Paugh Grabs Career First In Elkins Season Opener

(Kerens, W.V. 5-01-15) The Elkins Raceway got it’s season opener presented by Central Supply in the books without much of a hitch. A good crowd braved the cool temperatures and cloudy skies, as a super smooth track welcomed the drivers.
There was a full field in the Jenkins Ford Super Late Models as Jacob Hawkins (driving the Bobby Lake owned #27) , Paul Wilmoth Jr. and Cody Hardesty snared the prelims. Wilmoth grabbed the lead from the outside pole and set sail. Hawkins dogged him circuit after circuit. There was only one stoppage, as it came on lap 12 when Shane Hitt clipped the ute tire in turn two. Wilmoth continued to show the way, as the ‘Gambler’ notched his second win in three outings on the year. The Kryptonite Race Cars / Quicktime Suspension ‪#‎B1‬ crossed the stripe ahead of Bob Gordon (who made a late charge, but came up short), Hardesty, Hawkins and Robbie Scott.
In the Budweiser FASTRAK Late Models as the green flag waved Garrett Paugh, Michael Lake, Chad Green, Daniel Hill, and Tyler Stutler filled the top five slots. (It’s a young class when Hill was the elder statesman of the five.) Two early yellows slowed action as Paugh fended off Lake. After clipping the ute tire in turn four on lap seven, Green’s nose piece rolled under as he spun out in turn two. Paugh continued to hold off the charge of Lake, until Lake got a little loose in turn four on lap 10 letting Hill zip by. Hill had nothing for Paugh. The three time Mini Wedge Champion and all time feature winner, claimed his career first FASTRAK feature. Driving the K N P Trucking / Roy’s RV #03 bested Hill, Lake, Stutler and Jamie McCloud.
On the second try at green, the Performance Motors Modifieds counted a lap. Dave Defibaugh jumped to the point with Randy Bohan, Brent Trimble, Thomas Sigler and James Nelson in tow. When Trimble passed Bohan, it began to look like a repeat of the second heat as Trimble could not get around Defibaugh. Lap after lap Trimble was turned away. Until, lap 12. As the front duo sliced through lapped traffic, Trimble was able to use one as a pick and motored by Defibaugh on the outside for then lead. The H & R Block / B B & T Auto Crushers ‪#‎1B‬ held on for the win. Defibaugh had to settle for second. Bohan was third, Sigler was fourth and Nelson completed the top five.
The West Virginia Pools Street Stocks feature saw Anthony Arbogast snag the lead with Jamie Keene, Scott Bittinger, John Tallman Jr. and Ryan Watson quickly filling the top five positions. Arbogast would drive on for the win. Ryan Watson would get by Keene for second. . After some extra curricular activity by John Tallman Jr. and Scott Bittinger dropping both to the tail, Tallman would climb back to fourth and Brad Harris was fifth.
The B C T Construction Mini Wedges have been broken up into two groups. The beginners / and the experienced. In the A feature, Abby Watson and Paije Bragg swapped the lead multiple times around the track the entire distance. Just as their heat, Watson got the advantage. Hands down the best racing of the night. Garrett Jones, Khole Howell, and Allen Bonner were the rest of the top five.
In the B Feature, Blake Runyon bested Pressley Wilt, Kelsey Tincher, Abbie Hudler – Pennington, and Madison Taylor.
This week will be regular racing in all classes.
Super Lates (18)
Heat 1: Jacob Hawkins, Bob Gordon, Steve Wilmoth, Charlie George, Cody Rogers, Shawn Poling.
Heat 2: Paul Wilmoth Jr., Gary Dalton, Skip Hare, Shane Hitt, Chuck Harper, Tim Senic.
Heat 3: Cody Hardesty, Robbie Scott, Joey Jenkins, Robert Smith, Ronnie Tincher. DNS; Dusty Swecker.
Feature: P. Wilmoth, Gordon, Hardesty, Hawkins, Scott, Hare, Dalton, S. Wilmoth, George, Jenkins, Harper, Smith, Rogers, Hitt, Poling, Senic, Tincher. DNS: Swecker.
FASTRAK (11)
Heat 1: Michael Lake, Daniel Hill, Tyler Stutler, Jamie McCloud, Joel Prosser, Brian Youtzy.
Heat 2: Garrett Paugh, Chad Green, Troy Frazier, C J Johnson, A J Spagnuolo.
Feature: Paugh, Hill, Lake, Stutler, McCloud, Prosser, Youtzy, Frazier, Spagnuolo, Green, Johnson.
Modifieds (14)
Heat 1: Randy Bohan, James Nelson, Del Cunningham, Sam Henderson, Matthew Chenoweth, Bill VanDeVander. Josh Revels.
Heat 2: Dave Defibaugh, Thomas Sigler, Dustin Isner, Kenny Rowback, Chase Thacker, Keith Miller.
Feature: Trimble, Defibaugh, Bohan, Sigler, Nelson, Chenoweth, Cunningham, Henderson, Revels, VanDeVander, Miller, Thacker, Isner.
Street Stocks (11)
Heat 1: Anthony Arbogast, Scott Bittinger, Brad Harris, Chad Judy, Teresa Vaughan, Ryan Gum.
Heat 2: Jamie Keene, John Tallman Jr., Ryan Watson, Chad McLean, Zach Bohan.
Feature: Arbogast, Watson, Keene, Tallman, Harris, Judy, Bittinger, McLean, Vaughan, Gum. DNS; Bohan.
Mod Lites (6)
Heat 1: Mitch ward, Logan Hitt, Beau Newlon, Taylor Espinoza, Dean Ward, Ryan Harris.
Feature: Newlon, M. Ward, Hitt, D. Ward, Espinoza, Harris.