Renno Posts His 1st Sportsman Main-Event Win

Doug Renno of Canoga Park raced to his first 40-lap Sportsman main-event win Saturday night at Saugus Speedway in front of 3,572.

The main event was delayed for 25 minutes after a three-car accident involving Jerome Ruzicka of Chatsworth, John Watkinson of Canyon Country and John Redmond of Saugus. But Renno sped away from the pack after the track was cleared. Rod Johnson of Canyon Country took second and Jerry Bosson of Simi Valley took third.

In the 25-lap Hobby Stock oval main event, Arcadia’s Neil Conrad flew to his first victory of the season in a wire-to-wire win aided greatly by the presence of just one yellow flag.

Conrad started on the pole in the Hobby Stock main event and soared ahead of the field until Lap 19, when a yellow was waved after a bang-up in the back. That gave second-place driver Richard Ingram of Hesperia and third-place driver Auggie Iannolo of Canoga Park hope to catch Conrad, who had held a good-sized lead.

Conrad, a firefighter, doused any challenge and won the 25-lapper with Ingram second and Ron Cerven of Lancaster third. Cerven passed Iannolo after the yellow.

The 20-lap Outlaw Mini Stock main event was a showcase for 1991 Burbank High graduate Frank Deiny Jr., who started last and weaved his way to the win, holding off current points leader Kenny Smith of El Monte. Smith pressured Deiny, but the 18-year-old hung on. Deiny also was fast qualifier earlier in the day.

Saturday night was also a good one for Mini Stocker Rock Ake Jr. of Moorpark. Not only did Ake set a track record in qualifying, but he won the 15-lap Mini Stock main event after starting eighth.

Ake moved up to second, then pressured leader Greg Walker for 10 laps. On Lap 11, Ake was rewarded, as Walker was black-flagged into the infield for blocking the track and Ake raced to the win.

In the 15-lap Jalopy main event, Walker of Acton took the lead on Lap 1 and led all the way to Turn 4 of Lap 15, when Dick Leighton of Pacoima made a bid for the win. Both cars swerved coming out of the final turn and crossed the finish line at almost the same instant. Walker was ruled the winner.