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Pressley Takes Home Victory in the Fall Brawl 250
Story by: Chris Romano/Contributor to RACE22.com
Photos by: Debra Slater-Manter
Newton, NC(October 11, 2009) -- Coleman Pressley came on strong in the second half of Hickory's 250 lap Fall Brawl to score his biggest win of the season.
The second generation racer jumped to the lead from outside pole, beating pole sitter and 2009 track champion Andy Mercer, with former track champion Matt McCall and Patrick Molesworth following.
Brian Curry spun on lap seven, but Pressley held off Mercer on the restart. On lap twenty-nine Akinori Ogata looped and Pressley wasn't so fortunate losing the restart to Mercer, with McCall and Dexter Canipe, Jr. hot on their heels.
Mercer held the high line with Pressley nosing under each lap, and they stayed that way through a lap seventy-one yellow when Jesse Lefevers stopped on track. Andy Loden had worked his way to fourth by that point, and Steven Wallace, after starting last due to missing qualifying, was in sixth.
Deborah Renshaw brought out the next caution on lap eighty-five and on the restart the top three cars were three abreast coming out of turn four. That was good enough for McCall to take second.
Jackie Buckner, Renshaw and Ogata came together in turn two on lap ninety seven and on the restart McCall took the lead. Loden went to third while Pressley faded to fourth. McCall, Mercer and Loden were under a blanket until the halfway stop on lap one twenty five.
The stop for tires helped Mercer the most as he was back in the lead by lap one twenty nine. Three laps later Candace Muzny, holding down a top ten position, spun in turn three. Shortly after the restart Pressley got back to second with McCall third.
Another yellow on lap one forty five saw McCall slip to fourth with Loden running strong in third. That came to an end on lap one fifty eight when Wallace, after getting by McCall, got together with Loden on the backstretch. Loden spun and was collected by Kaleb Pressley and Curry.
On the restart Wallace dropped back, opening the door for Kyle Moon to take over third. Pressley and Mercer resumed their fight for the lead which lasted until lap one ninety five when Brandon Dean spun. The restart was all Pressley needed as he got by Mercer for the lead. By lap two thirteen Canipe, Jr. had moved to third with Wallace fourth as Moon's challenge faded. Wallace goes to third with twenty five laps to go.
A red for fluid on the track stopped the action with nineteen laps to go, and on the restart Ash Huffman got out of shape and hit the wall coming out of turn four.
Pressley stretched his lead after the final restart, beating Mercer to the checkers while Wallace was third. Muzny came back strong to pass Canipe late in the race for fourth.
Wallace, who missed qualifying due to the Nationwide race in California, wished for some practice time. "The car was not good," said Wallace. "I didn't have time to practice so I couldn't work on the set up. It was tight in the center and crazy loose off. We struggled most of the day. Third is OK, but it's not where we wanted to finish."
Mercer, who brought a new car to the race, also struggled with handling. "We had too much front brake. It was tight in the center, but I've got no complaints about the car."
Pressley credited his dad Robert, former Craftsman Truck and Nationwide driver, for the win. "My dad made some adjustments at the break. I second guessed him, but the win shows that's why he's the crew chief and I'm the driver. This is awesome, it give us a lot of momentum heading into the big races."
In the fifty lap Limited Late Model race 2009 track champion Kyle Mansch dominated the first thirty laps but on a restart Chris Chapman got by him and Mansch retired a few laps later. Chapman paced the rest of the field to the checkered flag.
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Official Results:
1) Coleman Pressley #59
2) Andy Mercer #10
3) Steven Wallace #66
4) Candace Muzny #92
5) Dexter Canipe, Jr. #88
6) James Goff #33
7) Josh Wimbish #51
8) Kyle Moon #19
9) Roger Powell #21
10) Matt McCall #23
11) Mike Darne #99
12) Jackie Buckner #87
13) Chris Lawson #55
14) Brandon Dean #5
15) Darrick Coomer #09
16) Dylan Presnell #83
17) Matt Kurzejewski #70
18) Jesse LeFevers #43
19) Ash Huffman #7
20) Deborah Renshaw #20
21) Grant Wimbish #57
22) Andy Loden #29
23) Kaleb Pressley #54
24) Brian Curry #14
25) Akinori Ogata #83
26) Patrick Molesworth #47
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