UARA-STARS 150

Saturday July 4th

Presented by Courtesy Chevrolet-Fairway Ford-Advance Auto Parts

~plus~

Diamond Lawn Service Presents

Legends Twin 25's

Pure4, Street Stock & Pro Challenge events

Free Stuff for the Kids!

Big Fireworks Show After the Races!

Open Practice for UARA cars 3:00-8:00 Friday July 3rd

Cookout after open practice

Humphrey and Roark Take ISCARS Victories at LPR

Randy Humphrey (left) and Caleb Roark (right) celebrate victories at LPR

(photos courtesy of Dale Roberts, ISCARS photographer)  

Devon Holder, ISCARS PR

Updated: Monday, June 29, 2009

Coeburn, VA -

The International Sport Compact Auto Racing Series (ISCARS) DASH Touring, sanctioned by ASA (American Speed Association) returned to Lonesome Pine Raceway (Coeburn, VA) on Saturday June 27th. The race was originally scheduled for May 9th, but rain forced the twin 75 lap races to be rescheduled. ISCARS veteran driver, Randy Humphrey (Cornelius, NC) collected the victory in the first ISCARS feature, while 16 year old hometown favorite Caleb Roark (Abingdon, VA) claimed his first career ISCARS win in race two.

Qualifying saw young Jason Shultz get his first career pole. “A pole for this team means a lot,” stated Shultz after qualifying, “I just want to thank my mom and dad, and Vince Langan Motorsports.” Shultz is one of many talented drivers competing for the ISCARS DASH Rookie of the Year award in 2009. Starting along side Shultz on the outside of the front row was 2002 ISCARS DASH Series Champion, Jake Hobgood.

As the race went green, Hobgood wasted no time jumping out to the lead. Hobgood exited turn two on the first lap with the field in tow. However, the lead was short lived as Hobgood slowed on lap eleven and headed into the pits. The diagnosis on the car was internal engine failure. “It looked like the car was going to be in good shape,” said Hobgood after the race, “But the motor had other plans.”

With Hobgood in the garage, Shultz took the lead followed by Randy Humphrey, rookies Caleb Roark and Eric Gerchak, and 1986 Daytona 500 Champion, Geoff Bodine. A caution on lap 42 for debris allowed the field to bunch back up. On the restart, Randy Humphrey was able to battle past Shultz to take the lead. With only four laps remaining in the race, Caleb Roark spun in the middle of turns one and two.

This brought out the yellow flag and setup a green-white-checkered finish. Brad Queen, who restarted third, pressured Jason Shultz heavily for second. This battle allowed Randy Humphrey to pull away and capture the victory in the first race ahead of Queen, with Shultz in third. “After Dillon we were really disappointed,” exclaimed Humphrey in victory lane, “We thought we had the second race there (Dillon) won, but its okay, because we are thankful to be here in victory lane tonight at Lonesome Pine.”

Humphrey drew a six for the inversion, which put rookie competitor Matt Griffin on the pole for the second 75 lap race with Geoff Bodine alongside. Humphrey’s bid for a sweep ended however, before he completed the first lap of the second race. As he entered turn three, smoke billowed from his machine, forcing a red flag to clean up the oil dumped on the racing surface. Humphrey would be done for the evening with an oil line issue.

After the lengthy red flag, the restart came on lap eight. Bodine restarted as the leader, with Matt Griffin in second. Once the green flag waved, Jason Shultz and Brad Queen both raced past Griffin for second and third respectively. 16 year old Abingdon, Virginia driver Caleb Roark also got by Griffin for fourth on lap twelve.

Jason Shultz took the lead from Geoff Bodine on lap twenty three, but as he accelerated past Bodine, he spun off of turn two bringing out the yellow. The restart on lap twenty seven saw Bodine leading Queen, Roark, Griffin, and Joey Jones. However, as Jones drove to the inside of Griffin for fourth, the two came together and both spun in turn one.  Shultz was able to get through the melee unscathed and would restart on lap thirty in the fourth position.

Brad Queen and Caleb Roark battled side by side for the second spot on the restart. Both drivers leaned on each other, rubbing sheet metal for several laps. As they entered turn three on lap thirty four, Queen tried to cross under Roark and made contact, causing the Virginia native to spin in turn three. Roark and Queen both continued with minimal damage. After a debris caution on lap fifty two, the field was bunched up and prepared for a twenty lap shootout.

On lap fifty eight, Jason Shultz made contact with the left quarter of Geoff Bodine exiting turn four while racing for the lead, causing Bodine to spin collecting both cars. Through the other side of all the smoke, young Caleb Roark came through as the leader, with Brad Queen in second and Joey Jones in third.

Caleb Roark was able to hold off Queen, Jones, and the rest of the field to capture his first career ISCARS DASH win at his home track. “That was crazy out there,” said an exuberant Roark in victory lane, “This car was amazing. We had something happen in the rear end in the first race, but we fixed it and here we are in victory lane!”

The ISCARS DASH Touring Series will make its next stop on Saturday July 11th at Orange County Speedway in Rougemont, North Carolina. This race will feature the same twin 75 lap format that fans and drivers alike have fallen in love with in America’s only Sport Compact Auto Racing Series. Be sure to log on to www.iscarsonline.com for all of the latest news and info.

ISCARS DASH Touring is sanctioned by the American Speed Association. To learn more of the Daytona Beach, Florida-based Racing Speed Associates or the American Speed Association® including the ASA Member Track program, call (386) 258-2221 or send an e-mail to info@asa-racing.com. For news and information from racetracks and regional tours involved in the American Speed Association®, visit 
www.asaracing.com.

ASA™, ASA Racing™ and American Speed Association® are trademarks of Racing Speed Associates, LLC. Racing Speed Associates, LLC is not related to or affiliated with ASA Late Model Series, LLC.

Former Virginia High School Athlete

Fuels Competitive Fire at Lonesome Pine Raceway

By Allen Gregory
Sports Writer / Bristol Herald Courier
Published: June 24, 2009

COEBURN, Va. – It was a captivating struggle.

Lap after grueling lap, Jenna Wagner worked and weaved her 3,200-pound race car around the slippery asphalt.  The 20-year-old Virginia High School graduate had plenty of incentive. Not only was Wagner hungry for a top-three finish, she wanted to finish ahead of her uncle, Steve Wright.

Such is the weekly routine for one of the two female competitors at Lonesome Pine Raceway.

LPR competitor Jenna Wagner

Since mastering a gateway class dubbed Racing 101 in 2005 at LPR, Wagner has gradually paid her dues.

From the Ladies Pure 4 and Modified 4 divisions to her current fast ride in the Charger class, there has been one constant for Wagner. “I enjoy the speed and adrenalin rush,” Wagner said. “And I like being the only girl on the track. There’s a certain amount of satisfaction when you beat half the field.”

The Charger class consists of old Late Model cars with spec, or identical, engines. While speeds can reach more than 80 miles per hour in the straightaway, the focus is on affordability and fundamentals. “With a Charger car, the race is based on which car can get around the track the best. I like that a lot, because it puts the race back in the hands of the driver,” Wagner said.

Wagner settled for a fourth-place finish in Saturday’s event at LPR. Wright finished third. Wagner finished third a couple of weeks ago. Her resume also includes two runner-up finishes and the rookie of the year title in the Mod 4 class last season.

Weaned on gasoline

The racing thread runs deep in the Wagner family.

Wagner’s father and grandfather were officials at Bristol-based Valleydale, which served as a longtime sponsor of the Valleydale 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Jack Wagner, Jenna’s father, raced karts as a high school and college student

Wagner attended all the races at BMS, gradually developing a passion for the southern-bred sport.

Wagner’s mom, Debbie, admits to feeling a bit apprehensive when her daughter is on the track yet she understands the allure.

“Jenna has always been a race fan,” Debbie Wagner said. “She’s grown up around race tracks and fast cars, and she has experienced all the fun that goes with that.”

Stock car racing is not for the faint of heart, however. For example, there was the night when Jenna took an unexpected thrill ride. Debbie Wagner still keeps an image of the incident on her desktop computer. “A car stopped in front of Jenna, then Jenna’s car did a Dukes of Hazzard style jump over the top of the slower car,” Wagner said. “That was interesting. “Jenna has kind of proven herself on the track. She’s very comfortable and conscientious in the car and has a keen eye.”

Longtime Lonesome Pine Raceway official, sponsor and former championship car owner Lynn Peters has also watched the maturation of Wagner with pride. “Jenna is an aggressive competitor and not at all intimidated by the veteran drivers she races against,” Peters said. “She will race door-to-door with any of them.” Along with track announcer James Kincer and former LPR promoter Morris Copley, Peters helped to establish the Racing 101 program. After completing an application process, the three class participants spent time learning basic car setup and preparation along with the essentials of racing. “Jenna did very well in that program,” Peters said. “She will be winning races soon.”

Competitive fire

The 5-foot-5 Wagner knows the importance of sacrifice and commitment.  She earned all-district honors as a softball player at VHS, where she also played basketball. When her father and uncle decided to start a race team, Jenna jumped at the chance. “My times are getting better with each race,” Wagner said. “I was competitive when I moved to the Mod 4 division, but I had to learn the race scenario.”

Of course, the most complicated racing scenario is learning the correct technique for passing. Wagner feels fortunate to have a wizened mentor in the colorful Paul Shull, a former NASCAR Busch Series competitor from Church Hill, Tenn., who owns and maintains Wagner’s current car.

“Paul has raced with Dale Earnhardt and the best of them,” Wagner said. “Paul just knows so much about racing. He’s been teaching me a lot.”

Through nine races this season, Wagner ranks third in the Charger point standings. Shull is second.

The most recent event at Lonesome Pine Raceway was emotional for Wagner and all of regulars at the American Speed Association sanctioned track.

Before the start of the third annual Wanda Phillips Memorial on June 20, Wagner and fellow racer Courtney Roark, of Abingdon, participated in a service that included a ceremonial run around the track by Phillip’s’ former car owner, Linton Perry. Phillips, 58, died in a 2007 crash at LPR.

“I raced with Wanda in my first year, and she was friends with everyone at the track,” Wagner said. “That memorial was real emotional, but it showed what a strong family atmosphere there is at LPR.

Balancing act

The primary focus for Wagner is education. She’s a senior at James Madison University, where she studies media art and design. When school was still in session, Wagner made the nearly four-hour drive back to Southwest Virginia to race on Saturday night. “I’d like to work in some sort of web design field, but I also want to continue racing,” Wagner said. “I might not be able to race full-time, but I do want to continue.” Wagner’s hobby has become fairly well-known around the JMU campus in Harrisonburg, Va. “My roommates are always telling people we met that I’m a racer,” Wagner said. “Everybody thinks it is pretty cool.”

