Santa Maria Raceway
High-flying Daly rallies, wins at Santa Maria
By Stephanie Odom
Santa Maria SpeedwaySANTA MARIA, Calif. (June 26) — Using the high groove to rally after a flat tire, eighth-starting Clay Daly of Watsonville, Calif., swept past Mike Kirby of Torrance, Calif., to take the lead with five laps remaining and went on to his first Super Late Model victory at Santa Maria Speedway. | California weekly results
"I was listening to (sprint car driver) Tim Kaeding in victory lane last night at Ocean Speedway when he said 'Live or die by the high side,' and thought of those words," said Daly who climbed from his car and onto his roof to celebrate in victory lane. "We finally got one, it's been a long time coming. We have two seconds here this year and now a win. I call this place my home track and can't be happier."
Kirby settled for second with Bill Bartels of Marina Del Ray, Calif., in third, using a car powered by the CT525 crate engine. Dino Napier and Cody Barnett rounded out the top five in the unsanctioned weekly event.
Anthony Restad and Chad Reichenbach led the field to the green in the 30-lapper with Restad taking control early as Andy Obertello grabbed second when Reichenbach caught a turn-one rut on the first lap. Daly made progress early but headed to the pits to change a flat tire.
Up front, Restad was still in control and as he worked lapped traffic, he made contact with Carla Laney's slower machine, sending her into the turn-four berm to draw a caution.
On the next caution for a Nick Bartels flat tire, Restad and Obertello managed to get hooked together forcing track officials to disconnect the cars. They were forced to restart on the tail.
That handed the lead to Kirby with Bill Bartels, Reichenbach and Daly in pursuit as eight laps remained.
Daly briefly lost the fourth spot to Napier, but we went to work on the high side, sweeping from fifth to second on the 24th lap and then overtaking Kirby on the next lap, running right up against the wall.
A final caution appeared on lap 27 when Jason Papich stopped on the frontstretch, but Daly went unchallenged to the checkers.
Notes: Daly's Victory Circle Chassis is owned by Pete Van Iderstine and sponsored by AFCO and Nitefly Design. ... His first Santa Maria Super Late Model victory came four days before his 22nd birthday. ... Nick Bartels had three flat right-rear tires in the main event, apparently caused by a bent J-bar. ... Santa Maria hosts USAC Western States Midgets on July 2. ... Super Late Models are back in action July 23.
Santa Maria Speedway: (1) Clay Daly, (2) Mike Kirby, (3) Bill Bartels, (4) Dino Napier, (5) Cody Barnett, (6) Chad Reichenbach, (7) Anthony Restad, (8) Rob Sanders, (9) Nick Bartels, (10) Jason Papich, (11) Steve Drake, (12) Andy Obertello, (13) A.J. Kirkpatrick, (14) Tony Toste, (15) Tommy Malcolm, (16) Carla Laney, (17) Devin Crockett. Fast qualifier (among 18 cars): Restad, 14.354 seconds. Heat race winners: B. Bartels, Reichenbach.
