Sprint Series Round 5 kicked off the action for the 2020 Classico GP Weekend here at CalSpeed and the racing was not going to disappoint. Much of last year’s overall podium was in attendance, a promising show for all around…
Qualifying
Once qualifying got underway, it was no surprise that we’d be seeing last year’s overall podium dominate the field. With all 3 quali sessions in the bag, pole would ultimately go to Chase Nickells with a 56.382.
Qualifying Top 5
| 1) | Chase Nickells | 56.382 |
| 2) | Ivan Martinez | 56.394 |
| 3) | Ayrton DeMoss | 56.457 |
| 4) | Matt Steele | 56.645 |
| 5) | Tommy Haake | 56.662 |
Heat 1A
At the green flag, heat 1A became a battle amongst the top 4: the aforementioned Nickells, Matt Steele, Cameron Rose, and John Rice. Steele quickly left the other three drivers, hampered by their own infighting. Their group would shuffle continuously throughout the race, leaving Steele to more than a second’s lead. The checkered would fly with him at the front followed by Rice 2nd and Rose 3rd.
Heat 1A Results
| 1) | Matt Steele |
| 2) | John Rice |
| 3) | Cameron Rose [2R] |
| 4) | Chase Nickells [2R] |
| 5) | Michael Chen |
Heat 1B
Heat 1B too saw much shuffling at the front and it would be anyone’s guess as to who’d pull of the W. Pole sitter Tommy Haake immediately came under fire at the green, and would really have to fight it out against a multitude of drivers. Meanwhile, both Jacob Reis and Diego Alvarado pushed hard to try and steal the lead from several positions back, the latter finally able to pass Haake. At the checkered, Alvarado would go on to score the win in front of Haake and Reis for heat 1B.
Heat 1B Results
| 1) | Diego Alvarado |
| 2) | Tommy Haake |
| 3) | Jacob Reis |
| 4) | Devins Baker |
| 5) | James Lieser |
Heat 1C
At the green flag in heat 1C, Ayrton DeMoss led the field over Donnie Clarke and Matthew McCoy. Just as in the previous heat, infighting from P2 on back would allow DeMoss to sail away unfettered. Clarke and McCoy would continue to exchange position throughout the heat but by the checkered, it would be DeMoss scoring a dominant win with Clarke in second and McCoy wrapping up third.
Heat 1C Results
| 1) | Ayrton DeMoss [2R] |
| 2) | Donnie Clarke |
| 3) | Matthew McCoy |
| 4) | Vladimir Orlov |
| 5) | Michael Martin |
C-Main
The C-Main started off with Robert Perez at the forefront for several laps– he would soon however be challenged by a number of new drivers to the game and would drop down to third. There would be unique results to this race, however, as several DQs due to being light at scales would bump Perez all the way back to the number 1 spot for the C-Main.
C-Main Results
| 1) | Robert Perez |
| 2) | Quinn Allen-Riley |
| 3) | Jafar Albaqir |
| 4) | Jake Boyd |
| 5) | Ethan Chen |
B-Main
The B-Main saw lots of battling in the top group– the players were Wrigley Corales, and the father-son duo of Paul and Victor Juarez. Son Victor and Corales did most of the trading for the lead while Dad Paul had much to contend with against the rest of the field. For the last few laps, Corales would be able to keep up a defense against the pair, crossing the win with Victor in 2nd and Paul 3rd.
B-Main Results
| 1) | Wrigley Corales |
| 2) | Victor Juarez |
| 3) | Paul Juarez |
| 4) | Matthew Justmann |
| 5) | Jack McNeel |
A-Main
Ayrton DeMoss took the helm quickly at the drop of the A-Main’s green flag– behind him would be Matt Steele and Diego Alvarado putting on the pressure. DeMoss kept a steady grip on the lead but in spite of Alvarado’s and Steele’s infighting, the group of three would not ease up and would leave little breathing room for each other with each waning lap. With the white flag waving in the air, Alvarado would go with a last lap pass, not quite enough to dethrone DeMoss– but ultimately the latter would score the Sprint Series R5 win here at Classico GP Weekend with Alvarado in tow and Steele rounding out the podium.
A-Main Results
| 1) | Ayrton DeMoss [2R] |
| 2) | Diego Alvarado |
| 3) | Matt Steele |
| 4) | Chase Nickells [2R] |
| 5) | John Rice |
| 6) | Donnie Clarke |
| 7) | Tommy Haake |
| 8) | Matthew McCoy |
| 9) | Michael Chen |
| 10) | Jacob Reis |
Sprint Series 2020 Current Points Standings
| 1) | Diego Alvarado | 1160 | (244) |
| 2) | Matt Steele | 1112 | (254) |
| 3) | Ivan Martinez | 1074 | (186) |
| 4) | John Rice | 1067 | (186) |
| 5) | Donnie Clarke | 1051 | (227) |
| 6) | Tommy Haake | 1033 | (197) |
| 7) | Tony Wika | 1023 | (208) |
| 8) | Devins Baker | 978 | (195) |
| 9) | Michael Martin | 976 | (0) |
| 10) | Ronnie Swaim Jr | 968 | (0) |
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