6/11/2012
County Line Raceway
June 9 Race Recap
What a beautiful day for racing! With wonderful temps all day and into the evening, the fans would have a night to remember as we celebrated our smallest fans with annual car rides for the kids. County Line Raceway makes this an annual event to honor and recognize the future of our sport. The smiles on these kids faces is about as good to a win to some of the drivers. On top of the car rides, we have a full night of racing action with 5 divisions lining up to put on a show for the fans.
Our Nashville Feed Super Stock 4 cylinder division would take to the track first with Dustin O'Neal and Eric Hill on the front row of this 20 lap feature. O'Neal would take charge of the field from the drop of the green. Hill slid back as John Proctor and Brad Hamm slipped by him within the first few laps. The caution would come out for the J2 of James Manning, as he would be involved in a wreck on the front stretch that would render him to the pits. Back green with O'Neal out front, Proctor dead on his bumper. Hill would continue to fight to get back into the top 3, sliding past Hamm for the spot. The caution would come out for a solo spin in turn 4, but as the 7 of Willie Schwann regained control and joined the tail of the field, we were back green with 12 complete. Back green and Proctor would take the point leading O'Neal by a car length. Hill got back around Hamm for 3rd. Another caution would come out on lap 13 for another spin in turn 4 that ended up with the 03 of Kevin Sanford on the berm. Back green, Proctor out front, O'Neal charging hard, Hill fighting off Hamm and challenging O'Neal, Bill Winstead and Brian Medlin battling it out for 5th spot. With 5 to go, O'Neal would come into turn 4 charging hard for the lead when the caution would come out for 3rd place driver, Eric Hill. Back green with 4 to go and Proctor was fighting to hold off O'Neal. O'Neal would be on Proctor's bumper coming down the back stretch, coming into 3 and 4 trying to get by Proctor, but couldn't get around him. John Proctor would bring home his 4th win of the season. The rest of the top 5 were Dustin O'Neal, Brad Hamm, Bill Winstead and Brian Medlin.
Our 3rd feature, the Rapid Red Racing Supply Thunder & Lightening division. Michael Batten & Luke Owens would lead the field to green. The caution would come out quickly for these guys as several cars spun out of 4. After some quick clean up, we were back green with Batten out front followed by Owens, Skeeter Liles, Cy Nelms, Jr and James Meredith. Another couple of quick cautions would fly, but it would still be Batten out front with 8 complete, followed by Owens, Nelms, Jr., James Meredith and Mark Boykin. Mark McDaniels would challenge Boykin for 5th spot, taking over the position. Coming to the white flag, the leaders were catching the tail of the field, Owens would try hard to get around Batten but couldn't complete the pass. Owens would settle for 2nd place, as Batten brought home his 5th win of the year. Cy Nelms, Jr. came home 3rd followed by James Meredith and Mark McDaniels. Following a post race weigh in, Nelms was too light resulting in his finish being disqualified.
The ARCO Restoration Pure Stock 4 cylinder division was ready for their 15 lap feature with Cody Keith on the pole beside Brian Andrews. Andrews would shoot to the lead quick, Keith settling into 2nd spot. Thomas Holbrook got around Jeremy Benson for 3rd spot and Aaron Reynolds rode in the 5th spot. Michael Webb, who started in the rear due to 3 wins in a row, was up to 7th spot by lap 7! Folks that's 13 spots gained in 7 laps. WOW. Lap 8 would see the leaders getting into heavy traffic, lapping cars. The first caution would come out for the 2 of Jamie Sills when he got into the turn 4 wall. Quickly back green, and caution free for the remaining laps, Brian Andrews would go on to win his first feature event. He was followed by Cody Keith, Michael Webb (from 20th starting position) Thomas Holbrook and Jeremy Benson.
Our final feature, the Barnes Equipment Late Models roared to life outside of turn 4. These 15 drivers would line up with Cy Nelms, Sr. and James Batten on the front row for 30 heart pounding laps. Cy Nelms would jump out to a couple car lengths lead over Batten, who would be challenged by Daniel Tucker for second spot. Tucker would take over the position, as Batten fell back into 3rd. The first caution would come out for a spin on the backstretch by Damon Kotke, but we would quickly go back green. Nelms, Sr., Tucker Batten, Sykes and Boykin were the top 5, as the rest of the field continued to fight for position. Russell Erwin, who, like Michael Webb, started last, would quickly move forward as he was up to 10th by lap 6. Cy Nelms had a huge lead over 2nd place when the caution would come out again for the 02 of Damon Kotke as he spun out of turn 4. Bunching the filed back up, we were back green with Nelms, Sr. leading the field. Gary Dillon would bring the caution out again for a spin in 4. Back green, Batten around Tucker for 2nd, bringing Neal Sykes with him. Daniel would spin out of 4, collecting Christian Joyner in the process. Russell Erwin would spin to avoid the melee, but would go to the pits for some attention from his crew, as long as several others that would try to help. Back green with Nelms, Sr still out front followed by Batten, Dykes, Boykin and Britches Liles up in the top 5. Trevor Peoples would bring out the caution with a hard hit to the backstretch wall. Track staff would remove the debris, as Trevor limped to the pits, and we were back green. Nelms, Sr. out front, Batten, Sykes, Boykin and Liles. Sykes would make a hard charge for 2nd spot only to get loose and back off, allowing Batten to put distance between the two. Coming to the checkers, it would be Cy Nelms, Sr., James Batten, Neal Sykes, Britches Liles and Russell Erwin, coming from the last place starting position.