ROUGEMONT, NC –Masy 17, 2008- Reigning champion Terry Dease drove the last five laps with tears in his eyes and won the 150-lap Late Model main event of the Coca-Cola 355 Saturday night at Orange County Speedway.

Dease dedicated his first 2008 victory to his mother Rebecca, recovering from recent triple-bypass heart surgery. “I really wanted this one for her,” said Oxford resident Dease. “I was crying so hard, it’s a wonder I didn’t wreck. This is the best one ever… even better than the first time I won here many years ago.”

Runner-up Stacy Puryear of South Boston, Va., led 52 laps in the middle stages and held off a spirited effort from third-finisher Justin Johnson of Durham.

Fastest qualifier Craig Moore of Rougemont, seeking his first victory in the TAG-OUT Late Model division here, challenged Puryear for several laps and finally went in front at lap 114. Moore’s reign ended two laps later when he spun from the lead after suspension trouble. Dease, running third at the time, sneaked past Puryear in the ensuing melee and led the rest of the way.

Puryear said that Moore “just lost it, I guess. I never touched him. I feel really bad for him. He had a fast car and looked like he was going to win. I had a right front tire going down and my car lost some speed.”

Johnson, winner here April 12, said a lengthy battle with visitor Chase Austin of Eudora, Kansas, “just killed my chances. I wore my stuff out trying to get by him. I think I had something for them otherwise.”

Deac McCaskill of Raleigh overtook Austin in the closing laps for fourth and Austin finished fifth on the three-eighths mile banked asphalt track.

Dease qualified third and started alongside 2006 champion Ronald Hill of Rougemont in the front row after a drawing among the fastest six qualifiers. Dease swapped the lead with Hill for a few laps before pulling away.

“Stacy (Puryear) started working on me pretty hard and I let him go on,” said Dease. “Something just told me things would work out. Everything just clicked for us. I guess my family was due for some good luck after all we have been through this week.”

Daryl Carver of Prospect Hill won a 50-lap Limited Sportsman race after runner-up Tripp Massengill of Four Oaks missed a shift during a late restart. The rookie Massengill proved he was ready to be a challenger in OCS's competitive Limited Sportsman Division.

Austin Hogue was winner of a 50-lap contest for the touring Allison Legacy Series for three-quarter scale stock cars. He led qualifying and emerged from a field of 27 cars.

Michael Hatley of Chapel Hill dominated a 35-lap race for the Trailers of the East Coast Grand Stock division.

Jarrett Milam won a 20-lap race for the track’s Pure Stock division.

Gary Lloyd (Sportsman) and Daryl Gwynn (Modified) were winners in 25-lap races for Southern Ground Pounders vintage cars.

Johnny Johnson overtook John Barrow for victory in a 20-lap appearance for East Coast Flathead Ford series.

Racing returns to Orange County Speedway Saturday night, June 7th, with a main event scheduled for the Pro All Star Series for Super Late Models.

Orange County Speedway Results, Saturday Night, May 17th

TAG-OUT Late Model Stock Car

Finish Driver Hometown Laps Completed
1. Terry Dease, Oxford, 150
2. Stacy Puryear, South Boston, Va., 150
3. Justin Johnson, Durham, 150
4. Deac McCaskill, Raleigh, 150
5. Chase Austin, Eudora, Kansas, 150
6. Randy Curnett, Concord, 150
7. Ronald Hill, Rougemont, 149
8. Craig Moore, Rougemont, 149
9. Joe Heigl, Raleigh, 149
10. Aaron Dudley, Wallburg, 149
11. Leigh Caruthers, Wake Forest, 148
12. Ryan Gray, Wake Forest, 116
13. Kenny Forbes, Bullock, 60
14. David Tripplett, Jr., Timberlake, 36

Limited Sportsman Division, 50 laps
1. Daryl Carver; 2. Tripp Massengill; 3. Brandon Baker; 4. Jay Crawford; 5. Wesley Green; 6. Jerry Hinesley; 7. Wally Latta; 8. Chris Denny; 9. Brian Cole; 10. Will Riley;
11. Scott Hitchens; 12. Tommy Chandler; 13. Chris Elliott; 14. Donald Brace; 15. Kenny Bowes


Allison Legacy Series, 50 laps
1. Austin Hogue; 2. Cody Smith; 3. Michael Cooper; 4. Paul Beckner; 5. Tayla Orleans; 6. Dylan Presnell; 7. Corey Roberts; 8. Garrett Bunch; 9. Gus Dean; 10. Rob Beasley;
11. Ryan Glenski; 12. Tyler Speer; 13. Paul Tuthill; 14. Timmy Hill; 15. Joey Mahanes; 16. Dylan Sawyer; 17. Justin Allison; 18. Eric Driggers; 19. Hunter Moody; 20. Tom Hutson Jr.
21. Derrick Ramey; 22. Ryan Cribb; 23. Jantzen Stirewalt; 24. Austin Robbins; 25. Hunter Devers; 26. Tyler hill; 27. Ryan Gibbs

Trailers of the East Coast Grand Stock Division, 35 laps
1.Michael Hatley; 2. Brent Evans; 3. James Turner; 4. C.B. Elliott; 5. Cory Purnell; 6. Ray Ellington Jr.; 7. James Myers; 8. Lizzy Smith

Pure Stock Division, 20 laps
1. Jarrett Milam; 2. Ken Phillips; 3. Justin Tucker; 4. Keith Langston; 5. Bruce Chisholm; 6. Thomas Penny; 7. Michael Penny; 8. Tony Dale Lassiter; 9. Tony Ivey; 10. Casey Pope; 11. Augie Saccoccio





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