The family involvement just adds to the fun for Wagner. Her father, uncle and boyfriend, former Virginia High and Hampden-Sydney College athlete Kevin Morrison, all contribute in various ways. Jack Wagner actually serves as spotter for his daughter, while Morrison works in the pits.

“It’s great to have the family combination,” Wagner said. “And the guys that I race treat me just like any other driver.“

As for the challenge of passing her uncle during a race, Wagner admits that’s a sticky situation.

“I didn’t want to push the envelope too hard [because] it was Paul’s car,” Wagner said, referring to Saturday’s event. “It was a good race, though.

“I’m hoping to have a win by the end of the year.

agregory@bristolnews.com  (276) 645-2544

Who: Jenna Wagner
Hometown: Bristol, Va.
Age: 20
What: Competitor at Lonesome Pine Raceway
Fast Fact: After LPR closed following the 2005 season, Wagner moved to Motor Mile Speedway in Radford, Va., where she competed in the entry-level UCar class.

ISCARS RETURNS TO LONESOME PINE RACEWAY

SATURDAY JUNE 27th

ISCARS PR

DAYTONA BEACH, FL -

International Sport Compact Auto Racing Series (ISCARS) DASH Touring, Sanctioned by American Speed Association (ASA) returns to Lonesome Pine Raceway this week for the rainout (May 9) rescheduled for Saturday, June 27th.

After an exciting finish to in Race 2 at Dillon in which Rookie Eric Gerchak grabbed a win in only his second series’ start, the series gears up for two feature races this Saturday in Coeburn, VA.

Another Rookie to watch will be local standout Caleb Roark. While Roark was involved in an accident in Race 1, the team repaired the car and Roark showed he can run competitively. He is expected to do well in front of the home crowd.

Two-time Series’ Champ Danny Bagwell sits atop the ISCARS Championship Standings with a small lead over Gerchak and Randy Humphrey.

Entered for this week race is 2002 Series’ Champion Jake Hobgood.

Two more female drivers, Megan Reitenour from Ohio and Lindsey Adams from Texas are looking to enter ISCARS on a full-time basis. Jessica Berrier competed in the first two races of the season.

As interest in the series grows there is a scramble for cars, engines and equipment. ISCARS is preparing to launch a modern website complete with 3d graphics and videos featuring race highlights and driver profiles and boasts a large field of challengers for Rookie of the Year. Highlights from the first two races at Dillon are viewable on YouTube.

Joey Jones Racing has completed an arrangement to team with Geoff Bodine for the remainder of the season. Jones scored a double-header win at New Senoia Speedway in 2008 and is looking to enhance his opportunity by bringing Bodine onto his team. Lonesome Pine Raceway will mark their first effort together.

Rookie driver Kevin Calkins, teammate to Brad Queen underwent surgery two weeks ago to repair a non-racing issue involving his arm. He is at home recovering and doing well. Calkins is uncertain as to whether or not he is out for the season. Queen has been advertising for a replacement driver.

The Series looks forward to returning to Lonesome Pine Raceway on Saturday and again in October. Many of the folks from the deeper south are hoping for sunny skies, but cooler temperatures in the mountains. Also on the racing program will be the LPR Street Stocks, Pure4 and Legends divisions.

ISCARS DASH Touring is sanctioned by the American Speed Association . To learn more of the Daytona Beach, Florida-based Racing Speed Associates or the American Speed Association® including the ASA Member Track program, call (386) 258-2221 or send an e-mail to info@asa-racing.com. For news and information from racetracks and regional tours involved in the American Speed Association®, visit  www.asaracing.com .

ASA™, ASA Racing™ and American Speed Association® are trademarks of Racing Speed Associates, LLC.  Racing Speed Associates, LLC is not related to or affiliated with ASA Late Model Series, LLC 

June 20th Action from Lonesome Pine Raceway
3rd Annual Wanda Phillips Memorial Event

by: Shawn Peters, 84expo.com

(Coeburn, VA – 06/20/09) The regular weekly schedule resumed at ASA-sanctioned Lonesome Pine Raceway on Saturday, June 20th for the 3rd Annual Wanda Phillips Memorial Event. During the afternoon qualifying sessions, Dylan Presnell earned his first Late Model division pole of the 2009 season. Other pole winners included Tom Hodges (Pure 4), Kirby Gobble (Mod 4), Kevin Wolfe (Charger), and Roger Neece (Street Stock).

The Advance Auto Parts Charger division opened the festivities with Kevin Wolfe (17) and Josh Hale (29) leading the field to the green flag. Wolfe pulled away to a sizeable lead, while Brad Housewright (1) and Brian Blevins (40) battled for the 3rd position, with Housewright taking the spot on lap 9. On lap 11, Dalton Hopkins (88) spun on the backstretch and was struck by Paul Shull (48) as the track was blocked as the leaders came around to the site of the spin.

After a lengthy track cleanup, Housewright pulled in front of Wolfe from the outside line on the restart, taking over the lead. On lap 24, Steve Wright (75) moved into the 3rd position, as Jody Bostic (44) brought his car behind the wall. As Wolfe continued to hound Housewright for the lead, Jenna Wagner (47) pursued her WII Racing teammate and uncle Steve Wright for the 3rd position. On lap 32, Wolfe’s car broke loose exiting turn 4, losing valuable ground to eventual race winner Housewright. The top five finishers were Housewright, Wolfe, Wright, Wagner, and Blevins.


In the Pure 4 division, the previous week’s winner, Linton Perry (1), dropped to the rear of the field per track rules. On lap 4, Rowdy Estep (39) lost grip on the exit of turn 4 and slid into Stacy Head (3), sending the 2nd place truck for a spin. Rowdy was sent to the rear of the field. On lap 13, Kelly King’s misfortune continued, as his #76 Honda was involved in an incident with John McClanahan (13) in turn 4. As the pole sitter Ton Hodges (94) pulled away to a sizeable lead, Estep and Perry continued their torrid pace to the front, passing Bill Livesay (06) and Moonshine Mills (65) in the process to break into the top five. While Hodges dominated the event, there was an exciting finish to determine the runner-up position between Estep and Perry. Perry held the position coming off of turn 4, but Estep had an amazing run on the #1 Honda on the outside. It was determined by the official scorer that Estep narrowly edged Perry by inches as they passed the flag stand. The top five finishers were Hodges, Estep, Perry, Livesay, and Mills.

The Mod 4 event saw the largest field of the season, side-by-side racing action, battles for the lead, and ultimately, controversy. On lap 1, Danny O’Quinn (37B) spun in turn 1, bringing out the caution. On the restart, pole sitter Kirby Gobble (88) jumped to the lead, followed by Rocky Yates (3). The second caution flag of the event was displayed, as Cody Peck (77) spun on the backstretch on lap 3. On lap 7, Peck spun for a second time on lap 7, crashing into the inside guardrail in turn 2. The restart allowed Yates to get around Gobble and take the lead, until lap 17 when Gobble regained the top spot. As the two battled for the lead, Gobble slipped coming off of turn 2 on lap 19, allowing Yates to jump back into the top spot.

On lap 22, Colin Eades (7) was running in the 4th position, when he was slow coming off of turn 2. At that time, the only four cars on the lead lap were the Yates, Gobble, Brad Ball (17), and Eades.  A lap later, the caution flag was displayed for O’Quinn spinning in turn 2. During the caution period, track officials displayed the red flag to pick up pieces of the starter component from the #7 Mercury Cougar. Following the red flag, both Cliff Dotson (1) and Chris Vanover (37) were unable to return to action. On the ensuing restart, Yates missed a shift, leading to an incident on the backstretch involving contact between Yates and the lapped car of Jackie Mullins (6), sending Yates hard into the outside wall on the backstretch, effectively ending his night. Ball would attempt to beat Gobble into turn 1 on the restart, but to no avail as Gobble led the final two laps en route to his sixth victory of the season. The top five finishers were Gobble, Ball, O’Quinn, Mullins, and Yates.

The Street Stock division saw Roger Neece (22) jump out to an early lead from his pole position, as Doug Austin (18) held off his brother Rob (25) for the 2nd position. The #18 team has gotten stronger and stronger throughout the season, and it showed as Doug had a stellar run on his 40th birthday. On lap 14, Rob was able to finally work his way around Doug for the 2nd position. Neece would hang on for his fifth victory of the season. The top five finishers were Neece, Rob Austin, Doug Austin, Chris Tunnell (6), and Freddie Taylor, Jr. (16).

Dylan Presnell (83) was on the pole for the Late Model race, but it was Jeff Woodward (94) who jumped to the lead on the first lap from his second place starting position. Woodward held onto the lead for the first 10 laps, until dropping a cylinder on lap 11. Presnell moved into the top position and began pulling away from the rest of the field. On lap 34, Wayne Hale (19) tried making a move on Woodward for the second position, but slipped coming off of turn 4. The momentary slip allowed Nate Monteith (44) to move into the third position, and into the runner-up spot a lap later. On lap 37, the #55 of Mardy Roberts began to slow on the front stretch and later pulled behind the wall. Without the help of a caution flag, Monteith would have to settle for the second position as Presnell cruised to his second LPR Late Model victory of the season. The final top five finishers were Presnell, Monteith, Woodward, Hale, and Brian Blevins (40).

The next scheduled event at LPR will be the ISCARS make-up date on Saturday, June 27th. The Street Stock and Pure 4 divisions will accompany the ISCARS Touring Series on the schedule.

Shawn Peters can be contacted via e-mail at LPR@84expo.com

All material including graphics, text and photos are property of 84expo and/or its partners and are subject to all copyright laws © 2009. All rights reserved.

June 13th Action from Lonesome Pine Raceway

by: Shawn Peters, 84expo.com

(Coeburn, VA – 06/13/09) The regular weekly schedule resumed at ASA-sanctioned Lonesome Pine Raceway on Saturday, June 13th, as all regular divisions were on hand for a night full of action. During the afternoon qualifying sessions, Nate Monteith earned his first Late Model division pole of the 2009 season. Other pole winners included Sammy Jasper (INEX Legend Series), Tom Hodges (Pure 4), Kirby Gobble (Mod 4), Jody Bostic (Charger), and Rob Austin (Street Stock).

