Mike Keith wins for fourth week in a row at Wythe Raceway

By Jim Cunningham
Published: June 9, 2009

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By SCOTT MILLER/Correspondent

Wythe Raceway continued its 40th season of racing Saturday with a full slate of racing action. Mike Keith, Rural Retreat, Kenny Peeples Jr., Rural Retreat, Jessy Parks, Sugar Grove, Jerry Dillow, Bluewell, W.Va., Troy Loomis, Sherrils Ford, N.C., and Anissa Widener, Abingdon, were all victorious in their respective feature events.
Randy Kinder, Radford, set quick time in Late Model qualifying with a time of 18.787 around the high banked half mile oval. Peeples was second, quick touring the track in 18.908 seconds.
The Wythe Raceway Pro Mini class was first to take the track for racing action with the cars of Gary Rudolph, Fries, and Shawn King, Wytheville, making up the front row. King took the lead going into turn one and quickly pulled away from the pack. Meanwhile, the cars of J.R. Davis, Crockett, and Dillow were charging through the field to challenge for the top spot. Dillow was able to catch King and pass him with just a few laps remaining to go for his second win of the season. King fought off a late challenge from John Hickman, Abingdon, to settle for second ahead of Hickman, Tim Taylor Fries, and Jason Powers, Marion.
The next event was the much anticipated Super Streets. Mike Keith, winner of the last three feature events had a bounty placed on him by the Sheriff of Wythe Raceway. Any driver beating Keith to the finish would receive an extra $100. The racing was furious and Keith appeared to have a lot of work to do as he started sixth behind a very fast group of cars. Joe Bonham, Sugar Grove, and RK Dix, Rural Retreat, made up the front row and led the field to the green flag. Chad Hale, Wytheville, moved to the front with the cars of Duke Bare, Meadowview, and Brian Coake, Max Meadows, also challenging for the win.
Keith, however, began to pressure Bare and Coake and soon moved into the second position. Hale appeared to be able to match Keith’s every move as he held off numerous challenges to maintain the top spot. Keith was able to get around Hale and went on to win his fourth consecutive feature event. Hale held on for second with Coake passing two cars on the final lap to finish third.
Fourth went to Bare and Bonham finished fifth. The bounty on Keith remains for this upcoming week. If Keith should happen to win again he will claim the full bounty.
Next up was the Open Wheel Modified Division. Troy Loomis jumped to the lead and led flag to flag on his way to his first victory of the season. The battle behind Loomis was highly contested as Lance Reynolds, Wytheville, Roby Orr, Glade Spring, and Michael Davis, Atkins, battled nose to tail for the runners up spot. Reynolds was able to claim second with Davis third, Orr Fourth and Taylor Hayes, Marion, completing the top five.
Kinder and Peeples made up the front row at the start of the Late Model Feature. Peeples gained the advantage with a power move and quickly separated himself from the rest of the field. Kinder maintained second ahead of a very fast Matt Parks, Wytheville, and a hard charging Tam Topham, Wytheville, who started deep in the field.
Numerous cautions would bunch the field up, but each time Peeples would jump out to a big advantage. Kinder, Parks and Topham were the cars to watch as they fought side by side for several laps in the final stages of the 30 lap race.
Parks, Topham and Chad Hale were able to get around Kinder but were no match for Peeples as he went on to his second straight win. Parks would finish second with Topham, Hale, and Kinder rounding out the top five.
Next up was the always exciting UCAR Feature. Morgan Widener, Marion, would take the lead on the first lap with pressure from last week’s winner Jessy Parks, Sugar Grove. Widener and Parks would battle for several laps before Parks was able to get by and go on to win his second event of the season.
Widener held on for second ahead of Pie Short, Abingdon, Jon Keyes, Sugar Grove, and Clark Cooper, Rural Retreat.
The UCAR2 class took to the track for the final event of the night. This class allows first time racers to gain valuable experience before joining the regular UCAR class. Anissa Widener, Abingdon, would take her first ever checkered flag with Julianna Cooper, Charlotte, N.C. second, and Klarissa Croson, Chilhowie coming in third.
Racing action will return Saturday, May 13, with the running of the Car Care Center of Atkins 200. Late Models, Super Streets, Modifieds, Pro Minis and UCARS will all be in action. Gates open at 5 p.m. with racing action getting under way at 8 p.m. Wythe raceway is located off I-81 exit 60 Rural Retreat.

Wythe Raceway results from June 6—

Dirt Modified – Feature
Driver Hometown
Troy Loomis Sherills Ford, NC
Lance Reynolds Wytheville
Michael Davis Atkins
Roby Orr Glade Spring
Will Ferguson Wytheville
Taylor Hayes Marion
Ron Lawson Austinville
Justin Blevins Marion
Tim Widener Marion
Willie Gibson Abingdon
Morgan Widener Marion
Mark Caudill Atkins

Late Model - Feature
Driver Hometown
Kenny Peeples Jr. Rural Retreat
Matt Parks Wytheville
Tam Topham Wytheville
Chad Hale Wytheville
Randy Kinder Radford
Jerry King Ivanhoe
Justin White Marion
John Broce Jr. Falls Mills
Gary Ball Summerville, GA
Anthony Roberts Independence
Cody McMahan Chilhowie
Scott Agee Radford
Clinton Cook Radford
Randy Taylor Troutdale
David Peeples Rural Retreat
Trevor Cregger Christiansburg
Justin Martin Rural Retreat
Trevor Agee Christiansburg
Tim Byrd Jonesborough, TN
Jake Eaton Bland

Pro Mini – Feature
Driver Hometown
Jerry Dillow Bluewell, WV
Shawn King Wytheville
John Hickman Abingdon
Tim Taylor Fries
Jason Powers Marion
J.R. Davis Crockett
Gator Cornett Sugar Grove
Everett Cox Austinville
Doug Monday Max Meadows
Travis Harden Marion
Andy Jolliffe Chilhowie
Gary Rudolph Fries
John Carlin Chilhowie
Ronnie Jackson Marion
Michael Howard Pulaski
Chip McGrady Marion
Sammy Mitchem Rocky Gap
Don Scalf Watauga, TN
Cameron Kirk Marion
Gene Cato Abingdon
Cecil Rigney Pulaski
Chris Martin Troutdale
James Gardner Bristol
Annissa Widner Abingdon
John Tate Atkins

Super Street – Feature
Driver Hometwon
Mike Keith Rural Retreat
Chad Hale Wytheville
Brian Coake Max Meadows
Duke Bare Meadowview
Joe Bonham Sugar Grove
Keith Griffitts Sugar Grove
R K Dix Rural Retreat
Jimmy Tate Wytheville
Brian Mock Abingdon
Bobby Helton Meadowview
Dustin Dowell Sugar Grove
Michael Deskins Tazewell
Michael Hedrick Wytheville
Greg Watson Fries
RJ Reynolds Marion
Brandon Bentley Wytheville
Fred Riley Rural Retreat

UCar – Feature
Driver Hometown
Jessy Parks Sugar Grove
Morgan Widener Marion
Pie Short Abingdon
Jon Keyes Sugar Grove
Clark Cooper Rural Retreat
Josh Forest Mt Airy, NC
Jay Cox Rural Retreat
Danny Bland Glade Spring
Zack Sprouse Rural Retreat
Dakota Wilson Rural Retreat
Ricky Ward Marion
Dillon Huffman Sugar Grove
Tim Widener Marion
Ricky Parks Sugar Grove
Zack Dunford Austinville
Noel Easter Mt. Airy, NC