Lucama, NC — “If the wins come, the points will come, too.” Those are the words of current point leader Tommy Lemons Jr. Lemons has battled all season with Lee Pulliam, Myatt Snider and the rest of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model Stock division at Southern National Motorsports Park, and this weekend those words rang as true as ever
Setting the fast time in Sparks Oil Company pole qualifying, Lemons took the lead on Lap 1 of the first of two 50 lap LMSC races, but faced stiff competition behind him. Lemons saw various drivers challenge him for the lead on multiple restarts, and held off those challenges at every turn. Ricky Jones held second for the first half of the event, but would eventually succumb to Ryan Wilson. While Lemons took the checkered flag, Wilson scored a season-best second place finish, while Ricky Jones took third. Championship contender Myatt Snider (in a backup car) finished fourth and Mike Darne fifth.
A seven-car invert for race two put Jonathan Findley on the front row for the first time, with Scott Wise to his outside, Snider fourth and Lemons seventh. A first-lap caution moved both drivers up a spot, and when the green flag flew again, it was Mike Darne out to an early advantage. The caution flag flew one more time, with Lemons using the “cone restart” to move up to the outside of Row 1, and when the green flew for the final time, Lemons jumped out to the lead, leaving Darne in his tracks. Lemons held off the Morrisville, NC veteran to sweep the night’s event. Darne would settle for second, while Ryan Wilson took his second podium in the evening in third. Jones and Snider finished fourth and fifth respectively.
With Tommy Lemons Jr. beating out Myatt Snider in both races, coupled with Lee Pulliam’s absence from the track, Lemons will enter the next race with a 64 point advantage over Snider. Mike Darne and Ryan Wilson move up a spot each, with Darne to third and Wilson fourth, while Pulliam drops to fifth.
In Limited Late Models, Andrew Grady made his triumphant return in Race 1 of their twin-bill. Grady, who suffered a back injury in his last race at SNMP, came back strong. Ross “Boo-Boo” Dalton sat on the pole, and led the first 25 laps of the 35 lap race. A competition caution re-racked the field, and at the resumption of racing, Grady took the lead on the outside. Dalton gave chase, but it was Grady finding victory lane. Michael Fose was credited with second place, while Chris Chapman took third.
An invert from Race 1 put Chris Chapman on the pole, and Chapman liked what he saw out front. Chapman fended off an early charge on a third-lap restart, and held back the rest of the LLM field to win his first race of 2014. Grady was credited with second, and Fose third.
Michael O’Brien led the field of Chargers to the green flag in their 30 lap feature, and clearly had the car to beat. O’Brien held off Charger division rookie Jeremy Bohne for his second win in as many races. Bohne took second, while Wayne Goss held off a late charge by Gerald Benton to maintain his points lead, now 12 over Benton.
Another great turnout for the Ultimate Body Shop UCARs led to fantastic racing in both of their twin-20 lap races. In Race 1, Travis Green started on his first pole of the season and led every lap. The battle behind him was fierce, though, with James Stroud working hard to keep ahead of then-point leader Tyler Horne. Horne, who started at the rear of the field, worked his way up to sixth, but ran out of time, dropping the points lead to Stroud in the process. Stroud finished second, while Lee Horner finished a season-best third. In Race 2, Mickey Connor would start from the pole, but quickly lose the spot to Horne. Horne held on to win, while Stroud came through the field to finish second. Connor took third.
Greg Barnette led all 25 laps of the Street Stock feature, besting Jonathan Kornegay in the process. In Legends, Will Bristle took the win over Kenneth Tripp and Zack Brown. Kade Lambert led from the pole, handing Blaise Brinkley his first loss of 2014, beating Kailey Murray in the process.
Racing returns to Southern National Motorsports Park this Saturday night, August 23 with Back To School Night at the Races. All kids 17 and under will get in free to both the grandstands and trackside parking with a paying adult. Adults are $15 for grandstand seating, while seniors and military are just $12. The night’s action will feature twin races from the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model Stocks, with Limited Late Models, Chargers, Street Stocks, Ultimate Body Shop UCARs and Bandoleros all on-track as well. For more information, contact the track office at (919) 284-1114 or surf to www.snmpark.com.
