FALLON, NV (April 23) — Rattlesnake Raceway opened its 2022 season with a two-day show this weekend. There were seven classes on hand, plus two pro-stocks that had a demonstration at the end of Saturday night.
After the heat races there was a meet-and-greet on the front straight. There spectators could meet the drivers and see their cars.
Then it was time for a somber tribute to the track’s former long time medic. Last November Jimmy McKinnon succumbed to the virus.
The Gabbs native would drive to Fallon for the races and be the on-track medic. Before heading to the pits the drivers did several three-wide slow laps to honor his memory.
First up on the racing card were the Bootleggers. On the green Logan Sage was on point. Soon after that there was a caution as the hood on Brad Scramlin’s car came up and he went to the pits to get that fixed.
On the restart Sage once again was on point while there was a four-way duel for second. On the restart Bob Vaden used an inside pass going through Turn 1 to take the lead and claim the victory.
In the end Vaden took the victory while Start Satathite claimed second ahead of third place Sage.
Next up were the Dwarf Cars and on the green Vuki Wilson Jr., and Joe Frock led the charge. After a caution ended Fock finally took the lead with an inside move as they headed down the front straight.
There would be two more cautions but on each restart Fock took off and would claim the victory. Wilson finished second head of Race Shelton.
When the Hobby Stock main began Jacob Dias as on point with Dan Dias close behind. After a caution they were joined by Craig Nieman and it was a three-way duel for the lead.
Unfortunately Jacob Dias would spin out of the lead in Turn 4. Then on the restart Nieman got the lead and the chase was on.
Eventually Dan Dias took the lead but he reached the checkered flag just a few feet ahead of Nieman. Behind them Jacob Dias was third ahead of Tori Edgington-Ausano.
When the Mini Stock began Cooper Lee was on point. Things soon slowed for debris in Turn 2.
On the restart Lee took off then Kent Knisley used an outside move in Turn 4 to claim the lead. Then the field spread out.
One final caution bunched the cars up but on the restart Knisley took off followed by Lee and Blankenship. They would finish in that order.
When the Sport Mods took to the track there were two cautions but when the second started Kevin Kentopp too the lead but soon had Shayna Nieman chasing him.
On the restart Kentopp took off and claimed the victory. Nieman was second followed by early leader Ray Ballard.
When the IMCA Mods took off Dave Sciarroni was on point but there was a quick caution first when Billy Anderson spun in Turn 4 then later when his car slowed due to problems but he was able to make the pits.
Up front Sciarroni led followed by Wade Lumsden and Missy Natenstedt. Behind them Shawn Natenstedt was moving through traffic to the front. A few laps later Shawn Natenstedt claimed second and the chase was on.
In the final laps getting through lap traffic slowed both leaders. At the checkered Sciarroni claimed the victory with Shawn Natenstedt ending up second. Cole Jones was third and Missy Natenstedt had slipped to fourth place.
Sciarroni was delighted to finish a race as he hasn’t had the best of luck recently.
“It was good, it was nice to finally finish a main event,” he said. “Brand new car and the first two races I ran got torn up and not finish so it was nice to finish. The car’s pretty good, the track was good, it was smooth but it was rough down at the very bottom. I kind of goofed up in lap traffic got caught and but held on.”
He added that, like others Turn 4 was a problem as it was so slick.
“Even in the heat race it was super slick in the middle of turn 3 and 4. That was the big thing was trying to get through. I had one and two down trying to figure out how to get through three and four without driving through the slick spot on the bottom there,” he said. “If I drove it hard on the bottom same thing, you’d get really sideways.
“So I kept moving around finally moved up to the top and dimed the corner like kind of crossing through the slick stuff and that was finally good.”
Then he thanked Shawn and Missy Natenstedt, Pro One Automotive, Competition Carburetion, J&R Sign Company, Ultimate Air, CPT Racing Products and Jason Wilke.
Right after the start of the IMCA Stock Car main there was a three-way tangle in Turn 4. Two had contact with the car of Rusty McMillan having a tire under the front end and it brought Jesse Gonzalez to a complete stop.
When the green waved again there were two more quick cautions including one that ended in a red flag when contact rolled a car in Turn 1. Fortunately the driver was uninjured although the same couldn’t be said for his car, which was towed away.
When racing resumed Keith Marson was leading a determined Jesse Gonzalez with Rusty McMillan not too far behind. Once Gozalez got the inside line it took him a laps to get around Marson.
At the checkered Gonzalez won with McMillan taking second and Marson was third.
After the race Gonzalez said, “It was really good, we started three deep in the field. Had a heck of a race with Keith Marson and was able to get around him. I didn’t think I was going to get her done and I don’t know if he just missed it in one spot or what.
“But was able to get her done. Got next to him and passed him clean, that’s what’s its all about. “
Then he thanked TBC Construction, Hard Rock Equipment, Old Iron Powder Coating, Competition Carburation, Mussi Trucking and his pit guy Cody, who has been a huge help.
Finally Dave Ausano and another driver did a demonstration of what Pro Stocks can do.
• There was a complete show on Friday night and Kent Knisley in Mini Stock, Joe Frock in Dwarf Cars and Carig Nieman in Hobby Stocks. Other winners were Bob Vaden in Bootleggers, Shayna Nieman in Sport Mods, Shawn Natenstedt in IMCA Mods and Jesse Gonzalez in IMCA Stock Cars.
Next event at Rattlesnake is a Friday-Saturday show the weekend of May 27/28.
