May 30, 2010

Maryland Clay Dirt

By Doug Watson

“Pencil Sharp at Hagerstown”

“Wow, What a show!” Were the words of one spectator last Saturday night at the Hagerstown speedway as I greeted late model winner Jack Pencil in victory lane. What a show it was indeed. Thirty-six late models, 26 late model sportsman and 19 pure stocks lined the pit area under absolutely perfect weather conditions.

The late models were running under the “Three State Flyers” series banner for the second time this season. York Haven Pa.’s Jason Covert, who has won all four TSF series events run at Hagerstown, was on the pole for the 35-lap main event. Race over, right?? Well, Bedford Pa.’s Jack Pencil had other idea’s. Pencil, who is a former Bedford (PA) speedway and MACS series LM champion, slugged it out with Covert for several laps before taking the lead for good on the 33rd lap to score his first-ever Hagerstown LM feature win. “ Man, I have always wanted to win one here.” Said the happy winner. “I have to rank this up there as one of my biggest career wins.” Pencil was at the controls of his familiar Stoystown auto wrecking, Rocket no.14, which was shod in American Racer Rubber.

Once again, hats off to the entire Hagerstown speedway staff as nine heat races, two consolations, a dash and three features were spun-off and the last checkered flag of the night waved at 11:10, with the large crowd on hand on their way home. Here’s some notes from the show-

* Greencastle Pa.’s Gary Stuhler had a nice run in his Paul Crowl owned Rocket no.7, as he started back in the 12th starting spot and raced his way to s solid fourth at the finish. Stuhler is still in search of his first Hagerstown feature win since 2008.

*DJ Myers, also from Greencastle pa., had an equally impressive feature run. Wheeling his trusty Greg Gunter owned PPM chassis no.70J, Myers drove from his 17th starting spot to grab fifth at the checkered.

*Hagerstown Md.’s Mike Warrenfeltz, continued his domination of the pure stock ranks, as he drove his Todd Smith owned no.5 from his 12th starting spot to nab his fourth feature win of the season, and his career 77th at the speedway.

* Severna Park Md.’s Kyle Lear returned to Hagerstown with his familiar MD1 race cars no.151. The defending late model sportsman track champion drove from his 14th starting spot to take runner-up honors to race winner Scott Palmer in the 20-lap LMS feature. At Potomac on Friday Lear, was once again second in the limited late model feature to race winner Sommey Lacey.

* Sykesville Md.’s Glenn Elliott made his Hagerstown return after his grinding front-stretch crash nearly three-weeks ago. A new front and rear clip was installed on his MasterSbilt no.5 during the time off. However, Elliott struggled in the feature and would place 13th at the finish of the LMS feature.

* Hagerstown Md.’s Nathan Durboraw made his Hagerstown debut wheeling Jack Bland’s Rocket no.41. The eight-time Hagerstown LM champion qualified for the main but could only produce an 18th place feature finish.

* With 36 late models in the pit’s the DNQ list was rather impressive as Alan Sagi, Ronnie DeHaven Jr. and Jim Yoder, just to name a few, did not make the cut for the feature.

* In Thursday night Keystone Cup 410 sprint car event, there was a radar gun on race winner Daryn Pittman in his heat race as he entered turn three. Pittman was clocked at 131mph…/Wow!!

* Glen Burnie Md.’s Steven Axtell Jr., had the drive of the night in the LMS feature. A heat race crash forced Axtell to the consolation, which he won, to earn the 19th starting spot for the feature. The current point leader and one-time feature winner would then steer his father Steve’s MasterSbilt no.81 through the pack to take fifth at the finish, keeping him atop the current standings.

* Coming off late model wins at Bedford (PA) and Susquehanna (PA) last weekend, Gettysburg Pa.’s Jeremy Miller was primed for Hagerstown. At the controls of his Miller Fabrication, MasterSbilt no.1M, Miller had to qualify for the feature via the consolation. Miller’s feature luck would not get much better as he would start, and finish a disappointing 21st in the feature.

Maryland Clay Dirt
By Doug Watson

“David Williams Seeking Third-Straight Potomac Late Model Crown”

With the 2010 season now into full-swing, some drivers have established themselves as championship contenders at their local venues. One of those individual’s is Charlotte Hall Md.’s David Williams.

In his second full season at the controls of his George and Tina Moreland owned, Rocket no.24, Williams has put himself in a position to claim his third-straight Potomac Speedway late model track championship. In the 37 year history of the Southern Maryland speed plant only two drivers have been able to win three late model track titles, but no one has been able to score three-straight.

