Aumen Wins Strawberry Cup
Story by Ken Keating
Langford, BC, June 23, 2007

                Scott Aumen successfully defended his Strawberry Cup title last night at Western Speedway winning in classic fashion as he did in the same race in 2006. The fans were treated to a fantastic race as well as a dish of Strawberries as they entered the grand stand area.
                The race program featured the IMS 4 Mini Stocks, the Old Time Racing Association, along with the WilRoc Sprint Car Series trying to get their race schedule on track for the first time in 2007. Four of their previous events were cancelled due to Mother Nature and Saturday night she gave notice she was still in the area as the races were held up for about a half hour as a brief shower passed over the track. Aumen blasted his way to the fast time of the night posting a 14:13 lap time. Randy Price drove to the Trophy Dash win followed by new-comer Ryan Foster and Guy Barrett placing third.
                Mark Fisher and Rob Scott had the front row in the B-Heat with Jeff Bird in the second row. Fisher grabbed the lead with the drop of the green flag while Bird seemed to stumble a bit. That cough only lasted a few seconds as Bird gathered it up and was on Fisher very quick. After bumping a bit and by lap 3, Bird had the lead; a lead he would not relinquish. Joe Dardengo got by Fisher for the second spot while Randy Vincent made his way to cross the line in third.
                Chris Root and Jim McKay shared the front row for the A-Heat with Darren Yates and Kyle Vantreight behind them. McKay got the jump with the drop of the green flag and led going into turn one. Root followed McKay with Yates in third. This line chased each other right through to the checkered flag. Yates created some intense moments when he was on his second qualifying lap as he clipped the front stretch wall but maintain control of his car and was able to carry on.
                The WilRoc Series lined up along the front stretch for introductions as Rocky Horn asked the 2500 fans how many laps they would like to see for the Strawberry Cup Feature? The overwhelming response was fifty laps for the seventeen car field with Jim McKay and Chris Root on the front row. 
                With the drop off the green flag, Root, McKay, and Darren Yates all made a bid for the top spot going through turn one and two. McKay prevailed taking the lead before the first lap was complete with battles shaping up behind him. Six laps down McKay still had the lead followed by Root, Kyle Vantreight, Darren Yates, and Matt Mansell. McKay began to run away while Scott Aumen, the defending Strawberry Cup Champion, was in a battle with Guy Barrett trying to move from his 8th starting spot and up through the field.
                On lap 14, Vantreight took over the second spot moving to the inside of Root. Two laps later, the yellow flag dropped as Randy Price came to a stop in turn one when the torque arm let go on his car ending his night. On the restart, McKay held the lead with the real battle taking place between Aumen and Root racing side by side for several laps and the fourth spot. The impressive run by Root came to a slow stop on lap 26 when his car quit on turn four again bringing out the caution.
                On the restart, Vantreight got the jump on McKay and grabbed the lead as Aumen passed Yates for the third spot on lap 28. Two laps later, Aumen blew by McKay and into second using a slower car as a pick. It took Aumen another four laps to catch Vantreight and put the heat on the young driver for the top spot. Again, using a slower car as a pick, Aumen went high on turn four and blasted into the lead dirt track style bringing loud cheers from the fans. McKay, although had dropped to third did not give up catching Vantreight and going by for second spot on lap 44. When the checkered flag dropped, Aumen had defended his Strawberry Cup title in breath taking fashion followed by McKay in the little roadster, Vantreight held on for third with Yates coming in fourth in a most exciting first race of the 2007 season for the WilRoc Sprint Car Series. 

Western June 23 2007 Strawberry Cup 
Car # Driver App T/T B Heat  A Heat  Main  P/P  Total 
44 Scott Aumen 10 60   29 100 21 220
21 Jim McKay 10 50   36 95   191
66 Kyle Vantreight 10 52   32 90 3 187
92 Ryan Floer 10 54   27 72 18 181
42 Guy Barrett 10 56   28 80 6 180
91 Darren Yates 10 51   33 85   179
55 Jeff Bird  10 48 24   76 6 164
2 Randy Vincent 10 47 21   68 4 150
14 Matt Mansell 10 53   31 54   148
71 Joe Dardengo 10 45 22   64 6 147
52 Chris Root  10 49   34 51   144
15 Rob Scott 10 44 19   60 6 139
19 Randy Price 10 55   30 42   137
27 Marty Venoit 10 42 18   57 8 135
7 Mark Fisher 10 43 17   48   118
47 Gord Smith 10 46 20   39   115
11 Duane Zeinstra 10 N/T     45 4 59
Fast Time B Heat A Heat Main
#44 Scott Aumen 14:132 1) 55 1) 21 1) 44 10) 15
2) 71 2) 52 2) 21 11) 27
Trophy Dash 3) 2 3) 91 3) 66 12) 14
#19 Randy Prince 4) 47 4) 66 4) 91 13) 52
5) 15 5) 14 5) 42 14) 7
6) 27 6) 19  6) 55 15) 11
7) 7 7) 44 7) 92 16) 19
8) 42 8) 2 17) 47
9) 92 9) 71

Photos by Barry Goodwin