RACING ROUNDUP : Daniels Holds Off Streaking Woodside

Sean Woodside’s bid for a fourth consecutive Sportsman main event victory met with stiff competition at Saugus Speedway Saturday night.

Starting sixth, the Saugus resident had three former track champions standing in the way of his winning streak.

After moving past former El Cajon champion Jerry Gay and three-time Saugus Modified champion Kenny Sapper, Woodside did not have enough to overtake former Orange Show Raceway champion Ron Daniels from San Bernardino.

Daniels started on the pole after setting fast time and survived some mechanical difficulties during an earlier trophy dash and a strong challenge from Woodside, the current points leader, in the 40-lap feature race to register his first victory at Saugus.

“This is a tough track to tame,” said Daniels, 37. “This is the hardest track I’ve ever raced at.”

Woodside wound up a close second, while Sapper was a distant third.

“He ran an awesome race,” said Woodside, 23. “I used up my brakes early in the race and I didn’t have enough left. If I had a hat on, I’d take it off to him.”

In the 30-lap Grand American Modified main event, Gary Nazaroff won his first feature race this year.

The Covina resident started on the outside of the first row but quickly moved past pole-sitter Rick Crow of Canyon Country and led every lap.

Three-time defending champion Dave Phipps of Simi Valley moved past Canyon Country’s John Watkinson III on the final turn to finish second. Dave Blankenship of Reseda finished fourth.

Greg Benner went wire to wire to take the checkered flag in the 25-lap Street Stock oval main event and complete a big night.

In addition to his third feature victory of the season, the Whittier resident also posted the fastest qualifying time and won the six-lap oval trophy dash.

John Schultz of Valencia was a distant second, followed by Northridge’s Jeff Drummen and Kirk Miller of Alta Loma.

Schultz came back to win the 15-lap Street Stock figure 8.

Trophy dashes were won by Woodside (Sportsman), Watkinson (Grand Am), Benner (Street Stock oval) and Northridge’s Greg Bratschie (Street Stock figure 8).

Heat race winners include Tim Huddleston of Chatsworth (Sportsman), Canyon Country’s Rick Crow (Grand Am) and Van Nuys residents Steve Gilmore (Street Stock oval) and Jack West (Street Stock figure 8).

In qualifying, fast times were set by Daniels (Sportsman) 16.17; Blankenship (Grand Am) 16.18; Benner (Street Stock oval) 18.64.

John Bower of Northridge won the 15-lap Street Stock oval semi-main event.

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Three strong entries were eliminated at the start of the 20-lap U.S. Auto Club Western States three-quarter Midget main event, paving the way for Richard McCormick of Granada Hills to grab his second victory at Ventura Raceway.

McCormick, who was 10th in the points standings coming into the race, earned the first victory of his career on May 28, also at Ventura.

Two-time winner Marc Hart of Ventura tangled with Kenny White of Ventura 30 yards past the finish line at the start, knocking both cars out of the race.

The accident was caused when the steering broke on Hart’s car, causing him to swerve into White.

Pole-sitter Jim Brusseau of Pasadena led the first seven laps, then yielded to McCormick after getting sideways in Turn 4 while attempting to pass.

Brusseau came back to finish third, behind defending champion J.J. Ercse of Bellflower.

Points leader Rick Atkins of Fullerton added to his lead by finishing fourth.

Bruce Dorn led all but six laps, winning the 20-lap Dwarf Car feature.

After losing his lead on the sixth lap, Dorn got a break when Russ Butland spun on Lap 11, then lost his steering on Lap 12, bringing out the caution flag both times.

Dorn needed less than one lap to take back the lead after the restart.

Jay Drake of Val Verde posted his second career victory in the 30-lap Midget main event.