Ray Kable Jr. (78, 81 & 86) and Roy Deese Jr. (91, 93 & 94) hold the distinction of three career late model titles at Potomac. With just eight point races left on the 2010 schedule, Williams has the opportunity to permanently etch his name in the Potomac record books.

Williams has put together quite a solid campaign so far in 2010. In five races run at the track to date, Williams has scored one feature win, three runner-up finishes and one fourth place effort to vault himself atop the current late model point standings.
Potomac Friday night notebook-

* Chaptico Md.’s Roland Mann looked quite strong during Friday’s program. Wheeling his familiar Pete Cameron owned, Rocket no.55, Mann collected a heat race win and would then nail-down a solid fourth in the feature. Mann’s crew chief Tommy Raley towed Mann’s machine to noted Rocket chassis wizard Robby Allen for a thorough going-over. “Yeah we took the car up to Allen’s place in Hagerstown and he said we had the car to tight.” Raley stated. “He freed the car up a bunch for us and showed us a couple other things we can try, so I’m really excited about the rest of the season.”

* Limited late model pilot Kenny Moreland was on hand for the show racing with the late models this night. Steering his family-owned Rocket no.24M, Moreland was racing in the top-ten until something let loose under the hood of his machine on the tenth lap of the feature. The car erupted into a huge fireball, however the car and the fire quickly came to a stop and the youthful driver was not hurt in the spectacular incident.

* Defending street stock champion Kyle Nelson had a night he’d like to forget. Mechanical issues developed with his no.66X during his heat race forcing him to pit. Nelson would make needed repairs to start 12th for the feature. Unfortunately Nelson would once again encounter mechanical woes during the feature and retire from the event on lap-seven, placing 13th at the finish.

* For the second week in a row Abottstown Pa.’s Bobby Beard had mechanical troubled with his Ken Festerman owned Rocket no.41. The week prior a bad battery forced him from the feature while running sixth and in this weeks event, steering problems parked the car after two laps of the feature.

* After scoring his first-career LM win at Potomac on April 9, Mechanicsville Md.’s Matt Quade came from the 12th starting spot to capture a nice fifth place feature finish aboard his Rocket no.47.

* Former Modified track champion Brett Hamilton broke Tony Garber’s three-race win streak as he became only the third different winner in the division so far this season. Hamilton’s 20-lap win was his 12th career Potomac modified feature win.

* The hobby stocks had quite a bizarre ending to their 15-lap feature. Coming down to the checkered flag, Jimmy Randall and Bud Pickeral (both winners at the track this season) exchanged more than one blow to each other as they raced for the win. However, the duo would crash about 20-feet from the start/finish line. Randall’s machine never crossed the stripe but Pickeral’s car did, but he was disqualified from the event for rough-driving. In the ensuing chaos, defending class champion Josh Dotson was in the right place at the right time and would go on to collect his second feature win of the season. “Man that was crazy!” Dotson said. “I don’t know what those guy’s were doing up there, but we’ll take a win any way we can get them.” Pickeral’s DQ would prove to be quite costly as he was the point leader coming into the event.

May 16, 2010

Maryland Clay Dirt
By Doug Watson

“Ed Pope Finally a Limited late Model Winner at Potomac”

Five races into the 2010 season at southern Maryland’s Potomac speedway, has produced five different winners in its limited late model division. Last Friday night Pasadena Md.’s Ed Pope put it all together to score a clean sweep of the night as he collected a win in his qualifying event as well as the divisions 20-lap feature event.

Prior to his limited late model endeavor, Pope was quite a formidable competitor in the street stock ranks where he collected four career feature wins and the 2007 street stock track championship. It was 2008 when Pope and company decided to move up to the limited late model ranks. Pope then acquired a former Roland Mann Rocket to tackle the best Potomac had to offer. Several strong runs over the past two season’s gave Pope the confidence he knew he could win it was just a matter of when.

Pope’s wait would end last Friday night as he took the lead from former Potomac LLM champion Paul Cursey on lap-six of the event and then hold off the advances of defending track champion Tommy Wagner Jr. to score the breakthrough win. “I was beginning to wonder if we’d ever be able to get one down here.” Pope said. “I never knew how much of an adjustment it would be from going to a street stock to one of these limited cars. I just have to thank all the people who helped get me here and especially my Wife and my Dad, without them, none of this would be possible.” Ed Pope joins Derrick Quade, David Williams, Stevie Long and Glen Elliott as Potomac LLM feature winner’s thus far in 2010.

