RACING ROUNDUP : Fourth Place All Phipps Needs to Clinch Title

Dave Phipps highlighted a handful of championship performances at Saugus Speedway on Saturday night.

The Simi Valley resident clinched his record seventh track title--and fourth straight in the Grand American Modified division--with a fourth-place finish in the 30-lap main event.

Robert Rice of Lakewood completed a perfect night by taking the checkered flag in the feature race. He also won the six-lap trophy dash and the eight-lap fast heat race.

Phipps, who finished the night 33 points ahead of second-place Dave Blankenship of Reseda with one night of racing left this season, joined Valencia’s John Schultz, who captured the Street Stock championship.

The final leg of the six-race Sportsman Championship Series also was decided, but results were unavailable by press time due to lengthy delays following an accident two laps into the 75-lap event involving several cars, including series points leader Ron Daniels of San Bernardino and Mark Wilson of Bakersfield.

Daniels entered the race having only to finish within 10 positions of Wilson and Pat Mintey Jr. of Quartz Hill, who were tied for second.

Neither Daniels or Wilson returned to the track once racing restarted.

Schultz clinched the points championship despite finishing fourth in the final 25-lap oval main event of the season. In fact, the Valencia resident had already wrapped up the title by winning the four-lap trophy dash, which moved him 27-points ahead of second-place Kirk Miller of Alta Loma.

Miller wound up winning the oval main event, pulling away for his sixth feature win of the year.

In other racing action, Sal Rose broke the Sportsman qualifying record with a one-lap time of 15.99 seconds.

Pat Mintey Jr. of Quartz Hill held the previous record (16.06) set on April 2, opening night this season.