Canyon Speedway Park
Nick Bartels grabs first career SWDRA victory
By M.J. Anderson
DirtonDirt.com correspondent
Nick Bartels smiles before his feature victory. (Paul Misner)
PEORIA, Ariz. (March 8) — California teenager Nick Bartels won at Canyon Speedway Park for his first career victory on the Southwest Dirt Racing Association. Bartels, 19, earned $1,000 for the 25-lap victory over four-time SWDRA champion Lonnie Parker Jr., polesitter Wayne Noyes, Mark Fowler and the winner's grandfather, Bill Bartels, rounded out the top five. | Slideshow
Bartels survived a first-lap scrape that slightly damaged his car when front-row starter Wes Hall got sideways in turn two, collecting six cars including the eventual winner. The wreck knocked Jerry Fincher out of the race. Bartels moved up to the front row for the restart and got the jump on Noyes at the outset. Parker, restarting in the rear after pitting to make repairs from the first-lap fracas, was up to eighth by the third lap.
A lap-eight caution appeared when Mike Tahtinen, trying to take second from Noyes, spun in turn four. Fourth-running Brad Williams departed on the same lap after losing oil pressure. The caution bunched the field, but Bartels edged away from Noyes on the restart. Parker took third from Fowler before the halfway point, then moved past Noyes and set his sights on Bartels. Three cautions from the 15th lap onward put the low-running Parker in position to challenge, but Bartels stuck with his high groove and won the race to the checkered flag.
Finish: (1) Nick Bartels, (2) Lonnie Parker Jr., (3) Wayne Noyes, (4) Mark Fowler, (5) Bill Bartels, (6) Lonnie Parker Sr., (7) Joey Moriarty, (8) Randy Carder, (9) Steve Ricehouse, (10) Keith James, (11) Stacy Bennett, (12) Lee Hoy, (13) Mike Tahtinen, (14) Keith McKinney, (15) Brad Williams, (16) Wes Hall, (17) Jerry Fincher. DNS: Randy Anderson, Tommy Hussak III.
