How you feeling? HOT HOT HOT! Oh yes, it was very warm last Saturday at Veterans Motorplex, but it didn’t put a damper on driver enthusiasm, or spectator support…especially when every car on the property came out onto the track carrying Old Glory in honor of Memorial Day. Qualifying times were just as scorching, and […]
How you feeling? HOT HOT HOT! Oh yes, it was very warm last Saturday at Veterans Motorplex, but it didn’t put a damper on driver enthusiasm, or spectator support…especially when every car on the property came out onto the track carrying Old Glory in honor of Memorial Day. Qualifying times were just as scorching, and the racing that followed…well, you be the judge…
ROAD WARRIORS
It looked like Steve Akey had backed up his Trophy Dash win with the feature checkers, besting David Lassiter. At times there were four to six cars in contention, and after a late caution, fact was, EVERY CAR ON THE RACE TRACK still had a shot to win! At press time the results were still unofficial, but the way they came across the line was Akey, Lassiter, Tony Chambers, who worked his way up into to top five brilliantly, fast qualifier Megan Allen, and Kasey Williams, who outdragged Nate Allen to the line for fifth. Afterward, however, officials docked Akey a position…giving the win to a deserving Lassiter.
Road Warriors Feature Race Finish
Road Warriors Trophy Dash Top Five
Road Warriors Trophy Dash Finish (Non Winners Only)
Fast qualifier: Megan Allen (14) 17.077
PURE STOCK
The first of the twin 30 lap Pure Stock race saw maybe a little TOO much action. Recurring issues for the 68 of Carl Porter Sr saw him pass what seemed to be about 20 cars total…he’d pass several cars, hit pit road, pass a bunch more, drop to the tail again, charge through the field again…this went on till finally his car finally decided it had had enough. Taylor Ryman was the early leader and spread out a pretty good advantage for the first half of the race till a caution came out on lap fourteen and bunched the field up. That was when the weirdness switched into overdrive. Bubba Turner had a grinding wreck in turn four than mangled his gorgeous #14 racer…and after the restart–and the several that followed–a multitude of cars had issues, including Ricky Bobby Groves, who’d had a solid run going, trophy dash winner James Gentry (ditto), and Landin Dickens. Ultimately Josh Hood slid under Ryman and Ronnie Upchurch followed him through. Cody Jackson had an excellent run and caught and passed Ryman in the closing laps for third, with Ryman fourth and Willie Coats enduring for fifth.
Pure Stock Twin 30s First Feature Race Finish
In the second feature–once things got going anyway–it was simply a Taylor Ryman benefit. So dominant was he, once Ryman took over the lead, for all intents and purposes the race was over. The only thing that remained was to determine the overall winner of the twin features, and when Ronnie Upchurch worked his way past first race winner Josh Hood, the deed was done. Upchurch hung on for second over Hood, Willie Coats in fourth, and Michael Williams fifth. That meant that Ronnie Upchurch would’ve been your overall winner, with Hood second and Ryman in third. But wait! Post race, Hood’s car failed tech, and while he kept his first race finish, the second was voided, and the overall finish adjusted as a result.
Pure Stock Twin 30s Second Feature Race Finish
Pure Stock Twin 30s Overall Race Finish
Pure Stock Trophy Dash Top Five
Fast qualifier: Michael Williams (91) 14.486
SUPER STOCK
Well. That ended up looking a lot more interesting on paper. Yes, Jeff Belt was fast qualifier. Yes, he’s always fast at this track. But surely he wouldn’t come through the field and win THAT dominantly would he? Ummm…actually, yes…yes, he would. “This was an ego boost, right here,” he said afterward…as well it should be after thoroughly trouncing a strong field of racers. Matt Fuqua ran well even with motor and brake problems but still could only end up in second and Bubba Winslow–THE Bubba Winslow–grabbed third. Gus Moody gave the 48 a whale of a run and took fourth despite losing a couple of laps in the pits, and Buddy Moody claimed fifth.
Super Stock Feature Race Finish
Super Stock Trophy Dash Top Five
Fast Qualifier: Jeff Belt (12) 14.164
SPECIAL EVENT: VETERANS RACE
We knew it was going to be a ringer when the Veterans Race lined up…Mark Rennick had drawn the black number 20 which EVERYBODY knew was fast…but Terry Wilson gave him a run for his money. It was a pretty competitive 15 laps, but Rennick took over after the restart and held on over Wilson, with Ken “Uncle Jesse” Gamble third despite wrecking during practice, Scott Lybarger fourth after a solid early run, and Doug Quick in fifth. But this was truly a race in which we ALL won…and all the drivers are heroes.
Veterans Race Finish
COMING THIS WEEK…it’s Motorized Mayhem at Veterans Motorplex…a car show, swap meet, and even ridealongs with Race Director David Brown and General Manager Phil Spickard…drifting contests…burnout contests, and MORE! Buy a ridealong and you’ll score a free ticket to June 8th’s race night! That’s this weekend at VETERANS MOTORPLEX, where Family ACTION is the ATTRACTION!