Watson’s Weekend Wanderings-
* Congrats to Bobby Beard as he collected his third 358 LM feature win of the season, at his third different track, last Saturday night at Lincoln speedway. Wheeling his Renita Seymore owned, Rocket no.81S, Beard bested a huge field of 36 cars to score his first Lincoln feature win of 2010. Beard’s other triumphs this season have come at Trail-Way (PA) and Williams Grove.

* Even with the sour economy area late model racing seems to be alive and well as most area tracks that offer the class had solid car counts. Hagerstown (37), Selinsgrove (24), Port Royal (27) Thunder Valley (24) and Winchester (17) are just a few that had solid counts and oddly enough….they all race on Saturday nights.

* At the WoO event at Hagerstown on Saturday York Pa.’s Rick Eckert broke the track record in qualifying with a time of 18.096. Piloting his familiar York Excavating Bloomquist no.24, Eckert’s lap was just a tick quicker than the old record set by Billy Moyer back in 2005 which was a 18.097. Eckert’s luck in the feature was not quite as spectacular. While running in the top-five Eckert’s power plant expired late in the event placing him 17th at the finish.

* Lebanon Pa.’s BRC Race Cars had a nice weekend with their Lazer chassis race cars. At Susquehanna on Saturday defending 358 LM track champion Jake Jones scored his second feature win of the season. Over at Port Royal on Saturday veteran Jim Bernheisel made a rare start and nailed down the win with son Bryan finishing fourth. Bryan started off his strong weekend with a fifth at Potomac (MD) on Friday night.

* Winchester Va.’s Trever Feathers continued with his tremendous 2010 campaign with his second feature win of the season at Winchester (VA) speedway on Saturday. Feathers was victorious in the special 40-lap, $1,000 to win limited late model event after a sixteenth to fourth run last Friday at Potomac in his Warrior no.27. Trever’s dad, Bo Feathers, was second in the LM feature to race winner Gerald Davis.

* Current Hagerstown speedway pure stock point leader and defending track champion, Mike Warrenfeltz continues his quest for a second straight crown as he scored his third feature win of the season last Saturday. Warrenfeltz once again came from deep in the pack (11th) to score his 76th career Hagerstown PS feature win.

*York Haven Pa.’s Jason Covert, was the favored “local” to have a shot against the Outlaw’s on Saturday at Hagerstown. Steering his Barry Klinedinst owned Rocket no.43A, Covert came from his 11th starting spot to collect a very nice fourth place feature effort.

* Mechanicsville Md.’s Jamie “The Jet “Lathroum set third fast time in time trials over the 37 car field at Hagerstown on Saturday. Lathroum’s night would get better as he won his heat race and then re-drew the sixth starting spot for the 50-lap feature. In his familiar Huey Wilcoxon prepared MasterSbilt no.6 Lathroum raced near the top-five in the early going of the feature until, what appeared to be, suspension problem forced him to retire from the event with a disappointing 21st place feature finish.

May 9, 2010

Maryland Clay Dirt
By Doug Watson

“Two Races, Two Winners In Potomac/Winchester Challenge Series”

Round two of the Potomac/Winchester challenge limited late model series was spun-off last Friday night at the Potomac speedway. The challenge series is a five race deal of 30-lap $1000-to-win events for the limited late model contested between Potomac and Winchester.
April the tenth was the first race of the series at Winchester and drew a very nice field of 28 cars. When it was all said and done, Sykesville Md.’s Glenn Elliott persevered for his first-ever Winchester LLM feature win. Just last Friday night defending Potomac LM champion David Williams drove a car owned by fellow limited racer Sommey Lacey to a convincing win in the divisions 30-lap main event. Potomac also featured a healthy 28 car field, and even though Williams would lead every lap of the event, the racing throughout the pack was very good. Here’s some notes from the show.

* Sykesville Md.’s Glen Elliott was not on hand for the show. Last week at Hagerstown, Elliott was swept up in a 13-car front stretch pile-up that terminally wounded his MasterSbilt no.5. Elliott is also a Potomac LLM winner in 2010 as well.

* Winchester Va.’s Trever Feathers had quite a solid ride at Potomac on Friday. Wheeling his self-owned Warrior no.27, Feathers started all the way back in the 16th starting spot and even with the slick track conditions drove to a solid fourth place feature finish.

