RACE REPORTS FOR ROUND TWO: APRIL 6, 2019

There are wonderful days, and then there are days when the weather is so perfect as to seem to be preordained. That’s what it was like this past weekend at VMR: sunny, a few clouds dotting an otherwise clear blue sky, with temperatures in the mid seventies and just a little breeze to keep things pleasant. We even had a special guest on hand, champion wrestler Gary “The Boogie Woogie Man” Valiant, and the pits were once again loaded with some fine-looking racing machines. Even a major traffic backup on I-65 didn’t dampen the spirits or the car count…though a few machines were seen arriving late! The action kicked off with…

BABY GRANDS
“Damn I’m Good” read the t-shirt Justin Shanes was seen wearing to the drivers meeting. Outrageous? Not really, not if you can back it up…and in the Baby Grand qualifying race Shanes did just that, starting dead last but quickly working his way to the front to claim the win, holding off Joe McCloud and early leader Tim Vinsant.

Baby Grand Qualifying Race Results
1. Justin Shanes (25) 10 laps
2. Joe McCloud (15) 10 laps
3. Tim Vinsant (14) 10 laps
4. Mark Cole (50) 10 laps
5. Jessie Binkley (25) 10 laps

That feature though…well, yes, once again, it was Justin Shanes bringing home the hardware. But Tim Vinsant had to be happy after giving Shanes all he wanted in second, with Joe McCloud closely trailing in third. An improving Jessie Binkley fourth. Mark Cole retired early but still got credited with fifth. The Baby Grands get closer and closer every week…

Baby Grands Feature Race Finish
1. Justin Shanes (24) 25 laps
2. Tim Vinsant (14) 25 laps
3. Joe McCloud (15) 25 laps
4. Jessie Binkley (25) 25 laps
5. Mark Cole (50) 18 laps

PEST DOCTOR RIDGE RUNNERS
In the first-ever qualifying race for the all-new Pest Doctor Ridge Runners, Daniel Harper took the checkered flag with Steve Akey second and Jamie Shaw third.

Pest Doctor Ridge Runner Qualifying Race Finish
1. Daniel Harper (95) 10 laps
2. Steve Akey (99) 10 laps
3. Jamie Shaw (03) 10 laps
4. Derrick Bissinger (469) 10 laps
5. Josh Garvin (25) 10 laps
Other finishers: 6. Kevin Figueroa (14) 7. Josh Harrell (411)

The Pest Doctor Ridge Runners feature race debut was thoroughly ruled by Daniel Harper and his flying 95. Steve Akey tried to keep him honest, but every time there was a caution on the return of the green the Beard promptly put room between himself and the rest of the field. Kevin Figueroa survived a wild slideways moment in turn two early on to claim third, with Derrick Bissinger putting a toe in the Ridge Runners water and coming away with fourth. Justin Dickens had a patient run in fifth. Huge thanks to Roger Kidd for the welcome support of this growing division.

Pest Doctor Ridge Runner Feature Race Finish
1. Daniel Harper (95) 50 laps
2. Steve Akey (99) 50 laps
3. Kevin Figueroa (14) 50 laps
4. Derrick Bissinger (469) 49 laps
5. Justin Dickens (73) 48 laps
Other finishers: 6. Josh Garvin (25) 7. Mark Cummings (A1) 8. Jamie Shaw (03) 

ROAD WARRIORS
For the second straight weekend there were loads and loads of Road Warriors…but the winner was the same as the previous event two weeks ago as Godzilla stomped ‘em again, Derrick Bissinger taking the win in the qualifying race over a resurgent Marc Deist and Chris Zentz.

Road Warriors Qualifying Race Finish
1. Derrick Bissinger (469) 10 laps
2. Marc Deist (423) 10 laps
3. Chris Zentz (77) 10 laps
4. David Lassiter (6) 10 laps
5. Megan Allen (14) 10 laps
Other finishers: 6. Mark Cummings (A1) 7. Tony Chambers (43) 8. Kasey Williams (K3) 9. Ricky Calkins (413) 10. Jerry Langston (3) 11. Ray Gonzales (83) 12. David Ray Bates (88) 13. Austin Jacobs (95) 14. Lynne Newcomb (55) 15. Landin Dickens (73) 16. Gerald Jackson (19)

Lots and lots of action came off in the Road Warriors feature, and so did a lot of STUFF. First it was the bumper cover off Kasey Williams’ K3, then the entire driver’s side door from Derrick Bissinger’s 469 (causing his retirement) and finally the right rear wheel off Marc Deist’s 423. When the debris was finally all collected, the race had to be shortened from its scheduled 20 laps due to time constraints, and ultimately a joyous Chris Zentz–who grew up playing with toys cars at this track!–ended up winning a three lap dash to the finish over Williams, with David Lassiter a close third. Megan Allen and Michael Meadows rounded out the top five in an abbreviated but still hugely entertaining race.

