All American Speedway crowns Champions for 2010

Lambert, 2010 Street Stock Champion, McGinnis/Paulson 2010 Bomber Champions at AAS
Special tribute for victims, friends, family, and first responders of 9/11

Roseville, CA - (September 11, 2010) - The final night of regular weekly Saturday night racing at All American Speedway crowned the 2010 Street Stock champion (Chris Lambert), and the 2010 Bomber champion (Jim McGinnis/Chris Paulson) in Roseville on Saturday.  

2010 NASCAR Whelen All American Series Late Model champion Matt Scott broke the track record with a qualifying lap of 13.650, and won the first Twin 44 Late Model race, giving him eight wins for the 2010 season. 

The track also paid tribute the to the victims, friends and family members, and first responders of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.  The Sacramento Ironworkers Local 118 brought a piece of steel from an "I" beam from the World Trade Center Towers which was given to them by the New York Ironworkers Local 40.  The Roseville Fire Department brought out their big ladder truck with a handful of firefighters

In the first Twin 44 Late Model race the invert was eight. Chunn and Mawhinney  bounced back and forth leading for a few laps while Scott was skillfully making his way through the pack. He and Chunn got together on lap 12 in turn two, but there was no damage done and they both continued.  Mawhinney held the lead until lap 22, when Juan Pitta passed him for first.  Scott worked his way back up to second and it became a battle for the lead between Pitta and Scott. On a restart on lap 37, Scott took the lead from the outside in turn two and the huge contingent of Matt Scott fans at the track cheered wildly from the stands.  Scott went on to take the checkered flag, followed by Pitta, Zane Lovelace, Mawhinney and Chunn.

In Street Stock racing, Mel Wilson led the field at the green, but Byron Gonzales got by him for lap two.  Gonzales led until lap 19 when Lambert took over the lead. Mickey Owens was in third and in hot pursuit of Gonzales.  Owens passed Gonzales and then took the lead from Lambert on lap 28.  Lambert took it back on lap 30.  On lap 32, Owens was back leading and took the checkered flag over Lambert by a nose. Lambert and Owens had the fans on their feet racing side-by-side for about 25 laps of the 35-lap race.  

Lambert was crowned the 2010 Street Stock champion after the race, but talked more about the great battle between him and Owens during the race.  "When I cleared Gonzales, I saw Mick floating right behind Gonzales.  I could see him when he cleared Gonzales and I'm thinking, I know him and he's going to try to go on the outside and he did.  I'm like, all right, come on, lets do it," Lambert said.  "I held him off for about 10 laps and I thought I might be able to keep holding him off.  We got in to lapped traffic and Mick was able to get between them for the win.  It had to be exciting to watch.  That's why we all come here.  That's what this [racing] is about."  Wilson came in third, Gonzales fourth, and Matt Cockrum fifth.

Dan Jinkerson won the Modified race when it was called on lap 26.  Jinkerson led from start to finish in what proved to be a very strong car.  "We've been close in the past few races, but this is our first win for the year," Jinkerson said.  "Thanks to my family, I am able to do this.  They put in a lot of time with me in the shop.”  Jinkerson was the 2006 Modified champion at AAS, but took a few years off to do family things and build a new car.  "The plan was to come out in the last half of the year and shake the car down and get it ready for next year," he said.  It looks like he has a good start for 2011.

The race got crazy on lap 17 when Scott Winters and Jason Philpot made contact down the backstretch spinning Winters.  Philpot was sent to the rear.  Winters exited the track, but came back on before the green.  On a restart on lap 23, Winters and Romano got together on the backstretch and then Josh Brock hit them both, sending a wheel flying off Brock's car down the track.  Brock and Winters were done for the night.  

Meanwhile on the front stretch, another crash was happening between several cars including David Crouch, Nick Lyons, and Jason Bamberg.  Right after that, Nick Bonachea broke and hit the wall on the backstretch, taking Kyle Dickerson with him.  Both drivers suffered some injuries and were taken to the hospital by ambulance.  Dickerson was complaining of major pain in his stomach and groin, and Bonachea complained of back pain.  The track was under red and the race was called on lap 26.  Nik Romano came in second, Rick Anderson third, Jason Philpot fourth, and Ryan Peter fifth. 

In Bomber racing, Erick Ray won his third Bomber race this year, and Jim McGinnis was crowned the 2010 Bomber champion.  Ray led all 30 laps of the race, but had to do some great manuvering to keep Matt Camp from passing him.  "It's great to get back to the Winner's Circle," Ray said.  "We worked hard on the car and got some new tires and that helped a lot."  Ray finished sixth in Bomber points. 

McGinnis, who blew a motor last week, didn't finish Saturday's race because of car problems.  "It feels great to win the championship," he said.  "I blew a motor last week so I had to put in a new motor for this week, and so the car wasn't up to what it usually is.  It's been a long time since I won a championship.  My last one was in 2000, so it feels really good to get this one."

In the second Twin 44, the invert was four with Mawhinney starting from the pole and Zane Lovelace starting on the outside of row one.  Lovelace's car was strong and took the lead on lap one.  Scott moved up from third and took the lead on lap nine.  Then came some thrilling side-by-side racing between Scott and Lovelace, with Lovelace taking the lead back on lap 17.  On lap 34, Scott got the lead again.  Scott and Lovelace were racing side-by-side coming out of turn two on lap 37 when they got together and Scott spun.  Lovelace's car suffered some front-end damage.  On the restart, Scott was in eighth position and Lovelace in 11th.  Pitta took the lead with Mawhinney right on his bumper.  Pitta was able to hold Mawhinney off and take the checkered flag. 

"It feels awesome," Pitta said.  "I felt like I kind of got snookered in the first race.  Luck was on my side for the second race.  God returned a favor.  The car was better in the first race.  We struggled a little bit in the second race because the car was tight.  Matt [Scott] did a good job and he is a hell of a champion."  Mawhinney finished second, Cody Hodgson third, Thomas fourth, and Scott fifth.

Scott was disappointed for his team when he didn't win the second Twin 44.  "It really should have been two tonight.  I feel bad for the team.  We kind of got that one taken away from us, but that's racing.  You come out here knowing stuff can happen.  I can't thank the crew enough."

Next Saturday, September 18, the All American Vintage Classic will be held.  There will be NCMA and Legends of the Pacific racing.  The following weekend, September 23-25, will be the All American Classic Open Show.  On October 16, the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West will race at All American, and a 200-lap Enduro Pumpkin Smash race is scheduled for October 30th.  For more information go to: www.allamericanspeedway.com.