The INEX Legends Series fielded 11 cars with Greg Turner (64) showing the way to the green flag. Turner jumped out to an early lead as Cody Johnson (31) pursued him. A lap 5 spin by Adrian Lusk (22) brought the field back to Turner’s rear bumper. By lap 11, Sammy Jasper (28) made his way around C Johnson for the second position. As Jasper made a push to chase down the leader, Turner’s right front spindle broke as he passed the starter’s stand on lap 15, sending the car into the outside wall and finally coming to rest at the exit of turn 2. C Johnson challenged for the lead on lap 20, but could not find his way around Jasper. The top five finishers were Jasper, C Johnson, Dace Johnson (11), Carl Stanley (23), and Ron Humble (7).

The Advance Auto Parts Charger division took to the track next with Brian Blevins (48) leading the field to the green in his 2009 Charger division debut. Another driver making his 2009 debut was Brad Housewright (1), who moved past Paul Shull (40) for the third position on lap 6. The caution flag waived on lap 17, when the #47 of Jenna Wagner broke loose while battling Nasty Jones (13), sending both for a spin in turn 2. During the caution period, Dalton Hopkins (88) brought his car to pit lane for service.

Following the restart, Housewright moved past Kevin Wolfe (17) for the second position, setting up a fierce battle that would continue through the end of the race. On lap 29, Housewright and Wolfe made contact in turn 2; however, the close quarters racing was far from over. The two continued to battle for the second position, allowing Blevins to pull even further away from the field. On lap 33, Wolfe pulled ahead of Housewright exiting turn 4 to reclaim the runner-up position. Housewright battled back through the use of door-to-door action to move into the second spot, also ensuring the he would be receiving the Hard Charger award. The top five finishers were Blevins, Housewright, Wolfe, Shull, and Steve Wright (75).

In the Pure 4 division, the previous week’s winning car, the #94 of pole sitter Tom Hodges, dropped to the rear of the field per track rules. Before the completion of a full lap, there was havoc in the middle of turns 3 and 4, as contact between Gene Estep (71) and Bobby Gobble (39) resulted in a pile-up at the front of the field. Tracy Head (5) and Kelly King (76) were both collected in the melee, as well as Hodges, who retired from the event with extensive front-end damage after T-boning the #39 of Gobble.

As the race was restarted, Linton Perry (1) jumped out to a commanding lead while the rest of the field pursued the 2008 track champion. Tom Presley’s night was cut short when his #83 Dodge Neon suffered a flat left rear tire. On lap 16, fireworks would begin as Gobble returned to the track and once again made contact with the #71 of Estep in turn 4, bringing a stop to the racing action and subsequent parking of the #39 by track officials. During the caution period, Stacy Head (3) hit pit road with a flat left rear tire and Steve Skeen (17) visited pit road with a flat right rear tire.

When racing resumed, the running order saw some unfamiliar faces up front. However, the action would soon be halted again, as William Davis (85) clipped the left rear of Estep on lap 19 entering turn 1. On the restart, the second place machine of Forrest Gilley (14) suffered a broken shifter, sending the pack scattering around him. The misfortune would continue for Gilley on lap 23, as he was turned by Nathaniel Lane (01).

The restart saw Davis climb the track into the side of point leader Moonshine Mills’ #65 truck entering turn 1, but the favor appeared to be returned exiting turn 4. Those collected in the accident on the exit of turn 4 included Davis, King, Lane, and Skeen. The final restart saw Tony Casteel (4) take advantage of the pick-n-choose to climb to the outside of Perry. The move would not pay off, as Perry held on for his second victory of the 2009 season. The top five finishers were Perry, Kenny Nix (37), Casteel, Estep, and 66-year old rookie Bill Livesay (06).

The Mod 4 race saw Rocky Yates (3) drop to the back of the field for the start of the race after experiencing fuel pump issues earlier in the day. Kirby Gobble (88) started the race from the pole position, as Yates worked his way through the field. By lap 6, Yates had moved around Brad Ball (17) for the second position. On lap 9, Hershel Robinette (9) brought out the caution with a flat left rear tire, bringing the field to Gobble’s back bumper. Ball worked his way back to the second position past Yates, who was experience mechanical issues throughout the event. The field would be slowed once more for a caution on lap 21, but no one would be able to catch Gobble as he cruised to his fifth victory of the season. The top five finishers were Gobble, Ball, Robinette, Yates, and Jackie Mullins (6).

Once again, the Street Stock division would put on a stellar show as Roger Neece (22) took the lead away from pole sitter Rob Austin (25) on the first lap of the race, setting up another fierce battle between Neece and Austin. Neece continued to hold the top spot, while Austin tried to find a clean way around him. On lap 22, transmission problems brought the #11 of Jeff Counts to the pit area. The first and only caution waved on lap 29, bringing a double-file restart. Austin took advantage of being placed on the outside, barely leading lap 30. However, Neece would charge back on the inside, as the two continued to battle side-by-side, to lead lap 31. As the two veterans battled door-to-door, third place driver Scott Anderson (7) was getting hungry for a victory. On lap 32, Austin would pull ahead once again and not relinquish the lead, bringing home a very well earned victory and bringing the overall point standings to a deadlock between himself and Neece. The top five finishers were R Austin, Neece, Anderson, Russell Duty (2), and Doug Austin (18).

Prior to the Late Model race, 2007 track champion Wayne Hale (19) had mechanical issues that threatened to sideline him for the race. Team Crum Racing and driver Jake Crum offered to allow Hale, who is running for the track championship, to take parts from their car so that he could race. Before work could begin to dismantle the rear end of the #1 machine, 2008 track champion Nate Monteith and the BAM Racing crew began unloading their backup car to allow Hale and his crew to borrow the needed pieces from their secondary machine.

Monteith earned his first pole award of the 2009 Late Model season, but it was the 2008 UARA-Stars Series champion Jake Crum (1) who jumped to the lead from the outside pole on lap 1. On lap 2, the #63 of Nick Cole stalled on the backstretch, bringing out the caution. By lap 15, the running order was Crum, Monteith, Royce Peters (38), Dylan Presnell (83), and Brian Blevins (40). Monteith continued to hound Crum through the turns, while Hale continued picking off positions while climbing through the field after starting at the back of the starting grid.

On lap 30, Presnell spun while running in the third position, bringing out the second caution of the night. Hale would take advantage of the pick-and-choose, pulling to the outside of the leader. However, Crum and Monteith once again used the preferred line to pull ahead of the pack. Lap 33 saw the third and final caution brought out by debris on the racetrack. This time, it was Blevins who took advantage of the pick-and-choose, moving from the fourth position to the outside of the front row. Once again, Crum would hold of all challenged en route to the win, as Monteith and Blevins battled for the second position behind him. The top five finishers were Crum, Monteith, Blevins, Hale, and Presnell.

The next scheduled event at LPR will be the 3rd Annual Wanda Phillips Memorial on Saturday, June 20th.

Shawn Peters can be contacted via e-mail at LPR@84expo.com


All material including graphics, text and photos are property of 84expo and/or its partners and are subject to all copyright laws © 2009. All rights reserved.

UPDATE ON TIRES!  

After reconsideration by JRM and LPR, Late Model and Charger competitors will be allowed to buy tires immediately. Jeff Roark (JRM) has been receiving calls from competitors asking that they be allowed to buy tires for practice and set-up, and he has been receiving calls from other Goodyear racing tire dealers to inform him that LPR competitors are wanting to buy the tires from those other dealers.  

It has now been decided that competitors can purchase tires beginning immediately.  

HOWEVER, the tires which will be on the cars for Saturday's qualifying and race MUST be purchased at the track on race day. JRM and LPR will be using bar code identification and branding to identify tires purchased on race day. Only the tires properly logged and marked are to be used in competition on race day. Use of any other tire other than tires purchased at the track and properly logged on Saturday race day will result in disqualification. 

Notice to Late Model & Chargers Regarding Tires  

Both the Late Model and Charger divisions at LPR will be using new tires beginning with the June 13th event. The Late Models will be using the Goodyear 2902 tire and the cost per tire for competitors will be $135 each. The Chargers will be using the Goodyear 2878 and the cost per tire will be $125 each. Initially each competitor will be allowed to purchase five (5) tires. Limitations on subsequent tire purchases and timing of tire purchases will be explained Saturday at the track.  

JRM Racing Products tire specialist C.W. Nelson also issued the following statement regarding procedure for Saturday June 13th: "LPR will open the gates for Late Model and Charger Divisions at 10:00 a.m. Saturday to allow time to select tires and have them mounted before practice.  NO TIRES WILL BE SOLD BEFORE THIS TIME.  This keeps the playing field even for everyone involved.  The gates will open at regular time for the rest of the divisions."

June 6th Action from Lonesome Pine Raceway

by: Shawn Peters, 84expo.com

(Coeburn, VA – 06/06/09) The regular weekly schedule resumed at ASA-sanctioned Lonesome Pine Raceway on Saturday, June 6th, as all regular divisions were on hand for a night full of action.

During the afternoon qualifying sessions, Sammy Jasper took the INEX Legend Series pole award. Jeff Bobo claimed the Pure 4 pole award driving for Tom Hodges. Other pole award winners included Kirby Gobble (Mod 4), Jody Bostic (Charger), Rob Austin (Street Stock), and John King, Jr. (Late Model).

The INEX Legend Series race consisted of a field of four cars this week, after posting a record high during the May 30th event. Sammy Jasper (28) dropped to the rear of the field for the start of the race, but quickly worked his way to the front of the field and pulled away for another victory. The rest of the finishers in order were Janice Humble, Ron Humble, and Josh Click.

In the Pure 4 division, the previous week’s winner Linton Perry (1) dropped to the rear of the field per track rules. On lap 2, Steve Skeen’s season of misfortune continued as the #17 suffered a flat right front tire, saddling Skeen with a 17th place finish. On lap 4, B.C. Penley (22) bounced off the wall exiting turn 4 and quickly brought his car into the pits to assess the damage. As Bobby Gobble (39) chased pole-sitter Jeff Bobo (94) around the track, Linton Perry began his charge through the pack.

Lap 10 saw contact between Tim Presley (83) and Moonshine Mills (65) as they battled for the 5th position. By lap 14, Perry was in the 6th position and running out of laps during the long green flag run. Gobble pulled onto Bobo’s rear bumper as the leaders approached the white flag. Stacy Head (3) and Gene Estep (71) were hard on the gas as the third and fourth place cars, awaiting contact between the two leaders. Bobo and Gobble raced hard, but clean, as both drivers made it to the finish in one piece. The top five finishers were Bobo, Gobble, Head, Estep, and Perry.

