Houchin Scores Surprise Victory : Auto racing: Ventura racer catches Oak View rival on second lap to win Pony Stock event.

Ventura’s Jody Houchin started the night 575 points behind Ventura Raceway leader Scott Boucher of Oak View in the Pony Stock Division.

But Houchin--who started the night in fifth place--closed the gap significantly by edging Boucher on the second turn of the second lap to win the Pony Stock figure-eight main event Friday night at Ventura Raceway.

Houchin, who got 100 points for the victory, also dominated the Pony Stock oval main. He got another 100 points for the Pony Stock victory.

It was his fourth oval main victory and overall he has nine first places, one second and one third.

Oxnard Paul Moore nipped Bill Bartels of Culver City in the 20-lap Street Stock main event.

In the 10-lap IMCA main event, Doug Thornton of Ventura held off Steve Rowe of Fillmore. Don Keeter of Ventura was third.

Moorpark’s Gary Hubert notched his sixth Mini Stock main-event victory. Early leader Mike Raschke of Ventura finished second.

Joe Silva of Port Hueneme won the Mini Stock figure-eight main event over Cliff Tietz of Camarillo.

Jan Hubert celebrated her 33rd birthday by winning one of the Pony Stock heat races. Hubert is the wife of Mini Stock racer Gary Hubert.

Gary Hubert passed Raschke on Lap 3 en route to a Mini Stock heat victory.

Bartels surged in front on the first lap of the Street Stock heat race and went on to win. Scott Nivens of Agoura Hills was second.

James Weston of Santa Barbara won the second heat race for Street Stocks, taking the lead on Lap 2 of the five-lap event.

In an IMCA heat race, Thornton roared away from Leonard Rowe of Camarillo and Keeter.