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Bubba Altig Saves Best for Last in Tuesday Chili Bowl Pre-Qualifying Event
by: Lonnie Wheatley
TULSA, Okla. (January 9, 2007) – The 21st Annual O'Reilly Chili Bowl Nationals
kicked off in most spectacular fashion with Illinois racer Gary "Bubba" Altig
making a dramatic pass in the final corner to win Tuesday night's Warren CAT
Pre-Qualifying 25-lap feature event.
Utilizing the topside of the ¼-mile Tulsa Expo Raceway clay oval, Altig charged
from fourth on a restart with just two laps remaining to nip Jordan Noblitt for
the win at the line. Noblitt, who had just taken command on the 22nd lap, spun
across the finish line after the pair made contact dicing for the point, holding
onto second as a near-capacity crowd roared its approval of the initial Tuesday
night event in O'Reilly Chili Bowl Nationals history.
"I came from last, but on that last restart he (Noblitt) went to the bottom and
I just went high," Altig explained of his monumental triumph. "He was running
high almost the whole race when I was following him and when I saw him go to the
bottom I just hauled it in there as hard as I could and hoped for the best."
While Altig topped the event for Chili Bowl rookies and relative newcomers from
his 13th starting position, it was California lady racer Randi Pankratz that
made a valiant effort to become the first female racer to top a Chili Bowl "A"
Main.
Pankratz earned the pole position for the feature and gunned into the early lead
ahead of fellow front row starter Rafe Essary. Pankratz proceeded to lead the
opening 22 circuits, fending off several challenges before slipping to fifth in
the frenetic final laps.
Pankratz was first challenged by Essary, who was mounting a charge when his
powerplant gave way after seven laps. Jonathan Henry slipped around Noblitt for
second at the midway point and made a run for the lead entering turn one on the
16th lap, only to climb Pankratz' right rear tire and flip into the turn two
fencing.
Tony Roney made his way past Noblitt for second just three laps later, only to
have the move negated for another Henry flip. Henry was done for the night after
the turn four endo.
With just seven laps remaining, Pankratz led the way in front of Noblitt and
Roney with Altig mired back in ninth after a cone violation earlier in the race
that had sent him to the tail of the field.
"I hit the cone, I was running I think tenth and had to go all the way back to
24th," Altig commented of his earlier miscue.
With the top of the track coming into form, Altig pounded the cushion and
climbed to fifth by the time a critical caution that also negated Noblitt's pass
of Pankratz for the point, appeared with 22 laps in the books.
When Joe Wipperfurth flipped a lap later, Altig gained another position when
fourth-runner Jay Ervine stalled his mount. Meanwhile, Noblitt had successfully
charged past Pankratz and was in the catbird seat with a two-lap dash to the
checkered flag awaiting.
Roney and Altig both made quick work of Pankratz on the restart, with Altig then
disposing of Roney as the white flag flew. Altig quickly moved in on Noblitt and
edged ahead by less than a car length aboard the Fontana-powered Bullet
Leasing/Cathy's Manufactured Homes No. 67a Stealth as the checkered flag flew.
"My car was working really good everywhere, I could go top, bottom or middle,"
Altig explained. "I passed a lot of cars on the bottom up until I got to about
sixth, then Noblitt actually showed me the top and that's the only reason I went
to the top."
Noblitt settled for runner-up honors aboard Kevin Noblitt's Ford-powered
Columbus Silgas No. 20n Beast. "Everybody knows in dirt racing that if you want
to protect a position you go to the bottom, so I had to go to the bottom and he
came smoking in there on the high side and he just barely got around me,"
Noblitt commented.
Micro ace Tony Roney took the show position in his Midget racing debut at the
helm of Richard Roney's Fontana-powered Finish Line Fabrication No. 1T Stealth.
Roney commented that, "I think the car worked good on the bottom and I think I
might have had something for these guys, but I'm happy to finish third. It was a
different race, a lot of cars in front of me messed up and blew motors and
wrecked and I'm happy to finish third."
Matt Streeter charged from the 19th position to snare fourth at the line, with
Pankratz settling for fifth. Brian Ramstack raced from 16th to snare sixth, with
21st-starter Adam Trimble, 23rd-starter Billy Osta, Mark Bush and 22nd-starter
Brad Paris completing the top ten.
The top ten, along with eleventh through fifteenth place finishers Samantha
Taylor, Ernie Bartley III, C.J. Sarna, Jeff Griffin and Bill Balog earned berths
in the Wednesday, Thursday and Friday night Qualifying events.
With the triumph, Altig moves on to Friday night's Oklahoma Dodge Dealers
Qualifying card along with Matt Streeter, Adam Trimble, Brad Paris and C.J.
Sarna.
Runner-up Noblitt snared a spot in Thursday night's Bass Pro Shops Qualifying
event along with Randi Pankratz, Billy Osta, Samantha Taylor and Jeff Griffin.
Roney advanced to Wednesday's Creek Nation Casino Qualifying Showdown by virtue
of his third place finish, with Brian Ramstack, Mark Bush, Ernie Bartley III and
Bill Balog also earning Wednesday starting berths.
