Racin' August 22-------

[DannyB]

POWRi at Wayne Cty. ILL

Daum dominates Jason Leffler Memorial for 3rd POWRi Midget victory of season

WAYNE CITY, Ill. (Aug. 28, 2013)—Zach Duam started from pole and was never seriously challenged for the lead in winning the Jason Leffler Memorial in a POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget Series feature before an overflow crowd Wednesday at Wayne County Speedway.

Daum’s green-to-checkered flag triumph in the 30-lap race on the one-eighth mile track was his third of the season in POWRi and opened up his lead in the championship to 190 points, 3,100-2,910, over Andrew Felker. Daum earned $5,000 against an outstanding 34-car field that raced to honor Leffler, a three-time USAC National Midget champion who went on to success in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series and also drove in the Indianapolis 500 1999. Leffler, 37, died in a sprint car crash on June 12 and proceeds from the event, sponsored by Great Clips, will go to a fund for his five-year-old son, Charlie Dean.

“What I liked the most about Jason was he was a gasser, a true racer,” Daum said. “I didn’t know him that well, raced against him a couple of times, but I watched him growing up winning three straight (USAC) midget national championships. I’m honored to win this race in his honor. It means a lot. The amount of people who came out showed that he was as good as it gets as a father and a driver.”

The 22-year-old Daum of Pocahontas, Ill., drove his Toyota-powered Eagle to wins in his heat and qualifying races to start on the pole. He was the class of the field in the 22-car feature, which was slowed by three cautions. The final 10 laps were run under green and Daum finished with a healthy advantage over runner-up Shane Cottle of Kokomo, Ind. Dave Darland of Lincoln, Ind., was third.

Bryan Clauson of Noblesville, Ind., started on the outside of the front row and had a flat running second on the second lap. It caused an eight-car traffic jam in turn four and sent Clauson, a three-time National Midget Driver of the Year, to the back of the field.

“Once Clauson got that flat, I knew it would be a little easier,” Daum said. “I never really felt threatened in the middle of the race. Once I got into lapped traffic, I thought maybe I would lose some ground, but I started passing lapped cars and kept passing lapped cars so I could keep one of them between me and second if there was a caution.

“I ran the middle until the last few laps when I moved up a little, where the track was still tacky.”

Darren Hagen of Riverside, Calif., ran second from the second lap to the 28th, but had to pull off with a broken u-joint. Cottle, driving A.J. Felker’s FSC-Esslinger, had run in the top five from the start and he moved into second with Hagen’s retirement.

“We had a real good car, but it was way too tight early and it allowed him (Daum) to get a lead and we couldn’t catch him,” Cottle said. “I liked racing with Jason Leffler and money that was raised for his son is a good thing. It shows how the racing community comes together when it’s needed.”

Darland had started 16th and restarted near the back after the initial caution on the second lap. He earned $250 for the Hard Charger Award, for improving the most positions in the feature.

“I’m proud to be here in his honor,” Darland said. “Jason was a great driver and a great guy. We had some luck. We had a great race car (a Spike-Esslinger co-owned by Ebby Bergfield and Justin Allgaier). It was hard to pass for sure. We found some things that worked and the race track was really good. It has a good size and shape and just needs a better surface. It’s too sandy.”

Shane Cockrum of nearby Benton, Ill., was fourth and Clauson finished fifth. Chett Gehrke of Broken Arrow, Okla., drove from 20th starting position to sixth, Dereck King of Vienna, Ill., was seventh, Felker of Carl Junction, Mo., eighth, Hud Cone of Oakland City, Ind., ninth and Daniel Robinson of Mount Vernon, Ill., 10th.

The next events for POWRi’s National Midgets are the 32nd annual Pepsi Nationals at Angell Park Speedway in Sun Prairie, Wis., on Saturday and Sunday. They’re co-sanctioned by the Stark Automotive Group/Mid-State Equipment Badger Midget Series.

POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget Series feature results (30 laps): 1. Zach Daum, 2. Shane Cottle, 3. Dave Darland, 4. Shane Cockrum, 5. Bryan Clauson, 6. Chett Gehrke, 7. Dereck King, 8, Andrew Felker, 9. Hud Cone, 10. Daniel Robinson, 11. Bobby East, 12. Parker Price-Miller, 13. Tyler Robbins, 14. Justin Grant, 15. Jake Blackhurst, 16. Austin Brown, 17. Chris Bell, 18. Darren Hagen, 19. Tim Siner, 20. Colten Cottle, 21.Tyler Robbins, 22. Seth Motsinger.

For more information, go to www.POWRi.com.

[DannyB]

Kreitz Finds Fast Lane to Victory Lane at SSP on Sunday Night
Next Test & Tune at SSP on Wednesday, September 4

Newberrytown, PA (August 25, 2013) – Don Kreitz Jr. of Sinking Springs held off Danny Dietrich to claim his first SSP victory of the season in the Super 410 Sprint Car 25-lapper at the Susquehanna Speedway Park on Sunday night, August 25. Manchester’s Randy Christine Jr. won his second Late Model feature in a row by holding off Billy Wampler and Colby Frye’s late race charge.

