street Stocks.

In the 30-lap Grand Am main event, Sigman moved into the lead to stay on the 14th lap after a spin involving leader Rusty Stewart of Redondo Beach and Dave Blankenship of Reseda.

Both drivers, battling for the lead for several laps, were penalized for rough driving and sent to the rear of the grid.

Dave Phipps of Simi Valley, a close third when the spin occurred, was black-flagged to the pits because of a fluid leak.

Sigman immediately moved from fourth to first and easily outdistanced Johnny Lathrop of Riverside to the checkered flag.

The win was Sigman’s first Grand Am main-event victory of the season to go with one Sportsman main-event win.

“Last time out, we didn’t run because we didn’t think we could be competitive enough,” said Sigman, who entered the evening fourth in points. “It was working really good tonight, about as good as it’s ever been.”

Saelid’s victory in the 25-lap Street Stock main event was his first of the season after three second-place finishes and two thirds. Roark led from almost the start, but went belly-up in Turn 2 of the seventh lap.

The race also was stopped after a door from the car of Kevin McAdoo of West Hills flew onto the track.

Points leader Ron Cerven of Palmdale finished second and Eric Sunness of Canyon Country took third.

Ake’s victory also was his first of the season after he won the division championship last season. Ake moved ahead of Chuck Jezulin of Redondo Beach with two laps to go in the 20-lap race. Jezulin finished second and Rick Pianelli of Downey finished third.

The 15-lap Hobby Stock oval main event was stopped after 14 laps when Yagel Berkovitz of Burbank slammed into the back straightaway wall, triggering a red flag. Three laps earlier, Brett Myers of Simi Valley pulled into the infield after flames erupted from under his hood. The race also featured two loose wheels rolling down the back straightaway after a crash.