Highland Rim Speedway
Race Recap
August 22, 2009 – Action was the word of the night at Highland Rim Speedway Saturday night. There was flat out fast high banked action, paint swapping, fender bending, racing in all ten classes. The rim Runners started things with a first lap spin that involved nearly the entire field forcing a complete restart. Everyone was able to continue on. Bevin Wilson and fast time winner, Donold Webb had a hard run going for the first five laps before Webb was able to stretch out into the lead. Wilson stuck right on Webb’s bumper with Christopher York on Wilson ’s. The trio ran nose to tail until they crossed up coming across the start finish line on lap 10. Webb slammed hard into the outside wall, hitting so hard that his helmet flew off. Webb was shaken and sore but his car was done. Points leader, Phillip Bilyeu snatched the lead on the restart leaving York to chase him to the checkers. The win was the third of the year for Bilyeu. York was less than a car length back for second. Wilson came in third with Kevin Figueroa and James Vaughn rounding out the top five.
The Rim’s newest class, Vintage Mini 1000 also started with a lap one spin when the leader looped it. On the restart, Michael Wood got the jump on Matt Reed and checked out on the pack. A couple of laps later, Jeffery Smith made his way to the second spot and began looking for the leader. The race was a fast one with no other cautions. Wood lapped every other car on the track except Smith by the time he crossed the finish line. Smith was second with Mike Reed finishing third. Fourth was Matt Reed followed by Bruce Davidson for fifth.
The Front Wheel Drive Modifieds had an awesome near miss on the first lap as they went into turns one and two. Several cars tried to go for the same piece of track at the same time but all were able to gather their cars back up and continue going until a car bounced off the wall coming out of turn four bringing out the caution to remove his damaged car. Jerry Nuckols took the lead from David Frost on lap eight. Two laps later the caution flew again for a stalled car. It took three attempts to get the race restarted from the caution. Once it got back underway, Dustin Goodwin put his nose under Nuckols for the lead. Goodwin wasted no time opening up some track between himself and the others. Nuckols managed to pull up on Goodwin in the final laps of the race but couldn’t take the top spot back. Goodwin won the race with Nuckols coming home second. Sam Arnold, Paul Lambert, and Kasey Williams had a three way battle going on for a lap in the final laps of the race. Arnold pulled ahead and battled with Scott Allen for third. Arnold got the position when Allen slowed on the last lap of the race. Lambert was fourth with Williams taking fifth place. Allen’s brakes had been sparking the last few laps of the race and caught fire after the race. Track officials quickly put out the flames on the car.
Toby Tobitt launched himself out front at the wave of the green flag in the Challenger class. Billy Schaffer had his hands full with a loose racecar as he chased Tobitt around the high banks. Schaffer tried a last lap, last ditch run on Tobitt coming out of turn four for the checkers. Schaffer fell short with Tobitt taking home the trophy. Schaffer settled for second. Third place, a lap down was Kevin Gregory. Fast Time Winner, Jamie VanEtten had mechanical problems on lap 11 but came home fourth. Fifth place went to Kenny Newsom, Jr. driving a borrowed car to keep up his points.
A spin across the starting line slowed the Vintage Mini 600 race. Once they got going, Chad Locke rolled out into the lead. A restart after a caution on lap five allowed mike Reed to get the jump on Locke for the top spot until Reed looped it on lap nine bringing out another yellow. Jeffery Smith was all over Reed on the restart as Freddy Prosser, Jr moved into the play. By lap 16, Prosser challenged for the lead. Prosser showed his sportsmanship two laps later when he dropped down to help a stalled car off the track under caution. On the restart, Prosser shot himself out front leaving everyone to chase him. Prosser was the victor with Smith coming away second. Mike Reed was third while Troy Taylor took the fourth spot. Locke ended his night in the fifth slot.
