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| HOMETOWN BOY WINS COMEBACK RACE | By Jane Smith
Derrick Kelley, one of the hometown favorites at USA International, won last night over David Pletcher's #51 by a horsehair. Kelley, making his first return appearance in the Hooter's Pro Cup series in four races, came back with a new car number and a determination to win. David Pletcher, racing race by race because of lack of sponsorship, also was determined to show his stuff. Between the two, fans saw one heck of a finish to a race that had 14 cautions in all and two red flags. Hal Goodson sat on the pole with the young Brian Vickers on his outside and Mario Gosselin right on his bumper. The order "Gentlemen, Start Your Engines" was given and Goodson took the lead for the first lap when the first caution came out on lap 2 because of a massive pile-up in turn 2.
The race was then red flagged on lap 4 of the first caution for driver assistance and track clean-up. The race was restarted on lap 8 with Goodson, Vickers, Gosselin and Plemons in the front pack. On lap 11, Vickers took the lead but only for 3 laps when Gosselin took over on lap 14. Gosselin began building a comfortable lead when the second caution flag came out on lap 29 when the #l9 of Don VanDen Brink went around on the backstretch. The race was restarted on lap 33 with Gosselin, Plemons, Vickers, Goodson and Woods in the top five positions. Gosselin kept building his lead leaving the rest of the pack when caution 3 came out on lap 46 for a tangle on the backstretch but all cars were able to continue. The track was checked and the race was restarted on lap 54 when the caution came out on lap 55 for the #84 of Shane Huffman's spin coming out of turn 2.
Racing resumed on lap 61 with Gosselin leading. Lap 67 saw caution #5 for a tangle betweem turns l and 2 with Huffman, Gill and Lindley. The track was once again cleaned and the race resumed on lap 73 until lap 79 when caution 6 came out for Lindley's spin on the backstretch. The race restarted on lap 84 until lap 90 when caution 7 came out for the #79 of Dave Craddock's spin. Lap 95 racing restarted with Gosselin,
Plemons, Goodson, Agnew running up front. Caution 8 came out on lap 125 which gave the drivers their halfway pit stops. During this period, we lost the #9 of Brown, the #78 of McLeod and the leader of the first half of the race, the #16 of Gosselin. This left the #15 of Plemons in the lead with Christian, Puryear, Kelley, and Rector running up front. The race resumed on lap 134 until lap l39 when caution 9 came out for Charlie Ford and the #14 which went into the backstretch pit wall with a little nudge from someone. Once again the track crew cleaned the track and the race resumed on lap 146 with Plemons still leading.
On lap 151, Vickers jumped into the lead, taking it over from Plemons, with Christian, Woods, Kelley and Puryear in hot pursuit. Then on lap l55 Woods jumped into second taking over Christian. Lap 157 sees caution 10 for Billy Morris and Dave Craddock who are in turn 2 wall. Gill is able to race the leader back to the start-finish line and gets one of his 3 laps down back. The race resumes and on lap 165, Woods takes the lead position from his friend, Vickers. On lap 171, Kelley moves into third with Christian and Puryear behind him. Caution 11 comes out on lap l74 when the #77 of Rector goes around in turn 2. Out of the 44 cars that began, only 28 are left at this point. Lap 181 sees the restart and on lap 182 Kelley goes into second with thunder coming from the stands. Lap 185 sees Gill get back his second lap overtaking the leader to do so. Lap 191 it is Woods in the lead, Kelley second, Puryear, Pletcher and Goodson. Lap 196 sees the "Young Gun" of Woods with mechanical problems and the lead goes to Kelley with thunder and glee from the stands. Caution 12 comes out on lap 220 when the #0l of Lindley goes around and the #30 of Mart Nesbitt has a wall visit. During this time the leader of the race, Derrick Kelley, reports to his crew that he does not feel well.
The drivers have been in their cars racing hard now for almost 3 hours. The heat is getting to them so the race is red flagged and all drivers are given water and checked to make sure that they can continue safely. One of the wisest decisions I have seen made in a long time. With drivers refreshed, as much as you can refresh an oven, the race resumes on lap 226. Caution 12 comes out on lap 229 when four cars try to go four wide down the front stretch but can't. Racing resumes lap 231 until the last caution of the race comes out on lap 235 when three cars pile up on the back stretch. The track crew once again does a fine job cleaning up debris and the race resumes on lap 243 with 13 cars left on the lead lap. Kelley maintains the lead but Pletcher puts a hot, hot charge on the leader trying everything he knows and has in his car to get the lead. But, Kelley holds on and wins his comeback race by a HORSEHAIR. And Pletcher showed that he has the right stuff and sponsors should knock on his door soon. A very long race but a very good race and one that the fans won't forget.
by Jane Smith
[correction:Shane Huffman, was not involved in the lap 67 incident with the #5 and the #01]
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