Hampton VA, (Sept. 1, 2018) Dodging the afternoon rains which threatend qualifying and the evenings race program. Mother Nature was willing this week to spare the Speedway’s faithful and the exciting race card on tap in this week’s edition at Larry King Laws Langley Speedway. Taking turn this week on the schedule were the ERA Realtor Winged Champ Karts with race action from Carroll’s Automotive UCars. The Old Skool Video Game Super Streets were back as well with twin race action from the Riverside Paper Pro Six and the Larry King Law’s Modified series. Series Championships are still up for grabs, its go time for those who want in, here’s a recap of all the race action.
ERA Realtor Winged Champ Karts 20 Laps: Aaron Leach was once again back on pole in the Winged Champ Kart division. His lap at 22.848 seconds easily won the pole but surrender the spot to Garry Osbourne in favor of starting in the rear of the field. With the green showing to an impressive twenty kart grid, Garry Osbourne showed the field into turn one but it was Tillman Heuer from the second spot who would lead lap one. Tucking behind the race leader would be Osbourne but making moves from the rear of the field would be Aaron Leach, Matthew Leach and Harry Leach all in tandem and headed to the front. Laps later, that same tandem ganged up on the leaders and took the race lead. With the halfway in the books and Aaron Leach as the race leader, the races first caution came. Back to the green with the field stacked back up, the Leach brothers show ensued once again and it would be them to decide the race win. But then the races final caution came with just two laps remaining setting up a shootout for the race win. Green waved for the final time with the Leach brothers in tandem going for the race win, but it was Aaron Leach proving be to much and crossed the stripe first. Aaron Leach had this to say, “Yeah, coming into the season I really didn’t expect it, my brothers were out of town, working and everything else. So, I started by myself, ended up winning the first one, qualifying didn’t work out so we just said let’s go to the back and just send it”.
Race Results:
- #45 Aaron Leach; 20
- #73 Harry Leach; 20
- #51 Matthew Leach; 20
- #28 Garry Osbourne; 20
- #29 Scott Allen; 20
- #26 Robert Pellek; 20
- #14 Tillman Heuer; 20
- #16 David Millard; 20
- #67 Chris Bechtel; 20
- #10 Danny Millard; 20
- #17m Jonathan Mullet; 20
- #01 Jesse Call; 20
- #7w Hunter Waltrip; 20
- #41 Jordon Wharton; 20
- #3 Jeremiah Strandberg; 20
- #6 Steven Griggs; 19
- #12s Tommy Sweeney; 9
- #69e Steven Emerson; 4
- #15 Cheyenne Strandberg;
Riverside Paper Pro Six Twin 20’s: Adam Florian added to his collection of Pro Six pole awards by picking up the series pole. Clicking off a fast lap at 17.420 seconds was just a bit better than the surging efforts of Eric Shaffer just thirteen thousandths off the pole for second. Travis Wall, Jared Clarke and JB Sipe rounded out the five fastest in qualifying. Green flag racing was on the track and from the outside, Eric Shaffer would lead lap one. But back came the pole sitter Adam Florian to lead lap two and coming through to take second would be Travis Wall. Not long before the race leader built up a six car lead over the second place ride of Wall who was being chased still by Shaffer. At the halfway, much of the same as Florian was having his way, on back there were no changes. The race lead continued to mount for Florian who would not be denied and went on to win the first of twin race feature for the Pro Six division. Florian from Victory Lane. “Mr. Bryant cooked some barbecue today and it slowed me up in practice so I think that’s what the problem was, my belly was full and I was sleeping on some pork. Thank all the fans for coming out tonight, my dad, my brother and everybody on my crew. We have one heck of a time every weekend, we just race hard and try to win some races every week”.
In the second race feature, the mandatory NASCAR, eight car invert was applied to the grid giving Jared Clarke the race pole and race one winner Adam Florian to the rear for the second feature. With the green in the air, lots of beaten and banging at the front but when the dust cleared it was Jared Clarke on point. JB Sipe had a great start and would show second early but since the green flag waved, Adam Florian was coming. Laps later, Florian had caught the leaders and would haunt Sipe for second as the halfway came and went in the feature. Sipe would do a good job of making his car wide so Florian couldn’t pass but soon gave in as Florian took second. After the pass for second, Florian needed just another lap to catch and pass the race leader Clarke for the point. From there, the night was not to be denied for Adam Florian and would sweep the twin race features. Florian from Victory Lane, “These guys roll out there, racing as hard as they could, had to be patient with most of them but it was all good short track racing. Thanks again to all the fans and to my dad, couldn’t do it without him”.
