Tracy Press

Tracy’s Justin Philpott logs his first Western Late Models win at Altamont.

Justin Philpott rounds the track Saturday at Altamont Motorsports Park. Courtesy of Don Castellon.

“I finally got it,” Philpott said Monday.

He has worked since 2006 for a win at this level of auto racing. Before the race, he said, his family — including father David, grandfather John and cousin Ryan, last year’s track champion at Altamont — got his Monte Carlo into top shape after he had to pull out of his previous race at the track because of mechanical trouble.

“I knew we had the fastest car, so I went for it, and it worked out all right,” he said.

Philpott figured that as long as he could stay toward the front of the pack, he could pounce at the end.

“I knew it was going to be a hard-fought battle, which it was.”

The 18-year-old Tracy driver had to work up from the No. 10 starting position in Saturday’s race, which was changed that day to a 50-lap race on Altamont’s half-mile oval, instead of the 100-lap race originally planned.

By the 10th lap, he had worked up to fourth place, behind Tim Spurgeon of Danville, Bobby Hodges of Carson City and Steven Cantrell. Philpott passed Spurgeon on the 16th lap to move into third place and held his position for the rest of the race.

Hodges and Cantrell crashed in front of Philpott on the 46th lap, and Cantrell made his move to try to take the lead. Hodges spun out, but he was able to reclaim his position in the lead on the restart. Philpott pulled into the lead going into the final lap and finished just ahead of Hodges.

Spurgeon finished in third, Doff Cooksey of Brentwood finished fourth and Wes Miller of Turlock finished fifth.

In the Flashco Supermodified Racing League, Craig Raudman won a duel with fellow SRL veteran Jim Pettit during the second half of their 100-lap race on the half-mile track. They overcame early leads by SRL rookies Josh Combs, Tracy Bolin and Justin Westmoreland as the two leaders charged around the track and lapped other top finishers.

Combs fell out of the race with a flat tire, and at the end, Raudman finished just in front of Pettit, with Troy Ermish in third, Kenneth Spangler in fourth and Westmoreland in fifth.

Racing resumes at Altamont Motorsports Park this weekend with two 50-lap races July 12 for the Whelen Western Late Models, plus American Limited Stock Cars, Grand American Modifieds and Limited Sprints on the half-mile; Future Champions late models on the quarter-mile; and Formula 4s on the 1.1-mile road course. Admission is $5 for everybody for “Fan Appreciation Day.”

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