Petaluma Speedway
Decker grabs $2,500, wins Petaluma's Maselli
From track and correspondent reports
Decker (84) fought off Restad (4R). (raceimages.net)
PETALUMA, Calif. (Sept. 20) — Starting outside the front row, Jeff Decker of Morgan Hill, Calif., led all 40 laps at Petaluma Speedway to capture the 29th annual M. Maselli & Sons Late Model Classic. Decker earned $2,500 for capturing the longest-running annual Late Model event in California. | Slideshow
“The track was really hooked up, but my car was too tight all night long. It was darting around so I just held it on the bottom,” Decker said. “It’s great to be back at Petaluma.”
Hometown driver Anthony Restad worked on Decker the first 29 laps before fast qualifier Brad Pounds of Bakersfield, Calif., took the second spot on restart with 11 laps remaining. Pounds couldn't get around the winner, either, and settled for second ahead of Restad with four-time race winner John Silva of Fremont, Calif., and Nick Perivolaris of Petaluma rounding out the top five in the big-purse event.
Finishing 10th in his first race since a terrifying Feb. 22 modified racing accident in Arizona that left him with severe neck and back injuries was Kellen Chadwick of Oakley, Calif. Chadwick finished second in his heat race and ran as high as eighth in the feature. Vision problems forced him pitside during the main event when he ran out of visor tearoffs.
Notes: Decker's No. 84 is sponsored by The Pink Poodle, Vassallo Tile, Stealth Racing Carburetors, Big O Tires, Aue Enterprises and Steel City Signs. ... The race was red-flagged for Steve Johnson's nasty frontstretch flip; he wasn't hurt seriously. ... John Silva, the 2004 race winner, made a rare Late Model start. ... The race paid at least $600 to every starter. ... Brad Pounds was just 0.34 seconds off the track record in time trials. ... Shawn DeForest of Hayward, Calif, scratched after posting the sixth fastest qualifying time. ... The event wraps up Petaluma's Late Model season.
M. Maselli & Sons Late Model Classic: (1) Jeff Decker, (2) Brad Pounds, (3) Anthony Restad, (4) John Silva, (5) Nick Perivolaris, (6) Rod Arnold, (7) Paul Guglielmoni, (8) Randy Shafer, (9) Richard Papenhausen, (10) Kellen Chadwick, (11) Jeremy Petrell, (12) Steve Johnson, (13) Jerry Bartlett, (14) Ryan McDaniel, (15) Norman Beck, (16) Todd Souza, (17) Michael Paul Sr., (18) Matt Micheli, (19) Mike Meazell, (20) Don Iverson, (21) Derek Nance. Scratched: Shawn DeForest. Fast qualifier (among 22 cars): Pounds, 14.680 seconds. Heat race winners: Guglielmoni, Paul, Shafer.
