Potomac Speedway race report 4/7/01

Rookie Hills Gets First Career Super Late Model Win At Potomac Speedway

Budds Creek, MD
7 April 2001

The Classic Cars made their first appearance of the 2001 season at Potomac Speedway on Saturday night. The seven card program set the stage for wheel to wheel racing excitement. The Rookie, Darryl Hills of Great Mills, MD picked up his first career Budweiser Super Late Model victory in his third attempt. Sommey Lacey of Clements, MD got his second 2001 Bell Motor Company Late Model win. The Classic Car feature event went to Bill Brown Jr. Kirk Confair of Baltimore, MD took an exciting Coors Light Street Stock 15 lap event. The 4 Cylinder checkered went to Calvin Wright of Nanjamoy, MD. John Burch of Owings, MD took his first 2001 Cliff's Heating and Air Enduro/Hobby Stock feature event. Brian Maxey of King George, VA nabbed his first Chesapeake Web Design Bomber feature win of the 2001 racing season. The Metropolitan Auto Racing Fan Club (MARF) was on hand to celebrate the Easter Season at Potomac Speedway. MARF Sponsored the Hard Charger award in the Chesapeake Web Design Bomber division. That prize went to Brian Maxey. Winner of the bike give-a-way was Bean Sanders. The bike was donated by the Metropolitan Auto Racing Fan Club of Maryland (MARF).

Budweiser Super Late Model action was spectacular. The fans were treated to a tight battle for the point between Ernie Jones, Rick Jones, and Darryl Hills. The trio battled it out for most of the 25 lap feature event. Late in the race James Adkins came from his 16th starting spot to challenge the trio. Ernie Jones took the early lead, starting on the outside pole. The first lap saw an eight car pileup including Jeff Pilkerton, Mike Christopher, Tom Wagner, Frank Smith, Greg Hubbard, Bill Timme and last week's feature winner, Deane Guy. Wagner was forced to retire to the pit area as a result of the incident. On lap 2 Rick Jones got by Ernie Jones to claim the top spot. Darryl Hills also motored by on lap 5 to claim second position. The three battled for several laps until Adkins joined the trio on lap 18 to challenge for the lead. Hills took the lead on lap 19 followed by Rick and Ernie Jones. Adkins got around Ernie Jones on lap 20. Hills, Rick Jones, and Adkins ran fender to fender for the top spot. Adkins took Jones on lap 24, but ran out of precious time to challenge Hills for the lead. Hills took the checkered. It was only his third Budweiser Super Late Model start. Following Hills and Adkins to the stripe were Rick Jones, Ernie Jones and Deane Guy. Heats were won by Rick Jones and Harold Dorsey.

The Bell Motor Late Model feature saw Craig Bowling leading the field to take the green. Billy Hubbard jumped out to the early lead. On lap 10, halfway through the event, Sommey Lacey took the top spot and never looked back. Johnny Smith and Paul Cursey joined Lacey on lap 12 and the three battled. Smith made several good attempts to pass Lacey, but couldn't make it stick. On lap 16 Cursey got around Smith and waged battle for the lead. With 2 laps remaining the two were running neck and neck. Lacey pulled out to a 3 car length lead on the last lap. That was what it took for him to take the victory and hold Cursey at bay. Johnny Smith came across third followed by Bowling and Kevin Nelson rounded out the top five. Lacey also took the heat event.

Potomac hosted another full field of Coors Light Street Stocks on Saturday night. Twenty-five cars were on hand to challenge for the victory. Stevie Long took the early race lead in convincing style. He held on to the point until lap 8 when mechanical problems forced a trip to the pits. Long remained on the lead lap rejoining the field for the restart. Chris Nelson showed the way for the next five laps. Challenging Nelson were Kirk Confair and Jimmy Jessmer. Confair and Jessmer got by Nelson on lap 13 when the leader brought out the caution flag. Confair went on to take the victory followed by Jessmer, Craig Tankersley, Scott Thompson, and Long. The Heat races went to Long and Jessmer.

Potomac Speedway hosted the Classic Cars for the first time in the 2001 racing season. An impressive group of cars took to the track in classic style. Bill Bollinger took the early lead but gave it up to Bill Brown Jr. on lap 2. Bill Brown Sr. was involved in an incident on lap 1which relegated him to the rear. The Senior Brown worked his way up through the 21 car field to take the fifth spot the 13th lap. Lady luck, however was not on his side as misfortune again plagued his classic ride and took him out of race contention. Meanwhile, Brown Jr. powered to a comfortable lead over Bollinger. The two took the checkered followed by Duane Fabrick, Martin Graybeal, and Charlie Weaver. Heat races went to Brown Sr. and Brown Jr.

Potomac Speedway's 4 Cylinder action saw Calvin Wright back in victory lane claiming the heat and feature wins. Chappy Knnack took the early lead but mechanical failure got the best of his machine on lap 2 of the 12 lap event. Wright inherited the point and did not look back. Last week's feature winner, Bob Tester, moved into second to battle for the lead on lap 10 as he powered by Sam Woods. Tester, did however, run out of time and was forced to settle for second position. Following Wright and Tester to the stripe were Woods, Butch McLanigan, and J.T. McLanigan.

The 15 lap Cliff's Heating and Air Enduro/Hobby Stock feature event was an acrobatic event. On lap one Mike Hickerson flipped his car more than 4 times end over end when the axle apparently let go in his #19 machine. Wayne Suit showed the way following the restart with Ray Weaver and John Burch close behind. On lap 7 Joe Adams joined the battle by moving into fourth position and tightening the gap created by the front runners. Suite, Burch and Adams battled wheel to wheel. On lap 12 Burch got around Suite when he wiggled slightly coming off of the second turn. Adams pushed his car to the limits trying to get around Suite so that he could wage battle for the lead, but had to settle for third. John Latham and Weaver rounded out the top five. The heat race went to Ben Bowie.

The Chesapeake Web Design Bomber feature again proved that some guys have all of the luck. Perhaps rather that Joanne Jackson has no luck at all. Jackson lead the first 11 laps of the 15 lap feature event only to be foiled again from reaching victory circle. On lap 11 she and second place challenger Brian Maxey were in a close battle for the lead when Jackson lost control of her vehicle and Maxey had no where to go. Maxey was able to keep moving and took the caution as the race leader. Jackson, however was relegated to the pit area. She also lead last week's feature even only to loose the spot on the last lap. Maxey was victorious, followed by Jerry Oliver, Eric Hanson, Jackson, and Brian Thompson.

Next week, April 14th, Potomac Speedway hosts its second ITSI Budweiser Super Late Model Series event of the 2001 racing season. The Gene Van Meter Memorial race is a 40 lap Super Late Model race with a $2,000 payday to the winner. Gates open at 4:30pm racing action starts at 6:00pm. For more information call the Track Office at (301) 884-4624 or visit our Web Site at

-www.potomacspeedway.com.