Friendly rivalry highlights weekend racing action at Capitol Speedway

WILLOW — A friendly rivalry started to heat up over the weekend as stock car driver Ralph Gobert picked up several key wins to cut into Dean Nelson’s overall series points lead at Capitol Speedway in Willow.

Gobert, who introduced Nelson to the sport last year, picked up wins in Saturday’s 100-lap, double points race, then took two of four heats Sunday to narrow Nelson’s lead to 104 points.

“I have to race now,” Nelson said Sunday. “My cushion is gone.”

Nelson has lead the stock car division from the opening day, and was 135 points clear of Gobert when Saturday’s day of racing began.

But Gobert was able to hold off Willow’s Linden Fyfe in 100-lapper, taking the checkered flag while Nelson slipped to sixth. On Sunday, Gobert won the trophy dash and first heat before mechanical difficulties pushed him to the back of the pack for the second heat and main event, which Nelson won to help cut his losses. Fyfe nabbed three seconds and a third Sunday, and is now 143 points out of the lead.

Nelson, an Anchorage real estate agent, said he got into stock cars after Gobert — last year’s series points champion — moved in next door.

“He got me into a car,” Nelson said.

Nelson’s racing background is in motocross, but after winning a number of state championships in that sport, he had to retire after open-heart surgery.

“I can’t crash a dirt bike anymore,” he said.

Nelson credited Gobert with helping him get his start, but said advice has been slower in coming now that he’s challenged Gobert’s place at the top of the standings.

“He quit helping me after a while,” Nelson said with a grin.

Gobert has raced two fewer days this season than has Nelson, meaning it’s a good bet the points race could continue to get more heated as the season wears on.

“I had a slow start, but I’m moving up,” Gobert said.

In addition to Gobert, Nelson also credited his crew chief, Gary “Frog” Keller, with helping him get to the top of the standings.

“I’m not a mechanic, and without Gary I could not do this,” he said.

While things in the stock car division are getting close, it’s been that way all season in the mini stocks, where Kory Madsen is clinging to an 11-point lead over Dale Brummer. Both Madsen and Brummer skipped this weekend’s races, allowing Fred Lloyd to close the distance in third place with three second-place finishes on Sunday. Lloyd is 118 points out of the lead. Jake Baker swept all four races Sunday and is now in fourth.

Hobby stocks points leader Brian Vaughan won once on Saturday and twice Sunday and now leads Nicholas Herdina by 168 points. Herdina won three of four races Saturday, while fourth-place driver Gary Spain won twice on Sunday.

Houston High senior-to-be Regina Spain is in third in the hobby stocks, but had a rough day on Sunday, rolling her car twice during the main event.

Spain survived her wild wreck with just a minor scratch on her shoulder, which she iced down following the race with a cold can of soda.

“That’s the first time I’ve ever rolled a car,” Spain, 17, said.

This is Spain’s first year behind the wheel at Capitol, but she said the scary accident won’t keep her off the track.

“That was exciting,” she said. “I just happy I’m okay. Hopefully my car gets put back together.”

In other action at Capitol, James Ross had another big weekend in the pick-up truck class, picking up wins in five of eight races to stretch his lead over Paul Townsend to 301 points. Jeff Wallace leads the 300 sprint division, while John McDonald remains on top in the 360 sprints. Just one sprint race was held Saturday, with Wallace beating Royal Cutway in the 300s. Sprint races were not held Sunday, which served as a make-up for last weekend’s rain-out.

Capitol is planning a big Independence Day weekend, with races set for 6 p.m. Friday at 6 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m. Saturday’s race day will include a small car demolition derby.

North Star, Alaska Raceway Park ready for weekend

MAT-SU — Racing action around the Valley will be explosive over the Independence Day holiday, with races scheduled at both North Star Speedway in Wasilla and Alaska Raceway Park in the Butte.

Drag racing will be held Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Alaska Raceway Park. Friday’s races will include top eliminator, top dragster and points races, Saturday will feature the king of the street and money bracket races, while Sunday will again feature top eliminator, top dragster and points. On both Friday and Sunday, jet drag racer Bruce Andrews will be on hand to show off his jet-powered car.

For more information, visit www.akacewaypark.com

North Star held a full day’s worth of racing Saturday, with three heats contested in all four divisions.

Mini-stocks driver Alex Schwochert was the day’s big winner, sweeping all three heats.

Three other racers won at least two races, with Mike Thomas coming out on top in heat two and the feature finish in the legends class, Keith Jones winning heat two and the feature finish in the thunder stocks and Dana Pruhs winning heat one and the feature finish in the late models. Other heat winners included Tom Lake (legends heat one), Artie Niemi (thunder stocks heat one) and Paul Landes (late models heat two).

North Star also has a big Independence Day weekend planned, with Saturday’s GCI Saturday Night Thunder to feature cash races in four divisions. A $5,000 purse donated by Lud Larson will be split between the late models, legends, mini stocks and thunder stocks.

Gates open at 4 p.m., with qualifying at 5 p.m. and racing at 6:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.northstarspeedway.com

Check Friday’s Frontiersman for a full run-down of the Valley’s weekend auto racing schedule.

Contact Matt Tunseth at 352-2265 or matt.tunseth@frontiersman.com