On the right track

By LANGLEY AUSTIN/Correspondent

Kenny Peeples Jr. of Rural Retreat did everything that he was supposed to do, but unfortunately a weather forecast for the July 28th scheduled FASTRAK series race forced track officials to postpone the FASTRAK race at Wythe Raceway, thus postponing Peeples chance at a $1,000 Exit 54 Exxon Road to the Nationals bonus until Saturday night, Aug. 4, and that cost him not only the $1,000 bonus, but also a $2,000 payday in the FASTRAK series event.
Peeples, who had won three races in a row from July 14-28, qualified fifth for the FASTRAK series race Saturday night, behind Shannon Buckingham of Sevierville, Tenn., Lee Cooper of Greer, S.C., Clinton Cook of Radford and Donald Bradsher of Burlington, N.C.
Timbo Mangum of Lancaster, S.C., was the sixth qualifier behind Peeples, but when the redraw took place (six kids from the grandstands were chosen to be matched up with a driver to draw for them), Mangum started first with Bradsher second and Peeples was third followed by Cook, Buckingham and Cooper. Two consolation races set the rest of the 29-car starting field with Randy Taylor of Troutdale and Phil Gann of Mayodan, N.C., taking wins in their respective races.
From the start of the race Bradsher got his racer out in front of Mangum, but after a couple of cautions, slowed the pace with John King of Kingsport, Tenn., and Daniel Baggerly of Rural Retreat retired to the pits. Mangum got out front and led laps five through seven before fast qualifier, Buckingham took to the point with Mangum and Exit 54 Exxon Late Model, Rookie of the Year candidate, Jason Lawrence of Pilot glued to his bumper. On lap six Peeples lost his chance at the $1,000 bonus in the Exit 54 Exxon Road to the Nationals as he pitted with a flat tire and restarted at the rear of the field, but would retire from the event on lap 10.
Lawrence moved by Mangum on lap 11 as Mangum began to fall through the field and as the leaders begin to encounter heavy traffic, Lawrence put his car right up along side of Buckingham several times. A green, white, checkered finish had the fans on their feet as Lawrence challenged Buckingham for the victory, but to no avail as Buckingham went to victory lane with Lawrence claiming his third straight second place finish. This was his best career FASTRAK series finish.
Brandon Umberger of Rural Retreat started 10th, had moved to sixth place by lap six, then moved to fifth after 20 laps of hard door to door racing action and that’s where he would finish. Umberger exercised his option to buy Buckingham’s engine after it passed post race tech.
Twenty-nine cars started the 40-lap event with only 21 cars taking the checkered flag, finishing the race. Finishing behind Buckingham and Lawrence was Cooper, Bradsher and Umberger. Completing the top ten finishers were Vic Chandler of Weaverville, N.C., Gann, David “Bad Boy” McCoy of Franklin, N.C., Chris “Moonshine” Chandler of Weaverville, N.C. and Jason Walls of Walnut Cove, N.C.
Going a little deeper in the field finishing in the 11th through 20th positions was Cook, David Watts of Buchanan, Taylor, Harry Cadmus of Lenoir City, Tenn., Trevor and Scott Agee both of Christiansburg, John Llewellyn of Knoxville, Tenn., Jackie Cook of Radford, Cody McMahan of Chilhowie and Joe Bennett of Mabscott, W. Va. Peeples, after dropping out of the race, was credited with a 27th place finish.
Fans got to see the meaning of the track slogan “Rock’em, Sock’em, Get’em Sideways on Dirt” as the England Automotive Super Street Division put on another great show and tempers flared at the end of the feature. Teddy Tate of Rural Retreat took to the lead from the start of the race with Keith Griffitts of Sugar Grove hot on his bumper, but Tate’s night was done on lap nine when he was forced to the pits. Griffitts held off Mike Keith of Rural Retreat for another win as things heated up through the field.
