Late Surge Carries Borders to Saugus Win

Like trying to start a car on a cold winter’s morning, every time they attempted to get a main event going Saturday night at Saugus Speedway, something went wrong.

After four yellow flags in the first eight laps of the 25-lap Outlaw Mini Stock main event, though, they got some racing in before 3,825.

Mal Borders of Tujunga saved the best for last, though, passing Torrance’s Ian Hamlet on Turn 4 of Lap 23. Borders started sixth in the 14-car field, and when he passed Hamlet became the race’s fourth--and final--leader.

Hamlet pulled into the infield on Lap 24 with problems, allowing Matt Weiss of Gardena to take second.

A scare was avoided on Lap 3 when the car of pole-sitter Dennis Patrick of Bakersfield caught fire in Turn 1. The blaze roared briefly, but Patrick activated his extinguisher immediately and scurried out of his car without injury.

There was more stop-and-go racing earlier in the evening.

In the 25-lap Street Stock oval main event, two red flags made for some slow going. But Rip Michels of Arleta took advantage of the lull after the second red flag and passed Brian Kelley, also of Arleta, on the 23rd lap. Michels picked up the main event win, which should help him crack the top 10 in the division’s points standings. Ken Maler of Castaic, currently fourth in the points standings, took second with Kelley taking third.

One of the red flags came after a crash involving Kerry Mulligan, the 1990 Jalopy champion, and Rick Crow of Canyon Country. Mulligan and Crow tangled on Turn 4 of Lap 20, with Mulligan ramming forcefully into the guard rail. The hood of Mulligan’s car was ripped off and the race halted for almost 10 minutes.

Outlaw Mini Stock driver Pat Dennison had success with a Ford Thunderbird he had purchased the night before. Dennison won the eight-lap Outlaw Mini fast heat race. Other fast heat-race winners included Pat Mintey Jr. of Quartz Hill (Sportsman), Terry Custer of Northridge (Street Stock oval) and Jim Gunnarson of Reseda (Street Stock figure eight).

Palmdale’s Lance Hooper was busy collecting trophies early in the evening. He won the Sportsman trophy dash, then accepted the Hard Charger award from last week. Hooper certainly earned the latter--he won last week’s main event after starting 23rd. Other trophy-dash winners included Dave Blankenship of Reseda (Street Stock oval), Kelley (Street Stock figure-eight) and Tim Mitchell of La Crescenta (Outlaw Mini Stock).