Manzanita Speedway
Moyer sweeps foes away for $6,000 at Manzanita
By Kevin Kovac
DIRTcar Racing
Billy Moyer pocketed $7,500 on his weekend at Manzanita. (raceimages.net)
PHOENIX, Ariz. (Nov. 15) — Steering problems? No big deal for Billy Moyer in the finale of the Barnett Harley-Davidson Nationals at Manzanita Speedway. The Hall of Fame driver from Batesville, Ark., earned $6,000 as he completed his weekend sweep in Arizona in the Western World Championship. | Saturday's postrace notebook | Slideshow | Friday's coverage
Driving his familiar No. 21, Moyer duplicated his winning effort in Friday night’s 25-lap preliminary feature. He inherited the lead after Jesse Stovall of Galena, Mo., spun in turn four on lap eight and marched on to pocket the finale’s $6,000 top prize in a weekend of non-points racing for the Western Allstars DIRTcar Late Model Series and Southwest DIRTcar Late Model Series.
Last year's race winner Kelly Boen of Henderson, Colo., finished second, about a half-straightaway behind Moyer at the checkered flag. Western Allstars standout Bobby Hogge IV of Salinas, Calif., placed third, followed by Randle Chupp of Troutman, N.C., who drove a car from Boen’s stable, and Stovall. Moyer’s victory was his 21st overall of the 2008 season, matching his trademark car number. His trip to the famed half-mile oval in Phoenix closed out his most successful racing campaign of the decade.
“We started out the year strong in Florida and ended the year strong here, so we can’t be any happier,” said Moyer, who reached the 20-win plateau for the first time since 2001. “Everything’s clicked all year.”
Moyer didn’t cruise to victory lane on Saturday night, however. A power-steering problem made the second half of the feature run a bit more difficult than he would have preferred.
“Something in the power steering went wrong with about 20 (laps) to go,” said Moyer, whose weekend earnings totaled $7,500. “There’s oil all over and the tank’s dry, so a line broke or something. Luckily the track was slick enough where I didn’t have to steer much. I could just roll the center. If (the power steering woes) happened last night when the track was heavier, I don’t think I could’ve held on.”
Boen, who reached second place on lap 36 when he surged underneath Hogge in turn three, made up ground on the struggling Moyer during the final circuits but not nearly enough to mount a challenge.
Boen, 44, certainly acknowledged Moyer’s speed. “I honestly wish I could tell you what we needed to do, but I don’t know,” said Boen, who started sixth in his red No. 07 Rocket Chassis. “I honestly thought my car was as good as it could be, but (Moyer) was just a little better."
Hogge, 31, started fourth and ran second behind Moyer for laps 9-36 before finishing third behind Boen.
Chris Shannon of Merced, Calif., who won the 2008 Western Allstars championship, was a solid sixth-place finisher. Rob Mayea of Bend, Ore., was seventh, followed by Mike Balcaen of Winnipeg, Manitoba, who pitted during a lap-17 caution period, Nick Bartels of El Segundo, Calif., and 2008 Southwest DIRTcar Late Model Series Rookie of the Year Joey Moriarty of Phoenix.
Notes: Moyer's Victory Circle Chassis is sponsored by Banner Valley Hauling, Car City, New Vision Graphics and J&J Steel. ... Moyer, Kelly Boen, Randle Chupp and Jesse Stovall were exempt from running heat races by virtue of their Friday night performances. They ran in the dash along with the top two finishers from Saturday's heats. Chris Shannon won the dash. ... Lonnie Parker Jr. of El Mirage, Ariz., who recorded his fifth consecutive SWDLMS title in 2008, failed to qualify for the feature. He was running second in the third heat race when he slammed the spun car driven by Kevin Nichols of Bakersfield,Calif., between turns three and four, badly damaging the right side of his machine. ... Other non-qualifiers: John Lowery, Tommy Hussak III and Mike Tahtinen. ... The Nov. 22-23 weekend at USA Race Park in Tucson, Ariz., a non-points event for Southwest Series drivers, has been cancelled.
Western World Championship: 1. Billy Moyer, 2. Kelly Boen, 3. Bobby Hogge IV, 4. Randle Chupp, 5. Jesse Stovall, 6. Chris Shannon, 7. Rob Mayea, 8. Mike Balcaen, 9. Nick Bartels, 10. Joey Moriarty, 11. Anthony Madrid, 12. Dean Moore, 13. Rob Sanders, 14. Brad Williams, 15. Matt Michelli, 16. Dino Napier, 17. Mike Kirby, 18. Mark Fowler, 19. Ron Bartels, 20. Mike Stadel, 21. Keith Noyes, 22. Mark Carrell. Fast qualifier (among 27 cars): Shannon, 20.410 seconds. Heat race winners: Moriarty, Balcaen, Shannon. Dash winner: Shannon. Consolation winner: Noyes.
