|
|
|
|
|
DAVIS AGAIN IN WEST LIBERTYWest Liberty Raceway Todd Davis topped the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series Late Model feature event at the West Liberty Raceway on Saturday August 4th, his second trip in three events to victory lane. Jeff Aikey took the early lead from the front row, opening up a comfortable margin over Brian Harris and Davis before the events first caution slowed action on lap eight. Harris battled with Davis on the restart, but eventually broke free on lap eleven and closed in on Aikey for the lead. Lap twelve through fifteen saw Aikey put his car high on the cushion with Harris flanking on the bottom of the track as the two orbited the flat half mile in a virtual dead heat. Only the yellow flag was able to separate the leaders, with Harris a nose ahead when caution slowed the action on the fifteenth circuit. The race turned into a four horse shootout on the restart when points leader Denny Eckrich joined the fun near the leaders, putting his car underneath Davis and Aikey's on the restart, making a three wide battle into the third corner as Harris stayed one car length ahead of the scramble. The top proved to be the place to be as Davis rocketed around Aikey and Eckrich as the cars completed the sixteenth lap and Harris for the lead one lap later. Harris stayed committed to the bottom of the racetrack as Davis sped away, allowing both Aikey and Eckrich to get past during the closing laps but holding on to fourth at the checkers ahead of Skip Frey. Bret Frieden also picked up his second win of the season, hunting down early leader Terry Walker and taking the lead at the midpoint of the twenty lap Miller Time Modified feature event. Walker jumped into the lead by beating fellow front row starter Richard Steadman into the first turn, but was immediately forced to defend the spot as Frieden followed suit. After spending the first five laps glued to Walkers rear bumper, Frieden backed off and studied Walkers line carefully for two laps. Diamonding off the corners caught Frieden back up to Walker and allowed him to make the pass on lap ten. Frieden pulled away from the pack for the remainder of the event, not allowing a lap fifteen caution to bother him as he cruised to the easy win. Larry Herring benefited from the late race yellow to slip past Walker for second with Russ Olson and Scott Megonigle rounding out the top five. Andy Eckrich notched his third victory of his rookie season; extending his Pro Stock points lead. Gary Beuter took the early lead of the fifteen-lap affair, before Jason Gingrich and Eckrich shot past on the sixth lap. Taking two complete laps to decide the leader amongst themselves, Eckrich eventually slipped underneath Gingrich and into the point just prior to a lap nine caution. Challenging only briefly on the restart, Gingrich settled into second place ahead of Darren Plett, Dale Franklin and Tom Struve at the checkers. Stan O'Brien was the third driver to earn his second trip to victory lane, running down early leader Robert Barnes and surviving a scramble to the checkers that saw five cars fighting for the lead on the last lap. Barnes made the most of his front row start by staying ahead of a big lap two pileup, leading the event until O'Brien took the lead as the pair raced under the white flag. Behind them, Jason Erwin, Todd Hansen and Jarrod Collins were jockeying for a shot at the lead. O'Brien led the pack into the third corner, with Hansen diving low from fifth place to make it three wide, getting up to the leader before running out of steam and falling a half a car length behind. Collins held his ground in the middle of the track to take home the third spot while Erwin crossed under the checkers fourth, ahead of Barnes. Point's battles are heating up as the season is winding down with only four nights left of NASCAR Weekly Racing series action in 2001. Hot laps are scheduled for 6:30 each race nite with racing to follow. For more information, please contact Simmons Promotions at 563-744-3620 or on the internet at www.SimmonsPromotionsInc.com. For raceday updates and instant results upon completion please call your local McLeod USA InTouch directory category #3740 or #3741. Late Models DNQ MILLER TIME MODIFIEDS DNS PRO STOCKS DNS HOBBY STOCK DNS |
|