Race Results Race #1:
- #80 Adam Florian; 20
- #44 Travis Wall; 20
- #22 Eric Shaffer; 20
- #14 JB Sipe; 20
- #3 Ryan Huff; 20
- #21 Tyler McLaughlin; 20
- #28 Jared Clarke; 20
Race Results Race #2:
- #80 Adam Florian; 20
- #28 Jared Clarke; 20
- #14 JB Sipe; 20
- #22 Eric Shaffer; 20
- #44 Travis Wall; 20
- #21 Tyler McLaughlin; 20
- #3 Ryan Huff; 20
Larry King Law’s Modifieds Twin 30’s:Bubba Johnston took the Modified series pole by putting up a 16.784 second lap in the afternoon qualifying. Jamie Sample earned his spot on the front row in some of the closest qualifying margins possible, just three thousandths of a second of the time of the pole sitter. Matt Carter, Bobby Gery and Danny Harrell rounded out the five fastest in qualifying. Green flag started the race and the pole sitter Bubba Johnston would lead lap one. After a quickie caution involving Matt Carter, the green was once again over the speedway as Bubba Johnston would still be the race leader. Laps later, Jamie Sample wanted his turn at the lead and would sneak underneath to claim the point. Following through with Sample would be Danny Harrell taking the second spot from Bubba Johnston as well. Halfway in the feature got interesting regarding the race lead as Harrell tracked down the race leader and soon took the spot. With Danny Harrell as the new race leader, coming through the field was Shawn Bulluzzo and clearly on a mission. After a bit of friendly beaten and banging, Harrell would slip up high in turn four with just a lap to go and that was all Balluzzo needed. From there, Shawn Bulluzzo would motor on for the race win, Balluzzo had this to say. “I can’t say enough for my guys, since my daughter has been in the hospital, its been on the trailer, I haven’t had time to work on the car. We got here today, no practice nothing but the qualifying lap and it was horrible. The car was broke and from the minute I pulled in the crew began to work on it and fixed it, I appreciated it. Thank my wife Terry and Brice, were thinking about you, this one’s for you”.
In the Modified series night cap, per NASCAR’s mandatory eight car invert, DJ Valente would get the top spot with Jamie Sample as the front row. Green flag would wave and DJ Valente would lead lap one of the feature. But then the caution flag waved when Matt Carter spun adding to an already disastrous evening of racing for him. Back to the green, another quick caution when Andrew Fortin comes to pit road after hitting the backstretch wall. With another restart to the race, Bubba Johnston became the new race leader with DJ Valente settling for second. Laps later, the third caution waved for Rick Gdovic in a spin in turn three. Race leader Johnston was shown the green flag and once again secured the point once clear of turn two. Early mover and tip toeing through the field would be race one winner Shawn Bulluzzo making his way into the top five. Just shy of the halfway, the fourth caution to the event came when Rick Gdovic went up in a bloom of smoke. Back to yet another restart, Johnston continued to lead after a brief battle with Matt Carter. With the halfway in the books, the best battle on the track was for second as Balluzzo would struggle to get around Carter. Finally, Balluzzo would get the two spot from Carter who then zeroed in on the race leader. But after a late race caution, a GWC finish was on the way to settle the race. With the green waving there was lots of contact but Johnston had the lead. But on the last lap, Balluzzo would get into the rear of Johnston sending him up the track allowing Balluzzo to go by for the race lead and the sweep of the night, Balluzzo wins and clinches his tenth track championship. Balluzzo from Victory lane; “I’m looking forward to it as much as I don’t want the season to end and I’m glad we don’t have to come back to the next race if we don’t have to. It’s been a challenge to come out each week, everybody has been hoping and praying that everything gets better, appreciate all the support from the fans.