The Street Stock race began with Rob Austin (25) and Scott Anderson (7) sharing the front row. Anderson seemed to have the position exiting turn 4, but the car broke loose giving the lead to Austin for the first lap. On lap 5, Russell Duty (2) brought his car to pit road for the night, settling for an 11th place finish. On lap 8, Freddie Taylor, Jr. (16) would hit pit road with a distributor problem. The caution flag was displayed on lap 12, as the #8 of Jared Bruner began overheating and retired from the race. During the caution period, the #18 of Doug Austin made a visit to pit road to repair a loose door skin.

As green flag action continued, Anderson and Chuck Crigger (71) battled for the 3rd position while Rob Austin and Roger Neece (22) began putting distance between themselves and the rest of the field. Crigger began losing speed and entered into a three-way battle for the 4th position with Doug Austin and Jim Caudill, Jr. (15) on lap 24. Just five short laps later, the motor turned sour on the #71 Camaro and the caution flag was displayed on lap 30 as Crigger stopped in turn 3, then retired from the race. After a final restart with five laps to go, Rob Austin held off Roger Neece for the victory, followed by Anderson, Doug Austin, and Caudill, Jr.

When the Charger Division took to the track, Paul Shull (48) jumped to the lead heading into turn 1, but by the time the Charger division rolled around turn 4 to complete the first lap, pole winner Jody Bostic (44) re-claimed the lead and began pulling away from the pack. On lap 16, Kevin Wolfe (17) worked his way around Shull and set his eyes on the leader. On lap 18, Dalton Hopkins (88) passed Steve Wright (75) for the 4th position. As Wolfe continued his quest to run down Bostic, Jenna Wagner (47) was able to wrestle the 5th position away from Wright on lap 38. The final top five was Bostic, Wolfe, Shull, Hopkins, and Wagner.

During the Late Model event, Wayne Hale (19) quickly proved that he was ready to compete, as he jumped to an early lead from his outside pole position. The first caution flag of the race was waived on lap 3, following a spin by Mardy Roberts (55) in turn 4. A long, green flag run would continue until Royce Peters (38) and Kaleb Presley (54) made contact in turn 2, resulting in the #54 car spinning after several laps of heated battle for the 4th position.

Following the caution period, Wayne Hale and John King, Jr. (21) made contact midway through turns 3 and 4 while battling for the lead, sending both of the leaders into the outer guardrail. On the restart, Jeff Woodward (94) and Nate Monteith (44) came together entering turn 1 in a tight cluster, sending the #44 into a spin and the #94 to the back of the field. Shortly after the race went back to green, both Royce Peters (38) and Brian Blevins (40) brought their cars to pit road with motor problems.

During the course of the race, positions changed hands many times, but Kaleb Presley (54) held the lead from lap 33 as the shuffle ensued behind him. Wayne Hale worked his way back up to the second position by lap 42, followed by Roberts, Woodward, and Monteith. The race remained under green flag conditions for the remainder of the race, not allowing Hale the chance to once again master the restart. The final finishing order saw Kaleb Presley taking the victory followed by Hale, Woodward, Monteith, and Roberts.

The Mod 4 event witnessed Kirby Gobble (88) dominating a flag-to-flag event where every driver finished where they started the race. Rocky Yates (3) tried several times to close in on the rear bumper of Freddie Taylor, Jr. (16) for 2nd, but to no avail. The top five finishers for the event were Gobble, Taylor, Yates, Brad Ball (17), and Hershel Robinette (9).

The next scheduled event at LPR will be on Saturday, June 13th.

Shawn Peters can be contacted via e-mail at lpr@84expo.com

All material including graphics, text and photos are property of 84expo and/or its partners and are subject to all copyright laws © 2009. All rights reserved.

May 30th Action from Lonesome Pine Raceway

by: Shawn Peters, 84expo.com

(Coeburn, VA – 05/30/09) The Super Cup Stock Car Series touring group returned to ASA-sanctioned Lonesome Pine Raceway on Saturday, May 30th to headline a night of racing action. The SCSCS made their initial visit to LPR in August of last season, and will return for a second 2009 engagement on August 8th.

In afternoon qualifying sessions, Sammy Jasper took the INEX Legend Series pole award. Tom Hodges earned his second pole of the season in the Pure 4 division, while Josh Hale claimed the top qualifying position for both of the twin races in the Charger division. Chuck Crigger took home his second pole of the season in the Street Stock division and Jake Crum of Statesville, NC, earned the pole for the feature Super Cup Stock Car Series event.

The Pure 4 division began the festivities with previous week’s winner Tom Hodges (94) dropping to the rear of the field per track rules. The inside lane would move up with Linton Perry (1) and Jeff Bobo (9) leading the field to the green flag. On lap 1, Tracy Head (5) ran out of room exiting Turn 2, resulting in contact with Steve Skeen (17) that collected Bobo and Tony Casteel (4) in the process. With the field reset, Perry began to run away from the field until a lap 6 caution flag would bring the field back to his rear bumper.

Steve Skeen (17) spins in front of Jeff Bobo (9), Stacy Head (3),

and Tony Casteel (4) during Pure 4 action.

(photo by Shawn Peters/84expo.com)

When green flag racing resumed, Perry again pulling away from the field until lap 18, when contact between Bobo, Hodges, and Stacy Head (3) resulted in a spin for Bobo exiting Turn 4. On the restart, Moonshine Mills (65) pulled to the high side of Perry for the restart, but the racing action would be short lived as Stacy Head tried to force his truck three-wide off of Turn 2, resulting in several instances of contact with Kenny Nix (37), leaving the point-leader with a flat right-front tire and a 13th place finish.

Perry continued to dominate the event on the way to his first victory of the 2009 season. Tom Hodges brought his car from the rear of the field to a 2nd place finish, while the 3rd place finisher Moonshine Mills took over the point lead. Todd Duff (7) drove his Perry Racing entry home in the 4th position, while Stacy Head was credited with a 5th place finish. Exiting the final turn, the #76 of Kelly King and #3 of Stacy Head made contact while battling for the 5th position, which resulted in King violently hitting the front stretch wall head-on and being credited with a 7th place finish.

The first of the Charger division races was next on the schedule, with Josh Hale (29) leading the field to the green for 25 laps of action. Kevin Wolfe (17) began chasing Hale from the drop of the green flag, but could not find a way around the leader. On lap 16, Austin Peters (66) and Nasty Jones (13) spun in turns 3 and 4 in separate incidents. The restart would give Wolfe a chance to pull to the high side of Hale, but a pesky Paul Shull (48) kept Wolfe from making the most of the opportunity, as Shull slipped into the second position on lap 16. On lap 21, Jenna Wagner (47) and Peters both drove past Steve Wright (75), moving into the fourth and fifth positions respectively. The final top five at the checkers were Hale, Shull, Wolfe, Wagner, and Peters.

WII Racing teammates Steve Wright (75) and Jenna Wagner (47)

battle during Charger division action in Twin #1.

(photo by Shawn Peters/84expo.com)

The classic fan favorite Street Stock division saw Chuck Crigger (71) leading the field to the green in what would become yet another Lonesome Pine Raceway classic. Crigger was able to put a bit of distance between himself and Roger Neece (22) at the start of the race, but by lap 9, Neece was hounding the Crigger for the top spot. Customary to the Street Stock division, Rob Austin (25) made it a tight three-car battle for the lead with an intense fourteen-lap battle for supremacy with none of the drivers yielding a centimeter on the track. On lap 22, the lapped car of Moonshine Mills (65) allowed Neece to get a run on Crigger through the corner and claim the top spot. Two laps later, Austin moved into the 2nd position. The final top five would be Neece, Rob Austin, Crigger, Doug Austin (18), and Russell Duty (2).

Rob Austin (25) passes Chuck Crigger (71)

for the 2nd position in Street Stock competition.
(photo by Shawn Peters/84expo.com)

The INEX Legends Series race saw Sammy Jasper jump out to a big lead from the pole position. On lap 5, Mike Charigo (66) spun around to bring out the first caution. While the pack tightened up for the restart, Cody Johnson (31) had no luck in chasing down Jasper, as Greg Turner (64) continued to burn through the field after starting dead last in the field. Casey Head (73) spun in Turn 4 on lap 15, bringing out the second and final caution flag setting up a ten-lap shootout. Jasper again jumped out to a healthy lead, but a red-hot Turner continued cutting through the field and got to the back bumper of Jasper on lap 24 with the help of slower traffic. Turner made a valiant effort, but fell just short, as he could get no further that Jasper’s back bumper. The final top five finishing order was Jasper, Turner, Cody Johnson, Janice Humble (54), and Ron Humble (7).

Sammy Jasper (28) dominates on the way to another INEX Legends Series victory.

(photo by Shawn Peters/84expo.com)

The second twin Charger event again had Kevin Wolfe (17) chasing Josh Hale (29) from the drop of the green flag. Before the action could begin, on lap 2 Dalton Hopkins (88) spun in turn 2 followed by Nasty Jones (13) who had nowhere to go but into the side of the #88. Wolfe continued to hound Hale during green flag action until Jenna Wagner (47) brought out the second caution after spinning turn 1 while battling for the 4th position with Steve Wright (75). Before a full green flag lap could be completed, Austin Peters (66) spun by himself on the backstretch bringing out the third caution of the race. On lap 21, Wolfe was able to wrestle the lead away from Hale before the caution flag again waved for Peters’ spin in turn 3, setting up a four-lap shootout to the checkered. Wolfe managed to hold off Hale for his fourth victory of the 2009 season. Completing the top five finishers were Paul Shull (48), Wright, and Jones.

Josh Hale (29) leads the Charger field in Twin #2.
(photo by Shawn Peters/84expo.com)

************************************************************

Images from 05/30 SuperCup Stock Car Series

Race story can be accessed at the following link:

http://www.supercupstockcarseries.com/SCSCS-NewsRelease-2009-06-02.htm

Jake Crum (1) and Tyler Nuckles (71) race side-by-side in SCSCS action.

(photo by Shawn Peters/84expo.com)

Harvey Harrison (51) walked away with the SCSCS victory

after a long night at Lonesome Pine Raceway.

(photo by Shawn Peters/84expo.com)

The next scheduled event at LPR will be on Saturday, June 6th.

Shawn Peters can be contacted via e-mail at lpr@84expo.com

All material including graphics, text and photos are property of 84expo and/or its partners and are subject to all copyright laws © 2009. All rights reserved.

ISCARS Reschedules Rain Out at LPR

ISCARS Official Lee Holmes loses battle with cancer.

ISCARS/ASA Public Relations

Updated: Monday, May 11, 2009

Coeburn, VA - We beat the rain all day until just minutes before the command to start engines.

