Speedway suffers from summer heat

SUMTER -- A low car count combined with sweltering heat made for a slow night of racing at Sumter Speedway Saturday. With the exception of Bomber Four and Young Guns, the races involved three or less cars with one race flagged early as only one car was running at the finish.

Adam Hill made a last lap pass on Landon Jefferies to take the win in Bomber
Four. Pole sitter Dustin Baker was punted back to fourth as Jefferies, Andy Driggers and Hill were able to execute passes on Baker on the opening lap of the event. Marty Horne’s Dodge stalled in the first turn on lap eight bringing out the caution flag.

On the restart, Jefferies, Hill and Driggers went three-wide for the lead in turn one. Chris Scott was able to take advantage of the situation by moving past Driggers to take over third place.

Battles for position were waged throughout the field. When the checkered flag fell it was Hill taking the win, Jefferies taking second. Andy and Paul Driggers of Manning finished third and fourth respectively, and Grant Hill was fifth. Chris Scott, Marty Horne, Dustin Baker and Brian Woodryck rounded out the field.

After fighting Mikey Driggers for the lead during the entire race, Heather
Welch was able to get around Driggers’ Volkswagen with two laps remaining to
take the win in the Young Guns feature. Summerton’s Allen Ridgeway was third, David Rourk Jr. fourth, and Ray-Ray Feagin took fifth.

In GM Crate Late Model action, Gib Gibbons of Manning took the win over David Rourk. Gibbons also set the fast time in qualifying posting a lap of 17.746 seconds.

Cody Truett drove his Camaro into the Rourk Plumbing Winner’s Circle in the
Ridge Runner Class. Truett took the win by virtue of being the last car running after eight laps as Mark Horne and Brian Welch fell victim to mechanical problems.

Jody Truett got around pole sitter Rickie Dennis on the opening lap of the Stock Four main event. The track was left to Truett and his Nissan team mate Dennis as C. J. Coker’s car came to a rest against the inside retaining wall in turn four before the rookie driver completed a lap. Coker was credited with third and earned a Danny’s Trophy Shop Hard Charger Award by not giving up on making the race even though the team experienced various mechanical problems over the course of the evening. Justin Hurst passed leader Daniel Morris on the fourth lap and fought off Morris and J. D. Norton to take the win in Bomber Six. Norton passed Morris with two laps to go to take second.

Pat Davis bested Adam Tatum and David Collum to take the win in Street Stock.
Tatum collected a Danny’s Trophy Shop Hard Charger Award for his performance.

In a warm up for next week’s vintage modified race, Kenneth McGee of Pilot
Mountain, N.C. bested Bob Courtwright of Evans, Georgia, in an eight lap exhibition
race. McGee also earned a Danny’s Trophy Shop Hard Charger Award by virtue of
traveling 250 miles to run his 1932 Ford coupe in the match race with Courtwright’s 1939 Chevrolet coach.

Racing resumes Saturday with the vintage modified tour along with the regular
racing card. Gates open at 5 p.m. with racing action starting at 7:30. Active duty military personnel with a valid ID are admitted to the grandstands free of charge and
persons 65 and older, with proof of age, receive admission to the grandstands
for $5.

Fans can log on to www.racersreunion.ning.com or www.sumterspeedway.com for more information on upcoming events.