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| Michael Lloyd Wins NLMS at Thunder Cross | By Donnie Helmly
Michael Lloyd of Jacksonville (FL) held off Johnny Collins also of Jacksonville (FL) to win the National Late Model Series 100 lap $5000 to win feature in front of a large crowd Saturday night at Thunder Cross Motorsports Park at Lake Okeechobee (FL).
Racing kicked off on Friday night as Lawton Minchew of Deland (FL) turned in the quickest lap to win the Jameson Inns A Perfect Stay-A Perfect Lap Award. Lawton would go on later in the evening and win the first heat race putting him on the pole for the feature on Saturday evening.
Also having and impressive qualifying time and run on Friday night was that of David Clegg also of Deland (FL) putting his self along side Minchew for the feature. Greg Ward of Ormond Beach (FL) appeared on his way to win the third heat race of the evening, but with two laps remaining Shane Hylton of Quitman (GA) would slip under Ward going into turn one and pick up the top spot putting Ward back to second.
With the 100-lap feature set, Minchew and Clegg would bring the field to the green flag. Minchew would jump to the lead, bringing third place Shane Hylton along into second. Clegg who apparently had missed the set-up began dropping to the rear of the field. On lap ten, Rick Singler of Deland (FL) would spin after losing a right rear wheel entering turn three, taking out the cars of Clegg, Evertte Phillips and Scott Thompson.
With Minchew up front and Hylton a close second, Michael Lloyd would move into third, David Augspurger in fourth and Trapper Boetcher into fifth. As the green waved for a restart on lap twelve Hylton would jumped under Minchew and as the cars entered turn one Hylton would take over the top spot putting Minchew back to second. With Hylton now up front and pulling the field by four car lengths it appeared he was on his way to claim the top spot, however when Lloyd would clear the second place car of Minchew, he would began to close on Hylton.
With the pole-sitters handling going away, Minchew would find himself struggling to stay with the leaders. As Hylton appeared to be dialed in, the battle for third place was a heated one. David Augspruger who ran strong all evening was being worked on by fourth place Johnny Collins. Lap thirty-six Lloyd would move under Hylton to take the top-spot, relegating Hylton back to second. With the battle for third still highly contested until lap forty-five when Collins would get by Augspurger. With Lloyd up front, Collins in second, Hylton in third Augspurger in fourth, the fifth position would be a highly contested position between Mark Davis of Savannah (GA) and Henry Carter of Kite (GA). Davis, who was turning in one of his best performances with the series, would have an intense race the last thirty laps with Carter.
Lap sixty-two Collins would clear the second place car of Hylton and began to track down the leader. With laps winding down Collins would close the distance every lap and with eight laps remaining would be on the bumper of Lloyd. Collins would try Lloyd one-time as the two came out of turn four with two laps remaining.
Collins would move to the outside but Lloyd was to strong and would hold him off to claim the win for the Lloyd Brothers/SOS Showbar/Snow Brothers Chassis/Wheeler Motorsports Chevrolet. Collins would finish in second, Hylton in third, Augspurger in fourth, Carter would get by Davis for fifth and Davis in sixth. Scott Singler would finish in seventh, with Patrick Williams in eighth. Charles Sealy would come home in ninth and Stacey Roberts would round out the top ten.
Finishing Order:
1. Michael Lloyd
2. Johnny Collins
3. Shane Hylton
4. David Augspurger
5. Henry Carter
6. Mark Davis
7. Scott Singler
8. Patrick Williams ( R )
9. Charles Sealy
10. Stacey Roberts
11. Lawton Minchew
12. Greg Ward
13. Trapper Boetcher
14. Jeff Choquette
15. John Rankin
16. Bret Carlton
17. Rick Singler
18. Scott Thompson
19. David Clegg
20. Evertte Phillips
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