* Defending LLM track champion Tommy Wagner Jr. had a solid night as well aboard his Scott and Patty Thompson owned Rocket no.4 Slated to go from the 13th starting spot for the feature , Wagner entered the top-five by lap nine and would go to claim runner-up honors in the 30-lap grind.

* Current Potomac LLM point leader Derrick Quade endured a frustrating night with his family-owned MasterSbilt no.74. The one-time 2010 feature winner at the track raced solidly in the top-five the entire event until he spun from contention on the 23rd lap while running third. Quade would wind up a disappointing 13th at the finish, his first finish outside the top-two all season.

* Severna Park Md.’s Kyle Lear just cant seem to find the magic that carried him to five-2009 Potomac LLM feature wins. Piloting his familiar Moe DeFino owned MD1 Race Cars no.1MD, Lear was racing in the top-five until a late race spin knocked him from contention resulting in an 11th place feature finish. Lear’s best Potomac run of the season came in the opener on March 19 where he finished fifth.

* Consolation winner Bubby Tharp drove well in the 30-lap main. Wheeling his self-owned Warrior no.1, Tharp drove from his 19th starting spot to secure a fine ninth place feature finish.

* For the second event in a row Glen Burnie Md.’s Bruce Kane was not on hand for the show. However Kane and company would travel to Winchester speedway on Saturday where he would come home 21st in the LLM main event.

* Race winner David Williams became the fourth different driver to win a Potomac LLM feature in four races run to date. The victory for Williams was his career 29th LLM feature win at Potomac.

* Opening day feature winner Stevie Long of Mechanicsville Md. Made the most of what could have been a dismal night. Long suffered a left-front flat tire on his family-owned Rocket no.44L on lap-five. Long would then use the remaining 25-laps of the race to climb back into the top-five before settling for fifth at the checkered flag.

* Pasadena Md.’s Ed Pope, the 2007 Potomac street stock champ, is inching closer and closer to his career first LLM feature win. Pope started, and stayed, in second for the events first 12-laps before fading a bit towards the end of the event. However, Pope and his self-owned Rocket no.11P would finish one-spot outside the top-five, placing sixth at the finish.

* Former Potomac LLM champion, Sommey Lacey recorded his second-straight top-five of the season as he drove from his 11th starting spot to finish third chauffeuring his Joe Adams owned MasterSbilt no.23. Oddly enough, Lacey owns the Rocket chassied no.45 machine that carried David Williams to the 30-lap win.

May 2, 2010

Maryland Clay Dirt
By Doug Watson

“Tri-State Late Model Weekend Round-Up”

Now that the season is into full-swing, area late model racing seems to be alive and well despite the sour economy. Most area tracks have had decent car counts with multiple feature winners to boot. Just about every track in the region was able to race this past weekend with sunny and hot weather conditions greeting the race teams and fans alike.

Hagerstown (MD) Speedway- Just four races into the 2010 season has produced four different feature winners at the Washington County oval. Last Saturday night Hampstead Md.’s Al Shawver Jr. took the lead on lap-four and would dominate the remaining circuits to post his second-career Hagerstown late model feature win aboard his self-owned Rocket no.215. There were22 cars in attendance for the show.
Delaware International- Trappe Md.’s David Hill ended a two-year win drought as the former track champion collected his first feature win of the season in his family-owned Rocket no.75. The win for Hill, the all-time LM win leader at DIS, was his career 138th at the speedway. 17 cars entered the program.

Selinsgrove (PA) Speedway- For the third week in a row it was Danville Pa.’s Jeff Rine capturing the late model main at Selinsgrove. The defending track champion scored his 58th career Selinsgrove late model feature win over the 21-car field. Rine, and his self-owned Rocket no.2J, have six overall wins in 2010 with the others coming at Port Royal (2) and Bedford (PA) one.

Pennsylvania Motor Speedway- South Park Pa.’s Jared Miley, the 07’ and 08’ PPMS late model champion, scored his second feature win of the young season wheeling his family-owned Rocket no.H1over a very slim 12 car field.

Port Royal (PA) Speedway- Waylon Wagner added his name to the Port LM win list with his first feature win of the season last Saturday night. Piloting his self-owned MasterSbilt no.5W, Wagner became the fourth different LM feature winner in five races run at the track this season. Once again a stellar field of 26 late models were in the pit area for the show.

