Potomac Speedway race summary 2002-08-03

Cursey dominates Henry Burroughs Memorial at Potomac Speedway.

Budds Creek, Md., -- Potomac Speedway hosted the running of the annual 30-lap Henry Burroughs Memorial Bell Motor Company Limited Late Model feature sponsored by Woods Paint Centers. Paul Cursey of Baltimore, Md., dominated the event, leading all 30 laps and holding off Sommey Lacey to get his third win of the season.

Cursey's win tied him with former track champion Jeff Pilkerton in career wins with 42 a piece. "I'd like to thank all of my sponsors....We've been putting in some extra time trying to get it running good. This is one of my favorite races of the year. I try real hard at it," said Cursey.

Cursey is currently leading the points standings and is currently leading the points standings and is looking to hold off defending points champion Sommey Lacey. "We've got five races left. If we do good, we'll come out on top," Cursey added.

Darryl Hills of Great Mills, Md., visited victory lane for the second time this year in the Budweiser Super Late Models. After several weeks of strong performances and close finishes, Barry Williams of Pasadena, Md. took the checkered flag in the Coors Light Street Stock feature for his first feature win of the season.

Scotty Nelson of Mechanicsville, Md. returned to victory lane for his fourth win of the year in the Potomac Speedway Four-Cylinder division. Ben Bowie of Brandywine, Md. padded his points lead a little more as he visited victory lane for the fifth time this year in the Arby's Hobby Stocks. Kyle Nelson of Mechanicsville, Md., took the checkered flag in the Chesapeake Web Design Bomber feature for his fifth win of the season. Thomas Pickeral was the M.A.R.F. Hard Charger of the race award winner as he came from his 10th place starting position to finish sixth.

A bike was donated in memory of Dale Nelson for the children's prize giveaway. Nine-year-old Cameron Walker of La Plata, Md., was the lucky bike winner. Arby's of Leonardtown donated dinner for two to all of the feature winners.

Dale Smith took the early lead from his third place starting position in the 25-lap Budweiser Super Late Model feature. Before the first lap was completed, a multi-car incident in turn four occurred involving Frank Smith, Kirk Confair, P.J. Hatcher, Deane Guy, Rick Jones, and Tommy Wagner Jr. The field then got set for a complete restart.

Tom Turner made a bid for the lead as the green flag waved. Darryl Hills joined in the battle making it three wide as they exited turn four. Smith was able to hold onto the top position with Hills in second.

As they entered turns one and two, Hills dove to the inside of Smith in turns one and two and was able to take over the top position. On lap three, a caution came out when Turner spun in turns one and two. Hills easily led the way on the restart.

By lap six, Ernie Jones was able to work his way back up through the field to take over second. Jones was given the opportunity to make a bid for the lead as the third of five cautions came out on lap eight when Robby Beall spun in turn four. On the restart, Hills easily pulled away from the rest of the field, opening up a six-car length advantage by lap 10.

Hills would not be denied victory as he went on to lead the rest of the feature unchallenged for the lead. He finished with over a straight-a-way advantage over Ernie Jones. Guy ended up in third, followed by Rick Jones in fourth, and Smith in fifth. Rick Jones and Confair won the heats.

In the 30-lap Henry Burroughs Memorial Bell Motor Company Limited Late Model feature, Paul Cursey started on the pole and led the way as the green flag waved. By lap two, he had a three-car length advantage over Chet Gagnon. The field was brought back together on lap six when a caution came out for Bill Daniel who scraped the wall on the outside of turn three.

On the restart, Cursey easily led the way. He opened up a seven-car length advantage over Gagnon by lap eight. As Cursey led, Sommey Lacey and Gagnon battled for second.

On lap 20, a caution came out for a multi-car incident in turn two involving, John Williams, Don Harrington, Paul Hoffman, Brett Royal, and Paul Barham. On the restart, Lacey went to the outside of Gagnon. The two ran side-by-side with Lacey completing the pass just before the start-finish line to take over second.

Lacey then set his sights on Cursey who had again opened up a five-car length advantage. As the laps wound down, Lacey began to reel in Cursey. As Cursey came across some slower cars, Lacey closed within two car lengths.

With the two to go signal, Lacey was glued to Cursey's rear bumper. He looked to the inside of Cursey in turns one and two on lap 39 but was unable to make a move. Cursey took the checkered flag followed by Lacey in second, Gagnon in third, Hollidge in fourth, and Jamie Lathroum in fifth. Gagnon and Lathroum won the heats.

In the 15-lap Coors Light Street Stock feature, Stevie Long took the early lead with Barry Williams in tow. Williams challenged for the lead in turns one and two with the two running side-by-side. Long was able to hold onto the position.

The second of two cautions came out on lap nine when Billy Lackey spun in turns one and two. On the restart, Williams dove to the inside of Long in turns one and two. He was able to make the pass as they exited turn two.

Once Williams took over the lead, he never looked back. He went on to finish with a five-car length advantage over Long. Long and third place finisher Mike Latham were moved to the tail end of the lead lap cars at 12th and 13th for muffler infractions. Jimmy Jesmer then finished second followed by Craig Tankersley in third, Deuce Wright in fourth, and Wayne Suite in fifth. Long and Jack Osborne won the heats.

Scotty Scott started on the pole and led the way in the 12-lap Potomac Speedway Four-Cylinder feature event. As Scott led, Scotty Nelson and Linda Wright battled for second. Nelson was able to get the position on lap seven and then also went to the outside of Scott in turns three and four. Scott and Nelson crossed the start-finish line side-by-side with Nelson edging Scott by a nose to lead the lap.

Nelson was able to complete the pass as they entered turn one. Nelson went on to lead the last four laps unchallenged for the lead. Scott finished second followed by Linda Wright in third, Jerry Dick in fourth, and Calvin Wright in fifth. Calvin Wright won the heat.

Ben Bowie started on the pole and took the early lead in the 15-lap Arby's Hobby Stock feature with John Sellner riding in second. The first of three cautions came out on lap four when Jerry Lee spun on the fronstretch after contact from Barry Lear. Bowie easily led the way on the restart. On lap 14, the yellow flag waved again for an incident involving Ray Weaver and Travis Fowler. The front end of Weaver's car went up on the inside frontstretch retaining wall. Luckily, they were both uninjured in the event.

When the field went back to green, Bowie again easily showed the way. Sellner was glued to Bowie's rear bumper. Sellner made a bid for the lead on the last lap in turns three and four. The two ran side-by-side as they exited turn four. Bowie got the advantage just before crossing the start-finish line to get the win. Sellner finished second followed by John Burch in third, Jeff Helsel in fourth, and Chuck Williams in fifth. Helsel won the heat.

David Cooper started from the outside pole and took the early lead in the 15-lap Chesapeake Web Design Bomber feature. Cooper put the first three laps in the books. On lap four, he got loose as he exited turn four, opening the door for Kyle Nelson. Nelson made the pass for the lead and went on to dominate the feature, finishing with over a straight-a-way advantage over the rest of the field. Cooper finished second, followed by Donald Doss in third, William Crouse in fourth, and Rick Jackson in fifth. Nelson also won the heat.

This coming Saturday August 10th, the regular show will be on hand with a special 25-lap Chesapeake Web Design Bomber feature sponsored by Chesapeake Web Design. Pit gates open at 5:30 p.m., with racing starting at 7 p.m. For more information, contact the Potomac Speedway track office at 301-884-4624 or check us out on the web at potomacspeedway.com.

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