RACE REPORTS FOR ROUND 4: MAY 5, 2019

No, it didn’t start out like your typical race day at Veterans Motorplex at the Rim. First of all, it was Sunday, the result of a steady rain that washed out any chance of racing on Saturday. Second, the skies were kinda drab: overcast and gray. But wouldn’t you know, almost as soon as the cars hit the track for practice, things began to warm up (coincidence? we think not!) and eventually the sun broke through and blessed us with a wonderful afternoon, which was only appropriate considering the action that followed…

PEST DOCTOR RIDGE RUNNERS
We were treated to a thrilling 25 lap feature for the Pest Doctor Ridge Runners, and for the first 23 circuits it looked like Josh Harrell and his 411 Honda would be taking home the hardware. But on the 24th go-round his CRX skittered up the banking just high enough to give Daniel Harper an opening, and The Beard didn’t need any urging, getting a run down the back stretch and snagging the lead by the time they reached turn 3. Harrell tried a crossover but didn’t have the oomph, and Harper hung on for the win. Harrell settled for second, with Steve Akey third, Josh Garvin looked solid early but faded to fourth, with newcomer Korie Dufresne hanging on for fifth.

Feature Race Finish
1. Daniel Harper (95) 25 laps
2. Josh Harrell (411) 25 laps
3. Steve Akey (99x) 25 laps
4. Josh Garvin (25) 24 laps
5. Korie Dufresne (63) 23 laps
Also classified: 6. Jerry Langston (3) 19 laps 7. Josh Brown (44) DNS

Fast qualifier: Josh Harrell (411) 15.436

Trophy Dash Top Five
1. Daniel Harper (95) 10 laps
2. Josh Harrell (411) 10 laps
3. Josh Brown (44) 10 laps
4. Steve Akey (99) 10 laps
5. Josh Garvin (25) 10 laps

ROAD WARRIORS
Road Warriors races tend to inspire wild emotions, and the fact that we were racing on a Sunday didn’t seem to make a difference. In the end it looked like it would be settled by a battle between Michael Meadows and Derrick Bissinger, but they ran high in turn four ON THE LAST LAP which left just enough room for last week’s winner David Lassiter to squeak through and take his second straight win! Meadows and Bissinger hung on for second and third, with the 95 car fourth and Jerry Langston fifth. After the checkered Bissinger and the 95 came together hard in turn 2 but both were okay…and then things got strange. It transpired that the 95 had been wheeled in the event not by usual driver Austin Jacobs, but instead by Thomas Meadows…who, as a Late Model driver, is not eligible to run in Road Warriors! That elevated a deserving Jerry Langston to fourth, with Gerald Jackson a solid fifth.

Feature Race Finish
1. David Lassiter (6) 20 laps
2. Michael Meadows (12) 20 laps
3. Derrick Bissinger (469) 20 laps
4. Jerry Langston (3) 20 laps
5. Gerald Jackson (19) 20 laps
Also classified: 6. Ray Gonzales (83) 20 laps 7. Kasey Williams (K3) 16 laps 8. Michael Pannell (8) 13 laps 9. Marc Deist (423) DNS

Fast qualifier: Michael Pannell (8) 17.032

Trophy Dash Top Five
1. Derrick Bissinger (469) 10 laps
2. David Lassiter (6) 10 laps
3. Michael Pannell (8) 10 laps
4. Michael Meadows (12) 10 laps
5. Jerry Langston (3) 10 laps

TUNERS
Justin Martin backed up a win in the Trophy Dash by capturing the checkered in the feature, JUST managing to hold off fast qualifier Daniel Harper by less than a car length in an awesome display of competitive driving. Sean Frederick led early before giving in to the flying twosome and had a solid run for third, with Chris Carter and Chris Brown soldiering to fourth and fifth.

Feature Race Finish
1. Justin Martin (711) 25 laps
2. Daniel Harper (95) 25 laps
3. Sean Frederick (56) 25 laps
4. Chris Carter (7) 25 laps
5. Chris Brown (25A) 25 laps
Also classified: 6. Steve Akey (99X) 24 laps 7. Donald Ayers (99)

Fast Qualifier: Daniel Harper (95) 14.794

Trophy Dash Top Five
1. Justin Martin (711) 10 laps
2. Donald Ayers (99) 10 laps
3. Chris Brown (25A) 10 laps
4. Daniel Harper (95) 10 laps
5. Sean Frederick (56) 10 laps

PURE STOCK
It’s hard to top a really wild Road Warrior feature for pure entertainment value, but the Pure Stocks did it…in spades! Ricky Bobby Groves looked like he had a solid shot at a win till he looped it in turn four, collecting Travis Ryman along the way. That’s right…Travis Ryman, who arrived late, got a couple of laps of practice in, and had run a powerful race to challenge for the top spot. After the sportsmanlike Ricky Bobby tapped out to acknowledge his responsibility, by rule Ryman regained his position, now in the lead…and held that lead the rest of the way for a dominant win. “Rocketman” Carl Porter Sr, last week’s winner, chased but was unable to close and settled for second, with fast qualifier Willie Coats third, Derrick Herrington fourth, and Groves ended fifth after a fine recovery drive. Early retirees included Cameron Choate, Michael Williams, Donald Webb Jr, and James Gentry, who would certainly have been in the hunt and was running second when his white #48 lost all its water and ended his day.

Feature Race Finish
1. Travis Ryman (6) 50 laps
2. Carl Porter Sr (98) 50 laps
3. Willie Coats (71) 50 laps
4. Derrick Herrington (12) 50 laps
5. Ricky Bobby Groves (125) 50 laps
Also classified: 6. Charlie Briley (19) 46 laps 7. 13. Charles “Spurt” Goddard (13) 46 laps 8. Josh Hood (08X) 37 laps 9. Michael Williams (91) 27 laps 10. Donold Webb Jr (27) 25 laps 11. James Gentry (48) 13 laps 12. Cameron Choate (82) 9 laps 13. Bubba Turner (14) DNS

Fast qualifier: Willie Coats (71) 14.987

Trophy Dash Top Five
1. Charlie Briley (19) 10 laps
2. Donold Webb Jr (27) 10 laps
3. Carl Porter Sr (68) 10 laps
4. Travis Ryman (6) 10 laps
5. Derrick Herrington (12) 10 laps

NEXT WEEK: It’s MEDIA NIGHT as representatives from all of our major TV broadcasters will be racing…along with the Sportsman, Pure Stocks, Road Warriors, and the return of the Pro 4 Oval Asphalt Series! All that and the usual unusual surprises…only at Veterans Motorplex at the Rim…where Family Action is the Attraction!