The 25-lap Super 410 Sprint Car feature saw Don Kreitz Jr. taking the early lead from the pole position with Danny Dietrich on his tail. Two early race cautions slowed the field briefly. Once racing began after the second yellow, the remainder of the race went non-stop. Kreitz maneuvered masterfully through lapped traffic with Dietrich waiting to pounce on any mistake made by the veteran driver. That mistake never came for Dietrich as Kreitz beat him to the finish line to claim the win. Dietrich settled for second with Greg Hodnett coming across the line in third. Aaron Ott and Mark Smith finished fourth and fifth respectively. Heat race wins went to Lance Dewease and Hodnett.

In Late Model action, following last Saturday’s “Three Car Thriller,” front row starter Dan Zechman grabbed the early lead with Denny Willey in tow. Randy Christine Jr. moved into the runner-up spot on lap 3 behind Zechman. Christine grabbed the lead away from Zechman on lap 7. Two laps later, Billy Wampler moved into second and began challenging Christine for the lead. With Christine and Wampler working on the bottom of the track, Colby Frye began moving to the front on the high line. On lap 15, Frye who started in 11th, moved past Wampler for second and just as he was getting ready to take the lead on the next lap, the yellow flag flew. On the restart, Christine, who was feeling the pressure, moved to the high line, making Frye try to pass on the bottom. Frye was not able to make the pass at the end as Christine claimed the victory. In a scramble for second, Wampler beat Frye to take the runner-up spot. Chase Billet bested Justin Ehrhart for fourth place at the finish. Matt Adams was the JR’s Paving Hard Charger by finishing 12th after starting in 24th. Heat race wins went to J.R. Rodrigues, Chase Billet and Steve Billet.

[DannyB]

USAC DMA MIDGET RACE RESULTS: August 24, 2013 – Bradford, Vermont – Bear Ridge Speedway

FIRST HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Mike Chaffee (#18c Chaffee), 2. Adam Whitney (#12 Whitney), 3. Dean Christensen (#69 Miller), 4. Dylan Duhaime (#57 Duhaime), 5. Tyler Rivard (37 Rivard), 6. Jeff Horn (#1R Mossman), 7. Jamie Spalding (#93 Spalding),.8. Tim Gallant (#33 Gallant), 9. Dylan Rock (#49 Rock). NT

SECOND HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Ray Miller (#1 Miller), 2. Scott Holcomb (#47 Myers/Miller), 3. Kevin Chaffee (#6 Matczak), 4. Josh Sunn (#76 Manafort), 5. Scott Veits (#2 Miller), 6. Adam Pierson (#76M Manafort), 7. Joe Krawiec (#4 Matczak), 8. Chris Donnelly (#5 Matczak), 9. Randy Cabral (#0 Cabral). NT

FEATURE: (20 laps) 1. Adam Pierson, 2. Scott Veits, 3. Kevin Chaffee, 4. Josh Sunn, 5. Adam Whitney, 6. Mike Chaffee, 7. Scott Holcomb, 8. Dylan Duhaime, 9. Joe Krawiec, 10. Randy Cabral, 11. Ray Miller, 12. Dean Christenson, 13. Jeff Horn, 14. Jamie Spalding, 15. Dylan Rock, 16. Timothy Gallant, 17. Chris Donnelly, 18. Tyler Rivard. NT
--------------------------------------------

FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1- 7 Rivard, Laps 8-20 Pierson.

NEW USAC DMA MIDGET POINTS: 1-K.Chaffee-551, 2-Krawiec-534, 3-Viets-515, 4-Sunn-499, 5-Pierson-497, 6-Holcomb-469, 7-Miller-446, 8-Christensom-434, 9-Duhaime-412, 10-Whitmey-407.

NEXT USAC DMA MIDGET RACE: September 7 – Bradford, VT – Bear Ridge Speedway

[DannyB]

15-year-old Kyle Benjamin dominates ARCA race at Madison; becomes youngest winner in series history

(OREGON, Wisc.) - Kyle Benjamin became the youngest winner in ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards history Sunday, winning the Herr's Live Life With Flavor 200.

Benjamin, who doesn't turn 16 until November, took the lead during a caution and slowly built a commanding lead over the last 100 laps in taking the win. It was the third win in three weeks for the No. 15 Venturini Motorsports Toyota, the first with Benjamin on the wheel.

"It's definitely the biggest thing that has ever happened to me," Benjamin said. "I'm ecstatic right now. I'm not going to sleep tonight. I'm not going to sleep tomorrow night."

Justin Boston, in the No. 25 ZLOOP Computer & Recycling Toyota finished second, giving Venturini Motorsports a 1-2 finish. Frank Kimmel scored yet another top five in his Ansell-Menards Toyota by placing third with Spencer Gallagher fourth in the Allegiant Travel Chevrolet and Mason Mingus fifth in the 811 Call Before You Dig Toyota. Local favorite Ross Kenseth came in sixth, the last car on the lead lap.

Benjamin started third, behind Kenseth and Boston. He pitted for two tires on lap 50 when the first caution came out. He grabbed the lead when the second and final caution flag flew at lap 70 and he stayed on the track.

"It was a top five car at the beginning we came and made that stop and got those two those tires and the car came to life," Benjamin said. "From there it was smooth sailing. Kevin Reed is such a good crew chief. I got the best team behind me. Billy Venturini is awesome. I had a great spotter. Everything just came together today. I'm really happy for all of the guys."

Reed said he expected another caution at some point and, if that happened, he would have called for four fresh tires for Benjamin. As it was, the team needed just that one two-tire change. The final margin of victory over Boston was 7.090 seconds.

"Kyle's been awesome all year," Reed said. "He was just flawless today."

