Potomac Speedway 2000-04-28

Six New Faces Visit Victory Lane at Potomac Speedway

By: Vicki Adkins

Budds Creek, Md., -- Six new winners visited victory lane this past Friday night at Potomac Speedway for A.R.C.H. (Auto Racing Club of Hagerstown) night as each division saw a winner that had not taken the checkered flag yet this year.For the fifth time this year, a new face has entered victory lane in the Budweiser Late Models. David Hoffman of Mechanicsville, Md., became the latest new face when he picked up his second career victory. Jeff Reeley of Harmans, Md., picked up his first career win in the Bell Motor Company Semi-Lates. Tommy Hitt of Mechanicsville, Md., took the checkered flag in the Coors Light Pure-Street Stocks. Greg Gunter of Berryville, Va., made his way to victory lane in the Mac Tools Four-Cylinders. Joe Adams of Clements, Md., got his first career win in the Gardiner Outdoor Products Enduros. Brian Maxey picked up his first win in the Chesapeake Web Design Bombers. Gardiner Outdoor Product Enduro driver, Wayne Suite, donated the bike for the children's bike giveaway. Seven-year-old Tommy Wagner, III, of Hughesville, Md., son of Budweiser Late Model driver Tommy Wagner, Jr., was the lucky bike winner. Potomac Speedway would like to especially thank Ann and Anthony at the Waldorf K- Mart, #7200 for their help in getting together bikes for the giveaway. In the 25-lap Budweiser Late Model feature, defending points champion, Jeff Pilkerton, started on the point and led the way as the green flag waved. Before the first lap was completed, a caution came out when Tom Rawlings spun in turns one and two. The field had a complete restart. When the green flag waved again, Pilkerton and David Hoffman battled for the lead. Pilkerton was able to get the spot to lead lap one. He then stretched his lead out to about a three-car length advantage. As Pilkerton led, Tommy Wagner, Jr., challenged Hoffman for second. Wagner was able to take the position on lap two. He then set his sights on Pilkerton. On lap four, Wagner made a bid for the lead in turns three and four. The two made contact with Wagner edging Pilkerton off turn four to lead the lap. Hoffman then challenged Pilkerton for position on lap six. The two made contact on the frontstretch, leaving some debris on the track. Hoffman was able to get the position. On the restart, Wagner easily led the way. Pilkerton brought out the sixth caution of the event when he came to a stop in turns three and four. Part of his front nose was loose from the earlier incident with Hoffman. When the green flag waved, Wagner again led the way. He had stretched out his lead to about five-to-six car lengths until lap 17. Wagner came up on the slower cars of Brian Miller and Jackie Booth. Wagner got caught behind the two cars and almost spun off turn four trying to clear them. Hoffman was able to catch Wagner and then saw an opening to pass Wagner for the lead. Wagner battled back on lap 19, going to the inside of Hoffman in turn three. Wagner was forced back in line as a caution came out for Larry Emory who spun in turn three. Hoffman led the way when the green flag waved. Wagner again challenged for the lead on lap 20, and again on lap 22 as they entered turns three and four, but Hoffman held him off. e ninth and final caution came out on lap 23 when Chuck Finch spun off turn four. On the restart, Hoffman showed the way. Wagner made a bid for the lead in turn one, but Hoffman held on to the top spot. He ade a final effort to retake the lead as the field received the white flag, first in turn one and then in turns three and four, but Hoffman was able to keep the position to take the checkered flag. Wagner finished second, followed by George Moreland in third. James Adkins, who started 12th on the field, went to the rear of the 18 car field after spinning on lap four, worked his way back up to finish fourth. Tom Rawlings, who was also involved in an earlier incident, worked his way back up to round out the top five. Wagner and Pat Wood won the heats. Jeff Reeley started from the outside pole to lead lap one in the 20-lap Bell Motor Company Semi-Late feature. By lap four, he had about a three-fourth straight-a-way lead over Brett Royal. Paul Cursey passed Royal for second on lap seven. The field was brought back together on lap 13 when Royal's motor blew, bringing out the caution. On the restart, Reeley led the way, but his car skated up the track in turns three and four. Cursey was able to pass Reeley for the lead. Reeley battled back for the top spot on laps 16, 17, and 18. On lap 18, Reeley worked the inside groove in turn two. The two ran side-by-side down the backstretch. Reeley was able to make the pass to retake the lead, but then went wide in turns three and four. Cursey repassed Reeley for the lead as they exited turn four. The two made contact on the frontstretch, but kept going. On lap 19, Reeley went to the inside of Cursey in turns one and two. He was able to make the pass for the lead as they exited turn two. On the last lap, Reeley's car again went wide in turn four. Cursey dove