After nearly two hours of track drying, the local divisions raced. However, they were using either street tires or grooved tires.

ISCARS DASH Touring Officials and drivers felt there was too much water on pit road and also in the lanes just outside of the groove.

It was a tough call, but all the drivers agreed they would not be able to race competitively.

"We appreciate the fans understanding our position," states Randy Claypoole, ISCARS President. "We could have put on a single file follow the leader...get the car home safe kind of race, but it would not have been a show the fans would have expected from our series."

LATEST NEWS: ISCARS and LPR have agreed on Saturday, June 27 as the make up date for the ISCARS DASH Touring Twin 75's. Lonesome Pine Raceway has also scheduled ISCARS for October 3rd.

ISCARS also learned of the passing of our dear friend, Lee Holmes. Lee lost his battle with cancer Saturday afternoon in W. Palm Beach, FL. He served as one of our Pit Road Officials. Lee was one of the original officials for ISCARS, having only missed one race since 2005.

While the race was affected by the rain..we now realize that the rainbow over LPR held a different meaning for all of us who loved and appreciated Lee. God Speed Lee.

May 9th Action from Lonesome Pine Raceway

by: Shawn Peters, 84expo.com

(Coeburn, VA – 05/09/09) The ISCARS Dash Series was on hand Saturday night for their season opener at ASA-sanctioned Lonesome Pine Raceway in Coeburn, Virginia. However, inclement weather and uncertainty concerning the handling of the higher horsepower race cars forced the event to be rescheduled for the night of June 27th. Randy Claypoole, President/CEO of ISCARS, announced that every fan in attendance Saturday evening would be receiving a rain check for the rescheduled date.

Alan Woodruff continued his streak of 10 straight Pole Awards in the Pure 4 divion, while Greg Turner earned the INEX Legends Series top qualifier. Roger Neece earned his second Pole Award of the season in Street Stock, while Jeff Woodward earned the Charger division Pole Award in his debut.

Following a series of rain showers and a lengthy track drying session involving several race cars from various divisions, the Pure 4 class would test the condition of the track. Alan Woodruff (07) would drop to the back of the field per track rule as last week’s winner. Steve Skeen (17) would move up to become the first car on the inside row for the start of the race, but Linton Perry (7) would jump to the lead on the start. Early in the event, Bobby Gobble (39) would work his way around Perry to take the lead and hold on for his 2nd career victory and first since 2002.

Going into the night, Kenny Nix had the points lead, but mechanical issues forced Kenny to the pits and saddled him with a 16th place finish. Likewise, Skeen had mechanical issues leaving him with a 17th place finish in a season that has definitely not started out the way that Snapper would have preferred. Due to the misfortune of Nix, Tony Casteel (4) will take over the points lead, pushing Nix to second, and racing-reporter Jeff Bobo (9) to third. The final finishing order would be Gobble, Woodruff, Bobo, Forrest Gilley (14) with a career best 4th place finish, and Moonshine Mills.

Pure4 winner Bobby Gobble

(photo by Shawn Peters/84expo.com)

Pole-sitter Greg Turner (64) would lead the entire INEX Legend Series race, bringing home his 2nd straight victory of the season. On lap 17, Carl Stanley (23) would spin on the backstretch to bring out the only caution of the event. The final finishing order would be Turner, Cody Johnson (31), Sammy Jasper (28), Ron Humble (7), and Stanley.

INEX Legends winner Greg Turner

(photo by Shawn Peters/84expo.com)

Roger Neece (22) started Pole Position for the Street Stock race, but the real battle would be between Rob Austin (25) and Chuck Crigger (71). From the drop of the green flag, the battle was intense between Austin and Crigger, as the two drivers raced side-by-side for the first 20 laps of the event. On lap 10, it was Crigger who commanded the runner up position, but nine laps later; Austin had wrestled the 2nd position away from Crigger for good. Over the course of the next 13 laps, Austin chased down the race leader Neece and pulled out every trick in the book aside from physically moving the leader up the track. On lap 32, Austin’s car broke sideways off of Turn 4 as proof of the heated chase for the win. In the end, Neece would pull into Victory Lane for 3rd time this season followed by Austin, Crigger, Doug Austin (18), and Russell Duty (2).

Street Stock winner Roger Neece

(photo by Shawn Peters/84expo.com)

The final race of the evening would be the Advance Auto Parts Charger division, led to the green flag by Jeff Woodward (7). Woodward would jump out front of the pack and lead until Dalton Hopkins (88) brought out the first caution of the evening with a spin off of Turn 2 while battling with Paul Shull (48) for 3rd spot. On lap 19, Jody Bostic (44) slid into the side of Derek Woodward (18) off of Turn 2 and subsequently parked his car for a 7th place finish. The second caution of the race was for another spin in Turn 2 by Hopkins on Lap 21. On lap 22, Jeff Woodward’s front running car suddenly slowed, the result of a broken pinion gear, exiting Turn 2, handing over the lead to Shull. One lap later, Hopkins would bring out a third caution with another spin exiting Turn 2. The final finishing order would be Shull, Kevin Wolfe (17), Hopkins (career best 3rd place), Jenna Wagner (47), and Derek Woodward (18).

Charger Division winner Paul Shull

(photo by Shawn Peters/84expo.com)

The next scheduled event at LPR will be on Saturday, May 23rd.

Shawn Peters can be contacted via e-mail at lpr@84expo.com

All material including graphics, text and photos are property of 84expo and/or its partners and are subject to all copyright laws © 2009. All rights reserved.

ISCARS Dash Series to Headline May 9th Events

A full evening of ASA sanctioned racing, headlined by the ASA sanctioned ISCARS Dash Touring Series is on tap for Lonesome Pine Raceway next Saturday, May 9th. The ISCARS Touring Series will run two 75-Lap feature events at LPR to officially open the ISCARS 2009 season. Just a few of the drivers who participate in the ISCARS Tour include brothers Jake and Justin Hobgood, Johnny Chapman, Randy Humphries, defending series champion Danny Bagwell and veteran racer Geoff Bodine.  

A driver familiar to area race fans will be making his ISCARS Dash Touring Series debut at LPR. Young Caleb Roark, of Abingdon, VA, will be driving a car owned by series veteran and former champion Johnny Chapman of Stony Point, NC. Chapman will be competing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series event at Darlington Raceway Friday night, then will travel to Coeburn to watch his young protégé compete.

Roark plans to run the entire ISCARS schedule and will compete for the series Rookie of the Year title. Chapman commented, "Caleb will have a good shot at both Rookie of the Year and the series championship. I'm really looking forward to working with Caleb this season".   Also on the schedule of events for Saturday night will be feature events for the track's Charger, Street Stock, Pure4 and Legends divisions. Spectator gates will open at 5:00 with the first green flag at 7:40.

LPR regular, 16-year-old Caleb Roark of Abingdon, VA, will

make his ISCARS Dash Touring Series debut at LPR driving

a car owned by former series champion Johnny Chapman.

(photo by Lynn Peters, JRM PR)  

April 25th Action from ASA Lonesome Pine Raceway

by: Shawn Peters, 84expo.com

(Coeburn, VA – 04/25/09) The INEX Legends Series returned for a second straight week to ASA-sanctioned Lonesome Pine Raceway in Coeburn, Virginia. Alan Woodruff continued his qualifying dominance in Pure 4, claiming the Pole Award in his first trip to LPR this season. Kirby Gobble won his third Pole Award of the season in Mod 4, while Sam Hurd claimed his first of the season in the Open Wheel Modified division. Other Pole Award winners would include Greg Turner (Legends), Jody Bostic (Charger), Roger Neece (Street Stock), and Keith Stiltner (Late Model).

The INEX Legends Series started off the night and saw pole-sitter Greg Turner (64) and Sammy Jasper (28) run away from the field. By lap 12, the duo was heavy in lapped traffic and continued to work their way through slower cars until a lap 19 caution. On lap 24, the yellow flag was displayed again for Josh Click (43), setting up a green-white-checkered finish. Jasper would be unable to chase down Turner, having to settle for a 2nd place finish. The top five finishers were Turner, Jasper, Cody Johnson (31), Carl Stanley (23), and Janice Humble (54).

Bobby Gobble returned to racing action in the #39 entry, but was forced to the back of the field due to Tom Hodges (94) taking the car to Victory Lane the previous week driving Gobble's #39 Nissan. Alan Woodruff (07) would be making his first appearance at LPR of the season, starting from the Pole Position. From the drop of the green flag, Woodruff would get the jump on Kenny Nix (37) and lead the field into Turn 1. On lap 4, Ricky Yates (8) would spin in Turn 4, bringing out the first caution. Gobble had worked his way through the pack by lap 11, but spun in Turn 4 bringing out the second caution. Under the yellow flag, Don McGalahan (13) stalled his truck in Turn 1, causing the caution flag to continue to be displayed.

On lap 15, Yates would bring out another caution, collecting B.C. Penley (22) in the process. Both vehicles would receive major damage, removing them from the race. On the restart, Jeff Bobo (9), Gobble, Forrest Gilley (14), and Steve Skeen (17) would go four-wide heading into Turn 1. The heavy racing action would take its toll on Lap 18, when Skeen spun out in Turn 2 setting up a Green-White Checkered. Linton Perry (1), making his 2009 debut, tried to get around the leader Woodruff, but to no avail. The top five finishers would be Woodruff, Perry, Nix, Tony Casteel (4), and Gobble.

Kirby Gobble (88) won his third straight Mod 4 Pole Award of the season, but would give up the lead early to Freddie Taylor, Jr. (16). On lap 2, David Hand (10) would spin in Turn 3, bringing out the first caution of the race. On lap 10, Gobble regained the feel of his car and made the pass on Taylor for the lead and had pulled away for a commanding lead by lap 17. Lap 20 would see Brad Ball (17) spin in Turn 2, the victim of a broken crankshaft. On the restart, Colin Eades (7) would be the next driver to fall victim to mechanical failure, leaving three cars on the track for the remainder of the race. The top five finishers were Gobble, Taylor, Hand, Eades, and Ball.

The Open Wheel Modified class ran with three cars, as pole-sitter Sam Hurd (11) would pull away early and command the lead for the entirety of the event. On lap 13, Willie Gibson (51) bounced off the wall on the exit of Turn 4, ending his night. Under the ensuing caution flag, eventual 2nd place finisher Freddie Taylor, Jr. (18) would run out of gas, bringing an end to the race.