Results:
6. 41 – Scott Wise
7. 23 – Johnathan Findley
8. 68 – Adam Brenner
9. 42 – Craig Stallard
10. 06 – Terry Dease
11. 29 – Melvin Langley
12. 17 – Zachary Marks
13. 33 – David Polenz
14. 1 – Travis Greene
15. 27 – Tommy Lemons Sr.
16. 68b- Wayne Goss
17. 07 – Ronald Renfrow
Late Model Stock – Race 2 (50 laps)
1. 27 – Tommy Lemons Jr.
2. 14 – Mike Darne]
3. 12 – Ryan Wilson
4. 38 – Ricky Jones
5. 2 – Myatt Snider
6. 33 – David Polenz
7. 23 – Johnathan Findley
8. 42 – Craig Stallard
9. 29 – Melvin Langley
10. 41 – Scott Wise
11. 17 – Zachary Marks
12. 68 – Adam Brenner
13. 27b- Tommy Lemons Sr.
14. 1 – Travis Greene
15. 07 – Ronald Renfrow
16. 68b- Wayne Goss
17. 06 – Terry Dease
Limited Late Models – Race 1 (35 laps)
1. 1 – Andrew Grady
2. 10 – Michael fose
3. 51 – Chris Chapman
4. 50 – Haley Moody
5. 7 – Dillon Spain
6. 63 – Tyler Mathews
7. 52 – Travis Greene
DQ 50 – Ross Dalton
DQ 7 – Louis White
DQ 16 – Rusty Daniels
Limited Late Models – Race 2 (35 laps)
1. 51 – Chris Chapman
2. 1 – Andrew Grady
3. 10 – Michael Fose
4. 16 – Rusty Daniels
5. 50 – Haley Moody
6. 7 – Dillon Spain
7. 52 – Travis Greene
8. 63 – Tyler Mathews
DQ 7 – Louis White
DQ 50 – Ross Dalton
Chargers (30 laps)
1. 61 – Michael O’Brien
2. 72 – Jeremy Bohne
3. 31 – Wayne Goss
4. 55 – Gerald Benton
5. 11 – Ronald Renfrow
6. 45 – Tom Sauls
7. 77 – Nicholas Fulgham
8. 24 – Josh Bryant
9. 74 – Jeff Rogers
10. 29 – Paul Williamson
Street Stocks (25 laps)
1. 8 – Greg Barnette
2. 33 – Jonathan Kornegay
3. 9 – Blake DePriest
DQ 39 – Marc Jones
DQ 75 – Mack Parker
Legends (25 laps)
1. 91 – Will Bristle
2. 911 – Kenneth Tripp
3. 88 – Zack Brown
4. 11 – Chris Stancil
5. 12 – Eric Courtney
6. 20 – Shane Irving
7. B1 – Brenton Irving
DQ 30 – Billy Hall
Ultimate Body Shop UCARs – Race 1 (20 laps)
1. 99 – Travis Miller
2. 4 – James Stroud
3. 60 – Lee Horner
4. 6 – Brian Obiedzenski
5. 14 – David Wiggins
6. 28 – Tyler Horne
7. 99r- Mickey Connor
8. 00 – Aaron Crumpler
9. 08 – Joseph Pittman
10. 1 – Jason Miller
11. 86 – Brandon Allen
12. 1 – Jeff Dunn
13. 48 – Duane Walker
14. 25 – Pete Hollowell
15. 90 – Brandon MacDonald
16. 31 – Roger Peeden
17. 25o- Kenneth Mercer
18. 03 – Greg Wood
Ultimate Body Shop UCARs – Race 2 (20 laps)
1. 28 – Tyler Horne
2. 4 – James Stroud
3. 99r – Mickey Connor
4. 6 – Brian Obiedenski
5. 60 – Lee HOrner
6. 99 – Travis Miller
7. 00 – Aaron Crumpler
8. 14 – David Wiggins
9. 1 – Jeff Dunn
10. 86 – Brandon Allen
11. 48 – Duane Walker
12. 25 – Pete Hollowell
13. 90 – Brandon MacDonald
14. 25o- Kenneth Mercer
15. 31 – Roger Peeden
Bandoleros
1. 110 – Kade Lambert
2. 81 – Kaily Murray
3. 74 – Henry Broadbent Jr.
4. 24 – Blaise Brinkley
5. 81r- Lindsey Rifenburg
6. 51 – Ethan Johnson
7. 93 – Brasen Deem
8. 25 – Justin Yeoman
9. 47 – Xander Broadbent
