Strong Aumen drives out Yates at Race City
Published: Monday, August 13, 2007
Calgary Herald

Scott Aumen of Victoria had a frustrating Platinum Cup main in 2006 trying to chase down Darren Yates of Duncan, B.C.

This year, the situation was reversed as Yates did all he could to run down Aumen's fleet #44 in Sunday's 30-lapper for the Wil-Roc Sprint Cars, but came up a couple of seconds short.

Aumen seized control of the race at the green and moved out to a lead of more than a second.
A mid-race caution caused when Len Barcello of Vernon, B.C., had his right front brake come apart gave Yates one more shot at Aumen, but the leader was just too strong.

Third place went to Randy Price of Cobble Hill on Vancouver Island, who was able to take some consolation in setting a new all-time record in qualifying for the Race City half-mile oval -- a blistering 13.98-second lap, that eclipsed the old mark of 14.079 set by American ace Myron Gemmer in 1996.

Meanwhile, in Day 2 of action for the Baby Grand series, Michael Kipp of Leduc added another victory to his total by leading all but two of the 50-lap National main. Visitor Eldon Isenberg of Bowling Green, Ky., led the first lap but Kipp nosed ahead on Lap 2 and was never seriously challenged.

Former Race City Super Stock champion, Troy Vandenbilche of Golden, B.C., was second and Troy Maschke of Airdrie was third.

Next weekend, both the drag strip and half-mile oval will be busy at Race City. On the drag side, it's the annual IHRA Iron Man Open while the late model stock cars of the Western Elite Stockcar Tour run 200 laps on the high-banked oval.

© The Calgary Herald 2007