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Posted: 05/17/08
08:01 PM
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The Starstruck Report, May 16, 2008 News
Hello friends and welcome to another edition of the Starstruck report. It was a very cold, windy night at Southside Speedway and yes, we truly had some fireworks this week. So, I will warn you ahead of time, there will be some fireworks in this edition of the Starstruck report too. Keep in mind, I go out of my way to be fair but I saw a few things in this race that deserves some criticism. Let's get to the action.
LMS (race 1): Returning former champion Shane Lockhart (11) won the pole by .001 of a second. This was one of the closest pole races we have had at Southside Speedway in a long time. All the cars were sent again through tech after the qualifying before lining up on the track grid. They inverted the cars by 7 and Roy Hendrick (39) would start this race on the pole. He would lead for several laps. Around lap 2, Worth Redd (43p) and Shannon Marano (6) would go in the pits. Lap 9, a caution was called for debris on the front stretch. Shane Lockhart (11) also lost a front bumper cover during this slowdown in the backstretch just before turn 3. Wayne Patterson (16) comes in the pits during the caution. Restart occurs and Shannon Marano (6) appears off the pace and pulls the car in the pits 2 laps later. Lap 15, Andy Kemp (27) goes in the pits. Lap 17 brings out a caution when Doug Godsey (05) and Russ Ellis (07) makes contact and Ellis (07) gets a little sideways in turn 2. They both go to the back. Lap 26, Bugs Hairfield (04) appears off the pace and goes in the pits, never to return to the track again for the rest of the night. Lap 40, Wayne Patterson (16) goes in the pits. Lap 47, Chris Hopkins (43K) takes the lead and business picked up the next lap. Roy Hendrick (39) appeared to have a flat tire, car was throwing sparks and made hard contact with Hopkins (43K). This gave defending champion Chris Dodson (0) the lead. He would hold on to win the green white checkered. Here is the official finishing order. 1. Chris Dodson (0) 2. Brandon Hendrick (55) 3. Shayne Lockhart (11) 4. Greg Fernandez (02) 5. Doug Godsey (05) 6. Rob Jenkins (89) 7. Alan Purser (17) 8. Russ Ellis (07) 10. Chris Hopkins (43k) 11. Brad Davis (18) 12. Wayne McGee (1va) 13. David Mooney (13) 14. Roy Hendrick (39) 15. Wayne Patterson(16) 16. Bugs Hairfield (04) 17. Shannon Marano (6) 18. Andy Kemp (27) 19. Worth Redd (43p)
UCAR: George Dickson (19) started this race on the pole. This one started out wild while it appeared Steve Thomas (7) took the lead, however, there would be no official lap this time when Corey Lawrence (6) and Chris Farmer (52) made contact around turn 4. Renna Marchetti IV (01) and Mark Richards (17) also appeared to have some damage from this incident. On the restart, George Dickson (19) keeps the pole from the restart. Lap 2, Damon Fender (13) goes in the pits. Lap 5 had a caution, where Mike Shiflett (12) ended up in the inside part of the front stretch. Mike Chapman (18) and Steve Thomas (7) also appeared to get some damage out of this. Shiftlett (12) goes in the pits during caution with a flat tire. Lap 8, some contact between Steve Thomas (7), Billy Enroughty (90) and Joshua Thomas (72) around turn 4 but no caution. Thomas (7) and Enroughty (90) ended up going right through the pits after straightening. Good save guys. Lap 10, Jody Young (5) and Michael Hall (9, which is painted as 911) make contact in turn 2. Mike Chapman (18) gets caught up in it. Chris Farmer (52) spun on restart and there was fluid on the track. This lead to a long caution period and clean up. Jody Young (5) and Mike Chapman (18) both retired from the race during this caution. Lap 13, Chris Farmer (52) appeared off pace. Lap 18, Lauren Edgerton (24) passes George Dixon (18) for the lead. He lost oil pressure and this put him way back. Edgerton (24) would hold on to win her first race of the season. Here are the official results. 1. Lauren Edgerton (24) 2. Renno Marchetti (01) 3. Daniel Thomas (99) 4. Lindsay Bryant (81) 5. Charlie Simmons (2) 6. Frank Silva (91) 7. Mike Shiflet (12) 8. Joshua Thomas (72) 9. Billy Enroughty (90) 10. Steve Thomas (7) 11. Chris Farmer (52) 12. George Dickson (19) 13. George Beil (4) 14. Jody Young (5) 15. Lee Bradbury (1) 16. Mike Chapman (18) 17. Corey Lawrence (6) 18. Mark Richards (17) 19. Damon Fender (13) 20. Tabitha Lipford (43) 21. Michael Hall (9) DQ (improper air cleaner)