to the inside of him, but Reeley was able to hold him off to take the checkered flag. Cursey finished second, followed by Darryl Hills in third, Steve Benjamin in fourth, and Sommey Lacey in fifth. Paul Barham won the heat. Pole-sitter Mike Roop led the way when the green flag waved in the 15-lap Coors Light Pure-Street Stock feature. As the field exited turn two, Tim Shelton went to the inside of Roop for the lead. The two ran side-by-side into turns three and four. Shelton was able to grab the lead to complete lap one. On lap three, Mike Latham made a bid for the lead, working the inside groove in turns one and two. Latham was able to make the pass for the lead. Johnny Smith, who moved into second on lap three, also wanted the top position. Smith challenged for the lead on the inside of Latham on the backstretch. The two crossed the start-finish line side-by-side, with Latham leading the lap. The two continued to battle side-by-side the whole next circuit around. They again crossed the start-finish line side-by-side with Smith leading the way. Smith then began to pull away from the rest of the field. His three-car length lead was cut down when Latham's motor blew on lap nine. Smith showed the way on the restart. On lap 11, Smith's car pushed up the track in turns three and four, and then came to a stop, bringing out the caution flag. Shelton then reassumed the lead. On the restart, Tommy Hitt, who started ninth and moved into second, challenged Shelton for the lead as they exited turn two. Hitt was able to make the pass for the lead as they entered turn three. Hitt never looked back. He went on to lead the last few laps to take the checkered flag, unchallenged for the lead. He finished with about a five-to-six car length lead over Shelton. Bill Tippett, who started 11th, finished third, followed by Jeff Thomas in fourth, and Kirk Confair in fifth. Hitt and Tom Turner won the heats. In the 12-lap Mac Tools Four-Cylinders feature, Bob Tester, Jr., started from the outside pole and took the lead as the green flag waved to complete lap one. Fourth-place starter and defending points champion, Calvin Wright, was glued to Tester's rear bumper on lap two. He looked to the outside of Tester in turn three and then made his move. Wright was able to make the pass just before the start-finish line. After completing lap two, the yellow flag waved for debris on the track. Wright easily led the way on the restart. By lap four, Greg Gunter, who started 11th, moved into second and set his sights on Wright. Gunter made his move on Wright on lap six, making the pass for the lead and then began to pull away from the rest of the field. His five-car length advantage was cut down on lap nine when a caution came out for Patrick Pack. On the restart, Gunter missed the shift. Wright jumped back out front to lead the way. Gunter began working his way back up to the front. As the field received the white flag, Gunter began to make his move. He went to the inside of Wright on the backstretch. The two ran side-by-side into turns three and four. Wright's car pushed up the track. Gunter was able to edge Wright off turn four to take the checkered flag. Calvin Wright finished second followed by Chappy Knaack in third, Scotty Scott in fourth, and Sam Woods, Jr., in fifth. Gunter and Knaack won the heats. Deano Painter led the way at the start of the 20-lap Gardiner Outdoor Product Enduro feature with Joe Adams following closely behind. Painter continued to lead the way until lap eight when Adams made his bid for the lead. Adams went to the inside of Painter as they exited turn two, making the pass. Painter battled back in turns three and four, but Adams held onto the spot. Once Adams took over the lead, he never looked back. He went on to take the checkered flag, followed by Painter in second, Jeff Hammett in third who was later disqualfied give third to Josh Moxley, John Ballou fourth and Ray Weaver in fifth. Hammett won the heat. In the Chesapeake Web Design feature event, Jerry Oliver and Brian Thompson battled for the lead the first few laps. Oliver led laps one and two with Thompson taking the lead on lap three. A caution came out on lap five for Dennis Maxey and Corey Hanson who got together in turn four. Ben Oliver jumped out front to lead the way on the restart. On lap 15, Brian Maxey made a bid for the lead and was able to pass Ben Oliver in turns three and four. He went on to take the checkered flag, followed by Ben Oliver in second, and Corey Hanson in third. There will be no racing action this coming weekend as the Demolition Derby, sponsored by the Silver Hill Lions Club, will take to the track on Friday, May 5th and Saturday May 6th, beginning at 7:30 p.m. both nights. The racing action will resume on Friday, May 12th, with the second scheduled I.T.S.I. Late Model event, the annual 40-lap, $2,000 to win, Gene Van Meter Budweiser Late Model feature, along with the regular show. Pit and grandstand gates will open at 6:00 p.m., and racing starting at 7:30 p.m. For more information, contact Potomac Speedway at (301) 884-4624 or www.potomacspeedway.com.