Kenseth grabbed the lead early and led until he pitted under the first caution. He came down again late in the same caution for an adjustment to his car before the re-start. He followed behind Benjamin for a long part of the late green flag run before falling off to sixth.

"It was great working with this Ken Schrader team," he said. "Optimistically, I'd say we might have had the best car out there today because of what the guys game. We just fell short in the end."

Boston and Gallagher continued their strong seasons. Boston tied a career high with a second-place finish. He now has finished in the top 10 in eleven of the last 12 ARCA races.

"It was good," Boston said of his car. "I wish a caution would have come out so I could have got up there and gave Kyle a battle. He earned that win, though, with only taking on those two tires early. He drove the heck out of it today."

Gallagher has three top five's in his past four races, including a second and now a fourth.

"It was a good day. I have one dent to smooth out and we can take this car to Salem, and I've been good there," he said. "Definitely a good day for the Allegiant Travel team."

Kimmel extended his amazing streak of 24 straight top 10 finishes and widened his series point lead as he takes aim for his 10th series championship.

"We were about a tenth off all day, and that's about where we ended up," Kimmel said.

James Buescher had been the youngest winner in series history until Sunday, having won at USA International in Lakeland, Fla. in 2007. He was two days shy of his 16th birthday when he took the checkered flag in an ARCA Racing Series event.

Benjamin's father, Steve, was in victory lane with other family members, soaking up the win.

"I'm proud as I can be," he said. "I'm always proud of Kyle."

The race will air on NBC Sports Network at 11 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 29.

The ARCA Racing Series next heads to DuQuoin (Ill.) State Fairgrounds and the one-mile dirt track on Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 2.

[DannyB]

Pursley Secures Spokane K&N Honors
by NSSN Staff

AIRWAY HEIGHTS, Wash. — Greg Pursley made sure that the second time he took at the lead in the Toyota/NAPA Auto Parts 150 at Spokane County Raceway he held on to it.

The 2011 series champion pulled away in the closing laps en route to his third win of the season and 16th career victory in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West.

Pursley, behind the wheel of the No. 26 Gene Price Motorsports/Star Nursery/Real Water Ford, initially took the lead from teammate and pole winner Cameron Hayley on the first lap, only to relinquish it five laps later. The Newhall, Calif., native fell back and ran just inside the top five for much of the race.

He made his charge to the front on a restart following the fourth and final caution of the event – taking the lead on lap 115 and stretching that margin to win by 2.259 seconds.

Derek Thorn – who leads the championship standings – also made a late-race charge, but had to settle for second. Hayley, who for the sixth time this year won the 21 Means 21 Pole Award by Coors Brewing Co., in qualifying, came home third.

Fifteen-year-old Giles Thornton finished fourth, followed by Patrick Staropoli – who was making his series debut. Michael Self, who dominated much of the race in leading 78 laps, faded to sixth at the finish. Dylan Lupton, Travis Milburn, Braeden Havens and Luis Tyrrell rounded out the top 10.

The race featured four lead changes among three drivers. The pace of the event was slowed by four cautions for 26 laps.

Thorn continues to lead the championship standings with a 23-point edge over Hayley.

The finish:
Greg Pursley, Derek Thorn, Cameron Hayley, Giles Thornton, Patrick Staropoli, Michael Self, Dylan Lupton, Travis Milburn, Braeden Havens, Luis Tyrrell, Michael Waltrip, Daryl Harr, John Wood, Taylor Cuzick, Dylan Hutchison, Jack Sellers, Jack Chisholm, Eric Holmes, Joshua Schoonover, Carl Harr.

[DannyB]

Hollidge Delivers Stunning WoO LMS Upset
by NSSN Staff

WINCHESTER, Va. — Dale Hollidge lived a dream on Saturday night at Winchester Speedway.

Making the very first World of Outlaws Late Model Series A-Main start of his career, the 24-year-old driver from Mechanicsville, Md., drove to a stunning victory in the Raye Vest Memorial 50 Presented by Ernie D’s Enterprises.

Hollidge failed to grab the lead from the pole position at the initial green flag, but he relentlessly chased D.J. Myers for more than half the caution-free race before finally grabbing the top spot on lap 39. He dominated the remainder of the distance, pulling away to score one of the biggest upsets in WoO LMS history.

The $10,550 triumph completed an amazing sweep of the racing program for Hollidge, who also set fast time and won a heat race. It was also his first dirt late model win at the three-eighths-mile Winchester oval — which his mother, Denise, manages for track owner Greg Gunter — and just his fourth career victory overall in the full-fender division.

“I’ve been racing my whole life with my dad and everybody,” said Hollidge, who is in his fifth season of dirt Late Model racing. “But to win one of these races, you really don’t think about it, so when it happens it’s kind of a shock for you.”

Driving a Hershey’s Racing Engines-powered Rocket car — a machine that came from race sponsor Ernie Davis’s former racing stable — Hollidge crossed the finish line 2.512 seconds ahead of Jeremy Miller, who slipped by Myers on the white-flag lap to place second.

Myers settled for a third-place finish after starting on the outside pole and leading 37 of the race’s first 39 laps. He fell one spot short of matching his career-best WoO LMS finish, a runner-up placing he recorded in the tour’s only previous visit to Winchester on June 18, 2011.

Kenny Pettyjohn started and finished fourth, earning his best finish ever on the WoO LMS. Josh Richards completed the top five, slipping into fifth place on the final lap to cap a solid run forward from the 11th starting spot that extended his World of Outlaws point lead.

