Raleigh, NC(May 10, 2009) -- "The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is, get at him as soon as you can, strike him as hard as you can, and keep moving on," Ulysses S. Grant said that once, and it seemed that some drivers took that saying to heart Saturday night in the running of the "Capitol City Clash 150" at Wake County Speedway.

Hard racing and extreme carnage were the two constants on this night, and when it was over the short-track veteran Jay Fogleman was standing in victory lane with his 2nd career PASS series victory. What was really impressive was how his car looked, the same way it was when he started the race. No other driver could say the same.

First off, a little about the bullring at Wake County. It's small, I mean really small. Not even a 1/4 mile at .23 around, it produces some tight racing. First look at the track makes you wonder how they can even race here, then the next thought is excitement wanting to see it happen. Last year was the first time the PASS series had been to Wake County, and after some worries about the tight confines, only 12 cars made the trek. This year was a different story, as the tales got out about how good the race was last year with such a short field, 25 Super Late-Models were packed into the infield for Saturday nights event.

Early in the day as the practices were rolling through, one thing was unanimous, this place will wear you out. That was echoed by many drivers, but it did not effect their lap times at all. Figuring the local stars of Wake County would put up good times throughout the day, it never happened. Surprisingly, the smallest person there was the quickest at the physically demanding track. 15 year-old Devin Jones paced the first two practices, with the red-hot Ben Rowe leading the final practice. Jones had just moved up from the Legend car ranks this year, and continues to impress each week in the Super Late-Models.

Locals Big Jim Kelley and Alex Fleming were able to creep into the top 10 practice times on a few occasions, but the biggest disappointment of the day came from local Bradley McCaskill. Bradley is running the full PASS series schedule, and hoped that the "home-track" advantage would work in his favor. It wouldn't on this day, as a broken rocker arm caused his team to load up the #18 early. "This thing was terrible when we unloaded, tight,tight,tight. We worked on it and finally started getting some good times out of it and the motor went South" said a disappointed McCaskill. "The biggest problem is that we can't find the piece that broke off in the motor. I'm gonna start and park Fogleman's car for points. I live 20 minutes up the road, I won my first championship here, I was really looking forward to it."

Qualifying was completed and point leader Ben Rowe was on the point, his second career PASS pole. He had the usual suspects behind him, some of the best in the business. Justin Wakefield was ready to get back into his regular groove, after finishing runner up to Rowe in the opening race at Dillon, dead last at Hickory and 8th at Orange County wasn't how he wanted to start the season. He'd roll off second, followed by heavy-hitters Preston Peltier, Clay Jones and the youngster, Devin Jones. But in PASS competition, all the top 10 drivers draw cards for their starting spots, and after the redraw it was local Joe Heigl on the pole, followed by Peltier, Jones, Michael Pope and Wakefield. Rowe has had luck on his side this year, but redrew 6th spot to start the race.

The PASS trucks were up first, and while the truck count in the races have been down, the action has been very good. Even so, if the count doesn't pick up for the next event at Coastal Plains, the trucks series could be a thing of the past. Hint, hint truck drivers, this could be a great thing, but they need to be supported to make it work.

Clint King demolished the field to pick up the pole, but as in the cars, the trucks redraw also. King redrew 4th while the pole went to the point leader and 2-time winner this year Grant Davidson. Davidson would lead flag-to-flag, but King was coming in a hurry, he just lost too much time getting around 3rd place finisher Ben Ebeling to make a run at the leader. Davidson would pick up his 3rd win of the year, and make it look good in doing so. The white #00 of Davidson had a retro look, with the sponsor "Thomas Bros. County Ham", on the sides, paying tribute to one of the best ever, the great Sam Ard.

The stars of the PASS South series were ready to take to the track, and as the cars lined up double file, you could tell how tight and close this was going to be. The green was in the air and Peltier dove into turn 1 to take the lead. Just 7 laps in and the #51 of Michael Pope was beginning to make some noise, as brought his machine into second from his 4th starting spot. Throughout the field it was wild, cars bumping and grinding, sideways and on each other, it was amazing they made it 17 laps before the nights first caution.

In the early going, the track was not kind to the local competitors. "Big" Jim Kelley, a crowd favorite and 5 time track champion was collected up in an accident on lap 21, and parked it. Clay Jones had one of the faster cars throughout the day, but on lap 26 his hood would lose the pins and fly back against the windshield blocking his view. Amazingly, Jones never slowed down or lost a position until 3 laps later when he hit pit road to get it back down. It was a losing battle, as Jones would retire a few laps later, coming home 22nd. Alex Fleming was another local with high hopes, but an overheating engine ended his day only 42 laps in. It was going to be a battle of attrition, and the locals were not the only ones getting bit, it was just beginning.

