Champions Crowned At Elkins Raceway

(Kerens, W.V. 8-30-14) Another good crowd saw down to the wire battles for the Season Championships at Elkins Raceway Friday night.

In the Jenkins Ford Super Late Models, Charlie George and Chuck Harper grabbed the prelims. George assumed control at the outset and never relinquished it. Gary Dalton slid by Harper on the restart of lap three, but could not get by George. George, driving the Charlie’s Auto Sales / Rocket Chassis #98 scored his first win of the season. Dalton followed in second. Harper was third, Billy Holbert was fifth. With his fifth place finish Cody Hardesty in the #1 Touchdown City / Pleasant Valley Tarp #53 would nail down the track Championship by 70 points over Dalton.

The Budweiser FASTRAK Late Models had four drivers battling for the title. Shawn Jett jumped to the point with Kyle Thomas, Troy Frazier, Tyler Stutler and Jamie McCloud in tow. Jett and Thomas raced nose to tail and quarter panel to corner panel for nearly the entire distance. Point leader Kris Southern hovered outside the top five, keeping his repeat alive. With Jett and Thomas raging war at the front, the picture dramatically changed on lap 16 when Jett pulled up exiting turn two with mechanical problems. That handed the lead to Thomas and put Southern into the top five. Thomas piloting the Dodd’s Sporting Goods / Powell and Son Farm #57 added his fourth checkerboard. Frazier, Stutler,McCloud were second through fourth. Southern, aboard the W.V Fan Zone / Stutler Motorsports #K2 put his second in a row and third overall title on the wall. (2011, 2013)

The Fast ‘N Friendly Pharmacy Modified Championship was decided last week with the Bob’s Mini Mart / D & B Enterprises #77 of Dave Defibaugh claimed his fifth title. In racing this week, after five tries at green, Deana Groves, James Nelson, Defibaugh, Matthew Chenoweth and Randy Bohan filled in the top five. On lap two, Bohan and Brent Trimble made contact sending both spinning. Bohan stopped and told officials that it was his fault in turn, Trimble got his spot back. Groves continued to show the way with Defibaugh on her tail, while Trimble had motored to third. On lap 10 Josh revels spun in font of Groves, but she was able to avoid him. On the restart Trimble zipped by Defibaugh and applied pressure to Groves. When the checkers fell, Groves, in the Kim’s Krusade #GRS 2 was able to fend off Trimble for her second win. Trimble, Defibaugh, Chenoweth, and Bohan completed the top five.

The hottest contested battle was the Miller’s Used Cars Street Stocks as five drivers had a shot at the title. At the drop of the green flag, Bryan Mitchell and Anthony Arbogast,
were first and second in points, Mitchell held a slim six marker advantage. At the drop of the green Arbogast jumped to the point, but as lap one was complete Mitchell was in front. Arbogast applied heavy pressure as three yellows flew on the first five circuits. On the restart of lap five Arbogast drove hard into turn four and into Mitchell, resulting in Mitchell going around. Arbogast was black flagged for rough driving, giving Mitchell breathing room for the feature and the point race. Mitchell driving the Wizard Race Cars / Performance Motors #M1, collected his fourth feature victory, plus secured the Championship. Rick Knicley, Josh Mullenax, Jamie Keene and Brian Youtzy rounded out the top five.

In the High Lines Oversize Load Escorting Mod Lites, Logan Hitt lead defending track Champ Mitch Ward by a mere 34 points going into Friday night. In the finale, Hitt was the pole setter and spun in turn one at the start. Beau Newlon took the reins and would set sail. On lap eight Hitt again looped his mount, this time ending his evening early. When the green waved, Newlon would fend off Ward for his third checkerboard. Hitt in the Hitt Enterprises / Leggett Motorsports #2* would be credited with seventh. That would give him a five point cushion over Ward for the Championship. Hitt would become only the third driver to win a title in one class, and return the following year and win one in another class. Red Fredrick (Semi Late 1981, Late Model 1982) Gary Dalton (Semi Late 1991, Late Model 1992)

The Darren’s Pizza Shack Mini Wedges made history Friday night. Abby Watson would take her second victory of the season edging Garrett Jones. Ryan Gum, Pajie Bragg and Braydon Beachler were third through fifth. John Watson Trucking / Taylor Truck & Dozer Service #8 of Bragg, became the first female to be that class’ Champion.

The awards banquet will be November 15 at the Beverly Fire Hall. For more information go to the website at www.elkinsraceway.net

Summery;

Super Late Models (15): Charlie George, Gary Dalton, Chuck Harper, Billy Holbert, Cody Hardesty, Butch McGill, Robbie Scott, Steve Wilmoth, Bob Gordon, Dusty Hamrick, Tim Senic, Shane Hitt, Jared Hovatter, Billy Beachler. DNS; Joey Jenkins.

Heat 1: George, Dalton, Wilmoth, Holbert, Gordon, Scott, Hovatter. DNS; Beachler.
Heat 2: Harper, Hardesty, Senic, McGill, Hamrick, Hitt. DNS; Jenkins.

FASTRAK (16): Kyle Thomas, Troy Frazier, Tyler Stutler, Jamie McCloud, Kris Southern, Garrett Paugh, Greg Hicks, Corey Metheny, Michael Ball, Shawn Jett, Mike Lewis, Tracie Sampson, Chris Zickefoose, Derrick Shaw, Robert Smith, Gary May.

Heat 1: Frazier, McCloud, Metheny, Stutler, Ball, Lewis, May, Shaw.
Heat 2: Jett, Thomas, Southern, Hicks, Paugh, Zickefoose, Ball, Sampson.

Modifieds (15): Deana Groves, Brent Trimble, Dave Defibaugh, Matthew Chenoweth, Randy Bohan, James Nelson, Nick Wilson, Larry Atha, Bill VandeVender, Josh Sigler, Josh Revels, Kenny Rowback, Bob Williams. DNS; Dustin Isner, James Murphy.

Heat 1: Groves, Nelson, Chenoweth, Sigler, Rowback, Wilson. DNS; Murphy, Isner.
Heat 2: Trimble, Defibaugh, Bohan, Williams, Revels, VanDeVender. DNS; Atha.

Street Stocks (15): Bryan Mitchell,Rick Knicely, Josh Mullenax, Jamie Keene, Brian Youtzy, Ryan Watson, Ronnie Tincher, Teresa Vaughn, Chad Judy, R D Isner, John Tallman Jr., Scott Bittinger, Josh Rovello. DNS; Bill Deem. DQed: Anthony Arbogast.

Heat 1: Mitchell, Vaughn, Tincher, Isner, Keene, Deem, Watson.
Heat 2: Arbogast, Bittinger, Knicley, Mullenax, Youtzy, Tallman, Judy, Rovello.

Mod Lites (8): Beau Newlon, Mitch ward, Jeff Fornash, A J Spagnuolo, Gabe Philips, Tom Keplinger, Logan Hitt, Ryan Harris.

Heat 1; Hitt, Fornash, Spagnuolo, Harris.
Heat 2; Newlon, Ward, Keplinger, Philips.

Mini Wedges (17): Abby Watson, Garrett Jones, Ryan Gum, Paije Bragg, Braydon Beachler, Khole Howell, Gabe Guire, Ryan Hare, Kelsey Tincher, Pressley Wilt, Colby Hutton, Madison Taylor, Steven Frazier, Wayne Bonner, Grant Hutton. DNS; Kolbe Kimbrew, Allen Bonner.

Heats: Kimbrew, Bragg