With his victory, Hollidge put his name on a select list of drivers to win on the WoO LMS in their career-first A-Main start since the circuit’s modern era began in 2004. He joined Steve Francis, who won the inaugural WoO LMS under the World Racing Group banner on Feb. 3, 2004, at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla., and Brian Birkhofer (March 27, 2004, at Volunteer Speedway in Bulls Gap, Tenn.).

Prior to Saturday night’s breakthrough, Hollidge had entered just four WoO LMS events over the past three years: the Commonwealth 100 at Virginia Motor Speedway in 2010 and ’11 and the World Finals doubleheader in 2012 at The Dirt Track at Charlotte in Concord, N.C. He had never time-trialed better than 35th-fastest or finished higher that ninth in a B-Main in his previous appearances.

But Hollidge looked like a savvy, experienced veteran at Winchester as he calmly ran behind Myers, waiting for the right opportunity to seize control of the race.

“I just didn’t want to slide the car too much and wear the tires out,” Hollidge said of his pursuit of Myers. “You just can’t make a mistake. That’s the hardest part of it. You want to overdrive yourself just to beat him, but you can’t do it. You gotta pace yourself enough to stay with him.

“I knew if I could stay with (Myers) eventually I could work on him and get around him.”

Hollidge nosed ahead of Myers to take the lead for the first time on lap 30, starting a frenetic stretch that saw the two young drivers swap the top spot five times. Myers was ahead at the start/finish line on lap 31 and Hollidge led lap 32. Myers regained command on lap 33 and actually put a couple car lengths on Hollidge over the ensuing circuits, but Hollidge gathered himself and surged off the inside of turn four to seize the lead for good on lap 39.

“I think I must have overheated the tires or something because the car got real free there for a couple laps,” said Hollidge, describing how Myers momentarily opened some space. “I kind of settled back down and it picked back up.

“It looked like the longer (Myers) went he was catching a little push in the middle and he couldn’t hug the bottom like I could. Finally, I just decided I was gonna try all the way down against the (inside) wall. I could sure catch a little mud down there and that’s what did it.”

Hollidge wasn’t going to be denied the rest of the way. He wasn’t challenged over the final 11 laps as he completed his storybook march into the World of Outlaws spotlight.

A winner of just three dirt Late Model features previously in his career — all at Potomac Speedway in Budds Creek, Md., where earlier this year he bagged a $2,500 triumph that represented his biggest payday prior to Saturday night — Hollidge was greeted in victory lane by loud cheers from the capacity crowd and his friends and family.

“We’ve been running good here all year and we’ve been working at it and getting closer,” said Hollidge. “We should’ve had a few, and lost a few. It’s sure nice to get the first one a big one.

“We ran second here two weeks ago and we knew we had a good car. We came here tonight and the track conditions were similar, and we thought we’d just work our notes and go with the same thing and it sure worked out.

“It’s great for us. We’re a low budget team, but we’ve really stepped our program up this year with everybody’s help – guys like Ernie Davis and Greg Gunter. We’ve raced a lot more this year too and it definitely showed. It feels great to get a big one like this.”

The drivers Hollidge beat to the checkered flag hailed his performance.

“It’s pretty amazing watching Dale mature,” said Miller, who won a WoO LMS A-Main in 2008 at Virginia Motor Speedway. “He’s got in some good equipment, a good car, and he drove an amazing race. He never made a mistake, and to beat these guys that’s what you gotta do.”

Myers, who is Miller’s brother-in-law (Miller is married to Myers’s sister), was disappointed to fall short in WoO LMS action at Winchester once again, but he was proud to be part of a quartet of local/regional racers who turned back the mighty Outlaws.

“I knew Dale was coming – the boys were telling me,” said Myers, who drove a PMP Chassis machine he debuted earlier this summer. “I started getting loose into the corner, and when you race these boys you can’t be missing anything.

“Dale was very good – and I’m just tickled the local boys run good this evening.”

The finish:
Dale Hollidge, Jeremy Miller, D.J. Myers, Kenny Pettyjohn, Josh Richards, Dan Stone, Shane Clanton, Steve Shaver, Tyler Hershey, Mark Pettyjohn, Rick Eckert, Gregg Satterlee, Tim McCreadie, Jamie Lathroum, Darrell Lanigan, C.S. Fitzgerald, Keith Jackson, Chub Frank, David Williams, Jason Miller, Eric Wells, Brad Ritter, Stevie Long, Tim Fuller, Jason Covert, Jonathan Davenport.

[DannyB]

Wilson Wins, Gerster Is Champion
by NSSN Staff

MARNE, Mich. — JoJo Helberg’s bad luck continued for the second time in as many weeks costing him the 2013 TRUFUEL Must See Racing Xtreme Sprint Series championship.

Helberg was the defending MSRXSS champion heading into Saturday’s ‘Fast Car Slash’ at Berlin Raceway.

Last Sunday at Winchester Speedway, Helberg was leading the event when his right rear tire came apart after running over debris. The misfortune cost him the feature win and allowed Brian Gerster to close within three points of Helberg entering Saturday night’s event.

Helberg found himself leading the feature Saturday night when his bad luck returned once again.

On lap 17, Helberg broke a brand new rear end effectively ending his night and bid for repeat MSRXSS championship. Brian Gerster, who finished third, is the 2013 TRUFUEL MSRXSS champion. Gerster becomes the third different MSRXSS champion in the four-year history of the series.