Ervine, Pankratz, Griffin, Essary, Altig, Henry, Wipperfurth, Joey Fabozzi and
Ramstack each captured heat race wins for the 69-car Warren CAT Pre-Qualifying
field. Garrett Hood and Brian Harvey topped twin "C" Main action, with Streeter
and Balog topping the twin "B" Mains.
Colorado's Dave Scroggs became the official first flip victim of the 21st Annual
O'Reilly Chili Bowl Nationals when he went for a wild ride down the frontstretch
in the evening's third heat race. Other heat race flippers were Jonathan Cornell
and Hood.
Terry Goodwin and Jody Rosenboom both got upside down in the First "B" Main,
with Second "B" Main tumblers including Brian Carter, Dakoda Armstrong, Leroy
Holler and Billy Mentgen.
There were no injuries.
The 21st Annual O'Reilly Chili Bowl Midget Nationals continues with Wednesday
night's Creek Nation Casino Qualifier, with racing action slated to get under
way at 6:15 p.m.
Tuesday Night’s 21st Annual Chili Bowl Nationals Warren CAT Pre-Qualifier
Results:
Heat Races (8 Laps - Top 18 in passing points to A Main; Next 32 to two B Mains;
Balance to C Mains)
Heat 1: 1. Jay Ervine, Litchfield, Ariz.; 2. C.J. Sarna, Palm Desert, Calif.; 3.
Brad Paris, Brownsburg, Ind.; 4. Kellen Love, Lincoln, Neb.; 5. Kaylene Verville,
Avondale, Ariz.; 6. Todd McVay, Lee’s Summit, Mo. DNS - Matt DeWitt, Houston,
Texas; Joe Duvall, Chelsea, Okla.
Heat 2: 1. Randi Pankratz, Atascadero, Calif.; 2. Matt Streeter, Lathrop,
Calif.; 3. Kyle Bellm, Nixa, Mo.; 4. Adam Trimble, Pueblo, Calif.; 5. Brian
Carter, Frisco, Texas; 6. Kellen Conover, Sumner, Ill.; 7. Randy Monroe, Jr.,
Hampton, Va. DNS - Harley Hollan, Broken Arrow, Okla.
Heat 3: 1. Jeff Griffin, St. Helena, Calif.; 2. Mark Bush, Cumming, Ga.; 3.
Cameron Beard, Atwater, Calif.; 4. Austin Brown, Millstadt, Ill.; 5. John
Ricketts, Burleson, Texas; 6. Jody Rosenboom, Rock Rapids, Iowa; 7. Dave Scroggs,
Arvada, Colo.; 8. Jacob Slotten, Menasha, Wis.
Heat 4: 1. Rafe Essary, Farmington, Ark.; 2. Jordan Noblitt, Columbus, Ind.; 3.
Billy Osta, Rotterdam, N.Y.; 4. Chris Walker, Oak Grove, Mo.; 5. Dakoda
Armstrong, Newcastle, Ind.; 6. Eddie Martin, Ada, Okla.; 7. Terry Goodwin,
Phoenix, Ariz.; 8. Leroy Holler, Independence, Mo.
Heat 5: 1. Gary Altig, Mechanicsburg, Ill.; 2. Tony Roney, Herculaneum, Mo.; 3.
Brian Harvey, Hanford, Calif.; 4. Buddy Luebke, Stoughton, Wis.; 5. Jonathan
Cornell, Sedalia, Mo.; 6. Steve Stone, Mesa, Ariz.; 7. Kerry Sandusky, Chicago,
Ill. DNS - 02 Bryon Walters, Beaver Dam, Wis.
Heat 6: 1. Jonathan Henry, Stockton, Calif.; 2. Samantha Taylor, Bonney Lake,
Wash.; 3. Doug McCune, Fort Worth, Texas; 4. Alex Harris, Simi Valley, Calif.;
5. Josh Most, Red Oak, Iowa; 6. Brian Harvey, Hanford, Calif.; 7. Roy Larkin,
Tulsa, Okla. DNS - Kevin Burgess, Stotts City, Mo.
Heat 7: 1. Joe Wipperfurth, Sun Prairie, Wis.; 2. Bill Balog, Layfayette, Ind.;
3. Todd Plemons, Arvada, Colo.; 4. Steve Davis, Norco, Calif.; 5. Dalton Cole,
Pryor, Okla.; 6. Eddie Sauer, Davis, Ill.; 7. Doug DeWitt, Sunnyvale, Calif.
Heat 8: 1. Joey Fabozzi, Norco, Calif.; 2. Ernie Bartley III, El Cajon, Calif.;
3. Todd Kimmel, Avon, Ind.; 4. Tayler Malsam, Sammamish, Wash.; 5. Tom Everhart,
El Cajon, Calif.; 6. Toni Kruck, Copalopa, Australia; 7. Garrett Hood,
Concordia, Kan.
Heat 9: 1. Brian Ramstack, West Bend, Wis.; 2. Billy Mentgen, Arvada, Colo.; 3.
