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| Bobby Padgett Scores Big NLMS Win At Lake City | Bobby Padgett of Callahan (FL) and second in points for the Berts Transmission Rookie of the Year title scored his first win with the Southern Dirt Tour. Padgett, who started the 2002 season with a new team, had been making some impressive runs in the first part of the season had it all this past weekend.
With one of the largest crowds ever to attend a race at the Lake City Dirt Track, which is under new ownership, were treated to one of the best shows of the young season. With every race of the 2002 season being highly competitive Saturday night was no exception. With the crowd standing on their feet for the NLMS Parade of Flags the excitement was in the air.
Tuck Trentham of Deland (Fla) turned in the quickest lap of the evening to pick up his second Jameson Inns A Perfect Stay-A Perfect Lap Award finished second to Padgett in the first heat. Which most would consider that to be an upset as the rookie would hold off one of the most competitive veterans on the circuit, the young Padgett would not be intimated.
With the heat races complete, Padgett would start on the pole with Sparks (GA) Lonnie Roberts, and another series veteran would start along side and lead until lap43 when mechanical trouble would send him to the pits. David Clegg from Ormond Beach (FL) and Dusty Cone of Jennings (FL) won the third and fourth heats and would third and fourth in the feature.
As the green waived Roberts would jump to the lead dropping Padgett into second. Gene Maine a former champion with the series would move into third binging Trentham to fourth and Clegg back to fifth. Cone would retire early in the race with mechanical trouble. With the top five set to stay in-line and take off laps, the race for sixth was intense.
Two-time winner this year with the series, Johnny Collins of Jacksonville (FL) would battle with Henry Carter of Kite (GA), Eric Platt of Jacksonville (FL) who was making his first appearance with the series. Platt would bow-out after 22 laps with mechanical trouble with E.J. Wise of Ocala (FL) also faltering do to mechanical trouble. Michael Lloyd of Jacksonville (FL) who won the last time out for the series, made his way into the top ten bringing Shane Hylton of Quitman (GA) with him. As Lloyd and Hylton would move under Collins to take over the sixth and seventh spots dropping Collins back to eight with David Browning of Jacksonville (FL) in ninth and Jason Hylton of Quitman (GA) into tenth.
Jason Hylton who on Friday night appeared to have missed the set-up, along with his crew worked feverishly Saturday to change the car and appeared to make the right changes, after starting 26th in the 27 car field would make his way to the front. Lap 47 Hylton would go to the inside of Browning forcing Browning to the high-side with five cars getting by before Browning could get back in-line.
Another competitor who had started back in the field was that of Randy Ellenberg. Ellenberg who had moved into sixth position suddenly lost control on lap 82 and was impacted hard by Michael Lloyd. Lloyd who stated he had no where to go struck Ellenbergs mount in the drivers door. EMTS were dispatched and removed Ellenberg from his mount, taking him to Lake Shore hospital in Lake City where all test results came back negative. He was treated and released.
With 18 laps remaining when the race restarted, Padgett knew the veterans would tough to beat. Padgett would jump out front, Trentham was not able to get by second place running Gene Maine. With two laps remaining Maine would slow with mechanical trouble, causing Trentham to get into his rear, leaving the door open for Clegg to move into second. Padgett would hold to win with Clegg in second, Trentham, would finish in third followed by Shane Hylton and Henry Carter would round out the top five.
Results:
1. Bobby Padgett
2. David Clegg
3. Tuck Trentahm
4. Shane hylton
5. Henry Carter
6. Charles Sealy
7. Patrick Williams
8. Lee Newsome
9. David Browming
10. Stacey Roberts
11. Johnny Collins
12. Michael Lloyd
13. Gene Maine
14, Jason Hylton
15. Cecil Eunice
16. Randy Ellenberg
17. Lonnie Roberts
18. Everrtte Phillips
19. Wendall Durance
20. Skip Pannell
21. Dusty Cone
22. Eric Platt
23. EJ Wise
24. Keith Phillman
25. Jimme Lee Davis
26. David Auguspurger-DNS
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