Entering the feature event, Helberg and Gerster were tied for the point lead. This is was an interesting sidebar note considering the fact that the 2013 season started in mid-March and remained close the entire season. The top four starting positions of the feature event were also the top four in points assuring that the title was going right down to the wire.

Helberg got the jump at the start and lead the first seventeen circuits before his misfortune handed Troy DeCaire the lead. DeCaire and Jacob Wilson put on a furious battle for the lead trading the lead three times over the last three laps with Wilson making a last-lap pass of DeCaire going down the backstretch to claim his second career MSRXSS victory with both coming in 2013.

DeCaire was second followed by Gerster, Jimmy McCune, and Ryan Litt rounding out the top five.

The finish:
Jacob Wilson, Troy DeCaire, Brian Gerster, Jimmy McCune, Ryan Litt, Aaron Pierce, Brian Olson, Jeff Bloom, Mike Larrison, Davey Hamilton Jr., Ryan Gillenwater, Jimmy Kite, Sondi Eden, Jerry Caryer, Teddy Alberts, Ryan Meyers, Kevin Blue, JoJo Helberg, Tom Tolbert, Joe Swanson.

[DannyB]

Kwasniewski Knows The VIR Road
by NSSN Staff

ALTON, Va. – It was the perfect day for Dylan Kwasniewski.

Kwasniewski was fastest in practice and put his Royal Purple/Rockstar Energy Drink Chevrolet on the pole before going out to lead a race-high 39 laps en route to a win in the Biscuitville 125 on Saturday in NASCAR K&N Pro Series East action at Virginia Int’l Raceway. It was Kwasniewski’s fourth win of the season and ninth overall in the K&N Pro Series for the reigning K&N Pro Series West champion.

Bryan Ortiz was near the front of the field all race long and finished second – crossing the line .847 seconds behind Kwasniewski – to record his best series career finish. Brett Moffitt finished third to record his 33rd career top-five finish in 57 series starts. Ben Kennedy and Sunoco Rookie-of-the-Year contender Gray Gaulding finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

Cale Conley, local standout Peyton Sellers, Scott Heckert, Eddie MacDonald and Alex Kennedy rounded out the top 10.

Kwasniewski led the race’s first 10 laps, but was content to let Daniel Suلrez take over the point for 17 laps before everyone made pit stops for fuel. Kwasniewski, a member of the NASCAR Next program, regained the lead on Lap 29 and led the rest of the way. The race ended with a green-white-checkered finish after Suلrez’s bid for a second win this season ended in a cloud of smoke due to a Lap 50 engine failure.

With the victory Kwasniewski extended his lead over Moffitt in the championship standings to 28 points with five races remaining. Ben Kennedy holds down the third spot – 40 tallies in back of the leader.

It was the first road-course race for the series since competing at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Conn., in July 2010.

[DannyB]

Lasoski Gets No. 100, Maeschen Wins Title
by NSSN Staff

KNOXVILLE, Iowa — It was a historic night in more ways than one Saturday night at the Knoxville Raceway.
The championship night came down to three drivers duking it out for a title in the 410 class and Bronson Maeschen came out on top.

In the feature, the man who has more track titles (nine) than any driver won for the 100th time at the historic oval.

In the 360 class, Clint Garner became the first driver to win five championships in a row, while Jon Agan won the main event. All-time 305 feature winner, Larry Ball Jr., won the championship in that class, while defending champion, Matthew Stelzer took the non-stop feature.

Lasoski’s win was hard-earned. Josh Schneiderman led early as he and Mark Dobmeier swapped the lead the first couple of laps. Dobmeier jumped to the point by lap five, and the first caution came out with ten laps in the books for a stopped RJ Johnson.

Dobmeier led Schneiderman, Davey Heskin, Bronson Maeschen and Danny Lasoski back to green flag racing. Heskin moved into second on the restart, and Lasoski followed him into third by the time a pair of cautions came out for Wayne Johnson and Mike Moore.

On lap 15, Lasoski worked under Heskin for second before fifth running Dusty Zomer suffered a flat left rear tire, bringing the yellow flag again. Lasoski made his winning move on lap 18 and survived an open red-flag period on lap 23. Bob Weuve and Rager Phillips were upside down on the backstretch, while Garrett Dollansky was also involved. All drivers were OK. Terry McCarl, who entered the feature second in points, was noticeably short on power the length of the feature, but his hopes faded when his fuel cap came off before the restart, and he had to restart at the tail.

Lasoski pulled away for his 100th 410 win at Knoxville, tops all-time, and worth $3,500. Heskin passed Dobmeier in the last corner for second, followed by Dobmeier, track champion Maeschen and Kevin Swindell.

Hard-charger Brian Brown, who flipped in his heat, Ian Madsen, Don Droud Jr., Schneiderman and Lynton Jeffrey rounded out the top 10.

Lasoski was visibly emotional in victory lane.

“I’m not a driver that gets choked up, but I’m telling you, this is pretty special to me. A hundred wins. Wow! Brian Brown was here for most of them, my father was here for most of them…I wish my wife was here. We’re going to have a party here tonight, I can guarantee that,” Lasoski said. “When you start eighth with this competition it’s tough, but when you have Mark Burch working on the car and Kistler power, the odds are in my favor.”

