Harper Off to a Fast Start at Saugus

Will Harper waited four years for a Sportsman division main-event victory before finally winning two--and the track championship--last season at Saugus Speedway.

On Saturday night, Harper, along with the 4,631 fans in attendance, waited 50 minutes for his first victory of the season in the division’s season-opening 40-lap main event.

Harper, who started sixth, steered his way into the lead on Lap 32 and held off Lance Hooper of Palmdale and Dave Phipps of Simi Valley to win.

Along the way, five yellow flags--one which slowed action for 15 minutes--and a red flag delayed proceedings considerably.

Craig Rayburn of Simi Valley, sixth last season, started on the pole and led until Harper slid past after the race’s fifth yellow flag. Rayburn, however, fell to fifth behind John Cran of Reseda.

Russ Beckers of Sepulveda won easily in the season-opening Street Stock division 25-lap oval main event. Beckers, who started in second position, vaulted into the lead on the second lap and survived three yellow flags and hard charges from Brian Kelley of Arleta and Thad Friday of Reseda.

Kelley, last season’s Hobby Stock division champion, made skilled passes on Laps 15 and 23 to finish second. Friday held off defending champion Steve Nickolai of Simi Valley to finish third.

In other races, Craig Rayburn of Simi Valley won the accident-free 15-lap Street Stock oval semi-main event.

In the 12-lap Sportsman semi-main, Jerry Johnson of Rancho Palos Verdes led from the pole to win.

Eight-lap Sportsman heat-race winners included 1989 Rookie of the Year Larry Krieger of Reseda, Tom Eurton of Valencia and Rodney Peacher of Sepulveda.

Eight-lap Street Stock oval heat race winners included 1988 track champion Dave Blankenship of Reseda, Mike Branam of Lakeview Terrace, and Gerrit Cromsigt and Allen Thacker, both of Palmdale .