MORTENSEN RACE REPORT FOR 8/8/09

On Saturday, August 8 the Jumpin’ Jack’s Drive-In sponsored #1M of Mark Mortensen was back in action at the Track of Champions for race #12 of the season. Mortensen started fourth in heat race number two fighting an ill handling race car for the entire eight lap distance. He would finish the event in the fifth position and drive to the pit area to the attention of his pit drew who tried to solve the handling problems with the race car. Car owner Bonnie Mortensen (Mark’s mom) decided to go and ask Modified driver Ryan Odasz if he would come down to the #1M car to try and give Mark and the crew some advice. Odasz suggested a few changes to make to the car which were done prior to the warm-up session before the feature events. The car handled much better in warm-ups after the changes were made and the Mortensen Racing team had high hopes for a good finish in the feature event where Mark would start sixth on the grid. Vinny Sanganetti and Drew Fallis started the Sportsman feature on the front row with Fallis taking the lead as the green flag fell to start the 20-lap event. After a one lap side by side battle for the lead, Sanganetti was the new race leader on lap three after making his pass on the inside of turn three. At that point in the event Mark Mortensen who stared the event in the sixth position was side by side with Jason Memrick for the third spot with Mortensen taking the spot as he marched to the front. On lap eight Mortensen was the new second place car after getting by Fallis for the spot with Sanganetti now a straightaway ahead. After setting the fastest time in the feature event on lap two with a lap of 21.487, Sanganetti was in lap traffic by lap 12, slowing him enough that Mortensen was able to close in two laps later. Sanganetti was running the inside of the speedway while Mortensen was running the outside and with five laps to go Mortensen swung around the outside of Sanganetti in turn three to take the lead. With Mortensen on his way to the win last Saturday nights feature winner and current point leader David Towns made his way to the front from his 10th place starting position, taking over the third spot from Memrick on lap 17. Mortensen went on to his second win of the season and the eighth of his career at Fonda over Sanganetti, Towns, Memrick, and John McAuliffe. “We have been struggling with the setup on this car and I have to thank Ryan Odasz for his help setting the car up tonight,” Mortensen said in victory lane. “He suggested some changes to us before the feature and they worked very well. Vinny (Sanganetti) was running well and I didn’t really think that I was going to be able to catch him.” The win kept Mortensen in the fourth place in points heading into the “Night of Features” on Saturday, August 15 when the 2009 track champions would be decided in all divisions. For more information on the Mortensen Motorsports Racing Team you can go to their website www.pmmexpress.com/markmortensen