Teammates Malone, Mattie race to victories

Round 1 - Orange Show Speedway’s Winter Series
Teammates Brian Malone and John Mattie won the twin 25-lap main events and Harry Michaelian Jr. claimed the Stock Cars USA championship as the Orange Show Speedway Winter Series got under way Sunday afternoon. The inaugural event of the four-race series attracted 40 cars and a small but enthusiastic audience to the quarter-mile paved oval at the National Orange Show Events Center, and both the car count and crowd count are expected to increase as the series continues.

Those on hand saw Palm Canyon Contractors teammates Malone, of Grand Terrace, and Mattie, of Highland, post identical wire-to-wire wins in the main events for the series that features cares formerly designated as Pure Stock. Malone finished ahead of Jeff Elder of Redlands and Mark Whitson of Riverside, but was never a factor in the second race as Mattie held off Whitson and Kevin Flores of San Fernando.
Michaelian, of El Camino Village, went into the day with a 70-point lead and a maximum of 100 points available in the final events on the 10-race schedule. He clinched the championship by finishing fifth in the opening race.

 

 

Jimmy Rouse Jr., 14, of San Bernardino, finished ninth in the first race and fourthin the nightcap.
Matt Goodwin of Wildomar got his first main event win in a 25-lap Stock Pony main event that got extremely contentious after race leader Adrianne Murlin of Corona and regular season champion Jim Mardis of Riverside got together as a caution flag waved on lap 11.

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When racing resumed, Murlin expressed her displeasure by slowing in front of Mardis, who ran into the rear of her Ford Pinto, and the damage Mardis sustained in that incident left him unable to recapture the lead after Goodwin surged ahead on lap 15.
Mike Hudson of Garden Grove, a regular at Perris Auto Speedway, made the conversion from dirt to pavement successfully by driving his Honda to the win in the 25-lap Sportsman main, which combined the Sport Compact sedans and Sport Trucks that usually race separately.
Round two, at 1 p.m. on Dec. 17, again will feature the Stock Cars USA drivers. They’ll be joined by the Legend Cars, Bandoleros and Mini-StocKars.
Racing at Orange Show Speedway is sponsored by Leno’s Rico Taco, Blackhawk Protection, CEC Embroidery, Golden West Tire, Lucas Oil, Soboba Casino, Budweiser, Sunoco Racing Fuel, Hoosier Racing Tires, Center Chevrolet, Pick A Part, Neff Rental, Pepsi, Loma Linda University Medical Center, J&M Trophy, Matich Corp., Lazer Radio (101.7 and 105.7 FM), La Salle Medical Associates, California Highway Patrol, KCAL radio (96.7 FM) and the San Bernardino County Sun newspaper.

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ORANGE SHOW SPEEDWAY
Sunday’s results
STOCK CARS USA
Main event 1 (25 laps) – 1. Brian Malone, Grand Terrace, Chevrolet Monte Carlo; 2. Jeff Elder, Redlands, Chevrolet Chevelle; 3. Mark Whitson, Riverside, Chevrolet Monte Carlo; 4. Michelle Rouse, San Bernardino, Chevrolet Monte Carlo; 5. Harry Michaelian Jr., Lawndale, Dodge.

Main event 2 (25 laps) – 1. John Mattie, Highland, Chevrolet Monte Carlo; 2. Whitson; 3. Kevin Flores, San Fernando, Chevrolet Monte Carlo; 4. Jimmy Rouse Jr., San Bernardino, Chevrolet Monte Carlo; 5. M. Rouse.

Trophy dash winner – Kevin Fox, Riverside. Fast qualifier – Malone.
STOCK PONY

Main event (25 laps) – 1. Matt Goodwin, Wildomar; 2. Jim Mardis, Riverside; 3. Bill Hoagland, Alpine; 4. Dave Fox; 5. Joe Bubbico, Perris.

Heat race winners – Adrianne Murlin, Corona; Hoagland. Trophy dash winner – Mardis. Fast qualifier – Hoagland.
SPORTSMAN

(Sport Trucks and Sport Compacts)

Main event (25 laps) – 1. Mike Hudson, Garden Grove, Honda; 2. Jered King, Victorville, BMW 318i; 3. Martin Huizenga, Hemet; 4. Art Ramirez, Walnut, Toyota Celica; 5. Brandon Huizenga, Hemet, Isuzu. 

Heat race winners – Hudson; M. Huizenga. Trophy dash winner – King. Fast qualifier – M. Huizenga.

Source: OSS PR | Photos by Mary Seccord