Phoenix, AZ - Bob Ream, Jr. became the first Arizona Sprint Car Association five time winner as he held off Josh Pelkey in the final laps in Saturday night’s 25 lap feature race on Manzanita Speedway’s one third mile track.

Ream, the 1998 champion and current point’s leader, made a quick move to the lead as he came from his fourth row starting position to lead the final 23 laps.

The expected battle between Ream and the 2002 champion Eric Wilkins failed to materialize when Wilkins, who started alongside Ream, jumped the cushion after moving into second on the fourth lap. He spun out and restarted at the tail end of the 20-car field and drove his way back to fifth at the checkered flag.

Ream put his B&R Automotive Buckley on the low side of the one-third mile track at the drop of the green and had the lead before the first lap was completed. However a restart for a spinout put him back in seventh. On the restart the field in front of him knew what to expect and he could only make it to third by the end of the first official lap.

“The Bullet” stayed low and took the lead from Bernie Smith as they started the third lap with Wilkins pushing the cushion and moving into second as they worked lap four. “The Whiz Kid” got a little too high in turn three and slid off the track, which effectively ended his threat.

Ream’s win coupled with Wilkins’ fifth place finish padded Bobby’s points lead. He entered the night 154 points up on Eric but will carry a 200 point edge into the July 24 running of the Hank Arnold Memorial which will be contested on the half mile track.

Pelkey dogged Ream’s every move in the final laps and was still on his rear bumper at the finish line. Seventeen year old R.J. Johnson, ranked third in points, was third at the line with Mike Martin making another great drive as he came from 13th to edge Wilkins at the checkered flag.

While the rest of the field were choosing their line Wilkins found a faster way as he headed to the front after his spin. He diamonded the track in turns one and two and then ran either high or low at the other end. He entered turn one high and then shot to the bottom in turn two and that is where he did his most passing.

Behind the top five were midget ace Bobby Boone, making only his second sprint car start as he subbed for Jeff Slinkard in the Stewart Racing Products car, Ben Gregg, Ryan Linder, Jeff Henry and Bruce St. James.

Henry was the hard charger of the race after starting 19th. Linder’s eighth place finish was his first top ten of the year.

R.J. Johnson led all eight laps in the first heat race but Pelkey was the show as he brought the Total Seals sprint home in second after starting seventh. Brian Swinehart and Martin also earned main event berths.

The second heat marked the first win ever for James Aragon as he beat Bernie Smith, St. James and Chris Bonneau. The third heat went to Nathan High who was better than Ream, Marty Miller and Gregg. High was running second in the feature when he blew a rear-end in the Longbranch Saloon sponsored Stewart.

The fourth heat marked the second straight win for former Dwarf Car driver Willy Grombach who also had tough luck in the feature as he rolled his car on the fifth lap. The rest of the main event qualifiers were Wilkins, Boone and Linder.

Davey Bateman, subbing for Chuck Buckman, led Paul Norbury, Henry and Ricky Johnson to the finish line in the semi.

Wilkins won his fourth Arizona Race Mart trophy dash of the year as he came from fourth to beat Andrew Reinbold, Grombach and Henry.

SUMMARY

ARIZONA SPRINT CAR ASSOCIATION.
Main Event: 1. Bob Ream, Jr. 2. Josh Pelkey 3. R.J. Johnson 4. Mike Martin 5. Eric Wilkins 6. Bobby Boone 7. Ben Gregg 8. Ryan Linder 9. Jeff Henry 10. Bruce St. James 11. Davey Bateman 12. Ricky Johnson 13. Chris Bonneau 14. Brian Swinehart 15. Bernie Smith 16. Paul Norbury 17. Nathan High 18. Marty Miller 19. Willy Grombach 20. James Aragon