Scott Ivie wins Saturday and Sunday races at Willow Springs.
Willow Springs, CA. 2004 American Stockcar Challenge Champion Scott Ivie stood on the top step on the podium both days at Willow Springs International Raceway last weekend. Scott also had the fastest qualifying lap ever run in an ASC car on Saturday, a 1:24.049, 107.080 mph, besting his previous quick lap in qualifying last year by 7/10ths of a second.

Sixteen ASC cars and one ASC-X car showed up to brave the heat and challenge the track, and each other, for the fourth race weekend of the year. Newcomers for the weekend included Speed World Challenge star Paul Bonacorsi, Grand-Am and American Le Mans winner Belinda Endress, and Robert Gritten from Vancouver, Canada. The series welcomed back competitors such as Brian Colodny, Dan Ryan, and Don Uhlir, as well as, the "regulars", Ken Stinnett, Steve R. Carvajal, Jeff Glowniak, the Arnheiter brothers, Mike and Dave, Kevin O'Connell, Mike Speakman, Alan Huston and Ed Ochylski.

There was an excellent driver's school held on the Street of Willow road course, Thursday, May 19th, which was attended by several of the competitors. Friday was an open test day at the track, and it was evident immediately, that even with the torrid temperatures and green track conditions, this was going to be another record breaking weekend for the ASC group. Every one worked with their teams and each other to get the cars dialed in for both qualifying and the races.

Scott Ivie threw down the gauntlet, hard, during the Saturday qualifying session with the fastest lap ever run in an ASC car on that course. Mike Arnheiter was second fastest, at 1:24.959, and Steve Carvajal was third quick at 1:25.236. Ivieâs time was fastest by almost a full second, (.910), and the next five competitors were all with in a few tenths of each other. Notably missing from the top group was always quick Ken Stinnett, who chased the setup all weekend. Carvajal was light on post qualifying tech and had to start at the back of the pack.

The green flag dropped on the field and the start was clean. Ivie lead from the pole to the checked flag in the Wholesale American Mortgage # 47 Dodge. Mike Arnheiter, in the M & R Racing # 80 Grand Prix, and Paul Bonacorsi, driving the # 96 EMF Monte Carlo chased Ivie, challenging him and each other until the # 80 got loose over turn 6 and Bonacorsi un-intentionally punted him.

Ed Ochylski, in the # 55 Pontiac, started fifth as a result of Carvajal getting put in the rear, and kept the leaders in striking distance. Carvajal came from the back of the pack, and by lap 7 was up to seventh, finally getting to fifth as a result of Kevin O'Connell's last lap flat tire on the # 59 Taleo Monte Carlo, and a eighth lap mis-hap between Grand-Am star Belinda Endress, in the # 99 Carvajal Motorsports Pontiac, and Dave Arnheiter and the Ideco T-bird, # 33 in turn nine, taking both of them out of the race. Ochylski ended up third as a result of the punt by Bonacorsi, and Mike Arnheiter ended up second. Bonacorsi and Arnheiter's places were exchanged as a result of the punt.

Top Five
Scott Ivie
Mike Arnheiter
Ed Ochylski
Paul Bonacorsi
Steve Carvajal

Sunday's qualifying was a bit slower than Saturday, with Ivie backing up to a scorching 1:24.339, still the second fastest lap ever recorded by and ASC here. He was followed again by O'Connell, Mike Arnheiter, Bonacorsi, and Carvajal. The split between Ivie and the pack was 1.317 seconds, a difference that encompassed the next seven cars in line.

Again, Ivie lead the race from the pole to the checker flag. The best racing of the year might well have been for the other spots, Carvajal and Mike Arnheiter battling for second, with Arnheiter prevailing at the end, Ochylski and Bonacorsi for third, Ken Stinnett coming up from the back of the pack, finally having gotten the set up close, to take a tired and battle-scarred fifth. Glowniak, Speakman, Endress, Ryan, Huston and Uhlir all battling for positions. It was all close and all hard. The race was marred by two full course yellows, the first brought out by two Pro Trucks making contact in turn 3, and later by Bonacorsi and team mate Rob Gritten in the # 10 EMF Ford Taurus colliding in the same turn 3 on the restart.

Top Five
Scott Ivie
Mike Arnheiter
Steve Carvajal
Ed Ochylski
Ken Stinnett

The series now moves north to the cooler climates of the wine country of Northern California, with the next race at Thunderhill Raceway, June 25/26. Be sure to come watch or participate in the best stockcar road racing in the country!