Jeffery gets 2nd win at Cocopah

Yuma driver re-establishes self as Hobby Stock Division leader after Round 3

It may not have been a pot ‘o gold but it was just as good for Scott Jeffery.

The driver from Yuma picked up his second feature event win of the season in the IMCA Hobby Stock Division in Round 3 of the 2018 Cocopah Speedway Racing Series, and in the process re-established himself as the leader in the title chase during Saturday night’s St. Patrick’s Day event at Cocopah Speedway.

Jeffery, who had been the leader after the season opener, was in second place when Saturday night’s show started. But he charged to the front of the 11-car field from his starting position outside the second row and ran unchallenged to the finish.

“The start was the most unnerving part of the whole race,” said Jeffery. “All one big lump of cars going into Turn 1. I got through that and just was cautious with (Jim) Robinson.”

Jeffery got around Robinson, the defending series champion, with an outside pass in Turn 2, which Jeffery said, “is my worst turn, and then I felt pretty good.”

Toward the finish Somerton’s Joshua Cordova mounted a challenge, “and he stuck his nose in Turn 4,” said Jeffery, “and when I saw him, I gave him room, but I had the run off. Then I took the low line and just tried not to mess up.”

In other Round 3 racing action Saturday night, Yuma’s Miles Morris drove off with his first feature event win of the season in the IMCA Sport Modified Division, and in a 20-car IMCA Modified feature, Tucson’s Jeremy Thornton picked up the win.

In the Hobby Stock finale, Jeffery’s win overshadowed the sterling effort by Cordova, who picked up five positions to finish second. Third place went to Robinson, of Yuma, fourth place to Yuma’s Brian Johnson, and fifth place to Yuma’s Michael Whissen.

Johnson was the division point leader and is now in second place, two points behind Jeffery.

The 11-car Sport Modified feature saw Charles Hunt, from Yuma, make a mad dash toward the front, picking up seven positions to finish second behind Morris.

“Got touched by an angel,” said Morris laughingly, referring to a pretty impressive run he also made, weaving his way through traffic after starting sixth on the grid.

Crystal Hemphill, from Yuma, finished third, Brad Chavez, from Yuma, was fourth and Holtville’s Chris Toth rounded out the top five.

Hunt started the night tied with Toth for the division point lead and went home with sole possession. Toth is now in second, three points behind Hunt.

A strong field of 20 cars took the green flag in the Modified feature, which saw Thornton start from the pole position and lead the race from start to finish.

Brawley’s Russell Allen picked up three positions to finish second, Marlyn Seidler, from Underwood, N.D., finished third, Shawn Strand, from Mandan, N.D., picked up seven positions to finish fourth and Scott Sluka, from Fairbanks, Alaska, finished fifth.

The series point leader, Steven McCollough, from Imperial, settled for a ninth place finish after starting 13th. He remains the point leader, but now has Allen hot on his tail, two points back in a tie for second with Seidler.

Yuma’s Brett Simala, who was two points out of first place in second place, is now in the fourth spot, three points back, after finishing 10th on Saturday night.