“The whole night was a roller coaster,” said Maeschen on winning the Knoxville Championship Cup. “I don’t feel like it’s over. I feel like puking now more than I did earlier! There are a lot of people who have helped us, and it’s great to have them here. We’re going to wait until the sun come up here, and we might just go straight to church.”

Jon Agan led from the start in the 20-lap 360 feature. Champion Clint Garner got off to a rough start and came to a stop after a lap was completed. He restarted at the tail. Early on, Justyn Cox and Randy Martin tailed Agan, trading the runner-up spot twice.

At the halfway mark, it was Agan leading Martin, Cox, Joe Beaver and Scott Winters. Winters moved into fourth on lap 12, and into 3rd after a caution for Josh Higday with sixteen laps in the books. Higday came to a stop, and the leader narrowly avoided rear-ending him.

Agan pulled away for his ninth career 360 win ahead of Martin, Winters, Cox and Beaver. Jamie Ball, hard-charger Ryan Roberts, Matt Moro, Nate Van Haaften and Garner rounded out the top ten.

“We got a little tight in traffic,” said Agan. “It’s the little things too. I put my steering wheel in the wrong spot, and I had a brace right in my way. If you are in clean air and you’re tight, it’s fine. You get rolled up behind traffic though. I got up behind Higday there, and I was just trying to turn, turn, turn the car.”

Garner talked about his championship. “We had a really great year, and that’s what I’d like to look back at tonight. The race I had tonight was definitely nothing to brag about. Honestly, I think we’re planning to build a 410 deal. We want Knoxville Raceway to be successful. We want the 360 class to be here forever. I’ll be here for sure. If our 410 deal doesn’t work out, I’ll come with a 360. The plan is to come in a 410 and keep up with Bronson!”

The 15-lap 305 feature went non-stop, and polesitter Matthew Stelzer led every lap for his second career win. J Kinder tracked him throughout the event and closed in the late stages, but the Omaha driver was able to hold on for the $600 victory.

[DannyB]

Johnson Claims Lexington ASCS Triumph
by NSSN Staff

LEXINGTON, Tenn. — All signs were that Brad Loyet was going to win at the Lexington 104 Speedway Saturday night with the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by MAVTV American Real.

Instead, Jason Johnson claimed the victory after Loyet shredded a right-rear tire on lap 26.

“Hats off to the track crew, they really worked their tails off all day long,” Johnson said. “I got here about lunch time and these guys haven’t stopped.

“I think Brad probably had us covered to be quite honest,” continued Johnson. “He was setting a pretty fast pace out there but I could see his right-rear going down to be honest, and he kept getting balled up and going higher, and higher, over the curb and under that yellow I could see it was definitely going flat so I wanted to make sure I was in the opposite lane he was in.”

Johnny Herrera crossed second after having run third for the first seventeen laps until Jeff Swindell waned with the ignition system going south on the H&H No. 94. “We’ll take it; we just need to keep working hard. Running second to Jason, you know, we’re in a tight points battle so we can’t be finishing second but as long as we stay real close, within one or two positions, we’re going to have some go our way, and his way, but we’ll see what happens.”

After missing the draw for his heat, Tim Crawley at first had elected to not run but ultimately competed and made the best of the situation, coming from 10th to complete the podium.

“We don’t get to run with the national series much this year,” Crawley said. “I wish we could. I wish we had the funding to get out and do it full time again. You know to run in the top three, and top five with the national tour is definitely tough. Yea, I had some misfortune but we still had a great car.”

Logan Forler came from eighth to fourth with Dustin Morgan following from ninth to complete the top five.

The finish:
Jason Johnson, Johnny Herrera, Tim Crawley, Logan Forler, Dustin Morgan, Tony Bruce Jr., Seth Bergman, Brad Loyet, Jeff Swindell, Justin Webb, Anthony Nicholson, Randy Hibbs, Brian Bell, Jake Roach, Joey Moughan, Cole Wood, Brandon Hanks, Brandon Hahn.

[DannyB]

Alabama 200 Belongs To Chase Elliott
by NSSN Staff

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Three races in a row now have now produced a first-time winner in the Southern Super Series presented by Sunoco.

The latest winner is 17-year-old driver Chase Elliott, who took down the 49th annual Alabama 200 at Montgomery Motor Speedway.

Elliott elected to wait to take tires and had two fresh Hoosiers left when a caution flew on lap 185. Elliott was one of the cars who was involved in the caution allowing him to pit out of fifth to put on fresh tires. He then charged from sixth to take lead on lap 195 from Bubba Pollard and hold on as the distance stretched to 208.

“We need a caution and I didn’t want to be the caution, but it worked out in our favor as we didn’t hit anything,” said Elliott. “I am really proud of Ricky and all the guys. It’s been a while since we have won a Super Late Model race and this is a big win for us here. I wanted to come run this race and I’m glad we got to celebrate in victory lane with the fans.”

The early part of the race saw yet another classic battle with Alabama’s Augie Grill, who was racing for his fourth Alabama 200 crown, and Georgia driver Bubba Pollard who came into the event as the point leader. Grill led the opening 101 laps as Pollard led a 61 lap stretch in the middle. Both Grill and Pollard were never separated by more than a second when racing for the top spot.

“I had a good time racing with Augie tonight,” said Pollard who ended up second. “We respect each other a bunch and we both work hard on our race cars. We know we can race side-by-side and not hit or wreck each other.”