Trail-Way (PA) Speedway- The 358 late models made their second 2010 appearance last Friday night and also produced their second different winner, McSherrystown Pa.’s Bobby Beard. Already a winner at Williams Grove (PA) speedway this season, Beard and Gene Knaub put on a side by side duel with Beard prevailing for the win over the 17 cars that entered the program. Beard was chauffeuring his familiar Renita Seymore owned Rocket no.81S.

Thunder Valley (PA) Speedway- It was the season lid-lifter for TV last Saturday night. When it was all said and done it was Lewiston Pa.’s Nick Dickson collecting his first-career TV late model feature win in his self-owned Rocket no.17. Under first-year promoter Joe Padula III, TV had a solid 22 late models pitside for the event.

Bedford (PA) Speedway- Danville Pa.’s Jeff Rine started his two win weekend with his first late model feature win of the season last Friday night. At the controls of his Bob Elben owned Rocket no.92. Rine bested the quality field of 24 cars on hand for the show.

Susquehanna (PA) Speedway Park- For the fourth race in a row there was a new face in victory lane at SSP. Last Saturday night defending track champion Jake Jones of Shermansdale Pa. collected his first feature win of the season steering his self-owned BRC Lazer no.43. SSP had a solid 25-car field on hand for the event.

April 25, 2010

Maryland Clay Dirt
By Doug Watson

“New Car Does the Trick for Glenn Elliott

2009 was a banner season for first year late model sportsman pilot Glen Elliott. Driving out of Sykesville, Maryland Elliott produced three feature wins and a fourth place finish in the season long standings at the Hagerstown speedway.

During the off-season Elliott parked his feature winning Dirtek machine and acquired a brand new MasterSbilt chassis from Huey Wilcoxon. Since then, Elliott has collected a second at Hagerstown his first-career limited late model feature wins at both Winchester (VA) and Potomac (MD) speedway’s.

His win last Friday night at Potomac was quite impressive as he started from the pole and would eventually lead all 20-laps of the event..

“This car has been great right out of the box.” Elliott stated. “We did pretty good last season with the Dirtek car but decided we needed something different and we saw how well the MasterSbilt cars were going, so that’s the direction we went in.” The only glitch in Elliott’s season thus far has been his disqualification at Hagerstown on April 17. “Yeah that was kind of a bad deal.” Elliott bottom-lined. ‘When we finished second in the opener things were fine and we hadn’t changed anything on the car since that race. So when we went through tech last week and found the engine set-back was 3/8’s of an inch off, I was just as surprised as anyone there.”

Despite the setback Elliott plans to return to Hagerstown on a weekly basis. “I love that track.” Elliott said. “That is the place to win for our class around here as far as I’m concerned. I’m just a little disappointed because we fell from second in the points back to 21st, so that might ruin our chances at the championship.” There’s no doubt about it, Glenn Elliott is on a roll right now and that Hagerstown championship may not be as out of reach as he thinks.

Potomac Friday night notebook-
* Mechanicsville Md.’s Derrick Quade is on quite a roll at Potomac in 2010. In three LLM races run at the track this season Quade has produced two second’s and a win in his family owned MasterSbilt no.74 vaulting him into the divisional point lead.

* Mechanicsville’s Sommey lacey made his season debut in the limited ranks on Friday night wheeling his Joe Adams owned MasterSbilt no.23. The 33-time LLM winner at the track ran well as he would collect fourth in the 20-lap feature.

* Coming off a win on opening day and a fifth a week later, Mechanicsville’s Stevie Long would have a frustrating night in his family-owned Rocket no.44L. After starting sixth in the feature, Long would be as high as fourth by lap-five until a tangle would knock him from the race leaving him with an 11th place finish.

* After two-consecutive top-ten feature runs rookie LLM chauffeur Kenny Moreland, of Waldorf MD., suffered terminal mechanical woes after hot-laps and did not start the feature, piloting his father George’s Rocket no.24.

* Potomac’s first leg of the Potomac/Winchester street stock challenge was quit a success as 29 cars entered the program with Winchester Va.’s Mike Bennett taking the win in a flag-to-flag effort in his no.1M.

* Defending street stock champion Kyle Nelson had the drive of the night in the 25 lap street stock main. Finishing second in the consolation earned Nelson the 20th starting spot for the feature. Nelson would then drive an opportunistic race to come home with a solid 8th place feature finish in his family-owned no.66X.

