Hessing, Miller Earn Victories

Long Beach’s David Hessing and Palm Desert’s Rick Miller split the Southern California Auto Club Late Model twin 40-lap main events in front of 4,694 fans at Irwindale Speedway on Saturday night.

Hessing led wire-to-wire to win his first race of the season.

Riverside’s John Lathrop took second. Miller finished third, followed by Palm Springs’ Deryk Ward and Brian Kelley of Arleta. By virtue of their finishes in the first race, Ward and Lathrop moved into the top two spots in the series points race.

In the second race, Hessing, starting in the ninth position, quickly worked his way up to second place, as he, Miller and Ward slugged it out for the lead. Miller was able to hold off Hessing and Ward for his first career win in the Late Model class.

Lake Elsinore’s Frank Steiner won the 50-lap Ultra Wheels Super Truck main event. Grand American Modified pole sitter Dean Kuhn held off a last-minute charge from Roger Carufel Jr. to win the 35-lap Grand American Modified series.

Tony Solorzano

Mike Faria of Reno won the four-lap scratch main event at the speedway motorcycle racing program before 7,800 at the Orange County Fairgrounds.

Gary Hicks of Corona finished second and Bobby Schwartz of Costa Mesa was third.