WE ARE ...
LATE MODEL STOCK CARS!
April 4-6th RoundUp of All the Late Model Stock Car Action
WE ARE ...
LATE MODEL STOCK CARS!
By: Langley Austin ~ langley@race22.com
Photos by: Doc Love/Kick'n Asphalt Radio
Radford, VA ~ Only a couple of tracks managed to get any racing in this weekend with a huge storm blanketing from Texas to Maine, but Motor Mile Speedway, Newport Speedway, Hickory Motor Speedway and Franklin County Speedway held out and got their weekend racing in.
Franklin County Speedway in Callaway, VA was the only track to get their racing program in, in full on Saturday, April 5th and 2007 champion, Jimmy Mullins showed the field the "old dog" hadn't lost a thing by taking the pole with a 13.87 second lap and then dominating the race after starting fourth following a pre-race inversion. Mullins held off Nathan Wheat, a visiting Rodney Cook, veteran Rick Sigmon and Calvin Brooks. Mullins bested a field of 17 cars, a strong field of cars for the track in recent years.
Motor Mile Speedway in Radford, VA got almost all of their racing program in on Saturday night, but rain fell before the Late Model Stock Car portion of the program could be completed. The LMSC returned Sunday to complete the program and defending champion, Philip Morris started from the pole with Jason Mitcham outside with Kelly Kingery and Wade Day making up the second row. Morris dominated the race which only saw two cautions, one on lap 10 when Adam Barker and three-time Motor Mile Speedway track champion, Chad Harris got together on the backstraight ending both drivers day.
The final of the two cautions came with about ten laps remaining and that put Davin Scites right behind Morris for the final restart and Scites had been chasing Morris, but was unable to get along side of him as they both dealt with lapped traffic, but this restart turned out to be exactly what he needed. Scites got along side Morris on the restart and the two banged fenders for the final laps before Scites edged out in front of Morris at the finish. Morris finished second to Scites and has protested Scites car with Scites firing back and protesting Morris'. We hope to bring you more on the double protest later when information is available.
Young Matt DiBenedetto, the 2007 UARA-STARS Rookie of the Year got his season started off in a bitter sweet manner as he qualified the car in sixth position and ran up front early before falling victim to an ill handling car. The finishing order isn't yet available and likely won't be available until the protest has been resolved. Kelly Kingery got another strong finish getting a fourth place run in his first race at MMS for team owner, Bob Unczer. Unczer, who has had the best of the best drivers behind the wheel of his cars has certainly found a talent in Kingery. Mike Looney rounds out the unofficial top five finishers until the double protest results are issued. Check back later for more on the Motor Mile opener.
Andy Loden dominated the 50-lap race Sunday at Hickory Motor Speedway. One of our correspondents stated that it was a follow the leader race with not much passing and Loden laid the wood to the field as he won his first race of the 2008 season after getting it handed to him in the season opener a week ago by Brian Curry. Loden was followed to the line by Mack Little, Kyle Grissom, Curry, Chris Lewis, Jesse LeFevers, Lucas Ransone, RA Brown, Sam Watts and Todd Goble. Chrissy Wallace, who made her NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut a week ago in Martinsville had a strong car, but had mechanical problems take her out of the race and finished 15th out of the 18 car field.
We'll also have full results from Newport Speedway as soon as they are available ... Check on the NewsBoard for more from Newport Speedway.
SCROLL DOWN TO SEE MORE PHOTOS FROM MOTOR MILE SPEEDWAY by Doc Love from Kick'n Asphalt Radio Show on RaceFanRadio.com ... Use Arrows to Go through All the Pics!
