Finally, Rainless Friday ! ! ! Under Bright Sunny Skies it was another Hot Racing Night at Delaware Speedway. If you were not in attendance, what a show you missed, but you can join us Saturday June 29th for the APC Series.
The weather has not been kind to the Race Track this year, but when the sky is clear, Sun is shining, and the classes are on the track this is a recipe for an outstanding racing event!
After Time Trials and Opening Ceremonies, we got right down to good old fashion racing with sound of roaring engines, the wonderful smell of popcorn, burgers, hotdogs, fries etc. from our concession vendors and yes the laughter and conversation in the stands and beer garden as everyone settled in for an awesome evening of entertainment!
Weather was amazing at Delaware Speedway this night, great crowd and awesome field of vehicles with the cars and trucks on the track for their heat races.
First Bone Stock Heat was taken by the Craig Cole in his fast #55, with a car length win over the #26 of Nathan Rhea after a spirited battle. Race was red flagged on lap #3 with a wreck on the back straight between Chris French #75 and veteran Stan Cook #74. Both were through for the night
Bone Stock Heat #2 was all Chris Radder in his #31 Cobalt. Chris led all 15 laps in taking the win.
Jacob Campbell in the #44 took the Truck Heat leading all 10 laps and took the win by a huge margin
V8 Stocks were up next for their Heat Race and Paul Fothergill in his black #33 Monte Carlo led all 10 laps, winning by 10 car lengths over Barry Watson #45, in his Camaro.
Super Stock Heat #1 was all Brittany Beatty in her Dodge Challenger #14. Brittany led all 10 laps to win her first race in Super Stock. Congrats go out to Brittany on this first win!
Super Stock Heat #2 quickly rolled out and Trevor Collver in his #1 Camaro took the lead on lap #1, coming out of corner #2 on the first lap. He led all 10 laps in a very convincing win.
Bone Stock Feature Race was up next with a strong 26 car field. A wild Feature, as usual from this group. “Cowboy” Kris Lawrence in his #50 took the lead from the start, with a quick Chris Medlinger #75 in tow. Top 4 cars battled in a tight pack while Lawrence pulled away to a 10-car length lead by lap 10.
On lap 12 Craig Cole #55 moved into 3rd. Action was all over the track with battles in all positions. Kris Lawrence steadily pulled away in heavy traffic as he skillfully used his years of experience at the speedway. First caution came out on lap 21. 21 caution free laps up to this point!!
Caution was for a spin in turn 4 by the #42 car of Eric Martin who was being lapped. Unfortunately, the #2 car of Don Tomlinson, running in the top 5 was deemed the culprit and was sent to the back of the field.
Just tight racing with the top 5 and heavy lapped traffic. The top 5 took another shake up as Chris Radder in his quick 31 pulled to the pits with apparent engine issues. He did manage to come back out after repairs, but also had to go to the back of the field. This is now two former top 5 cars at the back of the field on the restart. Green comes out on lap 22 but quickly goes yellow and then red as Jordan Willms #92 looses a rear wheel going down the front straight. He manages to get to the pits but was done for the night. Jordan Morris in his fast #73 Cobalt moves into 2nd on lap 24. Caution for debris on the front straight on lap 25. On the restart, in tight traffic, 2ndplace runner Morris goes into first turn and goes high and loses several positions. With 5 laps to go Kris Lawrence #50 in full control of this race, cruises to his fourth Feature win of the year in Bone Stocks. Chris Medlinger #75, Craig Cole in #55, Matt Langford #03 in another strong run and the #2 of Don Tomlinson rounding out the top 5, after getting sent to the back earlier in the race. On the cool down lap, some minor discussions on the back straight, no doubt exchanging congratulations. Another great run for Kris Lawrence.
The combined V8 / Truck Feature was rolled out for their 30 lapped Feature Race. Again, this combined group of 15 had another extremely entertaining race, which seemed to be like a battle between the “Hatfields and the McCoys! Racing for every position all over the track.
Rookie to the group, fast improving Bill Brekelmans in his #07 V8 Stock jumps to the front on the first lap, with Lucas Manning #66 Truck on his bumper. Strong battles all over in every position. Coming down for the start of lap 2, rookie Ryan Dyson in his very quick #28 Truck and Manning tangled with Lucas taking a wild ride just missing the end of the pit road wall and getting hung up on the inner pit wall. Lucas was not pleased as his truck was towed to the pits with heavy damage.
Barry Watson #45 V8 Stock took over the front spot. On lap 4, the top 4 were all V8 Stocks, but Trucks running in close contention. On lap 8, the #00 V8 Stock Camaro of Cody Payne, another fast-improving car and the veteran Paul Fothergill #33, in his menacing black #33 Monte Carlo, were beating and banging on each other for 2nd and 3rd. Neither driver seemed to be very happy with the other and more than once showed their displeasure, as they exchanged positions several times in the early Feature run. Just tight racing, running on the very edge.
Caution comes out on lap 14 for a slowing, Ray Janisse Jr in his beautifully prepared #29, V8 Stock. On the restart Fothergill finally gets by Payne for the 2nd position and closes in on the leader, Watson. By lap #21, Watson and Fothergill had pulled away from 3rd place Payne and battled on their own. By lap 25 Watson was slowly pulling away from the #33 of Fothergill and that’s the way they finished. Barry Watson taking the Feature win in his #45 V8 Stock. Lonny Thompson in his #4 Truck had a strong run for 6th, and first in the Truck Portion to get his first Feature win. Congratulations to Lonny for the strong win. Austin Gauld in his #18 Dodge Truck finished right on Thompsons back bumper for 2nd in the Truck portion. Strong run for the Rookie driver.
TransAxle Super Stock Feature was up next for 30 laps. 13 cars took the green with caution coming out in the first turn when the #8 Dodge of Manny Ferreira and the #39 Camaro of David McCullough tangled. No damage, but both cars had to restart at the back of the field. Heat Winner Trevor Collver jumps to early lead on the restart and starts to open a big lead on a clear track. Rick Verberne in his #21 Dodge, in another strong run, moves into 2nd on lap 7. By lap 9, it was Collver by 10 car lengths over Verberne.
Caution, lap 11 for a minor get together in turn 1, with Brittany Beatty #14, Manuel Ferreira #8 and Derek Moesker #51 involved. Little damage to any of the vehicles. By lap 15, the top 5 were Collver, Verberne, Andrew Ferreira, McCulloch and Jamie Klumper, all pulling away from the rest of the field in a tight group. Collver shows his strength by steadily pulling away from the others in the top 5. With Colver pulling away, the battle was on for 2nd, 3rd and 4th. On lap 24, Ferreira #9 takes 2nd from Verberne #21. Lap 25 has McCullough #39 taking over the 2nd spot. This battle allows Klumper in his #07 to close in while running 5th. Collver #1 cruises to another Super Stock Feature win, in convincing style, with McCullough, Verberne, Ferriera and Klumper rounding out the top 5.
The King of the Hill ended a wild night of racing, with Super Stock driver Derek Moesker beating all challengers in his huge Ford Pickup Truck.
Photos provided by Dave Franks
Categories: Delaware Speedway, Press Release, Race Reports
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