GOMES DOMINATES JM ENVIRONMENTAL 127 FOR $10K PAYDAY DURING ROSEVILLE OPENER
ROSEVILLE, Calif. (March 5, 2022) – Manteca’s Jacob Gomes led wire-to-wire for a $10,000 victory during Saturdays 68th season opener at the All American Speedway powered by Roseville Toyota. Gomes topped the JM Environmental Wild West Shootout 127 for the SPEARS SRL Southwest Tour, part of a six main event program before a strong crowd at the one-third mile. Photo by Don Thompson
Gomes sprinted to a 12.988 second lap in time trials for a new track record in the series. He led the 15 starters to green and never relinquished the top position. The first 38 circuits ran caution free with Gomes leading while Bakersfield’s Buddy Shepherd, Upperlake’s Jeremy Doss, Las Vegas’ Dustin Ash, and Agoura Hills’ Trevor Huddleston jockeyed in a tight formation for second.
The caution fell for Colorado’s Jace Hansen spinning in turn two. Shepherd pitted under yellow and lost three laps in the process. Dan Holtz spun on the restart, requiring a subsequent yellow. The caution fell again on lap 42 when Ash and Doss banged doors into turn one sending Ash for a spin.
Green flag racing followed with a two-by-two battle for fourth while Gomes, Doss, and Huddleston broke away from the pack. 2007 All American Speedway and 2006 SRL champion Eric Schmidt of Roseville faced pressure from a resurgent Hansen. Gomes found himself mired in lapped traffic, allowing Doss to close within a car length of the lead by lap 79. A competition yellow flew on lap 89 after 40 consecutive green flag laps were completed.
Gomes maintained the lead on the restart while Huddleston clamped down on Doss. Both cars had brake rotors glowing and smoke coming off their tires in the long battle. Hansen eventually closed in, snookering Huddleston for third. Gomes claimed the five-figure payday over Doss, Hansen, Huddleston, and Schmidt.
The $5,000-to-win feature for the SPEARS Pro Late Models and NASCAR Berco Redwood Late Models attracted 20 entries from across the west but a familiar winner. Napa’s Dylan Zampa won his seventh Roseville race in the last 12 months with a flag-to-flag lead over the field. The race began with Orangevale’s Calvin Hegje pounding the turn one wall. A series of spins brought out three additional cautions, including two spins for newcomer Ryan Martin. Multiple cars fell out of the event in minor incidents that did not require caution flags.
Zampa motored away from Las Vegas’ Tyler Reif for the victory. Reif’s older brother Tanner finished third. 2021 Berco Redwood Late Model champion John Moore of Granite Bay won a spirited battle with Lodi’s Travis McCullough for fourth as well.
Eureka’s Brandon White led 72 laps to win the California Tank and Pneumatic 75 for the Spears Manufacturing Modified Series. The 18 starters spanned six different states. Lakeport’s Ian Elliott led the opening three laps. White, using a crate motored Modified from the track championship winning Price Racing stable, dove inside Elliott on the backstretch to take the lead on lap four.
Arizona’s William Guevara and Utah’s Jeff Longman tangled in turn four for the first caution on lap seven. Idaho’s Shelby Stroebel and Saugus’ Travis Thirkettle began their battle on the restart, in a duel that would last a majority of the race. Elliott drifted back to sixth after the restart. Kyle Jacks of Las Vegas, Stroebel, Thirkettle, and McCullough battled for the second position by the 41st lap. After a competition caution, Thirkettle went outside of Stroebel to clear him for third.
Thirkettle was unable to overhaul Jacks or reel in White over the final stages of the feature. White took a decisive 2.305 second advantage across the checkered flag for $2,000 over Jacks, Thirkettle, Stroebel, and McCullough.
NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series competitors kicked off their seasons as well on Saturday night. 2021 Riebes Auto Parts Super Stock champion Josh Whitfield of Roseville added to his nine victories from last year by winning the 30-lap opener and taking a trip to Velocity Solar Victory Lane. The exclamation point came on lap 20 when former champion Andrew Peeler and Phil Wilkins mixed it up. The ensuing melee sent Peeler for a spin in turn two where he collected Rancho Cordova’s Gary Eisenhour.
Whitfield drove ahead of Lodi’s Brandon Jones for the win while Peeler came back to finish third. Terry Thomas, Jr. and Wilkins rounded out the top-five.
The largest field of F4 competitors since November 2019 were in action, with 19 cars in the pits and 17 entries accepting the green flag. Citrus Heights’ Dan Cherry crashed hard into the turn four wall to bring out a red flag on lap two. He was uninjured. Rocklin’s John Sproule led the field into lapped traffic by lap eight. Lincoln’s Brandon Frantz drove alongside Sproule and took the lead on lap ten.
Frantz won his second career feature while Sproule held off his championship winning teammate Ray Molina of Roseville for second position. Kameron Bair of Newcastle debuted in fourth over Roseville’s Nathan Cleaver.
Stephen Bazen of Santa Clarita led all 20-laps for the Mini Cup/Bando triumph. The 11-year-old topped Roseville’s Dayton Broyles and Leilani Sprenkel at the finish.
All American Speedway powered by Roseville Toyota returns on April 9 with NASCAR/Berco Late Model Twin 35 lap features plus Jaws Gear & Axle Modifieds, Riebes Auto Parts Super Stocks, F4s, Jr. Late Models, Mini Cup/Bando, and the Riebes Auto Parts Trailer Bash! Tickets and information at www.AllAmericanSpeedway.com
All American Speedway wants to thank @the Grounds for their support along with partners Roseville Toyota, Jaws Gear & Axle, JM Environmental, Sinister Diesel, Riebes Auto Parts, Berco Redwood, AAMCO Transmission & Total Car Care of Auburn, CA, Guaranteed Rate Affinity- James Clark, Kim White Realtor, and A-All Mini Storage for their strong support of All American Speedway. Without competitor support and local community partners, these events would not take place. All American Speedway mandates a sound regulation for all competitors as specified in the track rule book.