Reichenbach, Nation, Dotson strike twice on IMCA Speedweek in Tulare

Feature

Clint Reichenbach raced to a second $1,000 IMCA Modified feature win in as many nights in the California Speedweek show Saturday at Thunderbowl Raceway. (Photo by Tom Macht, www.photofinishphotos.com)

By Stephanie Deatherage 

TULARE, Calif. (May 1) – The faces in victory lane were familiar when Thunderbowl Raceway hosted Saturday’s second installment of the 2021 California IMCA Speedweek presented by Hoppes Motorsports.

Clint Reichenbach, Jason Nation and Ethan Dotson, all Friday winners at Bakersfield Speedway, also topped main events as the series made its first visit to the Tulare facility for a complete IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing program with 44 IMCA Modifieds, 37 Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods and a dozen IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars. 

Reichenbach outdueled Robby Sawyer for the early lead, then pulled away from the rest of the Modified pack following a lap four restart.  Dotson challenged after the next caution and the front pair battled door-to-door on a couple occasions before a lap 10 incident. 

Dotson again tried to slip underneath but Reichenbach prevailed in the struggle.  The race stayed green and he led the rest distance for a second $1,000 feature win in as many nights.

The first Modified driver to win multiple Speedweek features, Reichenbach crossed the stripe ahead of Dotson, the deep-starting Collen Winebarger, Sawyer and Jerry Flippo. 

Nation took the front spot in the Northern SportMod main but restarts on laps 11, 15 and 17 kept the field close before a green, white, checkered conclusion.

Tyler Bannister tried to make a pass on the final restart but Nation stayed out in front for a second straight night.

Bannister settled for the runner-up position with his father, Jason third.  Tanner Thomas placed fourth over Kc Keller.

The Stock Cars battled it out for 20 laps with a big payday of $1,300 on the line. Double duty driver Dotson seized the first-place position on the opening start. Dotson’s only major challenge was that he had to deal with a couple of restarts due to a pair of incidents. Despite the slowdowns, it did not hamper Dotson whatsoever as he went on to win ahead of  Steven Johnson, Brock Hamilton, Nicholas Johnson and Larry Thompson.

Ethan Dotson’s second IMCA Sunoco Stock Car win in two California Speedweek starts was good for $1,300. (Photo by Tom Macht, www.photofinishphotos.com)

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