Grand Stock: These drivers had another great car count. Before the race, it was announced Wayne Cole (65) would be running his last race and leaving for the military. All of us at the Starstruck report wish him blessings and safety as he moves on to serve this great country. Bradley Vaught (8) started this race on the pole. On the first start, it appeared Keith Mackta (00) took the lead but that start was called back by the officials. Lap 2, Chris Hott (01), the defending champion, takes the lead. Lap 4, Mark Simpson (36) pulls in the pits. Lap 9, Pops Lipford (43) is out. This race would go green till lap 14 when Chris Hott (01) and Cory Willoughby (7) wreck in turn 2. Donnie Newman (69) would take the lead. Mark Simpson (36) would go in the pits. Lap 16, Fred Key (18) hit hard in the backstretch and this required a fluid clean up. In a surreal moment, the numbers appeared to start dancing on the scoreboard. Donnie Newman (69) held on to win and Keith Mackta (00) spun on last lap. Here is their official finishing order. 1. Donnie Newman (69) 2. Jamie Neely (77) 3. Todd Ruggles (40) 4. Daniel Shelton (27) 5. Bradley Vaught (8) 6. Brian Myslivy (03) 7. Joey Bryant (2) 8. Randy Adams (53) 9. Chris Hott (01) 10. Wayne Cole (65) 11. Mike Cole (63) 12. Cory Willoughby (7) 13. Jason Beck (41) 14. Keith Mackta (00) 15. Bill Nixon (49) 16. Mark Simpson (36) 17. Fred Key (18) 18. Robert Lipford (43)
LMS 2: Scott Purser (17) started this race on the pole. Lap 1, Rob Jenkins (89) takes the lead. Lap 10, Doug Godsey (05) takes lead and would lead for several laps. We would be clean and green till lap 22 when Scott Purser (17) spins in turn 4. Lap 41, Greg Fernandez (02) goes off pace and brings out a caution. The first restart was very controversial. Most drivers say Godsey brake checked and Rob Jenkins (89) spun in turn 2 collecting a chain of David Mooney (13), Shannon Marano (6), Scott Purser (17) and Wayne Magee (1) in this melee. They had no where to go. Chris Dodson (0) stalled in this caution. Lap 47, Doug Godsey and Chris Hopkins (43K) race for the lead. Godsey (05) spins on a side by side racing incident and was sent to the back. He pulled up beside Hopkins (43K) to express his displeasure before going to the pits. On the final lap, David Mooney (13) and Andy Kemp (27) spin in the backstretch. Race was over since the black flag was already shown. Here is the official order. 1. Chris Hopkins (43k)2. Shayne Lockhart (11) 3. Russ Ellis (07) 4. Wayne Patterson (16) 5. Roy Hendrick (39) 6. J. B. Poates (88) 7. Brad Davis (18) 8. Wayne McGee (1va) 9. Andy Kemp (27) 10. Alan Purser (17) 11. David Mooney (13) 12. Doug Godsey (05) 13. Brandon Hendrick (55) 14. Greg Fernandez (02) 15. Chris Dodson (0) 16. Rob Jenkins (89) 17. Worth Redd (43p) 18. Shannon Marano (6)
Street Stock: I will cover this one as best I can. Things happened so fast that my note taking was hard. Robbie Groome (79) started this race on the pole. Caution comes out with a big collection in turn 1 and the restart was lap 6. Keep in mind, caution laps count in street stock. Caution came around lap 9 and we restarted at lap 18, where James Groome (31) was blackflagged for jumping the restart. Lap 20, alot of cars were hit and Ricky Statler (92) was leading. This lead to a red flag at lap 25 due to extensive clean up needed. The race resumes around lap 28 and Statler (92) was blackflagged for jumping restart. Kevin Lee (35) gets lead. Lap 35 had a hard hit between Kevin Lee (35) and Ricky Statler (92) where tires had to be reset. Lap 41 had the restart and the cautionw as out again in lap 42. Mike Ganoe was posted as leader and he went on to win. Here is the official order. 1. Mike Ganoe (82) 2. Kevin Lee (35) 4. Timothy Tiblis (72) 5. Kevin Brown (53) 6. Alex Ayers (96) 7. Dan Crate (1) 8. Michael Sutphine (25) 9. John Foster (73) 10. Melvin Brown (63) 11. Wayne Groome (08) 12. Larry Lamb (71) 13. Nicholas Hemesath (81) 14. Travis Nicely (9) 15. Robbie Groome (79) 16. Jeff Arnett (3) 17. James Groome (31) 18. O. K. Wilson (32) 19. Ricky Statler (92) 20. Patrick Schenuk (74) 21. Josh Roberts (46) 22. Tim Smith (09) 23. James Smith (28) 24. Dale Gravitt (80) 25. Chris Bryant (6) 26. Bobby Corbitt (58) 27. Herbert LaRue (26) 28. Mike Harris (30) 29. Sean Cooks (66) 30. B. K. Wilson (2) 31. Justin Dunkum (13) 32. Dustin Carino (42) 33. Brad Diggs (95) 34. Zack Martin (11) 35. Ethan Ayers ( )
We have now reached the commentary section of my column. Yes, there will be some fireworks that will be unusal for the Starstruck report but I saw some issues this week that will be very hard to ignore. Don't worry, I have no plans to make this column start going negative each week. I plan on being as balanced as possible and continue to work on the accuracy you expect when you read my words each week.