OTHER RACING NEWS:
• Teresa’s Garage Radio Show is on the air from 2 until 3 p.m. Tuesday afternoon. In northwest Nevada, it can be heard over the air at 1060 AM.
There is also a Podcast at amm.streamon.fm or it can be seen live on Face Book. The show is focused on all things automotive, trends, new developments and trivia.
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RESULTS: RATTLESNAKE RACEWAY
• Saturday, April 23:
+ Mini Stocks:
– Heat Winner: Kent Knisley.
– Main: 1. Kent Knisley, 2. Cooper Lee, 3. Ray Blankenship, 4. Jerome Kleve, 5. Joseph Cook.– DNS: Kaden Beuchat.
+ Dwarfs:
– Heat Winners: #1 Vuki Wilson Jr., #2 Joe Frock.
– Main: 1. Joe Frock, 2. Vuki Wilson Jr., 3. Race Shelton, 4. Glenn Sciarani, 5. Michael Sundberg.
– DNF: Chris Christiano, Dillon Knitz, William Chreistiano,Dan Geil.
+Hobby Stock:
– Heat Winner: #1 Craig Nieman, #2 Jacob Dias.
– Main: 1. Dan Dias, 2. Craig Nieman, 3. Jacob Dias, 4. Tori Edgington-Ausano, 5. Jimmy Berhorst, 6. Shane Boyd, 7. Clayton Holloway, 8. Angela Dias.
– DNF: Jeff Willis, Chris Lumsden, Robbie Schostag.
– DNS: Dan Edgigton, Dan Wilder.
+ Bootleggers:
– Heat Winners: #1 Bob Vaden, #2 Mike Thompson.
– Main: 1. Bob Vaden, 2. Stuart Satathite, 3. Logan Sage, 4. Clayton Heflin, 5. Shari Hollis, 6. Ray Blankenship.
– DNF: Taggart Garland, Brad Scramin, Mike Thompson.
– DNS: Joseph Keough.
+ Sport Mods:
– Heat Winner: Shayna Nieman.
– Main: 1. Shayna Nieman, 2. Ray Ballard, 3.Kevin Kentopp, 4. Logan Sage, 5. Stuart Satathite.
+ IMCA Mods:
– Heat Winners: #1 Dave Sciarroni, #2 Shawn Natenstedt.
– Main: 1. Dave Sciarroni, 2. Shawn Natenstedt, 3. Cole Jones, 4.Melissa Natenstedt, 5. Wade Lumsden, 6. Michael Anderson, 7. Ryan Belli.
– DNF: Steve McQueen, Billy Anderson.
+ IMCA Stock Cars:
– Heat Winners: #1 Jesse Gonzalez, #2 Keith Marson.
– Main: 1. Jesse Gonzalez, 2. Rusty McMillan, 3. Keith Marson, 4. Colby Russell.
– DNF: Alex Kniestedt, Mikki Beuchat, Alyssa Jones.
– DNS: Jason Emmot, Jeff Marson, Jeff Olschowka.
• Friday, April 22:
+ Mini Stocks:
– Heat Winner: Kent Knisley.
– Main: 1. Kent Knisley, 2. Jerome Kleve, 3. Joseph Cook, 4. Cooper Lee, 5. Colton Blankenship.
– DNS: Kaden Beuchat, Daniel Kleve.
+ Dwarf:
– Heat Winner: Dan Geil.
– Main: 1. Joe Frock, 2. Dan Geil, 3. Glenn Sciarani, 4. Chris Christiano.
– DNF: William Christiano.
+ Hobby Stock:
– Heat Winners: #1 Craig Nieman, #2 Dan Edgington.
– Main: 1. Craig Nieman, 2. Dan Edgington, 3. Victor Richey, 4. Clayton Holloway, 5. Angela Dias, 6. Robbie Schostag.
– DNS: Dan Dias, Tori Edgington-Ausano, Ray Eder, Jimmy Berhorst.
+ Bootleggers:
– Heat Winners: #1 Ray Blankenship, #2 Taggart Garland.
– Main: 1. Bob Vaden, 2. Taggart Garland, 3. Ryan Parkhurst, 4. Stuart Satathite, 5. Brad Scramlin, 6. Ray Blankenship.
– DNS: Joesph Keough.
+Sport Mods:
– Heat Winner: Ray Ballard.
– Main: 1. Shayna Nieman, 2. Kevin Kentopp, 3. Starts Satathlite, 4. Ray Ballard, 5. Logan Sage.
– DNS: Ray Blankenship.
+ IMCA Mods:
– Heat Winners: #1 Zach Cail, #2 Shawn Natenstedt.
– Main: 1. Shawn Natenstedt, 2. Travis White, 3. Cole Jones, 4. Zach Cail, 5. Kevin Pendergrass, 6. Michael Anderson.
– DNF: Billy Anderson, Melissa Natenstedt, Wade Lumsden, Dave Sciarroni.
+ IMCA Stock Cars:
– Heat Winners: #1 Jeff Marson, #2 Keith Marson.
– Main: 1. Jesse Gonzalez, 2. Rusty McMillan, 3. Jeff Marson, 4. Jason Emmot, 5. Alex Kniestedt, 6. Alysaa Jones.
– DNF: Jeff Olschowka, Keith Marson.
– DNS: Stuart Satathite.
For the Saturday IMCA A Mod main event, Dale Tatum was in the 63 car and got 7th, not Ryan Belli
Sorry about that mistake. Had to go off the results I was given.
Next time I’m out there I double check.