Trish Dover, Springfield, Neb.; 4. Mallory Armfield, St. Joseph, Mo.; 5. Matt
Sargent, San Jose, Calif.; 6. Will Pierce, Lee’s Summit, Mo.; 7. Ryan Ameln,
Hollister, Calif.
C Mains (Top 2 transfer to Back of corresponding B Main)
C Main 1: 1. Garrett Hood, Concordia, Kan.; 2. Terry Goodwin, Phoenix, Ariz.; 3.
Steve Stone, Mesa, Ariz.; 4. Joe Duvall, Chelsea, Okla.; 5. Eddie Sauer, Davis,
Ill.; 6. Matt DeWitt, Houston, Texas; 7. Kellen Conover, Sumner, Ill.; 8. Roy
Larkin, Tulsa, Okla.; 9. Jacob Slotten, Menasha, Wis. DNS - 5K Kevin Burgess,
Stotts City, Mo.
C Main 2: 1. Brian Harvey, Hanford, Calif.; 2. Leroy Holler, Independence, Mo.;
3. Bryon Walters, Beaver Dam, Wis.; 4. Ryan Ameln, Hollister, Calif.; 5. Toni
Kruck, Copalopa, Australia; 6. Doug DeWitt, Sunnyvale, Calif.; 7. Kerry
Sandusky, Chicago, Ill. DNS - Dave Scroggs, Arvada, Colo.; Harley Hollan, Broken
Arrow, Okla.
B Mains (Top 3 advance to A Main)
B Main 1: 1. Matt Streeter, Lathrop, Calif.; 2. Adam Trimble, Pueblo, Calif.; 3.
Billy Osta, Rotterdam, N.Y.; 4. Matt Sargent, San Jose, Calif.; 5. Trish Dover,
Springfield, Neb.; 6. Mallory Armfield, St. Joseph, Mo.; 7. Kaylene Verville,
Avondale, Ariz.; 8. Jonathan Cornell, Sedalia, Mo.; 9. Alex Harris, Simi Valley,
Calif.; 10. Todd Kimmel, Avon, Ind.; 11. Chett Gehrke, Broken Arrow, Okla.; 12.
Josh Most, Red Oak, Iowa; 13. Tayler Malsam, Sammamish, Wash.; 14. John
Ricketts, Burleson, Texas; 15. Garrett Hood, Concordia, Kan.; 16. Jody Rosenboom,
Rock Rapids, Iowa; 17. Todd McVay, Lee’s Summit, Mo.; 18. Terry Goodwin,
Phoenix, Ariz.
B Main 2: 1. Bill Balog, Layfayette, Ind.; 2. Brad Paris, Brownsburg, Ind.; 3.
Dalton Cole, Pryor, Okla.; 4. Chris Walker, Oak Grove, Mo.; 5. Eddie Martin,
Stilwell, Okla.; 6. Doug McCune, Fort Worth, Texas; 7. Austin Brown, Millstadt,
Ill.; 8. Randy Monroe, Jr., Hampton, Va.; 9. Will Pierce, Lee’s Summit, Mo.; 10.
Buddy Luebke, Stoughton, Wis.; 11. Kellen Love, Lincoln, Neb.; 12. Tom Everhart,
El Cajon, Calif.; 13. Billy Mentgen, Arvada, Colo.; 14. Steve Davis, Norco,
Calif.; 15. Leroy Holler, Independence, Mo.; 16. Dakoda Armstrong, Newcastle,
Ind.; 17. Brian Carter, Frisco, Texas DNS - Brian Harvey, Hanford, Calif.
A Main (25 laps - Top 15 Advance to Qualifying Nights)
1. Gary Altig, Mechanicsburg, Ill.; 2. Jordan Noblitt, Columbus, Ind.; 3. Tony
Roney, Herculaneum, Mo.; 4. Matt Streeter, Lathrop, Calif.; 5. Randi Pankratz,
Atascadero, Calif.; 6. Brian Ramstack, West Bend, Wis.; 7. 73I Adam Trimble,
Pueblo, Calif.; 8. Billy Osta, Rotterdam, N.Y.; 9. Mark Bush, Cumming, Ga.; 10.
Brad Paris, Brownsburg, Ill.; 11. Samantha Taylor, Bonney Lake, Wash.; 12. Ernie
Bartley III, El Cajon, Calif.; 13. C.J. Sarna, Palm Desert, Calif.; 14. Jeff
Griffin, St. Helena, Calif.; 15. Bill Balog, Lafayette, Ind.; 16. Jay Ervine,
Litchfield, Ariz.; 17. Joey Fabozzi, Norco, Calif.; 18. Joe Wipperfurth, Sun
Prairie, Wis.; 19. Dalton Cole, Pryor, Okla.; 20. Jonathan Henry, Stockton,
Calif.; 21. Todd Plemons, Arvada, Colo.; 22. Rafe Essary, Farmington, Ark.; 23.
Kyle Bellm, Nixa, Mo.; 24. Cameron Beard, Atwater, Calif.