Langford BC. January 22nd,
2012: Story by Ken Keating
Cody
Aumen, a past winner, shared the front row with the #23 car but it was
Howie Mace, also a past winner, that grabbed the early lead and quickly
checked out on the rest of the field. Rory Smith, driving for Steve
Copp, took up the second position while Aumen dropped back to run third
in the early laps. The best race on the track was with Brad Aumen and
points leader Darren Yates as they wrestled for fifth and sixth. Leaving
the inside small oval, Yates moved quickly to pass Brad for the fifth
spot and before they got around to the front stretch, he grabbed the
fourth spot by lap eight and clearly was on the move. Because of lapped
traffic, Yates was able to pull right up to Smith and Cody running second
and third respectively. Over the next several laps, Yates was able to
get by Aumen and Smith and by lap nineteen had closed right up on Mace
running in the lead. By lap thirty, Yates was able to get by Mace and
into the lead with Mace, Cody, Smith, and Brenda Leslie running in the
top five positions. On lap forty-six, as Yates was about to pass a back
marker, the two drivers got together with Yates spinning out somewhat.
This spin however, only cost Yates one position and the lead was retaken
by Mace. By lap fifty, Cody moved up and took over the second spot dropping
Yates back to third. On lap sixty-three the yellow came out and drivers
were allowed into the pits for a driver change if so desired without
losing their laps.
When
racing resumed Mace had given his seat up but was still the lead car
followed by Cody, Smith, and Brad Aumen who had taken the fifth spot
away from Leslie before the halfway marker. By lap sixty-eight, Cody
was all over the #28 car with Yates in this mix as well. It only took
a couple of laps for Cody to wrestle the lead away and Yates took over
the second spot. By lap seventy-six the #28 car was driven into the
pits with what seemed to be a handling problem and although he tried
another lap he brought the car to the infield and done for the day.
On lap eighty-six, Cody was still in the lead followed by Yates, Brad,
and Kevin Knight running the top four positions with Yates turning up
the heat on the leader. Two laps later, Yates managed to swing inside
and made the pass for the lead. Over the remainder of the race no one
could get by Yates as he took his second Enduro chequered flag of the
season followed by Cody Aumen and Brad Aumen rounding out the top three
positions. This marked the first trophy ever taken by Brad Aumen in
any event. Rockell Kroppmans again greeted all the winners at victory
square to present each with their respective trophy.