Tough luck award LMS 1: Hands down, the driver would be "Rapid" Roy Hendrick (39). He lead almost the entire race and to lose on a flat tire and a hard wreck which also involved Chris Hopkins (43K). However, I will predict us to see Hendrick return to victory late this year.
Tough Luck Ucar: George Dickson (19) wins this week. He had a dominate car and the oil pressure caused him to lose several possitions after being passed by Lauren Edgerton (24). Sadly, I believe this
Tough luck Grand Stock: Fred Key (18) gets the nod on a hard week. To wreck like that after all the effots were made to get a new engine in the car and alteast start in the back during the feature. Key was charging towards the front. I think even a casual observer of this series would see that a DNF is very rare for him.
Tough luck LMS 2: This one was harder but I would have to go with Chris Dodson (0). His car stalled under a caution and I believe he told Bucky it was a rotor button problem. The defending champ rarely has a DNF himself and this makes it more of a climb for that third consecutive championship that he is driving for.
Tough luck Street Stock: This one is hard for a race that most of the time was spent under caution and two red flags. However, Ricky Statler (92) had a very fast car and pretty much lost all chances of winning when he was blackflagged for jumping the restart.
Performance of the week: Lauren Edgerton (24 Ucar) appeared to have the fastest car in her division and was very solid as she went up the field. I would have to give honorary nods to Lindsay Bryant (81 Ucar) who started near the back and charged to finish 4th. It truly may be the year of the woman in Ucar.
Good sport award: George Dickson (19 Ucar) was very nice in congradulating Lauren Edgerton (24 Ucar) after winning the race and thanked her for racing him clean. Despite his misfortunes, he was very positive after the race.
Quote of the night: After the race, Rob Jenkins (89) felt he may have had so much damage done to his car that he is done for the year. About the brake checking restart and I am quoting him "That's street stock racing. That doesn't belong in Late Model."
Bad sport award: I hope to not give out alot of these this year but I really saw something that made me sick this weekend. Doug Godsey (LMS 05) can be forgiven for feeling a little upset that he was wrecked and yeah, mistake for brake checking. However, pulling up beside Chris Hopkins (LMS 43K) and prolonging a caution is one bad when there is no debris on the track. If that is the case, line them up and let's go racing. You can have time to talk about it after the race. I also believe in not mistreating the race winner. So, to have you and your crew walk up to victory lane to throw fists is inexcusable. This is a family show and that shouldn't be tolerated by the track. I am not trying to be an activist but I think a suspension would be in order here. That would send a clear message that if you want to swing fists, then you may lose your privilege to race there. However, that is up to the track to make that move and this is my opinion on the matter. Honorable mention would go to this guy in the pits, whose name I didn't catch, that shoved a police officer. Sorry, but that is also not excusable.
Random Thought: Is it me or are we really seeing more flat tires since the track's switch to Hoosier: Write me on this. I would be very interested in seeing your ideas. It just appears to me that we are seeing more flat tires each week.
Next week, the track is off for Memorial Day. Remember those that serve our country and those who gave their lives so we can have the rights and freedoms that this country offers. I look forward to May 30th which will feature a modified twin 50. Ucars, Grand Stock and Street Stock. That's all for now, I will see you at the races.
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Posted: 05/18/08
09:36 AM
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