MELBY CHARGES TO FIRST MIDGET VICTORY AT ROSEBURG

ROSEBURG, OR., JULY 29.: Dallas Melby scored the win in the co-sanctioned Bay Cities Racing Association and Washington Midget Racing Association battle on the Douglas County Speedway 3/8-mile paved oval. WMRA's Melby moved his Chris Melby Blue Dot Gaerte under early leader Doug Kammerzell in the first turn on the 18th lap of the 40-lap feature event to claim his first career midget victory.
Kammerzell spurred his Carl Peter Spoor/Gaerte into the initial lead from the pole over Tony Seidelman's Hawk/Gaerte, Pat Bliss and Brea Lopez. On the second lap Bliss and Lopez tangled on the back-straight, with both pitting before reentering at the rear.
At the green Kammerzell continued his lead over Seidelman, with Melby now in third over Rob Lindsey, Matt Stone, John Sarale and Travis Berryhill.
The leading pack maintained their positions until the 11th round when Snake Livernash spun after a shunt from the rear for another caution flag. WMRA point leader Spence Gatrell now held sixth behind Sarale, whom he shunted entering the turns for several laps.
On the 16th circuit Melby made good his bid over Seidelman to take over second. One lap later, entering the first turn, Melby made an aggressive move under Kammerzell, taking the lead as they raced out of turn-two. Melby now held the advantage over Kammerzell, Seidelman, Stone and Sarale. Gatrell clipped Sarale to take over fifth, severing a brake line on the Sarale Beast/Chevy.
On the 23rd lap, entering the first turn, Gatrell climbed the left side of Stone's Beast/Esslinger. The action sent Stone into a spin with Lindsey's path blocked, sending him up-and-over Stone. This put Stone out and both Gatrell and Lindsey were able to restart at the rear. Sarale pitted with his brake problems.
The new lineup moved Berryhill and Ben Petter in behind Melby, Kammerzell and Seidelman for fourth and fifth. Petter battled Berryhill and gained fourth on the 26th lap as Berryhill's engine expired and he pulled to a stop in the backstretch.
At the green Petter maneuvered his Beast/Esslinger under Seidelman to claim third, then aggressively went to work on Kammerzell, finally working his way by for second on the 31st circuit. Evan Margeson, Garratt Boyden and Kenny Ferris now held fifth through seventh. One lap later Ferris got by Boyden.
On the 34th circuit Boyden was shunted from behind while exiting the fourth turn and spun down the front chute. Immediately following the restart, Lindsey spun into the turn-four infield with assistance. Following the next restart attempt, Eric Mostin's Beast/Gaerte broke a front panhard and spun out of turn-two onto the back-straight.
At the final green Melby continued his lead over Petter, who made several attempts to take the lead. Margeson battled Kammerzell for third, taking the position on the 37th lap as Seidelman also passed to claim fourth. Ferris too dropped Kammerzell another position one lap later to claim fifth at the checkered flag over a resurging Gatrell and rookie Justin Grant.

SUMMARY: QUAL.: 1. Spence Gatrell, #8 /Gatrell 14.565; 2. Ken Ferris, #28 Ferris 14.605; 3. Even Margeson, #11 Margeson 14.648; 4. Snake Livernash, #55 Livernash 14.746; 5. John Sarale, #32 Sarale 14.748; 6. Travis Berryhill, #11z Berryhill 14.800; 7. Ben Petter, #22 Petter 14.820; 8. Matt Stone, #10 Stone 14.822; 9. Dallas Melby, #9 Melby 14.828; 10. Rob Lindsey, #23 Lindsey 14.902; 11. Pat Bliss, #50 Beal 14.906; 12. Brea Lopes, #25 Press 14.915; 13. Tony Seidelman, #44 Manners 14.993; 14. Doug Kammerzell, #81 Peter 15.025; 15. Justin Grant, #30
Grant 15.034; 16. Garratt Boyden, #42 Boyden 15.096; 17. Nick Seidelman, #4 Seidelman 15.118; 18. Floyd Alvis, #18 Alvis 15.304; 19. Ralph Cortez, #31 Cortez 15.470; 20. Kenny Burns, #21 Burns 15.702; 21. Eric Mostin, #12 Mostin 15.761; 22. David Prickett, #15 Prickett 15.792; 23. Alan Norton, #69 Norton 15.927; 24. Bill Lindsey, #61 Lindsey 18.777; 25. Skeeter Flake, #17 Flake N/T.
B-DASH: Grant, T. Seidelman, Lopez, Kammerzell.
A-DASH: Margeson, Ferris, Gatrell, Livernash. HEAT-1: Alvis, Prickett, N. Seidelman, Mostin, Burns, Cortez, Norton, B. Lindsey.
HEAT-2: Boyden, Kammerzell, Grant, T. Seidelman, Lopez, R. Lindsey, Melby, Bliss.
HEAT-3:Stone, Petter, Berryhill, Margeson, Sarale, Livernash, Ferris.
MAIN: 1. Dallas Melby, 2. Ben Petter, 3. Evan Margeson, 4. Tony Seidelman, 5. Kenny Ferris, 6. Doug Kammerzell, 7. Spence Gatrell, 8. Justin Grant, 9. Snake Livernash, 10. Nick Seidelman, 11. Garratt Boyden, 12. Floyd Alvis, 13. Eric Mostin, 14. Ralph Cortez, 15. Skeeter Flake, 16. David Prickett, 17. Brea Lopez, 18. Rob Lindsey, 19. Pat Bliss, 20. Travis Berryhill, 21. Matt Stone, 22. John Sarale, 23. Bill Lindsey, 24. Alan Norton, 25. Kenny Burns. LAP LEADERS: 1-17 Kammerzell, 18-40 Melby.