“When Chase got those two new tires I knew we were racing for second,” said Grill who ended up third. “I think Pollard and I have a lot of respect for each other and we are both good drivers. It’s easy to race like that when you can respect the other driver.”

Pollard got the lead from Grill on the lap 192 restart only to lose it to Elliott on lap 195. Pollard ended up second, Grill finished third after a pit stop as Mike Garvey and defending race winner Mason Massey rounded out the top five.

Bubba Pollard started the evening by winning the Fast Time Award and the $500 check presented by RW Engines, McGunegill Engine Performance, Ford Racing, Progressive Racing Engines, and Hamner Racing Engines. This was his eighth fast time award of the season.

“We can definitely use the extra money to keep us going,” said Pollard. “We want to win races. We know that winning the fast time awards has helped us a bunch to become the championship leader.”

[DannyB]

USAC SOUTHWESTERN SPRINT (Special Event) RACE RESULTS: August 24, 2013 – Dodge City, Kansas – Dodge City Raceway Park – “Freedom Tour”

FIRST HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Charles Davis Jr. (#50 Massey), 2. Michelle Decker (#7 Decker), 3. Mike Martin (#16 Martin), 4. Shon Deskins (#20 Deskins), 5. Rick Ziehl (#41W Williams), 6. Koby Barksdale (#22 Barksdale), 7. Tye Mihocko (#5 Mihocko), 8. Michael Curtis (#11C Turner/Wheeler). NT

SECOND HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Chris Bonneau (#78 Bonneau), 2. Josh Pelkey (#74 Williams), 3. Jordan Weaver (#1X Weaver), 4. Tony Everhart (#55 Everhart), 5. Jeff Lowery (#45 Lowery), 6. Tom Lee (#53 Lee), 7. Kevin Barksdale (#22K Barksdale). NT

DASH: (6 laps) 1. Ziehl, 2. Deskins, 3. Martin, 4. Pelkey, 5. Davis, 6. Decker, 7. Bonneau, 8. Weaver. NT

FEATURE: (30 laps) 1. Rick Ziehl, 2. Jordan Weaver, 3. Charles Davis Jr., 4. Michelle Decker, 5. Tye Mihocko, 6. Michael Curtis, 7. Shon Deskins, 8. Jeff Lowery, 9. Koby Barksdale, 10. Tom Lee, 11. Josh Pelkey, 12. Mike Martin, 13. Chris Bonneau, 14. Kevin Barksdale, 15. Tony Everhart. NT
----------------------------

FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-14 Ziehl, Laps 15-25 Pelkey, Laps 26-30 Ziehl.

NEXT USAC SOUTHWESTERN SPRINT RACE: September 7 – Queen Creek, AZ – Arizona Speedway

[DannyB]

Francis is Fantastic, Wins Whiskey City 50 at Lawrenceburg Speedway


LAWRENCEBURG, IN (August 24, 2013) - Steve Francis claimed his second Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win of the season on Saturday Night at Lawrenceburg Speedway. Francis held off fellow Kentucky driver, Brad Neat for the win. Jimmy Owens finished third followed by Jared Landers and John Blankenship.

"They made us work hard for this win tonight. The car got a little hot and it was quite a battle! I had guys running on the inside of me, outside of me, and they were everywhere! The track was in great shape tonight," said Francis, who remains second in the LOLMDS Championship Points Standings.

Early on, Francis battled with Eddie Carrier Jr. Duane Chamberlain who caught up to the leaders, and a three-wide battle for the lead ensued. Chamberlain last led on lap 17 until Francis forged ahead.

Neat ran second for three circuits early in the race before falling back but later charged back into the runner-up slot on lap 25. Owens, who started eighth, made his way into the top five near the end after battling side-by-side with Landers for third in the final laps.

Francis also thanked a multitude of sponsors and others in victory lane. "I have to thank Clint Bowyer for giving me this opportunity. I would also like to thank Barry, Lance, Tommy, and Brian. We all put our heads together and the car was just right! My daughter and wife couldn't be here tonight, so I guess they will have to watch it on television. We have a lot of great sponsors of course, Georgia Boot, Peak Motor Oil, Cometic Gasket, Toyota, VP, Allstar Performance, Clements Racing Engines, and Barry Wright Race Cars."

Neat had his best LOLMDS finish of the season, "Congrats to Steve on the win! We both run Barry Wright Race Cars, but his was just a bit better tonight. It's an honor to run against these guys, and they are the best in the business."

Owens settled for third. "We had a good race with Jared! We just couldn't get up to those first two guys. Only with a caution could we would have had a shot!"

Completing the top ten were Greg Johnson, Earl Pearson Jr., Scott James, Dustin Linville, and Tim Isenberg.

[DannyB]

AMSOIL USAC NATIONAL SPRINT CAR RACE RESULTS: August 24, 2013 – Kokomo, Indiana – Kokomo Speedway – “Sprint Car Smackdown 2”

FIRST QUALIFYING RACE: (10 laps) 1. Scotty Weir (#18 Keen), 2. Tracy Hines (#4 Hines). 3. Braylon Fitzpatrick (#3F Fitzpatrick). 4. Logan Jarrett (#29 Jarrett), 5. Darren Hagen (#21x Pollock), 6. Blake Fitzpatrick (#10 Fitzpatrick), 7. Dakota Jackson (#3 Jackson). NT

SECOND QUALIFYING RACE: (10 laps) 1. Shane Cottle (#2 Epperson), 2. Casey Shuman (#21k Krockenberger), 3. Chris Gurley (#12G Team Automotive), 4. Gary Taylor (#40 Hery), 5. Nick Drake (#55 Cline), 6. Ray Kenens (#K9 Kenens), 7. Hunter Schuerenberg (#41 SST). NT

THIRD QUALIFYING RACE: (10 laps) 1. Chris Windom (#11 Walker), 2. Wes McIntyre (#83 McIntyre), 3. Jerry Coons Jr. (#10E Edison), 4. Daron Clayton (#35 Byram), 5. Thomas Meseraull (#5 Baldwin), 6. Kyle Robbins (#17R Robbins), 7. Josh Spencer (#66J Spencer).

