Richardson Takes Mini-Stock Win in Last Lap at Charlotte
by Danny Snow The Big Wheel Mini Stocks got fired up for the first race of the all feature night with #6 Marshall Parr on the pole for the twenty five lap race. #41 Billy Ray Jr. took the early lead with #19D Dale Dean III in second. Ray was still out front when a caution on lap twenty one bunched up the pack for a four lap dash. #56 Brian Richardson had been trying to get around Ray for eight laps or so. Dropping down low, Richardson took the lead on the last lap of the race for the win. #41 Ray Jr. came in second with #19D Dean III in third.
The Kix Country Sportsman Double Points Finale got underway with #63 Ryan Malone on the pole. #19 Kenny Eaton took the lead on lap twelve of the thirty five lap race, but his hopes for a win were dashed as an oil leak sent him to the pits soon after. #40 Jeremy Goddard was on point for the restart after running second to Eaton. After leading the next sixteen laps, #40 Goddard broke on lap thirty and had to pit for the night, putting #39 Phillip Johnson on point for the restart. Johnson held on for the win with #67 James DuBose in second and #38 Ralph Goddard in second. #22 Danny Yates took the 2001 Points Championship in the Sportsman division.
#28 Mike LeMaster sat on the pole for the thirty five lap K & S Transport Open Wheel Modified Double Point Finale. #55 Dan Atwell took the lead on lap two but a bit of contact with #80 Chris Dean caused a spin and a restart with LeMaster back up front. Atwell took the lead again on lap eleven and this time it stuck. A spin on lap thirty four brought out the yellow flag and set up a one lap shoot out. #55 Atwell was still on point and held for the win with #63 Phil Morrison in second and #80 Dean in third. Chris Dean not only placed well in the race, but he also took home the 2001 Points Championship for the second year in a row.
The Shirley's Bookkeeping Rebel Road Warriors lined up for their Double Point Finale with #68 Al Welling on the pole. #3B John Boyer took the lead on lap four and never looked back. Lap sixteen saw the #14 car of Ricky Gill go up in a cloud of steam, bringing out the caution. #3B Boyer held on for the win with #36 Steve Schroeder in second and #14W Wayne Wilson in third. #55 Conrad Molter finished the race in fourth, took the 2001 Points Championship, and did a crowd pleasing round of donuts in the front stretch to celebrate the win.
The Lee's Auto Detail & Transmission Pure Stocks ran the final feature race of the night with #22 Kevin Murphy on the pole. #2 David Fisher took the lead on the first lap, then by lap six #10 Eric Smith had moved out front. Lap eight saw #38 Joe Reese take the lead. Reese held on for the win with #99 Mark Collins in second and #7 Danny Caylor in third.
The top four finishers from the Rebel Road Warriors feature race lined up four wide at the start/finish line for an eight-lap 'Dash for Cash' for the final race of the evening. #9 Sidock won the $100.00 prize.
It was a great night of racing action at the home of Southern Thunder. We hope to see you all there next week when that great race fan Santa Claus will be joining us.
