Linstroth, Worley, Schmidt win at Champion

Jay Linstroth emerged as the Western Modified feature race winner, while Joel Worley and Greg Schmidt won their respective Late Model Sportsman and Hornet main events at Champion Speedway on Saturday night.

Linstroth swept through the Modified field, as the Citrus Heights, Calif., driver logged victories in the main event, trophy dash, heat race and he also qualified with the fast time. The main event win was his first this year at Champion, although he did finish fifth in the Western Modified Shootout 100-lap race on June 25.

Gary Swim of Elverta, Calif., finished second in the main event, ahead of Paul Pedroncelli from Santa Rosa and Jeff Stephens from Roseville. Roseville fire fighter Troy Nogosek was fifth.

The largest field of the night was the Hornet division, where Schmidt outdistanced 13 other cars to post his first main event victory at Champion. Schmidt had previously won one trophy dash and one heat race this season, but on Saturday, the Carson City driver won his heat and then won the coveted 30-lap main event.

"I've had other wins before, but you really don't feel like you've won anything until you've won a main," Schmidt said. "And the thing that made this so rewarding, the whole field was there. It's a good field, too. There are no tail-enders out there."

Starting from the No. 5 position, Schmidt worked his way to the front in the opening six laps and then held off a late charge from season points leader Kim Robbins to take the checker flag.

"I had a decent lead, but I kept looking back because I knew somebody would be coming, and sure enough, here comes Kim. It got close at the end, but I had enough speed to keep her from passing me," Schmidt said, adding a word of thanks for his sponsors, Nolan Properties, Bob's Performance Center and Valley Industrial Supply.

In the Late Model Sportsman division, Worley posted his second straight main event victory and third of the season overall as he outlasted Vince Malone, Al Goss and Ed Goss to the finish. Chris Betz finished fifth.

CHAMPION STATS

Western Modifieds

Main event: 1, Jay Linstroth; 2, Gary Swim; 3, Paul Pedroncelli; 4, Jeff Stephens; 5, Troy Nogosek; 6, Brad Villeggiante.

Trophy dash: Linstroth.

Heat race: 1, Linstroth. Heat race: 1, Nogosek.

Late Model Sportsmen

Main event: 1, Joel Worley; 2, Vince Malone; 3, Al Goss; 4, Ed Goss; 5, Chris Betz; 6, Mark Tompkins; 7, Bill Church; 8, Bill Tompson; 9, Bill Gould; 10, Don Hill; 11, Steve Goss.

Trophy dash: Malone.

Heat race: 1, Worley. Heat race: 1, Malone.

Hornets

Main event: 1, Greg Schmidt; 2, Kim Robbins; 3, Sandy Clark; 4, Stephanie Crawford; 5, Tony Polistena; 6, Mark Turner; 7, Chris Walton; 8, Jason Belek; 9, Shaun Chaufty; 10, Andy McCool; 11, Bill Holbert; 12, Tiffany Mans; 13, Bill Bernard; 14, Gregg Saliaces.

Trophy dash: 1, Clark.

Heat race: 1, Crawford. Heat race: Schmidt.