Nickolai Takes Street Stock in Heated Race

Heat race was given a new meaning Saturday night at Saugus Speedway, where the temperature peaked during the afternoon at 111 degrees.

While the mercury dropped ever so slowly to 91 as the night progressed, the Street Stock points race heated up as five of the top nine division leaders dashed to a close finish in perhaps the most well-driven Street Stock oval main event of the season.

Steve Nickolai of Simi Valley grabbed the pole position and held the lead throughout the 25-lap race, which was halted just once by a yellow flag.

“The last two laps, it was 245 degrees on the gauge,” said Nickolai, who posted his first career win. “This is the hottest night for some reason. I’m soaked.”

Nickolai, ninth in the points standings, was followed closely the entire race by Ed Horst of Reseda, fifth in the points standings, and points leader Russ Beckers of Sepulveda.

Jim Marlewski of Simi Valley, sixth in the standings, finished a not-too-distant fourth, just ahead of Dave Blankenship of Reseda. Blankenship began the evening in second place, five points behind Beckers.

In the 40-lap Sportsman division main event, Dave Phipps of Simi Valley, who had clinched an unprecedented third consecutive division title, easily roared to victory after passing Marcus Mallett of Gardena on Lap 23.

It was the fifth consecutive win for Phipps, whose point total of 326 entering the evening was more than double the amount of his nearest competitor, Arlyn Olson of Chatsworth (160).

In the 15-lap Street Stock oval semi-main event, Larry Durm of Northridge and Henry Miles of Sylmar battled fender to fender before Durm edged Miles by a half-car length at the finish. Mike Mandel of Arleta finished a length behind Miles to take third. All three drivers advanced to the main event.

Eight-lap Sportsman heat race winners included John Cran of Reseda, Rodney Peacher of Sepulveda and Tom Colgan of Studio City.