Gearhart fourth in main event

Joe Naiman

Village News Reporter

Fallbrook driver Jeff Gearhart finished fourth in Barona Speedway's Pure Stocks main event Sept. 17.

"I had a nice clean race, no contact with anybody," Gearhart said.

Gearhart finished second in his heat race. Jashua Wipperman of Poway began that heat on the pole with Gearhart starting on the outside of the front row. Wipperman took the initial lead and was in front for the remainder of the eight-lap race. Gearhart stayed in second.

"Heat race was good," Gearhart said.

Wipperman would also win the 20-lap main event after starting on the pole and leading throughout. "He had a perfect setup and the car was running perfect and there was no catching him," Gearhart said.

Gearhart began the main event on the inside of the second row. After one lap Gearhart was in second and Escondido's Rick Schnereger, who took the original green flag on the outside of the front row, was third.

Santee driver Rick Chavez moved into third during the seventh lap. In the 11th lap both Chavez and El Cajon's Curtis Reiter passed Gearhart.

Chavez began racing at Cajon Speedway in the 1980s. "I'm racing against guys who have been racing for 20 plus years," Gearhart said.

Gearhart considers Chavez to be one of his mentors. "I learned a lot from Rick," Gearhart said.

Chavez finished second with Reiter taking third.

"Fourth place is a very strong finish," Gearhart said. "I'm happy that I ran up in the front."