Lucama, NC — “It’s the biggest win of my career.”
Those are the words of 15 year old Brayton Haws, winner of the 2014 Autumn Classic at Southern National Motorsports Park. The Youngsville, NC driver came into the 200 lap main event of the Autumn Classic as a bit of an underdog, with veterans like Lee Pulliam, Nick Smith, Matt Bowling and Jamey Caudill starting around him, and early on, it seemed as though Haws wouldn’t even be a factor.
Nick Smith and Lee Pulliam started on the front row of Sunday’s race, with Pulliam taking the early advantage. A flurry of cautions mid-race gave Bowling, Smith, 2014 track champion Tommy Lemons Jr. and others shots at the two-time national champion, but Pulliam appeared to have the car to beat.
On Lap 100, as the halfway caution flag was flying, trouble struck for Pulliam. His familiar number 5 came to a stop on the track and needed a push in by track crews. Upon further inspection, the transmission had let go, costing Pulliam a shot on his second “big race” win of the year.
Pulliam’s troubles gave Bowling the lead, and Bowling held on for the next 61 laps. Haws decided then was the time to make his charge, and a quick pass on Bowling gave Haws the head. The next 39 laps of the 100 lap green flag run saw Haws and Todd Gilliland weave through slower traffic. In the end, Haws proved too much, taking his first ever win at SNMP in the biggest way possible: Winning the $10,000 prize.
“This is by far the biggest check I’ve ever won,” said Haws of his win. “My spotter was on the radio telling me to keep saving my tires as much as I could, and even at the end, I still had some left in the car.”
Gilliland’s second place finish was bittersweet for the Sherrils Ford, NC driver. “I think we had a car to catch him, but we got caught behind a lapped car and really needed a caution there.”
Four Oaks, NC driver Jamey Caudill finished third in what was a slightly frustrating day for him. “We kept laying back, waiting for a caution flag to come out. It’s a double-edged sword, you save waiting for a caution, and sometimes it never comes.”
Two drivers out of New England rounded out the top five, as Boston, MA’s Kaz Grala finshed fourth, and David Garbo Jr. of Stonington, CT finished fifth.
Prior to the 200 lap Late Model Stock race, the Bandolero division took to the high banks of Southern National Motorsports Park. As it had been for the better part of the 2014 season, Blaise Brinkley dominated the race, leading all 20 laps to take yet another win. Kailey Murray finished second with another solid run, while Cole Bruce finished a season-best third.
On Saturday, the SNMP Chargers and the Pro Six divisions both took to the track for their features of the 2014 Autumn Classic.
Frankie Dominick Jr. sat on the pole for the Charger race, and led the first 38 laps of their 40 lap event. As the race went on, smoke began to billow from his Chevrolet, and as the caution flag flew, Dominick’s car came to a stop on the back stretch.
The restart led to a frantic two lap shootout between Jonathan Kornegay, Jeremy Bohne and Tom Sauls. Sauls made a banzai move to the inside of Bohne on the restart lap, and as the two made contact, Kornegay pulled away to take his first win of the season. Bohne finished second, while Alton Coombs took third.
In the Pro Six division, Cody Carlton fended off an early charge from Casey Sipe, as well as a late one from Maddy-Ryan Mulligan to win the first Pro Six race of 2014 at SNMP. Dashe McLaughlan finished third.
The Pro All Star Series return to Southern National Motorsports Park on Saturday, November 15 with the prestigious Mason-Dixon Meltdown. The green flag flies at 3:00 PM, and will feature 200 laps from the PASS Super Late Models, as well as racing from the PASS Pro Late Models, USAC Midgets and Pee Dee/Coastal Super Trucks. For more information, go to www.proallstarseries.com.
Late Model Stock (200 laps)
1. 41 – Brayton Haws
2. 98 – Todd Gilliland
3. 1 – Jamey Caudill
4. 31 – Kaz Grala
5. 8 – David Garbo Jr.
6. 83 – Matt Bowling
7. 58 – Tyler Ankrum
8. 27 – Tommy Lemons Jr.
9. 38 – Ricky Jones
10. 2 – Myatt Snider
11. 14 – Mike Darne
12. 28 – Jonathan Findley
13. 46 – Brandon Gdovic
14. 7 – Michael Hardin
15. 10 – Nick Smith
16. 64 – Rick Gdovic
17. 90 – Terry Carroll
18. 91 – Justin Carroll
19. 02 – Austin Thaxton
20. 68 – Brandon Brown
21. 18 – Quinn Houff
22. 19 – William Byron
23. 23 – Payton Ryan
24. 5 – Lee Pulliam
25. 34 – Matt Waltz
26. 67 – Greg Edwards
27. 9 – Thomas Burbage
28. 54 – Michael Fose
29. 77 – Alex Yontz
30. 4 – Nick Leitz
Charger (40 laps)
1. 61 – Jonathan Kornegay
2. 72 – Jeremy Bohne
3. 06 – Alton Coombs
4. 82 – Mike Ganoe
5. 3 – Frankie Dominick Jr.
6. 77 – Nicholas Fulgham
DQ 45 – Tom Sauls
Pro Six (40 laps)
1. 27 – Cody Carlton
2. 07 – Maddy-Ryan Mulligan
3. 21 – Dache Mclaughlin
4. 23 – Casey Sipe
5. 14. – JD Sipe
Bandolero (20 laps)
1. 24 – Blase Brinkley
2. 81 – Kailey Murray
3. 31 – Cole Bruce
4. 51 – Ethan Johnson
5. 77 – Savannah Beasley
6. 93 – Brasen Deem