Up front, Peltier was cruising a bit, but second place Pope had a new car in the rear-view mirror in the likes of Ryan Blaney. The son of NASCAR driver Dave Blaney, Ryan has been the most fun to watch in 2009, as his qualifying runs had put him in the back, but nearly every race he has the car to beat, just not enough left at the end after passing half the field. Tonight the kid from High Point NC would roll off 9th, but found himself looking for 2nd only 37 laps in. Pope would finally lose the spot to Blaney 4 laps later, but Blaney was the least of his problems. The #51 of Pope was blowing out water and on lap 42 Devin Jones would spin in the fluid and ultimately go 3 laps down. Under the caution Pope would hit pit road, the night was done, overheating was the culprit.

From that point on the cautions came quick and frequent. When something happens here, it can clog the track up quick, single car incidents are rare. The leaders weren't even safe from the tight confines, as a restart on lap 47 saw Blaney get by Peltier for the lead on the outside. But Peltier wasn't done, as he dive-bombed Blaney back in turn 3, climbing on the side of the #10, with Rowe climbing up the side of his car. the rest of the field was stacked up almost stopped behind them, and the caution would fly once more. After getting things sorted out, the new lineup was Wakefield, Jay Fogleman, Blaney and Jeff Fultz.

Yes, Fogleman was up to second, quietly and without warning. After starting 19th, Fogleman had dodged numerous wrecks and scrapes, and had put his machine in the top 2. And he had done it without a scratch, as 90% of the field had major body damage by lap 40. As the race wore on it was evident he didn't get there by luck, his car was plenty fast enough to be where it was.

Fogleman was able to take the lead from Wakefield on the next restart, and for a while it looked as if Fogleman was holding the top 6 cars up. He would hug the inside line never letting Wakefield to get his nose under the veteran, knowing that the inside was the was the quick way around. Rowe was riding in 3rd watching and waiting, and Peltier, Blaney and Jeff Fultz were having their own battle for a spot in the top 5. That battle would soon turn ugly.

Jeff Fultz is a racing veteran, having won at all different levels of racing. He once again had a good car after a poor qualifying run, and made his way into the top 5 from 11th in the first 60 laps. For the most part, all the carnage was happening behind the leaders, but that all changed for Fultz and Blaney on lap 75. The two drivers had been side-by-side for nearly 4 laps, when Blaney suddenly took Fultz straight into the turn 2 wall, he didn't get off the #67 of Fultz until he actually made contact with it. Very odd and deliberate looking, and Fultz felt the same way. He took his badly damaged car and tried to hit Blaney under caution, but Fultz' machine was so badly damaged he couldn't steer it. He let Blaney know how he felt as he exited the car, then proceeded to walk down to Blaney's pit box to tell how wonderful their driver was as Blaney was sent to the rear of the field. This is an incident that could carry over to the next race, but it wasn't the only tempers flared on this night.

As the cautions came, the cars were dropping like flies. It was time to lay it on the table, and only 5 cars on the track were running competitively enough to contend for the win, 11 total. Wakefield was able to get by Fogleman for the lead, and looked to be checking out, he was the best car on the track. But Fogleman wasn't showing all he had. Wakefield was ahead by 7 car lengths at lap 100, but 25 laps later he had come back to Fogleman. Lap 126 and Fogleman blasts back by for the lead, and brings Ben Rowe with him in the process. Wakefield was now 3rd but his excitement wasn't over, he would drive his heart out to see the leaders again.

Fogleman looked well on his way, but you never know what Rowe has left, he's a master for not using up his equipment. Blaney is now on Wakefield for 3rd, and as they get to turn 1 Blaney gets hard into the side of the #98, cutting down his own right front tire and bringing out a caution. Wakefield was headed to victory and now he's a pinball, and it wasn't over. 15 laps from the end Peltier has brought his battered ride back up to the front and dumps the #98 of Wakefield in turn 1. Peltier would be sent to the rear for rough driving but it all but vanished any hopes Wakefield had of victory.

A six lap shootout, and it looked as if Rowe was the only one left to challenge Fogleman for the top spot. On the restart fogleman didn't spin the tires a bit and sailed off into the night. Behind them, Wakefield was making a furious charge after being spun and managed to come home in the 3rd spot. Peltier had some more problems with Heath Hindman, and after the race the Hindman crew did a little cosmetic work on Peltier's car. But all the smoke cleared, and Jay Fogleman was sitting in victory lane.