“KING OF THE HILL” 2-CAR SHOOTOUTS: (3 laps each) Round 1: Dave Darland (#71p Phillips) defeated Tyler Courtney (#23c Courtney), Chad Boespflug (#57 Hazen) defeated Robert Ballou (#12x Ballou), Chase Stockon (#32 32 TBI) defeated Bryan Clauson (#20 Stewart/Curb-Agajanian) and Brady Bacon (#69 Dynamics) defeated Jon Stanbrough (#66 Tate/Wade). Round 2: Darland defeated Boespflug and Stockon defeated Bacon, Final Round: Stockon defeated Darland.

B MAIN: (15 laps) 1. Clayton, 2. Meseraull, 3. Jarrett, 4. Taylor, 5. Robbins, 6. Hagen, 7. Drake, 8. Spencer, 9. Kenens. NT

FEATURE: (40 laps) 1. Dave Darland, 2. Shane Cottle, 3. Chase Stockon, 4. Chris Windom, 5. Brady Bacon, 6. Bryan Clauson, 7. Scotty Weir, 8. Jerry Coons Jr., 9. Tracy Hines, 10. Tyler Courtney, 11. Casey Shuman, 12. Robert Ballou, 13. Jon Stanbrough, 14. Gary Taylor, 15. Wes McIntyre, 16. Daron Clayton, 17. Kyle Robbins, 18. Chris Gurley, 19. Braylon Fitzpatrick, 20. Thomas Meseraull, 21. Logan Jarrett, 22. Chad Boespflug. NT
--------------------------------
**Jackson flipped during the first qualifier. Schuerenberg flipped during the second qualifier.

FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-40 Darland.

NEW AMSOIL NATIONAL SPRINT POINTS: 1-Darland-1,322, 2-Clauson-1,291, 3-Bacon-1,277, 4-Stockon-1,196, 5-Kevin Thomas-1,153, 6-Ballou=1,034, 7-Hines-1,027, 8-Schuerenberg-976, 9-Windom-874, 10-Cottle-855.

NEXT AMSOIL NATIONAL SPRINT RACE: August 30 – West Burlington, IA – 34 Raceway

[DannyB]

Crawley Returns To ASCS Victory Lane
by NSSN Staff

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – For the seventeenth time in 2013, the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by MAVTV American Real found a different winner with Tim Crawley working from fourth to pick up his 44th career victory with the national arm of the ASCS Nation.

Asked how sweet it was to get back in victory lane against the Lucas Oil ASCS, Crawley replied, “I wish we could pick up enough sponsorship to get back out here and run the whole deal cause it’s nice to be back in victory lane against the National Tour, especially here at home in Little Rock.”

The three time Lucas Oil ASCS national champion found the lead with a high side pass on Cody Gardner on Lap 3 to score his first victory since 2011 with the Lucas Oil ASCS.

Making his twenty-first Lucas Oil ASCS appearance, Cody Gardner held off the charging Jeff Swindell for his first podium finish against the National Tour.

“I think we only finished like three of these deals out all twenty-one of them,” chuckled the Arkansas driver about his first podium finish against the Lucas Oil ASCS. “We’ll take this one. Tim got it won. We’re keeping the money right here in Little Rock tonight so I’m pumped about that.”

Finding slower traffic by lap eight, the caution would be displayed on lap 13 as Sam Hafertepe, Jr. and Derek Hagar spun after making contact while battling for third. The caution was called for, but neither driver stopped, allowed Hagar to be lined up eleventh and Hafertepe seventh for the restart.

Restarting third, Jeff Swindell ran the remaining distance on the back bumper of Cody Gardner before settling for the show position. His thirteenth podium finish of 2013, Swindell tried every line possible to get around the No. 1g.

“I knew Cody was going to be stuck on the bottom and he wasn’t moving. He’s been running this place long enough; he wasn’t going to miss that corner,” Swindell said. “That was pretty much all we had. I got to the bottom there kind of early on, but wasn’t really making any ground. Tried the top and just couldn’t hold it so I started going everywhere I could.”

Derek Hagar rebounded to finish fourth followed by Sam Hafertepe, Jr. in fifth. Brad Loyet crossed sixth, tying his best finish at the I-30 Speedway with Tony Bruce, Jr. from tenth to finish seventh. Logan Forler charged from fourteenth to eighth with Jason Johnson ninth, putting eight makers between he and Johnny Herrera who crossed eleventh. Blake Hahn worked by the Print Place No. 45x in the closing laps to complete the top ten.

Heat Races numbered five with Jeff Swindell, Sam Hafertepe, Jr., Blake Hahn, Seth Bergman, and Jason Johnson earning wins. B-Features went to A.G. Rains and Anthony Nicholson.