Thursday, 28 March 2024

Cody Winchel wins Legends Race at Lakeport Speedway

Cody Winchel of Sebastopol was the winner of the Legends Cars of the Pacific main event at Lakeport Speedway in Lakeport, California, on Saturday, June 20, 2020. Courtesy photo.


LAKEPORT, Calif. – Defending Lakeport Speedway Legends Cars champion Cody Winchel of Sebastopol joined the Legends of the Pacific on their first appearance at Lakeport Speedway in over two years on Saturday, and lead all but four laps of the “D&P Pools 35” lap feature event to capture the win over Aidan Daniels of Fort Bragg and Scott Sabol of Lakeport.

Richard Knight of Lakeport had a near clean sweep in the NCRA modified class winning the trophy dash, heat race and 30 lap main event. And Mikey Collins of Lakeport started on the pole and led wire to wire to capture the feature race in the Taco Bell Bomber class.

Once again the speedway had to race with no spectators as per the Public Health officer’s guidelines in Lake County. However, the event was live-streamed and shown on Facebook Live with more than 6,000 people reached.

Thirteen legends cars clocked in with Aidan Daniels fastest at 14.016 seconds. Winchel was second fastest at 14.0320 and Sabol turned a 14.109.

When David Winchel elected to drop to the back of the six-car inverted start, Kylie. Daniels, age 17, found herself starting on the pole of the feature next to Carlee Austin, also 17. The ladies ran side-by-side for two laps before Austin’s car dropped back allowing Cody Winchel to power into second. Winchel moved to the high side and drove past Kylie Daniels to take the lead on lap five.

The following round JK Kinney’s oil filter came loose and spilled oil on the track. The cars slipped through the oil with both Dylan Washburn and event sponsor Dave Allen slapping the wall to end their runs.

When racing resumed Winchel forged ahead again with Sabol ducking under Kylie Daniels for second. Both Keith Clement and Aidan Daniels were picking off cars and were up to third and fourth by lap eight. Aidan Daniels drove around Clement for third on the 10th circuit as Winchel and Sabol were driving away.

The race was slowed again on lap 18 when David Rank spun, and with nowhere to go, Blake Borchers slid into Rank. Both cars were able to restart and continue the race.

The restart saw Winchel jump out in front again, but this time Aidan Daniels drove under Sabol to assume second. Lap 21 saw Austin spin in turn four for another caution. The final yellow flag flew on lap 29 when Clement’s car broke loose and hit the turn two concrete.

The final six laps went without incident with Cody Winchel the winner followed by Aidan Daniels, Sabol, Kylie Daniels, Kevin Travels, Austin, Borcher and Rank.

Heat wins went to Borchers and Clement. Cody Winchel won the fast dash.

Lakeport Speedway held a special tribute to Sabol’s father, Chuck Sabol, a long-time great supporter of Lakeport Speedway prior to racing action.

The Legends of the Pacific are scheduled to return to Lakeport Speedway on July 25.
A short field of modifieds was on hand at the track as several of the regulars are still not ready to go.

Last week’s winner Mike Sullivan set the fast time of 12.900 seconds. Knight and Robert Schmidt started in the front row. The duo ran side-by-side the first part of lap one, but Schmidt drove his car into turn three so fast that it couldn’t make the pass stick, Schmidt lost control, the car spun and smacked the wall causing severe front end damage.

This left only three cars, Sullivan, Knight and Trevor Kollenborn, driving the Lauren Snider modified. Ten laps later Sullivan’s left front tire went flat and he stalled on the track. Sullivan pitted for a tire change and rejoined the pack.

Knight led the entire distance with Sullivan finishing second and Kollenborn third.

The Taco Bell Bomber 30 lapper saw several drivers electing to start in the rear leaving Collins and last week’s winner Donovan Cox in the front row. Both Simi Tour and Charlie Tour dove under Cox on the start with Trever Abella settling for fifth.

The lone yellow flag flew on lap 14 when Cox was attempting to put a lap down on Amber Portlock. Porlock’s car was running high but there wasn’t quite enough room for Cox to drive under. The two cars made contact with both ending up with flat tires. Cox pitted for the change, but Portlock’s run was over.

Two rounds later Abella retired his car to the pits, and at the checkered flag it was Collins, Charlie Tour, Simi Tour, Cox and Klinton Waite. Both the Tour brothers were considered “Fun-Run” cars due to tech issues and were not eligible for any awards.

Heat race wins went to Abella and Cox. Cox also won the trophy dash. Both RJ Randall and Raymond Taylor Jr. broke in hat laps and did not compete.

The North State Modified Series will be competing at the next scheduled event at Lakeport Speedway on July 18th. The July 3rd fireworks show was canceled.

NCRA races at Lakeport Speedway are presented by O’Reilly Auto Parts, Anderson Logging, Sullivan Const Masonry, Lake Parts, Bicoastal Media, Taco Bell, D&P Pools, Hillside Powersports, Clearlake Redi-Mix, Snap-On Tools, S&K Paving & Striping, Lucerne Roofing, S & K Automotive, Under the Sun Garden Supply, Perkins Septic Tanks, Lake County Tribal Health, Don Anderson Attorney At Law, Coleman’s Custom Vinyl, Lake County Welders, Steve Taylor Excavation, Dana Stahl Race Cars, Kelseyville Lions, Mike Sullivan Consulting, Lake Co. Waste Solutions, Gifford Backhoe Service and Majestic Landscaping.

For more information on the 2020 racing season, visit NCRA - Lakeport Speedway Facebook page.

Two 17-year-old female drivers, Kylie Daniels (#7) and Carlee Austin (#10c), started up front in the “D&P Pools 35” Legends of the Pacific race at Lakeport Speedway in Lakeport, California, on Saturday, June 20, 2020. Courtesy photo.

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