The Fitzgerald name is not a new one in the truck class though it has been a while since there’s been a Fitzgerald running in the Pro Trucks. Jerry Fitzgerald, Jr. set fast time and led every single lap of the race. Chuck Adkins got the break he was looking for when Bobby Wingo spun out of turn two with just three laps to go. The restart allowed Adkins to stay with Fitzgerald, but it wasn’t enough to allow him to take the lead. Fitzgerald won the race with Adkins finishing a truck length back for second. Roger Cunningham got a little loose on the final restart but managed to hold off the hard charges of James Baggett, Jr. for third. Taylor Woelk got the bugs worked out of his truck from last week to finish fifth.
Third time was the charm in the Super Stocks. The first attempt to start was waved off by the flagman as a bad start. The second attempt ended when Travis Smith and Spurt Goddard got together in turns three and four. As they tangled, they swept up into Tink Jackson turning his car greasy side up. All of the drivers were able to walk away. One track official got his arm cut on one of the cars when he slipped in some of the fluid running down the track. Jackson and Goddard were done for the night. Smith was able to rip the passenger side off his car and continue on. Roger Birdsong, Jr. led the first several laps with Smith and Danny Johnson battling just behind him. The pair got together bouncing off of each other going into turn three. Points leader, Daniel Barnes tried to get around them and ended up in the wall in turn three along with Johnson. Both drivers were done for the night. After a lengthy clean up, Smith challenged Birdsong for the lead. The pair ran three laps side by side before Smith took over the top spot. Mechanical problems forced Birdsong in with nine laps to go. Smith took it all the way to victory lane by a half track over Lance Steele. Willie Coats had some mechanical problems early in the race, even going down into the lower pit area during the caution but managed to come back to finish in the third position. Birdsong and Johnson were fourth and fifth respectively.
It took Thomas Pannell less than a lap to go from last to first in the Sportsman race. The only caution came for debris on the track on lap five. Pannell won the race by a full straight away over Jonathan Wilhite. Matt Goodwin came in third. Kevin LaMastus was fourth with Rusty McKee finishing fifth.
The Late Models had a strong field of cars. The first caution came on lap 3 when Zach Evans spun. Bennie Hamlett was extremely loose but managed to keep the car under control. The next caution came on lap 11 when Wayne White and Evans got together going into turn one. Hamlett was all over leader, Scott Gay on the restart. The pair pulled away into their own race. On lap 18, the pair touched with Gay going spinning in turn four. Gary Love, Jr. inherited the lead. Evans stuck right with Love on the restart. Evans and Hamlett had an incident with just two laps to go. The incident left Evans parked but Hamlett was able to continue the race. Love held onto the top spot in the two lap shoot out to the checkers. Sam Willard came home second followed by Gay. Hamlett was fourth while James Willard was posted in the fifth place. Love’s win was extra special to him as this was the first race he had been able to make all season. A friend helped Love to get the car finished so that he could make the race.
The Taxi Cab start was a little hung up when Bruce Johnson, Kenny Newsom, and Charles Pruett hung bumpers going down the back stretch on the first lap of the race. Johnson had been on the pole with Newsom just behind him, as they pushed around the track, their bumpers hung heading them to the wall. Once they got separated and the race got underway, Johnson jumped out front. Tink Jackson used his chrome horn on Johnson a couple of times before he and Bill Benson tried to split Johnson for the lead. Benson ended up with a popped tire. Eugene Anderson nosed out front on the restart. Anderson held the top spot in a race all by himself as Jackson and Michael Oldham ran side by side for second. Jackson finally pulled ahead of Oldham with just a handful of laps to go. Oldham tried one last ditch effort to get Jackson at the line. Anderson won the race with Jackson taking second by a fender. Third place was Oldham . Eugene Holt crossed the line for fourth with Pruett coming home fifth.
This Saturday night August 29th, we’ll close out the month of August with racing in 11 classes! The Open Wheels will be back along with a non winner’s race for the trucks! Come beat the heat with a night of excitement on the edge! For those living in Adams, Sadlersville, Cedar Hill & Port Royal (37010 & 37032) show your drivers license and get in absolutely FREE!!! Make plans now to see what’s happening at the Rim! Grandstand Admission is $10, Youth 6-11 is $7, Children 5 & Under are free with a paid adult. 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
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