RACE REPORTS FOR OCTOBER 5, 2019
(All photos by Gary Chopik)
Could Race 2 Include Night have been any better? An enthusiastic, generous crowd that raised over 13,000 dollars for Down Syndrome and DSAMT, a solid car count, and—yes!—excellent weather throughout made for a grand evening’s entertainment. There were rough skies and even lighting to the southeast, but the Little Track on the Hill and its environs were spared and the thunder remained on the track…where it belonged!
BABY GRANDS
The feature race for the Baby Grands was frantic! Ronnie Binkley (tonight in Tim Vinsant’s 14) led initially, with Justin Shanes in hot pursuit…then the invaders from Indiana began to make their presence known. Yes, Kent Balledge and Danny Trent came trophy hunting once again, and ultimately it was fast qualifier Trent grabbing the hardware after heat race winner Balledge suffered a flat tire in the main. That resulted in a spin that collected both Shanes as well as Joe McCloud. McCloud managed to fight his way back to second place, and Justin Shanes had a busy race, going to the tail on a couple of occasions after on track incidents, including one while challenging for the lead on a late restart. He looked to be the only one with anything for the 2 car but ended up third. Ronnie Binkley wheeled the 14 car (officially scored as 25X) to fourth, while Trent Key returned and got himself a fifth in a VERY tightly bunched field.
Baby Grands Feature Race Finish
1. Danny Trent (2) 25 laps
2. Joe McCloud (15) 25 laps
3. Justin Shanes (24) 25 laps
4. Ronnie Binkley (25X) 25 laps
5. Trent Key (18) 25 laps
Other finishers: 6. Mark Cole (50) 25 laps, 7. Jessie Binkley (25) 15 laps, 8. Kent Baledge (32) 3 laps.
Baby Grands Heat Race Top Five
1. Kent Baledge (32) 10 laps
2. Danny Trent (2) 10 laps
3. Ronnie Binkley (14) 10 laps
4. Joe McCloud (15) 10 laps
5. Trent Key (18) 10 laps
Fast qualifier: Danny Trent (2) 13.826 65.095 mph
PRO 4 ASPHALT SERIES
The Pro 4 Asphalt Series returned to the Little Track on the Hill for what would be their final event of 2019. They brought a solid field of cars (which seems to grow with every appearance!) and a good deal of action…but in the end, it was a familiar name out front in the feature. No, it wasn’t Rowland either…it was Jerry Fitzgerald Jr, and he was simply the class of the field, setting fast time and darting away on every restart to a dominant feature win. Second placed Rick Rowland did take the heat race win and the championship of the debut series, while Jeffrey Lee got himself a win in the dash and a third in the main, followed by Jaclyn Barnett and Michael Carter. Hopes are high for still more growth in 2020 for the snarling Pro 4s and the future seems unlimited.
Pro 4 Asphalt Series Feature Race Finish
1. Jerry Fitzgerald Jr (28) 25 laps
2. Rick Rowland (82) 25 laps
3. Jeffery Lee (79) 24 laps
4. Jaclyn Barnett (17) 24 laps
5. Michael Carter (07) 24 laps
Other finishers: 6. Michael Meadows (17X) 24 laps, 7. Tony Chambers (43) 1 lap. DNS: Corey Rowland (51), Craig Busick (45), Leslie Best (44L), Jerrill Jones (32).
