10/22/2017
Delaware International Speedway
RICKY ELLIOTT GOES OUT IN STYLE WITH 6TH LATE MODEL FALL CHAMPIONSHIP
The 50-lap S.R. Pete & Sons Super Late Model Fall Championship turned into a survival of the fittest before drop of the green. It started when three time Fall Champion, Gary Stuhler who was starting in the second row, pull into the pits on the initial pace laps and was done for the night.
Donald Lingo, Jr. shot to the front on the green but became the second causality when he lost steering coming off the fourth turn and smacked the outside wall bring out the first of eight yellow in the first half.
Ross Robinson took over the point and was the class of the field running the high groove to perfection. Contact on the back straight got Dylan Evans around and into the wall on the next lap and Kerry King headed to the pits.
On the restart Bob Geiger came off the fourth turn too high and collected the wall as the yellow fever continued. Nick Davis was the next victim when a tire let go while he was flat foot blazing to the front at the extreme top of the track. Davis would get the tire changed and returned at the back of the pack.
Mark Pettyjohn was the next causality when his car got out from under him in the fourth turn while running in second. Dale Hollidge was now up to the second spot as Robinson continued to set a torrid pace at the point.
Ricky Elliott had been taking his time coming up through the field and dropped Hollidge to third on the fifth restart. The seventh yellow was displayed when Herb Tunis lost and engine just 15 laps in. On the restart Hollidge got back by Elliott while Robinson took advantage of a clear track ahead.
The final yellow would fly when Hollidge tried to get around the lapped car of Kellie Lewis on the back straight. Lewis was unaware that Hollidge was outside making contact and spinning while Hollidge was able to continue. Under the yellow, Davis headed to the pits and was done for the night.
The final 29 laps were all green but by halfway the only cars remaining from the 17 car starting field in order were Robinson, Elliott, Pettyjohn, Hollidge, Amanda Whaley and Rob Schirmer. Whaley got by Hollidge to take fourth and with ten to go Elliott turned up the heat on Robinson.
Robinson would never abandon the faster top groove but it was evident that he was beginning to struggle. With six to go Elliott was able to make the pass on the low side then immediately climbed to the top. Elliott was able to pull away to post his sixth Fall Championship win. Robinson revealed in victory lane that he had done his best but was fighting the handling after losing his power steering with 15 laps to go. Pettyjohn survived to finish in third with Whaley fourth and Hollidge rounding out the top five. Heats on Friday night were won by Robinson, Lingo, Jr. and Elliott
“The track smoothed out a little bit and we smoothed it up,� said Elliott. “I needed the top to burn off. I was too tight to run the top. We kept plugging on the bottom and plugging on the botton and plugging on the bottom and either the top was going away at the end or we were coming to it at the end. It was a heck of a race.�
Chad Cathell announced in victory lane that the win would be Elliott's last at the track as with the win he was retiring. With the gambler bonus, lap money and Carolyn Parsons breast cancer awareness bonus the win was worth $7260.
50-Lap S.R. Pete & Sons Super Late Model Finish: 1. Ricky Elliott; 2. Ross Robinson; 3. Mark Pettyjohn; 4. Amanda Whaley; 5. Dale Hollidge; 6. Rob Schirmer; 7. Nick Davis; 8. Kellie Lewis; 9. Herb Tunis; 10. Kevin Scott, Jr.; 11. Reese Masiello; 12. Kerry King; 13. Dylan Evans; 14. Bob Geiger; 15. Donald Lingo, Jr. ; 16. Eddie Drurry, III; DNS: Gary Stuhler.
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