Budweiser Late Models

1. David Hoffman-15, 2. Tommy Wagner, Jr.-50, 3. George Moreland-24, 4. James Adkins, Jr.-28, 5. Tom Rawlings-31, 6. Les Hare-1X, 7. Pat Wood-3, 8. 0, 9. Deane Guy- 44, 10. Larry Emory-1, 11. Jackie Booth-33, 12. Brian Miller-12, 13. Jack Bland-41, 14. Chuck Finch-21F, 15. Ricky Edmonds-23R, 16. Jeff Pilkerton-8, 17. Rick Hulson-18, 18. Bill Timme-81

Bell Motor Company Semi-Lates

1. Jeff Reeley-21J, 2. Paul Cursey-37, 3. Darryl Hills-7, 4. Steve Benjamin-94, 5. Sommey Lacey-45, 6. Ronnie Hollidge-0, 7. Paul Barham-5, 8. Jeff Burroughs-10oz., 9. Brett Royal-18, 10. Fireball Latham-41, 11. J.C. Windsor -37 (pure-street), DNS – Craig Bowling-75, Ray Hackett-56

Coors Light Pure-Street Stocks

1. Tommy Hitt-7T, 2. Tim Shelton-55, 3. Bill Tippett-37, 4. Jeff Thomas-33, 5. Kirk Confair-81, 6. Dan Dotson-2D, 7. Tom Turner-25T, 8. Scott Thompson-25, 9. Mike Roop-04, 10. Steve Long-8, 11. Jamie Lathroum-23E, 12. Shawn Wathen-23W, 13. Kevin Johnson-67, 14. Rusty Alton-3, 15. Johnny Smith-82, 16. Mike Latham-78, 17. Raymond Morgan-2M, 18. P.J. Hatcher-1, 19. Ken Coron-51, DNS – Jeff Edwards-43, Mike Suite-3M

Mac Tools Four-Cylinders

1. Greg Gunter-15, 2. Calvin Wright-94, 3. Chappy Knaack-88, 4. Scotty Scott-42, 5. Sam Woods, Jr.-00, 6. Jerry Dick-44, 7. Linda Wright-1, 8. Pop Woods-3, 9. J.T. McLanigan-13, 10. Scotty Nelson-24Jr., 11. Patrick Pack-72, 12. Bob Tester, Jr.-5, 13. Joe Blocker-23, 14. Andy Self-99, 15. Wayne Graves-29

Gardiner Outdoor Products Enduros

1. Joe Adams-69, 2. Deano Painter-6, 3. Josh Moxley-23, 4. John Ballou-112, 5. Ray Weaver-11, 6. Kevin Sprague-55, 7. Chet Gagnon-30, 8. H&D Racing-104, 9. Wayne Suite-00, 10. George Heinz-56, 11. Paul Schendel-8, 12. Mike Hickerson-33, 13. Gary Irby-94, 14. Jimmy Suite-1, 15. Ben Bowie-17, 16. Marty Page-29, 17. John Burch-12, 18. Rodney Holt-007, 19. Wayne Weaver-57, 20. Bob Kolbe-9 DQ-Jeff Hammett-3

Chesapeake Web Design Bombers

1. Brian Maxey-04, 2. Ben Oliver-15, 3. Corey Hanson-21, 4. Jerry Oliver-3, 5. Joann Jackson-50, 6. Dennis Maxey-04X, 7. Brian Thompson-41, 8. Ronnie Doss-38