Daniel Moss of Elk Creek lost a lap in the pits, but then came back to run with competitive cars. Brian Hayes of Troutdale was running third as Moss made contact with him several times during the final laps with Hayes finishing third. On the cool down lap Moss brake checked Hayes coming off of turn two, resulting in front end damage for Hayes’ racer.
Things then got really interesting as Hayes exited his car to express his displeasure with Moss. Several crew members made their on to the track, and there was a very heated discussion with cooler heads prevailing. Penalties will be levied later this week for various infractions.
Dustin McNeill of West Jefferson, N.C., finished third with Jimmy Tate of Wytheville fourth and Sammy Lawrence of Barren Springs rounding out the top five finishers. Completing the top 10 finishers in the England Automotive Super Street Division were Moss, Brian Coake of Max Meadows, Teddy Tate of Rural Retreat, Michael Deskins of Tazewell and Richard Shupe, Jr. of Bluefield, W. Va.
In the Open Wheel Modifieds, Duke Bare of Meadowview took the lead from the start with Ron Lawson of Austinville in second as the two not only battled for the lead of the race, but after they came into Saturday night’s race tied for the points lead on a double points night.
Lawson took the lead on lap 12 with Roby Orr of Glade Spring following Lawson past Bare for second position on lap 18. Bare held third right down to the finish when several cars got together and Bare came across the finish line backwards, finishing in fifth position. Willie Gibson of Abingdon and RK Dix of Rural Retreat crossed the finish line in third and fourth behind Lawson and Orr with Bare behind them. Mike Johnson of Marion finished sixth with Taylor Hayes also of Marion, Michael Davis of Atkins, Gator Cornett of Sugar Grove and BJ Nelson of Rural Retreat completing the top 10 finishers.
The City Cab of Marion Pro-Mini Division put on another great show as Gary Rudolph of Fries took home the win after early leader, Brandon Farris, headed to the pits on lap six. Rudolph held off Luke Golding of Mount Airy, who drove a smart race with Tim Robinson of Marion, Jason Powers of Marion and Danny Bland of Glade Spring completing the top five finishers. Rounding out the top 10 were Steve Skeen of Abingdon, JR Davis of Wytheville, Matt White of Austinville, Andy Jolliffe of Chilhowie and John Hickman of Abingdon. Multi race winners, Doug Monday of Max Meadows and Duke Bare of Meadowview both encountered engine troubles and did not finish the race.
Josh Forrest of Mount Airy, N.C., went all the way in the U-Car feature leading from flag to flag. Forrest was followed to the line by Leon McMahan of Marion, Jake Eaton of Bland, Rob Favre of Willis, Kevin Gentry of Chilhowie, Steve Loughman of Mine Run, Pie Short of Abingdon, Donald Wilson of Rural Retreat, Rodney Surber of Sugar Grove and Patrick Janney of Goodview.
Trevor Cregger of Christiansburg took home another win in the Hornets Division over Pie Short of Abingdon, Cole Dutton of Chilhowie, Michelle McMahan of Marion and Dakota Wilson of Rural Retreat. Completing the top 10 finishers was Jon Keyes of Sugar Grove, Clark Cooper and Cody Umberger both of Rural Retreat, Morgan Widener of Marion and Jay Cox of Rural Retreat.
Racing continues this Saturday night, Aug. 11, with the City Cab of Marion/Smith’s Auto Sales 200 featuring the Carolina Clash Super Late Models with racing in these divisions as well: Exit 54 Exxon Late Models and England Automotive Super Street, City Cab Pro-Mini, Open Wheel Modifieds, Hornets and U-Cars.
Also don’t forget about Ladies Night at Wythe Raceway with the first 3,000 ladies being admitted free on August 18. For more information, please visit http://www.WytheRaceWay.com or call (276) 223-9804.