* Pasadena Md.’s Kurt Zimmerman, a one-time Potomac street stock winner this season, kept it from being an “all Winchester” top-five in the street stock feature as he would collect fourth in his self-owned no.9A.

* Mechanicsville’s PJ Hatcher, who scored his first-ever Potomac LLM feature win in 09’, encountered mechanical problems with his Rocket no.77 prior to the feature and did not start the event.

* Winchester Va.’s Jonathon DeHaven, who won the late model main at Winchester the week prior, was at the controls of the Jimmy Richards owned no.F13 Friday night at Potomac. However, could only produce a 13th place feature finish in the limited late model main.

* Glen Burnie Md.’s Bruce Kane and Severna Park Md.’s Kyle Lear, both winners at Potomac in 2009, were noticeably absent from the LLM field on Friday night

Maryland Clay Dirt

May 18, 2010

By Doug Watson

“Steve Lowery’s Long Overdue Hagerstown Win”

Three weeks into the season Hagerstown speedway’s pure stock division produced a career first feature winner, Chambersburg Pa.’s Steve Lowery.

A long time supporter of the Hagerstown speedway, Lowery has come close to victory on more than one occasion, only to come up short. Last Saturday night, Lowery was not to be denied the taste of victory.

Coming from the ninth starting spot, Lowery waited until the final turn of the last lap to out-drag Kenny Dillon to collect his first-ever Hagerstown feature win.

“This has been a long-time coming” Lowery stated. “This is such a tough class to win in, I cant believe we pulled it off on the last lap.” The Hagerstown pure stocks never disappoint and Saturday’s feature was no exception. Even though the car count is a little off compared to last year, tremendous track conditions allow the class their typical three and sometimes four-wide action with plenty of feature passing.
Last Saturday also served as the second point show of the season and drew fields of 26 late models, 24 late model sportsman, 19 pure stocks and 20 enduro dash cars. Even though clear weather conditions greeted the Hagerstown faithful, It was downright cold, and those who braved the elements were once again treated to some fantastic racing. Here’s some notes from the show-

* Hagerstown Md.’s Mike Warrenfeltz continues to dominate the pure stock division, three races into the season. Wheeling a car owned by Todd Smith, Warrenfeltz has collected two feature wins and for the second week in a row came from his handicapped 12th starting spot to collect fourth at the finish. Warrenfeltz enters next week’s program with a 46-point lead over Saturday night’s winner, Steve Lowery.
* In a battle that came down to the wire, Shippensburg Pa.’s Charlie Pennsinger, was in a position to win the 15-lap pure stock main as he led the events 13th and 14th laps before settling for a solid third at the finish piloting his self-owned no.10.

* Eight-time 2009 feature winner Hans Stamberg, or Hedgesvillle West Va., Was in the pits on Saturday, However, minus his potent no.50. Stamberg stated he has no intentions on racing for points this season so he’s decided to skip the first three show to ready his machine, but plans to be out in about two weeks or so.

* Also racing out of Hedegsville West Va., Danny Beavers, started on the pole for the 15-lap main and would lead the events first 12 circuits before settling for fifth behind the wheel of his self-owned no. 62.

* Berkley Springs West Va.’s Darrin Younker’s two-race top-five streak was broken on Saturday as he would quietly finish ninth in the feature aboard his own no.94. Younker currently sits third in the point standings.

* Frederick Md.’s Kevin Boyer, who scored his career first Hagerstown feature win in 2009, made his first start of the season on Saturday. At the controls of his family owned no.47, Boyer would start 13th in the feature and race his way to an 8th place feature finish.

* Greencastle Pa.’s Wayne Hawbaker, who’s lone Hagerstown feature win came back in 2008, also ended a two-race top-five streak as he would start 10th in the main and wind up a disappointing 14th at the finish steering his own no.6.

* Boonsboro Md.’s Kevin Koontz appeared headed to his first top-five finish of the season. Chauffeuring his family owned no.88K, Koontz started second in the feature and was racing in the top-five until an early race crash wounded his mount, resulting in a 15th place finish.

* Winchester Va.’s Eddie McClellan, who plans on calling Hagerstown home in 2010, collected his second top ten of the season. Caught-up in the same incident that eliminated Kevin Koontz from contention, McClellan’s machine suffered a flat tire. Repairs were made and McClellan would then drive from the rear of the field to post 10th at the finish in his no.170. Moe DeFino proprietor of Pro Fabrications, who built the title winning late model sportsman of Kyle Lear, completely overhauled McClellan’s machine over the winter months.