Race Results Race #1:
- #48 Shawn Balluzzo; 30
- #95 Danny Harrell; 30
- #51 Bubba Johnston; 30
- #60 Bobby Gery; 30
- #5 Andrew Fortin; 30
- #78 Matt Carter; 30
- #28 Jamie Sample; 30
- #18 DJ Valente; 30
- #10 Wayne McGee; 30
- #47 Rick Gdovic; 30
- #98 Matt Morgan; 30
- #49 Todd Whitesell; 30
- #63 Derek Roberts; 30
Race Results Race #2
- #48 Shawn Balluzzo; 33
- #51 Bubba Johnston; 33
- #18 DJ Valente; 33
- #78 Matt Carter; 33
- #95 Danny Harrell; 33
- #60 Bobby Gery; 33
- #63 Derek Roberts; 33
- #10 Wayne McGee; 33
- #49 Todd Whitesell; 30
- #98 Matt Morgan; 25
- #28 Jamie Sample; 11
- #47 Rick Gdovic; 11
- #5 Andrew Fortin; 1
Carroll’s Automotive UCARs 20 Laps: Charlie Bryant Jr began the UCar competition by winning the pole sporting an 18.996 second lap. Colby Vance who was only thirty one thousandths off the pole run of Bryant easily earned his place in second. Austin Davis, along with Brandon Wood and Richard Ellis as the five quickest in one of the better fields of the division. Green flag was given to the grid and it would be the pole sitter Charlie Bryant securing the point on lap one. Second place starter Colby Vance quickly got in line and would mirror the race leaders every move. Austin Davis, Tillman Heuer and Brandon Wood were the early top five. Laps later, Vance soon began tracking down the leader and closed in on the bumper as the halfway went up on the board. But Vance’s advances would be denied as lap traffic made it difficult to close any further. Setting up another charge and clear of any race traffic, Vance began to close once again but would run out of laps, Charlie Bryant Jr would win the UCar race feature. Bryant Jr had this to say in Victory Lane, “That was a lot of fun, I enjoy racing with him (Colby Vance), I just want to thank the Lord for a good night, a lot of fun. Nobody got hurt, it’s a good time, its all in family fun. Were just having a great year this year Buck, my family is out here with me. I just can’t be thankful enough, I’m a very blessed guy”.
Race Results:
- #88 Charlie Bryant Jr; 20
- #44 Colby Vance; 20
- #3 Austin Davis; 20
- #14 Tillman Heuer; 20
- #41 Richard Ellis; 20
- #18 Brandon Wood; 20
- #14m Randy McMillan; 19
- #2 Tyler Borden; 19
- #5 Robbie Morris; 18
Old Skool Video Game Super Streets 40 Laps: In the Super Street division, Landon Abbott returned to action and also back on the pole. His hot lap at 18.686 seconds bettered the lap of Randy Akers who would get the shotgun spot in row one. Sean Calway, Dale Parro and Jimmy Adkins completed the divisions five fastest in the late afternoon time trials. Green flag was show to the eighteen-car grid and emerging out of turn two would be Landon Abbott with the race lead. But a wreck in turn two negated the start of the race, once cleared, a complete restart to the race followed. With the green back in the air, Landon Abbott would lead lap one with Sean Calway in hot pursuit. Early movers were Dale Parro to third, Jimmy Adkins was fourth and Gordon Weeks was fifth. But back up front saw Abbott with a seven car length lead as the field was finally in single file. But laps later, problems for the race leader Landon Abbott as he would make contact with the ride of Thomas Gildea to bring out the caution. With Abbott involved in the caution, Sean Calway inherited the race lead awaiting the restart and the green flag. Just shy of the halfway, the race restart would be a good one for Dale Parro who became the new race leader. Calway soon came into the cross hairs of Jimmy Adkins for second but held on to the spot. Meanwhile, Dale Parro had checked out and enjoyed a half a straightaway length lead as the feature would head into the latter stages of the race. From there, Parro would cruise on and go on to win the Super Street race feature. Parro from Victory Lane, “Yeah, I did it again man, Id like to thank the scoring tower for taking away my first qualifying lap from me, made me start fourth so that’s alright. I do it all myself. I appreciate ya Shayne letting me get to my air pressures during the practices”.
Race Results:
- #15 Dale Parro; 40
- #12 Sean Calway; 40
- #7 Jimmy Adkins; 40
- #22 Bill Eaker; 40
- #95 Danny Harrell; 40
- #8 Dale Nichols; 40
- #70 Landon Abbott; 40
- #33 Chris Spangler; 40
- #53 Zac Stongle; 40
- #48 Caitlyn Joyner; 39
- #54b Billy Newman; 39
- #20 Gordon Weeks; 27
- #28g Thomas Gildea; 17
- #11 Chris Roberts; 15
- #21 Randy Akers; 7
- #46 Jason Michaud;
- #23 Richard Haymond;