BALDY BAKER WINS USA DEMON 100
06.12.06
Midvale OH

Ohio’s Baldy Baker won Saturday nights USA Modified Series, Demon 100 at Midvale Speedway, Midvale, Ohio. It was Baldy’s first USA Mod victory, the third win for the season having won two features at Mansfield Speedway and he is currently the point’s leader at Mansfield.

It was a great night for racing at Midvale. As most of the Midwest’s race tracks were aggravated with rain, Midvale had a beautiful summer evening with a great crowd on hand to see the USA Mods in action. Thirty Mods were prepared to do battle on the tight 3/10^th mile oval that saw current point leader Tim Burkett steal the “Firebottle Fast Time Award” from Scott Coe with a 14.621 over Coe’s 14.623. Third fast was Doug Meyer followed by Rodney Scott, Baldy Baker and Michigan’s Bob Curry.

Following the evenings invocation and the playing of our National Anthem the fastest six Qualifiers took to the track for the Dash with Doug Meyer drawing the poll followed by Baldy Baker outside. At the drop of the green from USA flagman Steve “Chicken” Little, Scott Coe and Bob Curry tangled as the yellow flew for a bad start, ending both cars chances as they retired to the pits with front end damage. On the second try Doug Meyer jumped to the lead and held off a hard charging Baldy Baker to win the dash followed by Rodney Scott, and Bob Curry.

In Fast Heat action it would be Glen Jewel taking the win over Dick Maurer, T.J. Stineman and Brad Springer. The Last chance race saw John Wilson gain a spot in the Demon 100 by winning over Harold Scott, Brian Nester, and Mike Hadley Jr. The night was not without problems for some as Mike Hadley Jr in his beautiful 04 and Joey Thurman loaded with engine problems for the long hall back to Indy.

With the preliminary races over the stage was set by the draw that would put Baldy Baker on the pole, Doug Meyer’s black 31 outside pole, Ft. Wayne Indiana’s Brad Springer would push off third with Rodney Scott  fourth.

After a few warm up laps to run in rosin placed in the second groove, Baldy Baker and Doug Meyer would bring a great field of powerful Mods to the line for the start of the “Demon 100” and the $1500 cash prize, plus a Demon “RS” Carburetor that awaits the winner.

The green flew and Baldy and Doug Meyer battled side by side for the top spot with the rest of the racing for positions. Baldy would finally out dual Meyer and Meyer would fall into second followed by Brad Springer and former USA Champion Rodney Scott. The first yellow would fly as Matt Leedy would make contact with the front stretch wall and spin into turn one. After a brief clean up action would continue as Scott would pressure Springer for the third spot and Meyer seemed to be content to just ride behind Baldy for now. After a few cautions, the last for John Wilson bright green #33 that broke a right front suspension, leaving a trail of sparks before narrowly missing the turn three wall, things started to heat up as Meyer turned up the wick on Baldy Baker and Scott, now in third after getting by Springer on the restart, stared to do like wise to Meyer. With laps winding down Rodney Scott’s red #97 worked Meyer high and low. Several times able to roll up beside Doug Myers but just could not finish the pass as Meyer would fight back. With Meyer working Baldy Baker on the low side and Scott working Meyer on the high side, laps running down. Fans were on the edge of their seats as the white flag flew….Baldy Baker would win the Demon 100 and his first USA Modified Series race followed by Doug Meyer and Rodney Scott.

Damon Breedlove would take home the “Allstar Performance Hard Charger Award” coming from the 21^st spot to finish 10^th

The USA Modified Series travels to Mansfield Speedway June 17^th.