By Randy Pettitt

Rougemont, NC – David Triplett Jr. took his second Orange County Speedway victory of the year in a 150-lap Late Model Stock Car feature last Saturday night and actually got celebrate this one.
The Timberlake firefighter’s July 5th triumph came in a rain-shortened event. He had doctor’s orders to sit out a July 19th race here due to an eye injury.

“It’s so nice to finally get to take a victory lap,” said Triplett, who moved from seventh to fifth in track standings. “We’ve had the best car here for numerous races and then had things happen. It was the first race with a new engine and it was terrific.”

Stacy Puryear of South Boston, Va., led the race’s first 38 laps and finished second. He increased his lead in TAG-OUT Late Model division standings to 20 points over third-finishing Terry Dease of Oxford, the 2007 champion here.

“I couldn’t wait for this race to be over,” said Puryear. “My car got real bad loose in the corners. We debated making a pit stop to make some adjustments. I beat the car (Dease) that I have to beat for the championship, so it was a good night.”

Triplett led qualifying trials and started sixth. He quickly charged to second, but needed almost 15 laps to pass Puryear.

“Stacy is awfully tough to pass,” said Triplett, “but I was able to pull away from him once I got past.”

Ryan Gray of Raleigh appeared to have the fastest car in the late stages. He was challenging Puryear for second place at lap 117 when he spun off the fourth turn and flat spotted his tires. He recovered for fifth place.

Leigh Caruthers of Raleigh finished fourth and remained third in TAG-OUT standings, 48 points off the top.

Brian Cole scored his second victory of the season in a caution-filled 50-lap Limited Sportsman race as runner-up Donald Brace took over the points lead.

Roxboro resident Cole was the fastest qualifier for the fifth time here this year and drew the fifth starting position. He moved from fifth to second with a daring three-wide move in the second lap. Cole took the lead from Tripp Massengill in the sixth lap and led the rest of the way.

Defending Limited Sportsman champion Cole said several late caution flags helped his cause.

“Brace’s car was probably a tenth of second quicker than mine,” said Cole. “He would start reeling me in after a few laps, so I was fortunate to hang on.”

The race was red flagged for about 20 minutes for a six-car wreck at lap 8. Championship contenders Daryl Carver and Tripp Massengill were battling for second place when Carver slid up the track and a stack up ensued behind him. The cars of Justin Snow and Jerry Hinesley went airborne briefly and were damaged.

Michael Hatley of Chapel Hill dominated a 52-lap Grand Stock race that ended with a green-white-checkered finish because of a late caution flag. Eddie Capps, a three-time winner this year, finished second in the Trailers of the East Coast division’s longest race of the season.

Keith Langston of Pittsboro, NC, took his third straight victory in a 20-lap Pure Stock race. He overtook eventual runner-up Casey Pope in the 15th lap and led the rest of the way. His fourth victory of the year here increased his lead in division standings.

Daryl Gwyn finished first in a 25-lap race that combined the Southern Ground Pounders Modified and Sportsman classes. Gwyn’s 1972 Chevy Vega was the Modified winner and runner-up Gary Lloyd’s 1965 Ford Falcon remained unbeaten in Sportsman racing here.

The Renegade 125 for the Southern tour of the ASA Late Model Series will be the main event of a five-race program here next Saturday night.

TAG-OUT Late Model Stock Cars, 150 laps 1) David Triplett, Jr., Timberlake, NC; 2) Stacy Puryear, South Boston, VA; 3) Terry Dease, Oxford, NC; 4) Leigh Caruthers, Raleigh, NC; 5) Ryan Gray, Raleigh, NC; 6) Kenny Forbes, Bullock, NC; 7) Gary Lloyd, Efland, NC; 8) Craig Moore, Rougemont, NC

Limited Sportsman, 50 laps 1) Brian Cole, Roxboro, NC; 2) Donald Brace, Apex, NC; 3) Brandon Baker, Durham, NC; 4) Lee Crawford, Durham, NC; 5) Chad Pergersen, Timberlake, NC; 6) Tripp Massengill, Creedmoor, NC; 7) Daryl Carver, Prospect Hill, NC; 8) Scott Hitchens, Gumboro, DE; 9) Will Riley, Cedar Grove, NC; 10) Jeb Burton, South Boston, VA 11) Paul Bryant, Potecasi, NC; 12) Roger Ellis, Durham, NC; 13) Justin Snow, Danville, VA

Trailers of the East Coast Grand Stock, 50 laps 1) Michael Hatley, Chapel Hill, NC; 2) Eddie Capps, Sutherlin, VA; 3) Keith Edwards, Pendleton, NC; 4) Lee Anderson, Elon, NC; 5) Ray Ellington, Jr., Madison Heights, VA; 6) C.B. Elliott, South Boston, VA; 7) Lizzy Smith, Fuquay-Varina, NC; 8) James Myers, Danville, VA; 9) Brent Evans, Stem, NC; 10) Cory Purnell, Yanceyville, NC 11) Tommy Chandler, Providence, NC; 12) Michael Smith, Cedar Grove, NC

Pure Stock, 20 laps 1) Keith Langson, Pittsboro, NC; 2) Casey Pope, Durham, NC; 3) Tony Lassiter, Creedmoor, NC; 4) Bruce Chisholm, Hurdle Mills, NC; 5) Thomas Penny, Durham, NC; 6) Tony Ivey, Durham, NC; 7) Michael Penny, Durham, NC


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