Road Warriors Feature Race Finish
1. Chris Zentz (77) 10 laps
2. Kasey Williams (3) 10 laps
3. David Lassiter (6) 10 laps
4. Megan Allen (14) 10 laps
5. Michael Meadows (12) 10 laps
Other finishers: 6. Landin Dickens (73) 7. Jerry Langston (3) 8. Ricky Calkins (413) 9. David Ray Bates (88) 10. Austin Jacobs (95) 11. Ray Gonzales (83) 12. Lynne Newcomb (55) 13. Marc Deist (423) 14. Mark Cummings (A1) 15. Derrick Bissinger (469) 16. Tony Chambers (43) 17. Gerald Jackson (19)

SUPER STOCKS
In the first Super Stock event of 2019 we saw seven cars go at it for 50 entertaining laps, and at the end it was Carl Porter Jr holding on for the win. But it wasn’t without some significant drama, and while it’s not unusual that no one wants to be second, tonight it was especially true. Ricky Bobby says, “If you ain’t first, you’re last…” and if you were anywhere else, oh my. First it was Matt Fuqua, who suffered some kind of engine malady and eventually retired. Next it was Jonathan Dishman, who had similar issues and left the track a mess. Then Brian Frazier, the night’s fast qualifier, had a right front tire go down while he was trying to close up on Porter. He managed to get the tire changed and recovered for third, but by then Mike Mitchell had gotten the Sterling #48 into the runner up spot, which he kept. Jason Moody ended up fourth, and Cory Jones, who had issues of his own and failed to finish, still was classified in fifth.

Super Stocks Feature Race Finish
1. Carl Porter Jr (465) 50 laps
2. Mike Mitchell (48) 50 laps
3. Bryan Frazier (12) 50 laps
4. Jason Moody (5) 50 laps
5. Cory Jones (00)
Other finishers: 6. Jonathan Dishman (67) 7. Matt Fuqua (93)

PULL-A-PART PRO LATE MODELS
In the first feature race of 2019 for the Pull-A-Part Late Models, Clarksville’s own Mark Day picked up where he left off in 2018 and snagged the win over defending champion Hunter Wright. Garrett Dies came back from a late race incident on the front stretch to take third, while Dylan Jones ran second most of the race but lost out during restarts and ended a disappointed fourth. Jake Scogin continued to improve with a fifth. Day also posted the fast time of the night. The biggest shame of the night though was Thomas Meadows, who was running well till he got caught out spin on the front stretch and sustained enough damage to his Team Tabitha 49 to be forced to retire.

Pull-A-Part Pro Late Models Feature Race Finish
1. Mark Day (8) 50 laps
2. Hunter Wright (29) 50 laps
3. Garrett Dies (27) 50 laps
4. Dylan Jones (05) 50 laps
5. Jake Scogin (15) 50 laps
Other finishers: 6. Simon Yates (33) 7. Thomas Meadows (49) 8. Walt Garrison (5.3) 9. Jonathan Wilhite (71)

PURE STOCKS
Everybody, it seems, has a Pure Stock this Spring, and once again we had a great crop appear at Veterans Motorplex, 17 cars taking the green in the qualifying race. When the dust cleared it was Carl Porter Sr the winner, with James Shaw second and Ronnie Upchurch third.

Pure Stock Qualifying Race Finish
1. Carl Porter Sr (65) 10 laps
2. James Shaw (13) 10 laps
3. Ronnie Upchurch (08) 10 laps
4. Cameron Choate (82) 10 laps
5. Donold Webb Jr (27) 10 laps
Other finishers: 6. Cody Jackson (11) 7. Terry Jackson (21) 8. Willie Coats (71) 9. Everett Turner III (88) 10. Landin Dickens (331) 11. Josh Hood (08X) 12. Michael Williams (91) 13. Bryson Russell (5) 14. Jackson McLerran (7) 15. Bubba Turner (69) 16. Shane Wales (77) 17. Frankie Turner (14)

The Porter family well and truly swept the board tonight, with Carl Porter Sr seeing his second checkered flag of the night and grabbing the third for the family in taking the feature in the Pure Stocks. He wasn’t seriously challenged, slicing through traffic like a hot knife through butter and putting a full straightaway and several lapped cars between himself and second place Donold Webb Jr. The two 08s fought it out for third, with first night feature winner Josh Hood just edging out Ronnie Upchurch for the spot with Cameron Choate getting another solid finish in fifth.

Pure Stock Feature Race Finish
1. Carl Porter Sr (68) 30 laps
2. Donold Webb Jr (27) 30 laps
3. Josh Hood (08X) 30 laps
4. Ronnie Upchurch (08) 30 laps
5. Cameron Choate (82) 30 laps
Other finishers: 6. Everett Turner III (88) 7. Landin Dickens (331) 8. Willie Coats (71) 9. Terry Jackson (21) 10. Michael Williams (91) 11. Cody Jackson (11) 12. Jackson McLerran (7) 13. Bryson Russell (5) 14. James Shaw (13) 15. Shane Wales (77) 16. Bubba Turner (69)

NEXT RACE…ROUND THREE, APRIL 20
SEE: 50 exciting laps for the Pull-A-Part Late Models and the return of the Tuners…the Pest Doctor Ridge Runners are back…the wild Pure Stocks and those zany Road Warriors will be there, along with the wheel to wheel action of the Legends…all of this, AND…a MYSTERY!

WHAT IS IT? 

Well…it’s big…
…it’s a MACHINE…
…and it’s got MONEY…
WHAT IS IT?
Watch this space!