RGeeProductions
06-03-2012, 09:27 PM
Wild night at the Madhouse for the Modifieds and the KNPSE
With a full moon hanging in the sky, the Madhouse lived up to its namesake on Saturday. The K&N Pro
Series East and the Brad’s Golf Cars Modified Series brought the fans to their feet – and both races ended with crowds cheering and booing loudly
enough to drown out driver interviews.
The NASCAR Hall of Fame 150 was expected to be one of the rougher events for the K&N Pro Series East. Bowman Gray Stadium’s tight
quarter-mile track produces a definitively close style of racing, and competitors took advantage of every second of their practice sessions to
adapt to the track.
Kyle Larson of Elk Grove, CA was the fastest qualifier with Corey LaJoie of Concord turning the second fastest lap. When the green flag
fell, the two fought for the lead over several laps. LaJoie pushed on the outside row but was unsuccessful at completing the pass.
But on lap 37, another restart allowed LaJoie to grab the lead away from Larson. “I learned how to run the top last year, and I got the
lead on the top,” said LaJoie. “We were kinda stuck there. They were lining up on the bottom, so I just had to go. My car was really good no
matter where it went. It just stuck on the high side, and we made it work.”
LaJoie was able to fight off outside row challenges in future restarts to claim the checkered. The victory makes him the 122nd winner of
a featured event at Bowman Gray Stadium – adding him to the list of winners that includes Richard Petty, Lee Petty, Ralph Earnhardt, Glen Wood,
and countless other legends. “It’s an elite group of people,” said LaJoie. “I have a long, long, long way to go to catch up to the prestige of
those guys. I’m just happy to get into Victory Lane once to break that barrier.”
During the final laps of the race, Darrell Wallace Jr. of Concord and Brett Moffitt of Grimes, IA got a little too close for comfort.
Moffitt lost control and fell back a few positions – and then made his grievances known to Wallace as he celebrated his second place finish near
Victory Lane.
“It was a hard fought battle from lap 1 to lap 150,” said Wallace. “Right there at the last lap, LaJoie drove it in a little hard and
checked up on Moffitt. I had the bottom covered and just got in the gas too early,” said Wallace. “It’s racing.”
Bryan Ortiz of Payamon, Puerto Rico took third. Local rookie Harrison Rhodes of High Point claimed fourth in his first race ever in the K&N Pro
Series East.
In the Brad’s Golf Cars Modified Series, John Smith of Mount Airy claimed the checkered after a fierce battle with Chris Fleming of Mount
Airy.
Smith, who started on the outside front row, motored past pole-starter Austin Pack of Walkertown as the green flag fell. Chris Fleming
climbed up from fourth to second within a few laps.
Fleming chose the outside row for the first two restarts, but Smith held on to the lead. But during the third restart, Fleming got the
best of Smith, grabbing the race lead on lap 47. It was then Smith’s turn to take to the outside and challenge Fleming.
Smith tried for four double-file restarts to overtake Fleming, but the #40 car of Fleming refused to budge. But Smith wasn’t happy about how
Fleming protected his lead. “I raced him clean - but every restart, we went down in the corner and he ran me out high,” said Smith. “He just
bullied me to the outside and ran over top of me two or three restarts.”
When the caution came out in the final laps - leading to a green-white-checkered finish - the two competitors knew that this battle for the lead
would decide the race. Smith followed closely behind Fleming and gave him a stiff shot in turn four of the final lap, spinning Fleming out. Smith
went on to win, while Fleming’s spin created a multiple car pileup.
“I went into three, and he was already a little out of control. He just gassed it up and spun it out,” said Smith about the situation.
“John was starting in turn three. I was trying to get him to do it right,” said Fleming. “He thinks he never does anything wrong. I was
just driving my heart out.”
Smith’s victory tonight not only marks his ninth featured win at Bowman Gray Stadium – but Smith also receives a $2,500 bonus. G-OIL
offered the bonus to drivers should they run G-OIL in their cars and win the race on Saturday.
Austin Pack of Walkertown avoided Fleming’s spinning car to finish in second, with Michael Clifton of Walkertown finishing in third.
