Action Packed night at Raceway
(Rural Retreat) Wythe Raceway continued its strong run of amazing car counts as 111 cars filled the pits. The Southern All-Stars Racing Series made their first ever visit to the high banked speedway and was rewarded with a standing room only crowd to witness this historic event. Chris Madden, Gafney SC. made the inaugural Firecracker 50 a memorable one as he led every lap and cruised to victory in dominating fashion. Other winners on the night were Jensen Ford, Late Models, Joe Bonham, Super Streets, Taylor Hayes, Modifieds, Jason Powers, Pro Minis, Dustin Dowell, UCAR, and Hunter Reedy, UCARII.
Chris Madden paced the S.A.S field during qualifying with a time of time of 17.442 and Jensen Ford, Piney Flats TN. set quick time in the Berglund Performance Parts Late Models.
The Firecracker 50 started with Madden on the pole with Austin Dillon, grandson of NASCAR Legend Richard Childress, filling out the front row. At the start it was Madden gaining the advantage with third position starter Chris Ferguson, Mt. Holly, NC. following him into second place. Madden quickly widened the gap between himself and Ferguson. Following Ferguson in the early stages was Dillon, Chris Wall, Holden, LA. and Shanon Buckingham, . The caution flag waved early and often during the event allowing several opportunities for Madden’s fellow competitors to get around him, but with each restart Madden would again show the crowd that he was unbeatable and would easily open up a sizable gap back to his nearest challengers. Ferguson would have motor problems with just a few laps remaining allowing one last chance for now, second running Wall, But this restart would be like all the others as Madden would open the gap for a final time. At the strip it would be Madden, followed by Wall, Brandon Kinzer, Allen KY., Buckingham, and Kennie Compton, Bland. Local Racer Daniel Baggerly of Rural Retreat managed a strong 12th place finish allowing him to remain in the top five in series points.
The Berglund Performance Late Models found several new faces in the field as a combination of Friday night racing and the $1,000 first prize made it tempting for many out of town racers to make the trek to Wythe County. Jensen Ford earned the coveted pole position with Lee Cooper, Greer, SC. to his immediate right. Ford would immediately jump out to the lead with Cooper settling into second. Dan Bruer, Troutman, NC. and Royce Bray, Hull, GA. put on quite a show as both moved from deep in the pack into contention for the win. Ford however was never really contested and went on to his third win of the season Bruer racing for the first time this season in a crate late model managed a strong second place finish ahead of Bray, Steven Cooke, Mt. Airy, NC. and Jonathan Yarborough, Denver, NC.
The R&C Towing and Auto Repair Super Streets entered the night with Keith Griffitts as their points leader, but a blown engine in hot laps would sideline Griffitts for the evening and causing him to be relegated to third in the season points standings, Mike Keith, Rural Retreat, and Michael Deskins, Tazewell would once again make up the front row at the drop of the green flag with Deskins gaining an early advantage. Joe Bonham made his presence know as he moved outside of Keith for second and got into the rear of Deskins in turn three. Keith would battle back on the inside to reclaim the second spot and would then get hit by Bonham causing Keith to spin and sending both cars to the tail. Both cars would tear through the field and eventually Keith found his was back to the inside of Deskins for the lead. The two cars got together in turn two with Keith Seemingly gaining the advantage. Deskins apparently lost control of his mount and drove into the side of Keith turning him head on into the outside retaining wall. Keith was done for the night with a broken axle, but Deskins would be able to restart at the back of the pack. Bonham inherited the lead and would never look back earning his first win in the division in 2010. Deskins would fight back to second but was later disqualified after post race inspection. The final official order at the finish was Bonham, Duke Bare, Meadowview, Greg Watson, Fries, Larry Dowell, Atkins, and Phill Johnston, Bristol TN.
Taylor Hayes of Marion became the first repeat winner in the Open Wheel Modified class, but not without more controversy. Hayes led the entire race until Kennie Compton, Bland, got by him on a late restart. In post race Inspection Compton was protested and refused to be torn down and as per the rules of Wythe Raceway was disqualified from the event hand the win back to Hayes. The win was the second on the season for Hayes as he broke a string of different winners each night. RK Dix, Rural Retreat, drove hard and managed a respectable second place finish. Kevin Pangrazio, Davidson, NC. finished third and Troy loomis managed a fourth place finish. Justin Blevins, Marion finished with his best showing of the year with a strong fifth place finish. The point spread between leader Loomis and runner up Dix is now just one point.
Jason Powers of Marion has been the dominant car in the Pro Mini Division and this night was to be no different. Powers set fast time in qualifying and then led every lap en route to his fifth win on the season. The rest of the race saw multiple position changes between several drivers as Travis Harden, Marion, Tim Taylor, Fries, and Doug Monday, Max Meadows fought for positions the entire race. Powers cruised to the win followed by Harden, Taylor, Monday, and Sammy Mitchem, Rocky Gap, with his best finish of the year. Taylor maintains the points lead by 16 over his teammate Monday. Cecil Rigney, Pulaski, was involved in a very hard collision and was transported to a local emergency room after being cut out of his car by the Rural Retreat Volunteer Fire Dept. Rescue Team
Recently the UCAR Division has begun to develop a heated rivalry between Dillon Huffman, Sugar Grove and Dustin Dowell, Sugar Grove, and as fate would have both cars made up the front row to start the UCAR feature. Huffman took the advantage at the start but seemed to struggle with the slick conditions that the track presented. Dowell powered beneath Huffman off of turn two. Both cars raced clean down the back stretch, but Dowell managed to gain the lead going into turn three. Glade Springs Danny Bland raced his way into third but could never mount any sort of challenge for either of the leaders. Dowell, held a comfortable lead over Huffman and went on to his third win of the season. Huffman drove a steady race for second, while Bland, Clark Cooper, Rural Retreat, and Justin Edwards, Sugar Grove completed the top five. Points leader Pie Short, Abingdon struggled to a 7th place finish, but holds a five point lead over Huffman for the end of season points title.
Hunter Reedy, Marion returned to victory lane in the UCARII class, as he ran down early race leader Julianna Cooper, Charlotte, NC. for the win. Cooper ran strong and finished second ahead of her cousin and Points leader Ashley Umberger, Rural Retreat. Anissa Widner, Abingdon drove from the back of the field to finish fourth and Wytheville’s Kenneth Bentley Jr. finished fifth.
Coming up this weekend will be the annual Fan Appreciation Night. Fans are invited to bring their cameras and join the drivers on the track. This will give many people the opportunity to see their favorite cars and drivers up close on the front stretch of the speedway. Then the following Monday night The O’reilly Southern Nationals Super Late Models make their annual visit to Wythe Raceway with the running of the opening round of their ten race series that will culminate with the crowning of the Southern Nationals Champion. This race will pay the winner $3,500, so racing will furious to claim the top prize and the early series points advantage.
Wythe Raceway is located off I-81 exit 60 in beautiful Wythe County Virginia.
