(WOMR file photo)
Lance Mari, the Imperial, CA native is looking more like a local Yuma native these days. Saturday night Mari won his third straight main event at Cocopah Speedway, located just on the south side of Yuma, Az. Mari put a driving clinic for all the Turkey Classic Pro Stock drivers to view. By winning the Turkey Classic, he pocketed a cool $3,000 dollar paycheck.
Mari’s last two visits to the winner’s circle was in the IMCA Modified races. This was his first race in the Tim Allen owned Pro Stock race car, and what a wheel-man he was Saturday night.
Chasing Mari to the checkered flag was Chris Smith, from Bakersfield, CA, with Lee Jensen coming all the way from Ridgecrest, CA, finishing third, and Lonnie Foos from Glendale, AZ, finishing fourth.
As the green flag dropped for the second annual Turkey Classic, it did not appear the Lance Mari was going to be a dominate race car, at least not after Friday night’s smoking of the field by Mike Corning in the Race of Champions! Early in the Saturday night feature, Lonnie Foss got by Corning to take the early lead, and was pulling away from the field, until a caution flag was thrown at the midway point. That caution flag was to allow the race cars to re-fuel, due to the large amount of yellow flags that were displayed in the early portion of the 50 lap race.
If you stayed out on the race track to re-fuel, then you would be allowed to restart in the position that you were in when the yellow flag was thrown. However, if you went back into the pits for “other adjustments”, then you were to go to the rear of the field on the restart. Lonnie Foss went to the pits, thereby, rejoining the filed at the tail end, and allowing Mari to inherit the lead on the restart.
From the restart of the race, Mari drove away from the field, and won the second annual Turkey Classic in a truly dominating fashion.
Editor’s Note:
The improvements to the racing surface at Cocopah Speedway, ie. adding tons of clay, is really paying off. The surface was fast and very racey. There was no “dust holes”, no pot holes, just a fast smooth race track! There are some upcoming events that shouldn’t be missed. In March the ASCS Sprint Cars are coming to town. In February there will be a two day show that is billed as the Modified Nationals that should be a great event. In May there will be the “wingless” sprint car show that should be very exciting to watch on this new racing surface!
All in all, the quality of racing at Cocopah Speedway is improving each and every week, and the local community turns out in droves to watch racing and support this facility. Who could ask for anything more?
TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!
