Tully third in Perris season opener

Fallbrook’s Brian Tully finished third in the first Street Stocks main event of the 2009 Perris Auto Speedway season.

Tully, who ran most of the March 7 race with what is believed to be a damaged transmission power glide, was in second place until allowing Daniel Voyles to pass him in the 19th lap of the 20-lap main event.

“I wouldn’t have finished third if they hadn’t had so many yellows,” Tully said.

Tully expected the frequent yellow flags even before they became to his benefit. “I knew at the start of every season a lot of people haven’t driven for three months,” he said. “There are always a lot of caution flags.”

Tully himself made a mental mistake after returning from the inactivity. His draw in the pea pick allowed him to begin the heat race on the pole, and he led for all but the last lap. “I thought the race was over,” he said. “I just started to slow down.”

Tully learned that the checkered flag had not been thrown and that cars were passing him on the green flag. “I stepped on it again and I came back and finished third,” he said.

That gave Tully a main event start on the outside of the third row, but he soon moved up to second. “I went around on the outside for a couple of cars,” he said.

In approximately the sixth lap Tully ran over debris from a previous caution, causing the apparent handicap to his two-speed automatic transmission. “The torque converter wouldn’t load back up with fluid,” he said.

“If I went around the corner too low it would throw the fluid out,” Tully said. “It would kind of freewheel right up to the wall.”

Tully had trailed only Tim Shadduck at the time, but Henry Wesolowski Sr. overtook the Fallbrook driver. In the tenth lap Shadduck hit the turn one wall, moving Wesolowski into the lead and Tully into second.

Tully was concerned about running out of fluid. “I tried to stay out of the way while still trying to keep my position,” he said.

With two laps to go Voyles caught up to Tully. “I let him go,” Tully said.

“I had to focus on the problem I was having,” Tully said. “I was very fortunate and blessed that I did finish third.”

A total of 23 Street Stocks competed at Perris March 7.

“It was really great,” Tully said. “It means the last three races I had a podium finish.”

Tully closed the 2008 season with his first-ever main event win at Perris, and he had finished second in the previous race. Tully finished fourth in the 2008 point standings. The third-place finish to open the 2009 season puts Tully into third place in this year’s season point standings.

Tully is sponsored by Above Board Construction, Brian Tully Insurance, Lakeside Storage, Maximum Sign, Steve McCain Racing Engines, and Village News, Inc. His pit crew for the night consisted of Howard Bymark, Kenny Mann, and Steve McCain.

The Street Stocks are next scheduled to race April 4.

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