Pro 4 Asphalt Series Heat Race Top Five
1. Rick Rowland (82) 7 laps
2. Corey Rowland (51) 7 laps
3. Jaclyn Barnett (17) 7 laps
4. Craig Busick (45) 7 laps
5. Leslie Best (44L) 7 laps
Pro 4 Asphalt Series Non-Winners Trophy Dash Finish
1. Jeffrey Lee (79) 10 laps
2. Michael Carter (07) 10 laps
3. Tony Chambers (43) 10 laps
4. David Craig (17) 7 laps
Fast qualifier: Jerry Fitzgerald Jr (28) 14.520 61.983 mph
ROAD WARRIORS
Another barn-burner of a feature for the Road Warriors saw yet another return to Victory Lane for Godzilla as Derrick Bissinger worked that ol’ X flag magic again and was in the right place at the right time when havoc erupted in Turn 4 on the last lap. But oh, how close to a first win was Nate Allen in his new white 01…he looked to have it in the bag till the last turn contact with the K3 of Kasey Williams ended his hopes…and maybe the service life of his second race car of the year! Williams might’ve been the winner but for the wreck with the leader, for which he was dropped to the tail of the lead lap cars. Jerry Langston added to a good night with second—he’d already notched a win in the heat race—and David Lassiter took third, followed by Tony Chambers and Paul Cummings.
Road Warriors Feature Race Finish
1. Derrick Bissinger (469) 20 laps
2. Jerry Langston (3) 20 laps
3. David Lassiter (6) 20 laps
4. Tony Chambers (43) 20 laps
5. Paul Cummings (A1) 20 laps
Other finishers: 6. Shane Jackson Jr (19) 20 laps, 7. Lynn Newcomb (55) 20 laps, 8. Ray Gonzales (83) 20 laps, 9. Nate Allen (01) 20 laps, 10. Kasey Williams (K3) 20 laps, 11. Justin Doney (7) 13 laps, 12. Austin Jacobs (95) 12 laps, 13. David Ray Bates (88) 12 laps, 14. Chris Jackson (133) 8 laps, 15. Aaron Porter (04) 1 lap, 16. Michael Meadows (12) 1 lap.
Road Warriors Heat Race Top Five
1. Jerry Langston (3) 10 laps
2. Nate Allen (01) 10 laps
3. Derrick Bissinger (469) 10 laps
4. Kasey Williams (K3) 10 laps
5. Justin Doney (7) 10 laps
Fast qualifier: Aaron Porter (04) 17.033 52.839 mph
PURE STOCKS
A week after having his car trashed in a heat race—a HEAT RACE!—Donold Webb Jr returned and decisively claimed the win in the Pure Stocks. Michael Williams had a replacement machine out too and led the first lap but points leader Josh Hood powered past almost immediately, bringing Cameron Choate and Webb with him. Webb then passed Choate and set to work on Hood, making it stick just before the halfway mark. Hood hung on for second, with Choate grabbing yet another top three in what has become a solid season for him. Ditto for Jackson McLerran, who traded paint with Ronnie Upchurch a couple of times on his way to fourth. Hood also took the heat race and set fast time.
Pure Stocks Feature Race Finish
1. Donold Webb Jr (27) 30 laps
2. Josh Hood (08X) 30 laps
3. Cameron Choate (82) 30 laps
4. Jackson McLerran (7) 30 laps
5. Ronnie Upchurch (08) 30 laps
Other finishers: 6. Michael Williams (91) 30 laps, 7. Quinton Smeathers (33) 29 laps, 8. Bryson Russell (5) 29 laps, 9. Brandon Ladd (40) 15 laps, 10. Terry Russell (8) 9 laps, 11. Donny Webb (79) 0 laps.
Pure Stocks Heat Race Top Five
1. Josh Hood (08X) 10 laps
2. Jackson McLerran (7) 10 laps
3. Donold Webb Jr (27) 10 laps
4. Ronnie Upchurch (08) 10 laps
5. Cameron Choate (82) 10 laps
Fast qualifier: Josh Hood (08X) 14.937 60.253
THIS WEEK AT VETERANS MOTORPLEX: The Late Model Sportsman return! Plus: Legends, the Pest Doctor Ridge Runners, Road Warriors, Pure Stocks, and…POWDER PUFF RACES for the Ladies! Big Wheel Races for the Kids! All this and more Family Fun that can’t be beat, so bring a friend to VETERANS MOTORPLEX AT THE RIM, where ACTION IS THE ATTRACTION!