The Advance Auto Parts Charger division was led the to green flag by pole-sitter Jody Bostic (44), but on the first lap of the race Derek Woodward (18) was spun out by Jenna Wagner (47) resetting the field. Austin Peters (66) would bring out the next two cautions on laps 4 and 13, setting up a long green flag run. Matthew Eades (7), who replaced scheduled driver Jeff Roark, was having a great run in his Charger debut running in the 2nd position for most of the race. On lap 25, point leader Kevin Wolfe (17) worked his away around Eades and set his eyes on the leader. On lap 30, Paul Shull (48) brought his car to pit lane, while teammate Wagner began turning faster lap times and moved into the 5th position. As the race wore on, it was apparent that Wolfe was running down the leader at an incredible pace, but he ran out of laps and had to settle for a 2nd place finish. The final top five would be Bostic, Wolfe, Eades, Josh Hale (29), and Wagner.

The first two laps of the Street Stock division race saw the entire pack running side-by-side the entire length of the track, with outside pole-sitter Jeff Counts (11) edging out pole-sitter Roger Neece (22) for the lead. On lap 3, Neece would take over the lead and leave Counts to battle his Castlewood Mafia counterpart Rob Austin (25) for the 2nd position. After a n intense 6-lap battle, Austin would make the pass and set his eyes on the leader. As Counts continued to battle for position with Jim Caudill, Jr. (15), the motor on the #11 Camaro blew entering Turn 3, sending Counts into a spinning cloud of smoke that ended with a small fire underneath the engine housing. Shortly after the restart, Chuck Crigger (71) would take advantage of the new pick-and-choose restart to jump to the 2nd position, but would not be able to run down Neece. The final top five was Neece, Crigger, Rob Austin, Caudill, and Scott Anderson (7).

Keith Stiltner (22) returned to the top of the charts in Late Model qualifying, topping off a steady climb towards having the Stiltner Racing Team being competitive again. From the drop of the green flag, it was obvious that Stiltner felt comfortable out front as he was able to stave off Nate Monteith (44), Brian Blevins (40), and Wayne Hale (19), as the top four raced around the track in a line. On lap 17, Monteith was finally able to work his way around Stiltner for the lead, as Blevins would take over the 2nd position on the following lap. On lap 31, Blevins began to challenge Monteith for the lead for a solid 6 laps before Monteith was able to pull away again. On lap 37, David Hopkins (88) moved into the 5th position past Jeff Woodward (94), who would come to pit road with motor issues 5 laps later. The final top five finishers would be Monteith, Blevins, Hale, Stiltner, and Hopkins.

The next scheduled event at LPR will be on Saturday, May 9th for the ISCARS Dash Touring Series season opener.

Shawn Peters can be contacted via e-mail at lpr@84expo.com
-end of release-

All material including graphics, text and photos are property of 84expo and/or its partners and are subject to all copyright laws © 2009. All rights reserved.

ISCARS Dash Touring Series Season Opener Scheduled for LPR

ISCARS DASH Touring, Sanctioned by ASA continues preparations for the beginning of the 2009 season set to kick off in the mountains at Lonesome Pine Raceway in Coeburn, VA on Saturday, May 9th.

It has been seven long months since the DASH cars were on the track. Teams are eagerly anticipating the first event.

"We're looking forward to our return to LPR," says Randy Claypoole, ISCARS President/CEO. "We were last at the mountain track in 2005, a race won by local favorite Wade Day on his way to the inaugural ISCARS DASH Touring Championship."

The off season has been abuzz with car purchases and new teams lining up to participate in the only Sport Compact stock car racing series in America. After enduring high gas prices and a serious pinch due to the economy in 2008, the series is hopeful the trend of the off season will translate into an increased car count for 2009.

"Since ISCARS DASH Touring uses a unique car, we don't have a large pool of late models to draw from. There have been a lot of DASH speedway cars sitting in moth balls," says Claypoole. "Whie we certainly hope that one day soon we can return to a superspeedway, short track racing is still our grass roots. Guys spent a lot of money on speedway bodies and still many of them patiently await the opportunity to run on a big track. Our goal is to get one or two speedway races, but for the time being our emphasis is on short tracks and increasing car count."

So far we have 6 events with two races at each event on tap for 2009. "We may add one or two more depending on how the economical impact is affecting our teams."

LPR is a fine facility and a good track for the DASH cars. Fans will get to see two 75 lap races along with a couple of the local divisions.

(ISCARS PR)

April 18th Action from ASA Lonesome Pine Raceway

by: Shawn Peters, 84expo.com

(Coeburn, VA – 04/18/09) Saturday night short track action was back on schedule at ASA-sanctioned Lonesome Pine Raceway in Coeburn, Virginia. In addition to the six weekly divisions that will run at LPR during the 2009 season, the INEX Legends Series were on hand as well. Last week’s Pure 4 winner Kenny Nix won the Pole Award, but would be relegated to the end of the field per class rules. Kirby Gobble won his second Pole Award of the season in Mod 4, as well as Willie Gibson in the Open-Wheel Modified division. Other Pole Award winners would include 14-year old Sammy Jasper (Legends), Kevin Wolfe (Charger), Chuck Crigger (Street Stock), and Wayne Hale (Late Model).

The opening race for the night would be the INEX Legends Series with youngster Sammy Jasper (28) leading the way to the green flag. On lap 11, Carl Stanley (23) would make contact with Cody Johnson (31) while battling for the 4th position, sending Stanley into a spin and bringing out the first caution. Greg Turner (64) made a valiant charge to the front in the closing laps, but could not catch up to Jasper. A last lap spin by Josh Click (43) would end the race coming out of the 4th turn with Jasper taking the victory over Turner, Ron Humble (7), Johnson, and Janice Humble (54).

Sammy Jasper (28) leads Greg Turner (64) through the turn.

(photo by Shawn Peters/84expo.com)

Last week’s pole-winning car, the #39 entry from the Gobble-Gilley Racing team, would have a different driver this week, but proved to be one fast piece of machinery for the second week in a row, grabbing the Outside Pole. After last week’s winner and current Pole Sitter Kenny Nix (37) dropped to the back of the field, Tony Casteel (4) moved his Mustang from the 3rd spot on the starting grid to lead the field to the green. Casteel held onto the lead for a couple of laps, but soon surrendered the lead to Tom Hodges (39).

By lap 7, Nix had moved into the 5th position in the 15-car field. As positions were being switched throughout the field, Nix continued his charge to the front as Casteel began to hound Hodges for the lead. Undoubtedly, Casteel was hungry for his first feature win, while Hodges seemed to have the faster car. On lap 17, Nix moved into the 3rd position, but would climb no further on the leader board. With 3 laps to go, Casteel made a valiant effort to regain the lead heading into Turn 1, but after making contact with Hodges, Casteel played the gentleman’s game and settled for a well-deserved 2nd place finish, matching a career feature best for the driver. The final top five would be Hodges, Casteel, Nix, Jeff Bobo (9), and Tracy Head (5).

The Mod 4 event would see Kirby Gobble (88) command an early lead, while Hershel Robinette (9) would suffer mechanical problems early for the second race in a row. On lap 7, Colin Eades (7) would come to pit road with a broken distributor and carburetor, effectively ending his night well short of the finish. After a valiant effort to get the car back on the track, Colin and his crew chief decided to call it a night, but will return next week to avenge their early exit from competition.

On lap 9, the lapped car of Jackie Mullins (6) tangled with Gobble and Freddie Taylor, Jr. (16) to bring out the caution. On the restart, Taylor took over the lead and held the top spot until Rocky Yates (3) blew up in a plume of smoke on lap 20, setting up a 10 lap shootout for the victory following a red flag and extensive track cleanup. During the final green flag run, Gobble pulled ahead of Taylor for an emotional win. Rounding out the top five would be Brad Ball (17), Yates, and Mullins.

Kirby Gobble and friends display a tribute to

fallen friend and crew member Chris McCracken

(photo by Shawn Peters/84expo.com)

The Open-Wheel Modified class picked up two additional entries this week, bringing the total to 4. The sheer power of this class could quickly become a fan favorite if the number of participants increases during the next couple of race weekends. As for the race, Same Hurd (11) quickly grabbed the lead away from Pole-Sitter Willie Gibson (51) and never looked back. Just past the halfway point, Kim Gollehon (72) began to turn quicker laps after he had time to feel the car out in his asphalt open-wheel debut. The final finishing order was Hurd, Gollehon, Gibson, and Freddie Taylor, Sr. (18).

The Advance Auto Parts Charger division field gained three more entries, setting a new record for largest starting field in its brief two-year history at LPR. On lap 1, Jenna Wagner (47) and Derek Woodward (18) got together in Turn 2, sending Woodward for a spin and bringing out the first of many cautions. Jody Bostic (44), who took the lead on lap 1, would lead the field to the 2nd caution of the night when Dalton Hopkins (88) got into Jeff Roark (7), sending Roark around in Turn 4 on lap 8. During a lap 10 restart, Bostic turned Paul Shull (48) exiting Turn 2, resulting in the destruction of four other race cars in the process. When the smoke cleared, Wagner’s Pontiac was resting on top of Woodward’s car, while Hopkins and Austin Peters (66) were stuck together by overlapping, mangled sheet metal.

Jenna Wagner (47) goes airborne after colliding

with Derek Woodward (18) during a six-car wreck.

(photo by Shawn Peters/84expo.com)

After a lengthy red flag to clean up the mess located at the exit of Turn 2, racing resumed where Bostic continued to lead Kevin Wolfe (17), Shull, and Josh Hale (29). The race would remain under green flag conditions until Woodward brought out a caution with a spin in Turn 4 on lap 25. During the final run, Wolfe was unable to get around the leader, as Bostic crossed the finish line first. However, the #44 of Bostic failed to pass post-race tech, giving the victory to Wolfe. The rest of the adjusted top 5 would be Shull, Hale, Roark, and Hopkins.

Roger Neece (22) beat Chuck Crigger (71) into the first turn and never looked back during a dominating performance in Street Stock competition. While Neece was running away with the victory, Crigger, Rob Austin (25), Jim Caudill, Jr. (15), Caleb Holman (4), and Jeff Counts (11) were battling for position throughout the field. As Crigger’s car steadily declined throughout the race, Holman and Counts began battling for the 4th position, while Caudill hounded Rob Austin for the runner-up spot. Austin’s power steering went away during the race, leading to what he described to be the most tiring race of his career. Caudill’s crew hit the right setup after struggling last year, adding to what is already a very competitive Street Stock field. The final finishing order would be Neece, Rob Austin, Caudill, Holman, and Counts.

