Story by: John Bowen ~ johnbowen@RACE22.com
Photos by: Russ Calabrese

Hudson, NC(August 26, 2009) -- On Friday night at Tri-County Motor Speedway it seemed as if Mother Nature would be the likely victor with a great threat of rain in the area, but shortly after a small storm passed the intense action that the 4/10 mile track has seen all season was ready to take place once again.

The field would be set by 2009 points which would put Dexter Canipe Jr. on the pole. Absent from the nights action was 2nd place points contender David Wilson and that would put Tyler Brown starting 2nd, RA Brown third and Megan Reitenour fourth.

The mixture would be towards the back of the pack where 2009 pole winners Jesse LeFevers and Brian Curry would have to start along with Matt Leicht and Ashley Huffman. As the green flag dropped Canipe Jr. and RA Brown would take off and battle for the lead with Tyler Brown and Reitenour in chase. By lap 25 the front three of Canipe Jr, RA Brown, and Tyler Brown would pull away from the field. The battle was stirring up back throughout the field as the fast cars were trying to pick their way to the front with a lot of three wide racing.

The only caution of the race would fly around lap 35 and would be the break the LeFevers and Huffman needed as they had already caught the back bumper of Reitenour and looked to be among the fastest cars on the racetrack. On the restart RA Brown would battle door to door with Canipe Jr. for the lead and would take it fully by lap 45. RA Brown took home his second win of the season and bounced back from an incredibly hard hit during the last race, where he had crashed out.

Canipe Jr. would finish second followed by Tyler Brown in third, but excitement continued all the way to the checkered flag as LeFevers makes contact with Huffman, cutting down a tire on LeFevers car while crossing the line. BJ Mackey and Josh Burchette would sandwich Megan Reitenour in turn 4 making it three wide on the last lap that would result in Reitenour's car sustaining front end damage.

It wasn't the best race of the 2009 season, but the race would provide the same kind of heart-pounding, edge of your seat action that fans of Tri-County Motor Speedway have become used to seeing. For RA Brown it was a big step in the right direction to resurrecting, what has been a disappointing season after setting out to win the championship. RA Brown had won the season opening event in the tech line, but this was his first win taking the checkered flag and getting to celebrate in victory lane after the event.

RA Brown will have one more chance this Friday night with the season finale at TCMS, but no doubt Canipe, Jr. will be seeking his eighth win of the season and there will be a handful of drivers seeking their first wins of the season before it closes.