(continued)
With a full moon hanging in the sky, the Madhouse lived up to its namesake on Saturday. The K&N Pro
Series East and the Brad’s Golf Cars Modified Series brought the fans to their feet – and both races ended with crowds cheering and booing loudly
enough to drown out driver interviews.
The NASCAR Hall of Fame 150 was expected to be one of the rougher events for the K&N Pro Series East. Bowman Gray Stadium’s tight
quarter-mile track produces a definitively close style of racing, and competitors took advantage of every second of their practice sessions to
adapt to the track.
Kyle Larson of Elk Grove, CA was the fastest qualifier with Corey LaJoie of Concord turning the second fastest lap. When the green flag
fell, the two fought for the lead over several laps. LaJoie pushed on the outside row but was unsuccessful at completing the pass.
But on lap 37, another restart allowed LaJoie to grab the lead away from Larson. “I learned how to run the top last year, and I got the
lead on the top,” said LaJoie. “We were kinda stuck there. They were lining up on the bottom, so I just had to go. My car was really good no
matter where it went. It just stuck on the high side, and we made it work.”
LaJoie was able to fight off outside row challenges in future restarts to claim the checkered. The victory makes him the 122nd winner of
a featured event at Bowman Gray Stadium – adding him to the list of winners that includes Richard Petty, Lee Petty, Ralph Earnhardt, Glen Wood,
and countless other legends. “It’s an elite group of people,” said LaJoie. “I have a long, long, long way to go to catch up to the prestige of
those guys. I’m just happy to get into Victory Lane once to break that barrier.”
During the final laps of the race, Darrell Wallace Jr. of Concord and Brett Moffitt of Grimes, IA got a little too close for comfort.
Moffitt lost control and fell back a few positions – and then made his grievances known to Wallace as he celebrated his second place finish near
Victory Lane.
“It was a hard fought battle from lap 1 to lap 150,” said Wallace. “Right there at the last lap, LaJoie drove it in a little hard and
checked up on Moffitt. I had the bottom covered and just got in the gas too early,” said Wallace. “It’s racing.”
Bryan Ortiz of Payamon, Puerto Rico took third. Local rookie Harrison Rhodes of High Point claimed fourth in his first race ever in the K&N Pro
Series East.
In the Brad’s Golf Cars Modified Series, John Smith of Mount Airy claimed the checkered after a fierce battle with Chris Fleming of Mount
Airy.
Smith, who started on the outside front row, motored past pole-starter Austin Pack of Walkertown as the green flag fell. Chris Fleming
climbed up from fourth to second within a few laps.
Fleming chose the outside row for the first two restarts, but Smith held on to the lead. But during the third restart, Fleming got the
best of Smith, grabbing the race lead on lap 47. It was then Smith’s turn to take to the outside and challenge Fleming.
Smith tried for four double-file restarts to overtake Fleming, but the #40 car of Fleming refused to budge. But Smith wasn’t happy about how
Fleming protected his lead. “I raced him clean - but every restart, we went down in the corner and he ran me out high,” said Smith. “He just
bullied me to the outside and ran over top of me two or three restarts.”
When the caution came out in the final laps - leading to a green-white-checkered finish - the two competitors knew that this battle for the lead
would decide the race. Smith followed closely behind Fleming and gave him a stiff shot in turn four of the final lap, spinning Fleming out. Smith
went on to win, while Fleming’s spin created a multiple car pileup.
“I went into three, and he was already a little out of control. He just gassed it up and spun it out,” said Smith about the situation.
“John was starting in turn three. I was trying to get him to do it right,” said Fleming. “He thinks he never does anything wrong. I was
just driving my heart out.”
Smith’s victory tonight not only marks his ninth featured win at Bowman Gray Stadium – but Smith also receives a $2,500 bonus. G-OIL
offered the bonus to drivers should they run G-OIL in their cars and win the race on Saturday.
Austin Pack of Walkertown avoided Fleming’s spinning car to finish in second, with Michael Clifton of Walkertown finishing in third.
(continued)