The Late Model division race would begin with 2007 track champion Wayne Hale (19) starting from the Pole Position, and 2008 track champion Nate Monteith (44) rolling off the grid on the Outside Pole. Early in the race, Monteith felt a right-front tire going down, which caused him to back off from the lead pack. On lap 15, Monteith was able to ride out the issue and pit under caution following an altercation in Turn 2 involving rookie driver Andy Applegate (17). The lap 15 restart would see Monteith restarting from the 11th position.

However, following an odd series of events that resulted in a spin by Caleb Holman (74) and contact between the lapped car of Applegate and 4th place driver Jeff Woodward (94), all during the restart, Monteith found himself in the 6th position due to a restructuring of the lineup. The #17 of Applegate was later involved in an accident during a subsequent caution flag, effectively ending his night.

13-year old Dylan Presnell (83) recorded his first

full-bodied stock car victory on Saturday night at LPR.

(photo by Shawn Peters/84expo.com)

As for the racing action, by lap 30 the top five in the running order would be Hale, 13-year old Dylan Presnell (83), Monteith, last week’s race winner Brian Blevins (40), and Caleb Holman. As the race wore on, the leaders began catching up to lapped traffic, allowing Presnell and Monteith to close the gap between themselves and the leader, Wayne Hale. With less than 5 laps to go, a battle between the lapped cars of Royce Peters (38) and Craig Stallard (36) directly in front of Hale gave Presnell the opportunity to pull within car lengths of the leader. Midway through Turn 2, the #36 of Stallard broke sideways directly in front of Hale, who drove to the high side while Presnell made a daredevil more to the inside to claim the lead. Presnell would hold on for his first career Late Model victory with the rest of the top five showing as Hale, Monteith, Blevins, and Holman.

The next scheduled event at LPR will be on Saturday, April 25th.

Shawn Peters can be contacted at lpr@84expo.com

All material including graphics, text and photos are property of 84expo and/or its partners and are subject to all copyright laws © 2009. All rights reserved.

Presnell captures first career Late Model Stock victory at Lonesome Pine Raceway

By: Robert Walden

SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. — Winning races is nothing new for Dylan Presnell of Sevierville, being he has visited victory lane in every stage of his racing career to date – winning in Quarter Midgets, Bandolero, Mini Cup, Legends and Allison Legacy Series competition.

Besides winning races, Presnell also captured the Miniature Motorsports Racing Association (www.mmraracing.com) Future Stars of Racing national championship in 2006 racing ½-scale Mini Cup cars. During the impressive ’06 season he also recorded the double at historic state fairground location in Nashville, Tenn., at the Music City Motorplex by winning both the Bandolero and Mini Cup track championships.

Presnell began the 2008 racing season in the Sunshine State during SpeedWeeks competing in Legends racing at Orlando (Fla.) Speedworld, winning the “Winter Heat” Young Lions championship. Next up was a full-season competing with the Allison Legacy Series (www.AllisonLegacy.com), which produced one feature win at Orange County Speedway in Rougemont, N.C., a sixth-place finish in points and securing rookie of the year honors.

Carefully looking at all options available, Ken Presnell, owner of Presnell Motorsports, made a decision the next step in his son’s racing career would be behind the wheel of a full-bodied stock car – chauffeuring an asphalt Late Model Stock car in 2009.

“Following the ’08 racing season we were just kind of at the point we didn’t know which direction to take next in Dylan’s racing career,” said father, Ken. “It really was a difficult decision to make. He’s excelled at every form of racing he’s competed in so far, winning races and championships. But the fact of the matter still is, he’s only 13 years old. I talked with several people (racing insiders) getting opinions about what step we should take next. To be perfectly honest, I wasn’t willing to go to another level of racing just yet with Dylan unless the perfect opportunity presented itself.”

The scenario to jump into a Late Model Stock became realistic when Wade Day, a former ISCARS Dash Series champion, also a two-time NASCAR Weekly Racing Series regional champion, and veteran racer in USAR Hooters Pro Cup action, talked with Ken about overseeing the race team and guiding young Dylan’s racing.

“After meeting with and talking at length with Wade, it just became clear that our next move with Dylan would be racing a Late Model Stock car,” Ken said. “I had been told Wade was very knowledgeable about race cars, plus I knew he was a good racer himself. There was an immediate comfort level between Dylan and Wade, and that was very important to me. You don’t want to be putting your son under the guidance of just anyone. It must be someone you really feel is the right person. And I know without a shadow of a doubt that Wade is the right person. He’s just a super-good guy, and I feel completely at ease that he’s working with my son.”

After several winter off-season practice sessions at different racetracks under the guidance of Presnell Motorsports general manager and race-day crew chief Wade Day, along with car chief Dinky Torbett, helping get Dylan comfortable in the new ride, the 13-year-old 8th-grade student at New Center Middle School stormed out of the gate strong the first Saturday in April at Lonesome Pine Raceway in Coeburn, Va.

Presnell finished in third-place in his Late Model Stock debut out of a stellar 18-car starting field. However, both Dylan and Day felt they left a little on the table in their third-place outing, as the teenager was running in second early in the race and spun on a restart and was relegated to the rear of the field for the restart. But that proved to just be a minor roadblock for Presnell, as he roared back up through the field for the third-place run at the waving of the checkered flag.

A race car driver can’t wait to get back behind the wheel, especially following a strong run in the previous race. That held true for the young Presnell, he was anxiously looking forward to the next race at Lonesome Pine Raceway.

After qualifying third for the feature event behind former track champions Wayne Hale and Nate Monteith, Presnell quickly moved into second in the running order. With 10 laps to go and the lead duo of Hale and Presnell working lapped traffic, the teenage phenom looked like a veteran as he overtook Hale for the lead, a lead which he would not relinquish en route to capturing his first career Late Model Stock victory.

“I’m telling you, how impressive was that – winning your first career Late Model Stock race in just your second attempt,” said Presnell Motorsports’ Day from the race shop while preparing the car for the team’s next race. “But to be quite honest with you, I wasn’t surprised. The boy’s ‘got what it takes’ to get the job done. To just be 13 years old, he’s so mature for his age.

“He’s got the drive and desire to want to succeed, plus he’s just got the natural ability to wheel a race car. He’s got a really good feel for what the race car’s doing under him. He’s very smooth and runs consistent laps, and that’s what it takes. It’s just really amazing to watch what Dylan’s doing on the racetrack and knowing he’s so young. He’s got some-kind of future ahead of him in racing. He’s the ‘real deal’ for sure.”

After bolting out of the gates with two strong top-five runs at Lonesome Pine Raceway, the Presnell Motorsports race team is contemplating whether to make a full-run for rookie of the year honors plus trying to win the track championship … or compete with the Hendersonville, N.C.-based United Auto Racing Association – Southern Touring Asphalt Racing Series (UARA-STARS). Regardless of where the team decides to race, one thing for certain is – young Dylan Presnell will be a force to be reckoned with on the track.

“Winning last Saturday night at Lonesome Pine Raceway, words just can’t describe it – it was incredible,” stated a happy Dylan from the team’s race shop. “You know, I really felt like we could win us a race. We’ve got a really good race team. I’ve got the team behind me, and it’s up to me to get the job done on the racetrack.

“I’ve got such great confidence in Wade and also Dinky that they’ll give me a great race car to drive. We’ve got good communication between Wade, Dinky and myself regarding the race car, and that’s what it takes. I guess it’s just now beginning to sink in with me about the win the other night, because we were very fortunate to beat some good racers in Nate Monteith, Wayne Hale, Caleb Holman and others. Those guys are championship-winning racers.”

The racing season is still young, just like the teenager wheeling the race car. But don’t be surprised anytime in 2009 when you see the Goulds Pumps/Clearwater Drilling Co./Hytec Specialty Coatings/Five-Star Race Car Bodies/Circle Racing Wheels/Doughton Racing Products/WD Performance/Purkey Motorsports/Hess Race Cars/B&B Racing Engines/Presnell Motorsports/No. 83 Chevrolet Impala parked in victory lane.

To contact Presnell Motorsports, located in Sevierville, Tenn., call (865) 453-9330. To keep up with Dylan Presnell’s racing during the 2009 season, visit his Web site at www.DylanPresnell.com

(courtesy of Dylan Presnell PR / Walden Motorsports Communications)

INEX LEGENDS CARS RETURN TO LPR

The INEX Legends cars will return to Lonesome Pine Raceway this Saturday, April 18th, as a special added feature event in addition to all the regular weekly divisions as LPR hosts the second event of the 2009 schedule.

FOOD CITY Night of Racing

by: Shawn Peters, 84expo.com

(Coeburn, VA – 04/04/09) Saturday night short track action returned for the first race of the 2009 season to ASA-sanctioned Lonesome Pine Raceway for Food City Night of Racing. All five of the regular divisions from the 2008 season returned, as well as the debut of the newly added Open-Wheel Modified class. Bobby Gobble made a special appearance following a tour of duty overseas to claim the Pure 4 Pole Award with a lap time of 20.873 seconds. Other Pole Award winners were Kirby Gobble (Mod 4), Willie Gibson (Open-Wheel Modified), Paul Shull (Charger), defending Champion Rob Austin (Street Stock), and Brian Blevins in the Late Model division.

My first experience as a driver-reporter in the Pure 4 class was less than spectacular, as transmission problems in the Dodge Neon that was on loan from WII Racing plagued my efforts all afternoon. Thankfully, I was assisted by Bobby Gobble, Forrest Gilley, the various crew members and friends of Kelly King’s Code 3 Motorsports team, 2008 Pure 4 Champion Linton Perry, track announcer James K, and others. The car made it to the track, but was a good three seconds off of the pace. On April 18th, we will find out if it was a mechanical issue or driver error, but I am hoping that it was the transmission. Earlier in the week, I had a private 10-lap test session with Asheville, North Carolina’s Kenny Nix who showed me around the track. I would like to thank everyone involved and anyone that I may have left out.

The Pure 4 event opened the night’s festivities with Bobby Gobble (39) leading the field to the green flag. Eleven year old Courtney Roark (99) made her racing debut from the 13th starting position and elected to drop to the back of the starting grid for the start of the race. Early in the event, Kenny Nix (37) took the lead away from Gobble and never looked back. Around lap 7, Eddie Blair (2) brought out the caution with a single-car spin, setting up the much-anticipated Pink and Choose double-file restart. The result was a 3-wide battle for 2nd position between Gobble, Stacy Head (3), and Moonshine Mills (65) exiting Turn 2. As the race approached halfway, Gene Estep (71) and Steve Skeen (17) made contact in Turn 3, battling for the seventh position. A daredevil move by Kelly King (76) allowed him to escape the wreck without suffering major damage. The final finishing order was Kenny Nix, Bobby Gobble, Stacy Head, Tony Casteel (4), and Moonshine Mills.

