POSTED 6-23-09 HIGHLAND RIM SPEEDWAY RACE RECAP

Highland Rim Speedway Race Recap June 20, 2009 – It was hot, hot, hot at Highland Rim Speedway this past Saturday night. The Rim Runner class kicked things off with another caution free race. Paul Lambert took only five laps to make it to the top spot. Lambert and Donold Webb had a close race going for several laps before Lambert opened up a straight away advantage. Lambert picked up the win, his fourth in as many weeks. Webb held on for second. Early race leader Bevin Wilson held off Phillip Bilyeu for third. Adam Felts had mechanical problems ending his run with just a couple laps to go. Felts wound up fifth. It was a three wide battle for the lead in the Challengers as they took the green flag. Billy Schaffer finally stretched out into the lead. Schaffer opened some track between himself and the rest of the competitors. Points Leader Toby Tobitt took a few laps to gobble up Schaffer’s lead, but he never could complete a pass. The pair broke out into their own race, lapping every other car in the field by lap eighteen. Kenny Newsom and Terry Conn had a great run going for third until Conn fell off the pace with just a handful of laps remaining. Schaffer won the race with Tobitt finishing two car lengths back for second. Newsom held on to third with Conn cruising home fourth in the caution free race. Jerry Nuckols and Scott Conner used a restart after an early race spin in the Front Wheel Drive Modifieds to get the jump on the pack. The pair had a two car race going on most of the race opening up more and more track. Just past the half way point, Dustin Goodwin came to life and began reeling the top two in. Goodwin caught Nuckols with just a couple laps to go. As they battled for second, Conner checked out opening nearly a straight advantage over them. Goodwin made his move on the outside of Nuckols taking the position with just one lap to go. Conner took home the trophy with Goodwin finishing second. Nuckols held on for third. Chris Allen and Mark Cummings were fourth and fifth respectively. The Pro Trucks ran another caution free race. Ryan Arms grabbed the lead early with Zach Evans right on his bumper. By lap ten, Chuck Adcock had caught Arms and Evans. The trio looked like a train as they circled the high banks. On lap 18, Adcock turned under Evans for the second spot. Adcock had his sights set on Arms’ lead. Four laps later, as they were working traffic, Adcock took the top spot. Adcock rocketed out winning by an eight truck length advantage over Arms. Evans faded at the end but still finished third. Buddy Williams was the only other truck on the lead lap finishing fourth. Fifth place went to Richard Hamilton. It took a couple tries to get the Super Stocks going. Once they got going, it was Daniel Barnes, Charlie Briley, and Willie Coates running close for the lead. On lap four, Briley pulled out ahead with Barnes not far behind him as Josh Hood challenges Coats for third. Barnes wore the shine off Briley’s bumper as they rocketed down the back stretch. Briley made Barnes work for the spot, allowing Hood to catch the duo. With eight to go Barnes completed the pass bringing Hood with him. Two laps later, Briley and Cory Jones tangle ending Briley’s strong run. Hood was all over Barnes in the final laps. Barnes took the checkers by less than a car length over Hood. Coats finished third with Jones coming back to a fourth place finish. Tink Jackson was posted in fifth place. The Sportsman race proved to be one of the best races in recent memory racing all the way to the stripe. Chris Willard jumped out front opening up some asphalt between himself and the rest of the field. Ricky Goins, William Collins, Matt Goodwin and Kevin LaMastus looked like they were tied together running nose to tail for several laps. LaMastus and Points Leader, Thomas Pannell crossed up on lap six bringing out the first yellow. Another yellow at the midway point of the race allowed Jonathan Wilhite to snatch the second spot. Goodwin and Wilhite had a hard race going as they followed Willard. With just nine laps to go, Goodwin and Wilhite both tried to make their move for a three wide battle for the lead with Willard. Goodwin gets the position but overdrives into the turn, popping a tire with just five laps to go. Wilhite snatches the lead on the restart with Willard left to hold off Jay Parrish’s advances. With two to go Parrish takes the second spot and looks for Wilhite. Wilhite holds on to take the victory, sliding across the line with his front brakes glowing cherry red. Parrish was second. Willard rolled home in third with a flat tire. LaMastus and Collins were fourth and fifth respectively. Mike Barrett added another trophy to his collection in the Late Models. Barrett took only three laps to get out front and set sail. Barrett made it look easy coasting home to the victory nearly a straight away over Ricky Sanford in the caution free race. Josh Brock and Sam Willard ran together for the entire race for third and fourth place. James Willard was posted as fifth place finisher. The Taxi race had a lengthy red flag after a fierce crash on lap two. Tink Jackson, Terry Swift, and Willie Coats tangled up coming out of turn four. Swift dove back across the track missing a car, Coats then drove into Swift’s door ramming him into the outside wall. Swift and Coats were done for the night. Jackson was able to continue the race. Back under green, Michael Maynard wasted no time pulling out ahead of the field. Maynard had the smooth move of the night as he bounced off the wall but kept on racing without bringing out the caution. But a lap later the yellow flew for a jumble in turn four. Eugene Anderson won the race of attrition, beating out Jackson . Jim Bork thought he was leading when he passed Anderson with ten laps to go, but Bork had lost a lap earlier in the race and the move only put him back on the lead lap. Bork finished in third with Charles Pruett taking fourth. Fifth finisher was Kenny Newsom, Sr. Racing continues again next weekend at the Rim for Lucky 7’s night. All races will end with the number 7 for over 225 laps of high banked racing excitement – Rim Style! Make plans now to see what’s new at the Rim! Grandstand Admission is $10, Youth 6-12 is $5, Children 5 & Under are free with a paid adult. Pit Admission is $25. Racing starts at 6:00 pm. Pit gates open at 1:00 pm, grandstands at 3:00 pm. Qualifying at 4:30 pm. Highland Rim Speedway is a high banked 1/3 mile asphalt track competing weekly from March through October. For more information check the website www.highlandrim.com. Tammy Kelly Highland Rim Speedway