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Potomac Speedway race summary 2002-07-20

Graves takes checkered in 20-lap four-cylinder feature at Potomac Speedway. Budds Creek, Md., -- It may not have rained Saturday night, but former track champion Wayne Graves of Avenue, Md., ended his dry spell by taking the checkered flag in a ...

Graves takes checkered in 20-lap four-cylinder feature at Potomac Speedway.

Budds Creek, Md., -- It may not have rained Saturday night, but former track champion Wayne Graves of Avenue, Md., ended his dry spell by taking the checkered flag in a special 20 lap Potomac Speedway Four-Cylinder division feature. All of the racing action was sponsored by Prince Frederick Ford who provided shirts and trophies to all of the feature winners.

Current Budweiser Super Late Model points leader Rick Jones of Westminster, Md., padded his lead a little more as he visited victory lane for the third time this year. Jones took over the race lead from Tommy Wagner Jr. on lap 23 of the 25-lap feature event. "This Mark Richards Rocket was hooked up. We ran in there a little hard and got into Wagner (Tommy). I pushed him up the groove. It was definitely a racing deal," said Jones.

Jamie Lathroum of Mechanicsville, Md., continues to dominate the Bell Motor Company Limited Late Models as he picked up his seventh win of the season. Ronald Cusic of Mechanicsville, Md., moved one step closer to breaking the track record for career wins as he got his sixth win of the year in the Coors Light Street Stocks.

Chuck Williams of Mechanicsville, Md., took the checkered flag for the second time this year in the Arby's Hobby Stocks. Thomas Pickeral of Bryans Road, Md., got his second win of the year in the Chesapeake Web Design Bomber feature.

Adams Body Shop sponsored the children's bike giveaway. Five-year-old Katelyn Norris of Avenue, Md., was the lucky bike winner.

Tim Murphy started from the outside pole and led the way for the 16-car field. As Murphy led, Rick Jones worked his way through the field from his sixth place starting position. Jones challenged for second from Tommy Wagner Jr. on lap eight but was forced back behind Wagner as the third yellow flag of four waved for Frank Smith.

Murphy led the way on the restart. On lap 10, Wagner was glued to Murphy's rear bumper. He looked to the inside of Murphy in turn two, and challenged for the lead as they exited the turn. The two battled side-by-side with Wagner making the pass in turns three and four.

Jones was able to get by Murphy on lap 12 and then set his sights on Wagner. The next circuit by, Jones challenged for the lead on the inside groove of the backstretch. The two battled side-by-side with Wagner holding onto the spot.

Jones tucked in behind Wagner for the next few laps. On lap 17, he made a bid for the lead again, making contact with Wagner as they exited turn four. Wagner held off Jones' challenge and another one that Jones put forth on lap 18.

As the laps wound down, it seemed as if Wagner was on his way to victory lane. On lap 23, Jones challenged for the top position again as they exited turn two. They ran side-by-side down the backstretch and into turns three and four. Jones made the pass as they exited turn four.

Wagner came battling back in turns one and two, but Jones held him off and went on to take the checkered flag. Wagner finished second followed by Ernie Jones in third, Deane Guy in fourth, and Ray Kable Jr. in fifth. Rick Jones and Deane Guy won the heats.

In the 20-lap Bell Motor Company Limited Late Models Ronnie Hollidge and Jamie Lathroum battled for the lead at the drop of the green flag. Hollidge got the position as they exited turn two. Lathroum looked to the inside of Hollidge off turn four on lap two, but couldn't make a move.

Lathroum challenged for the lead in turns three and four and was able to get around Hollidge for the position. Hollidge battled back retaking the lead on lap four. Lathroum got the lead again in turns one and two.

Once Lathroum took over the lead the final time, he never looked back. He went on to lead the rest of the feature unchallenged for the lead, finishing with about a five car length advantage. The best battle on the racetrack took place between Hollidge and Sommey Lacey for the second position. The two battled side-by-side for several laps. On lap 18, Paul Cursey worked things to his advantage to get around Lacey.

Hollidge went on to finish second followed by Cursey in third, Lacey in fourth, and Kevin Nelson in fifth. Lathroum also won the heat.

The 15-lap Coors Light Street Stock feature got off to a slow start as the yellow flag waved before the first lap was completed for an incident involving Quentin Mise and Matt Valliquette. The field had a complete restart.

As the green flag waved, Barry Williams led the way, opening up a three-to-four car length advantage over Craig Tankersley. The field was brought back together on lap four when a caution came out for Mise who came to a stop in turn four. Williams led the way on the restart as Ronald Cusic continued to pick his way through the field from his 12 place starting position.

On lap seven, Cusic moved into second and then challenged Williams for the lead. He went to the outside of Williams as they exited turn four. They came across the start-finish line side-by-side with Williams leading the lap. They continued to battle side-by-side with Cusic taking over the lead as they exited turn four.

Cusic went on to lead the rest of the feature unchallenged for the lead. He finished with a four-to-five car length advantage over Williams. Tankersley finished third, followed by Stevie Long in fourth, and Billy Lackey in fifth. Valliquette and Long won the heats.

Wayne Graves started from the outside pole and led the way at the start of the 20-lap Potomac Speedway Four-Cylinder feature. He immediately opened up a four car length lead over Calvin Wright. Wright cut down that lead to two car lengths by lap six.

On lap nine, the first and only caution of the event came out for Billy Crouse. On the restart, Graves led the way. Linda Wright passed Calvin Wright for second as Wright then slowed in turn two. Jerry Dick also slowed as both pulled in the pits.

Linda Wright was not able to make up any ground on Graves as he went on to take the checkered flag. He finished with about a straight-a-way advantage over Linda Wright. Joe Blocker finished third, followed by Scotty Scott in fourth, and Crouse in fifth. Calvin Wright won the heat.

In the 15-lap Arby's Hobby Stock feature, Chuck Williams started from the outside pole and led the way as the green flag waved. A caution came out on lap two when John Burch spun after contact from John Sellner and Ray Weaver also spun in turn four. Sellner was black-flagged for the incident with Burch.

On the restart, Williams easily led the way, opening up a four car length advantage. Williams went on to lead the rest of the feature unchallenged for the lead. As he led, Ray Weaver and Ben Bowie battled for second. Weaver got the position but was unable to shave off any of the straight-a-way advantage Williams had.

Weaver finished second followed by Burch in third, Jeff Helsel in fourth, and Bowie in fifth. Burch won the heat.

Thomas Pickeral took the early lead from the outside pole position in the 15-lap Chesapeake Web Design Bomber feature. Frankie Latham looked to the inside of Pickeral in turn four, but couldn't make a move. Greg Mattingly challenged Latham for second on lap three and made the pass.

Meanwhile, Pickeral stretched his lead out to five car lengths. As the laps wound down, Mattingly began to reel in Pickeral. By lap 14, Mattingly caught Pickeral as Pickeral got caught behind some slower traffic. With the checkered flag in sight, Mattingly challenged for the lead going to the inside of Pickeral as they exited turn four. They crossed the start-finish line side-by-side with Pickeral winning by a nose. Mattingly finished second followed by Brian Thompson in third, Eric Hanson in fourth, and Kyle Nelson in fifth. Nelson won the heat.

This coming Saturday night July 27th, the regular show will be on hand. Pit gates open at 5:30 p.m., with racing starting at 7 p.m. For more information, contact the track office at 301-884-4624 or check out the web-site at potomacspeedway.com.

-ps-

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