I came home in 17th position in an 18-car field, which means that I met my goal of beating at least one person. Every time that the leaders passed by me on the outside, there was a plethora of tight racing action going on throughout the entire field. Maybe next race I will be able to report from a more respectable position in the field, but it appears as if the new restart procedure is going to produce some “Grade A” racing action. I would also like to give a shout out to Jeff Bobo (who came home a respectable 6th in his Dodge Omni, after running as high as 3rd place) and his “best gal Lynn”, as well as my longtime friend John King (not the late model driver, but he is a recent Milligan College graduate) for videotaping the Pure 4 race and reporting on the action. Without their efforts, I may have never known just how successful the new restart procedure was towards producing one of the best Pure 4 races that the fans have seen in quiet some time.

The Mod 4 race would see Kirby Gobble (88) and Rocky Yates (3) battle from the drop of the green flag, just as they did during their few meetings in 2008. As their battle raged on, defending Champion Freddie Taylor, Jr. (16) was making his way through the field and eventually caught up to the race leader, setting up an exciting multi-lap battle for supremacy between himself and Gobble. After several laps of side-by-side action, Taylor pulled ahead with the lead with Gobble in second and Yates running a comfortable third. The battle for the 4th position became heated as the newest JRM stable driver Colin Eades (7) pulled onto the bumper of Brad Ball (17). After several laps of close combat, Eades and Ball made contact on the final lap, sending Ball into a spin and ending the race. The top five finishing order was Taylor, Goble, Yates, Eades, and Ball.

The Open-Wheel Modified event had only two entries for opening night, but more vehicles are expected for the newest class to the LPR family. Willie Gibson (51) started from the Pole and led every lap on the way to a victory over Freddie Taylor, Sr. (18). The elder Freddie Taylor was competing in his debut Open-Wheel Modified event for the family-owned Taylor Race Cars team.

The Advance Auto Parts Charger division may have had a six-car field on Saturday night, but four of those drivers will be competing for the Rookie of the Year Award in 2009. Among those were my one-race deal WII Racing teammate Jenna Wagner (47), former Allison Legacy Series driver Austin Peters (66), and two second-generation LPR drivers Dalton Hopkins (88) and Derrick Woodward (18). Paul Shull (48) started the race from the Pole, but was soon being chased down by Kevin Wolfe (17), who was hungry for his first win of the new season.

There were several single car spins as the new drivers to the class struggled to get used to the more powerful cars. Woodward was racing with a broken arm, which in itself was a challenge, let alone handling a Charger car for the first time on track during a competitive situation. Jenna Wagner, who started from the outside pole, moved up from the Mod 4 ranks in 2008. Austin Peters had not raced in nearly four years; so stepping back into a car was going to be a trying experience for him. Dalton Hopkins ran only one Charger race during the 2008 season, but plans are for him to compete the entirety of the 2009 season for the Rookie of the Year Award. While the race roared on, Wolfe overtook Shull for the lead as the remainder of the field continued to swap positions throughout the race. The final finishing order would be Wolfe taking victory, followed by Shull, Peters, Hopkins, Wagner, and Woodward.

The full Castlewood Mafia would lead the Street Stock division to the green flag with Rob Austin (25), Jeff Counts (11), and Doug Austin (18) roaring into Turn 1. Rob Austin maintained the point, while the positions behind him changed hands with each and every turn. Roger Neece (22) returned to the track after an abbreviated 2008 season due to health concerns, while Chuck Crigger (71) will be making an attempt to run the full schedule in 2009 as well. By the time the checkered flag fell, Rob Austin would be collecting his 72nd career victory, followed by Counts, Neece, Crigger, and Doug Austin.

Brian Blevins turned the fast lap during the qualifying session earlier in the day and continued to do so during the 50-lap Late Model race. Early in the event, Andy Applegate (17) forced rookie Nicholas Cole (63) into the outside wall and out of contention. Cole was visibly upset about what he considered to be unnecessary contact from Applegate, ending his night early and saddling him with a last place finish in the 18-car field. Another casualty of the high car count would be Caleb Roark (7) and Mardy Roberts (55), both of whom were victims of circumstance when Roark spun in Turn 2 and was then sideswiped as he sat motionless on the apron. Roberts’ spotter was unable to see the disabled car of Roark, which led to violent contact that ended the night of both racers.

By this point, 13-year old Dylan Presnell (83) had worked his way back to the front following an early race spin, while Jeff Woodward (94) had worked his way up to the front following a disallowed qualifying time. On the ensuing restart, Wayne Hale (19) and John King, Jr. (21) were battling for position when Hale suffered a mechanical failure exiting Turn 2, sending his car out of control and into the path of King. While King would suffer a great amount of damage, the incident also collected Mike Porter (3) and Jeremy Pike (25). After the race was restarted, Blevins was still the leader with Presnell, Woodward, and defending Late Model Champion Nate Monteith hot on his trail.

The carnage would not be over though, as Porter soon found out, becoming a victim for the second time of the evening. Mike Brooks (07) of Kingsport, TN lost control on the exit of Turn 2, resulting in a fishtailing action down the back straight. As Porter drove his car low, Brooks’ car broke loose directly into the path of the #3 Chevrolet Monte Carlo. The force of the impact was so harsh that not only was Porter’s vehicle thrown onto two wheels, but also the actual graphics from his car were torn off of the sheet metal. The aftermath was a graveyard of small orange and black-checkered patterns, littering the back straight like confetti. The rest of the race would be ran with only 10 cars on the track, a mere 55% of the cars that took the green flag. The final top five were Brian Blevins, Monteith, Presnell, Woodward, and Josh Hale (29).

The next scheduled event at LPR will be on Saturday, April 18th.

Shawn Peters can be contacted at lpr@84expo.com

Thunder Rolls Back Into The Pine

for ASA Lonesome Pine Raceway Program for April 4th

Written by: Shawn Peters/84expo.com

(Coeburn, VA – 04/02/08)   The return of local short track racing to ASA sanctioned Lonesome Pine Raceway will commence this Saturday, April 4th with the Food City Family Night at the Races. Six different weekly racing divisions will run in the opening day events for the race track that was first opened in 1972.

The featured Late Model Division field will include LPR defending champion Nate Monteith of Bluff City, TN, Wayne Hale of Piney Flats, TN, Brian Blevins of Coeburn, VA, Steve Wright of Bristol, VA, 16-year-old racer Caleb Roark of Abingdon, VA, David Hopkins of Avondale, WV, and others. Jeff Woodward and Nick Cole have relocated from Motor Mile Speedway to race at LPR during the 2009 season.

2009 will be the second year of competition for the Charger Division. Longtime racer Paul Shull of Clintwood, VA, Chilhowie's Nasty Jones, Abingdon's Kevin Wolfe, and Davey Smart from near Asheville, NC will return for their second year of competition. Dalton Hopkins from Avondale, WV is scheduled to compete for Rookie of the Year honors, as well as Jenna Wagner, Matthew Eades, and Derek Woodward. Hopkins is the son of LPR veteran driver David Hopkins, while both Wagner and Eades will be moving up from the Mod-4 ranks. The Charger Division cars are Late Model type cars with spec motor, spec shocks and spec carburetor with claimer rules.

Also on tap for the weekend's racing activity will be Street Stock, Mod-4, Pure-4 and Open-Wheel Divisions. Castlewood, Virginia's Rob Austin will be looking to repeat as Street Stock Champion, as will Abingdon, Virginia's Freddie Taylor, Jr. in Mod-4 and Yuma, Virginia's Linton Perry in Pure-4.  After conducting successful exhibition races during the 2008 season, the Open-Wheel Modified Division has been added to the weekly schedule for 2009.

Competitor gates will open at 10 a.m. with practice scheduled to begin at Noon. Spectator gates will open shortly before 5:00 p.m., with qualifying getting underway at 5:00 and the racing action, presented this week by Food City, slated to begin at 7:00.

On Friday night, Food City in Coeburn, VA will host the Food City Tailgate Party from 4-6pm presented by Danny G. Mullins Insurance with offices in Coeburn, Norton, and Big Stone Gap. Many of Lonesome Pine’s drivers will attend the event to meet and greet with fans while showing off their new rides for the 2009 season. Following the tailgate party, the track will be available for practice from 7-9pm.

Open Practiced Washed Out by Rain

The open practice session scheduled for Saturday March 28th has

been cancelled because of the forecast of continued heavy rain.

Next week's practice schedule will be posted ASAP.

Please check back for updates.

Message from Competition Director - Open Practice

The Open Practice at LPR for Sat  March 21st will be as scheduled.  Gates will open at 10:00 a.m. and Practice will go from Noon until 5:00 p.m.  Robert, Anthony and myself will be there to tech cars and check all safety equiptment.  We look forward to seeing everyone at The Pine.

C.W. Nelson

LPR Competition Race Director

NOTICE TO ALL RACERS WHO HAVE COPIED AND USED
COPYRIGHTED IMAGES WITHOUT PROPER AUTHORIZATION

If you have stolen, pirated, or otherwise copied an image from the 84expo website, or partner sites, without the expressed permission of 84expo please remove the images from your MySpace page, RacersLounge.com avatar, and/or website. If you wish to use a copyrighted image as your RacersLounge.com avatar, I can set that up for you without the watermark. You will need to request permission via e-mail to lpr@84expo.com. All of my images are protected by copyright law, and, all I am asking is that proper procedure and professional courtesies be followed in order that any images of mine which are used will maintain their professional integrity and appearance. To have my work appear on websites and in printed materials as poor copies and/or with the copy protection watermark reflect on my professional standards, and is unacceptable.

Thank you,

-Shawn Peters-
-84expo-

Car Number Registration Information

For information on car number registration for the 2009 race season and a list of the current registered cars and numbers, please click here.

PLEASE NOTE:

To properly register your driver name and car number with LPR you MUST either

e-mail your request to info@lpraceway.net or call CW Nelson 276-698-8833

CONGRATULATIONS!

ASA Lonesome Pine Raceway

2008 Late Model Champion

NATE MONTEITH

2008 ASA Lonesome Pine Raceway Late Model Division Champion

Nate Monteith receives some of his championship awards

from ASA's Dan Henley (left) and LPR general Manager Harold Crook (right)

(photo by Shawn Peters/84expo.com)

~ More images from the LPR Awards Banquet will be posted soon. ~