Wythe Results from Aug. 4

Driver, Hometown
Dirt Late Model
1. Shanon Buckingham, Morristown, TN
2. Jason Lawrence, Pilot
3. Lee Cooper, Greer, SC
4. Donald Bradsher, Burlington, NC
5. Brandon Umberger, Rural Retreat
6. Victor Chandler, Weaverville, NC
7. Phil Gann, Mayodan, NC
8. David McCoy, Franklin, NC
9. Chris Chandler, Weaverville, NC
10. Jason Walls, Walnut Cove, NC
11. Clinton Cook, Radford
12. David Watts, Buchanan
13. Randy Taylor, Troutdale
14. Harry Cadmus, Lenoir City, TN
15. Trevor Agee, Christiansburg
16. Scott Agee, Christiansburg
17. John Llewellyn, Knoxville
18. Jackie Cook, Radford
19. Cody McMahan, Chilhowie
20. Joe Bennett, Mabscott, WV.
21. Matt Long , Concord, NC
22. Matt Parks, Wytheville
23. Jason Moncus, Mount Airy, NC
24. Chase McCormick, Dobson, NC
25. Joey Steele, Abingdon
26. Timbo Mangum, Lancaster, SC
27. Kenny Peeples, Jr., Rural Retreat
28. Daniel Baggerly, Rural Retreat
29. John King, Kingsport, TN

Dirt Modified
1. Ron Lawson, Austinville
2. Roby Orr, Glade Spring
3. Willie Gibson, Abingdon
4. R K Dix, Rural Retreat
5. Duke Bare, Meadowview
6. Mike Johnson, Marion
7. Taylor Hayes, Marion
8. Michael Davis, Atkins
9. Gator Cornett, Sugar Grove
10. BJ Nelson, Rural Retreat

Hornet
Trevor Cregger Christiansburg
2. Pie Short Abingdon
3. Cole Dutton Chilhowie
4. Michelle McMahan Marion
5. Dakota Wilson Rural Retreat
6. Jon Keyes Sugar Grove
7. Clark Cooper Rural Retreat
8. Cody Umberger (Rural Retreat
9. Morgan Widener (Marion
10. Jay Cox (Rural Retreat

Pro Mini
1. Gary Rudolph Fries
2. Luke Golding Mount Airy, NC
3. Tim Robinson Marion
4. Jason Powers, Marion
5. Danny Bland, Glade Spring
6. Steve Skeen, Abingdon
7. J.R. Davis, Wytheville
8. Matt White, Austinville
9. Andy Jolliffe, Chilhowie
10. John Hickman, Abingdon
11. Gator Cornett, Sugar Grove
12. Cody Hottinger, Rural Retreat
13. Duke Bare, Meadowview
14. Chris Martin, Marion
15. Billy Cline, Marion
16. Brandon Farris, Marion
17. Dustin Dowell, Atkins
18. Doug Monday, Max Meadows
19. Jerry Dillow, Bluefield, WV
20. Adam Jones, Marion
21. Daniel Wright, Wytheville
22. Aaron Hopkins, Chilhowie

Super Street
1. Keith Griffitts Sugar Grove
2. Mike Keith Rural Retreat
3. Dustin McNeill West Jefferson, NC
4. Jimmy Tate Wytheville
5. Sammy Lawrence Barren Springs
6. Daniel Moss Elk Creek
7. Brian Coake Max Meadows
8. Teddy Tate Rural Retreat
9. Michael Deskins Tazewell
10. Richard Shupe Jr. Bluefield, WV
11. Michael Hedrick Wytheville
12. Larry Dowell, Atkins
13. Will Ferguson, Wytheville
14. Brian Hayes, Trout Dale

UCar
1. Josh Forest Mt Airy, NC
2. Leon McMahan Marion
3. Jake Eaton Bland
4. Rob Favre Willis,
5. Kevin Gentry Chilhowie
6. Steve Loughman Mine Run
7. Pie Short Abingdon
8. Donald Wilson Rural Retreat
9. Rodney Surber Sugar Grove
10. Patrick Janney Goodview
11. Randal Argabright Blue Ridge
12. Tim Widener Marion
13. Charles Seagraves, Roanoke
14. Travis Lefler, Rural Retreat