TRACKS: Landreth takes second career victory at Concord
Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
June 18, 2001Richard Landreth of Pine Hall, NC found himself wearing the winner’s laurels Saturday night following the 150-lap Blue Bunny Ice Cream Supershow feature for the Coca-Cola Cup Late Model Stock Cars at Concord Motorsport Park. Landreth’s first victory at Concord came last year in the final Late Model event of the 200 season, the ANECO Fall Classic where he earned $10,000.00 for the win.
Saturday’s victory may not have been as lucrative, but was certainly satisfying.
“I thought we had it for awhile, then the tires got hot and Kevin Grubb got around me, but the last caution came out and the tires cooled, then I was able to get back around (Grubb). If we had gone all the way green, we never would have made it to the win, the caution just happened to play in our favor. Here you want to stay out of trouble and keep your nose clean, and that will usually give you a top five finish.” Stated the triumphant Landreth to the TV cameras in the DRP Race Products Victory Lane interviews.
The day was cramped for time as an afternoon thunderstorm had dumped rain on the area, but when time trials finally got underway it was local favorite Kevin Love of Midland, NC who set the stage with a Hedgecock racing Pole Award time of 16.662 seconds. The amazing part is that Love had lunched the engine in his primary car in practice and he qualified a back-up car on the pole! But then, the dreaded draw. Love’s pull inverted the top five positions and put Ben Gable on the pole and Buster Bennet of Monroe, NC outside the front row. Tim Andrews of Harrisburg, NC took inside row two with Shaun Mangum of Monroe outside. Landreth, meanwhile, had qualified in the twelfth position.
At the green Bennet jumped out front but on the third lap Mangum showed his muscle and took the point. A bumping and banging session on lap five brought out first the yellow flag and then the red as several cars tangled coming off Turn Three and the wreck continued all the way down the front straight! Ryan Thigpen of Charlotte, Shane Brafford of Concord, and Brad Kurth of Kernersville were all caught up in the melee.
On the restart Mangum continued to hold court but Chuck Crump of Biscoe, NC was working his way through and wanted a share of the glory.
Another yellow flag flew on lap 16 and the red again one lap later after Ben Gable tested the retaining wall off Turn Three while he and Crump were battling for second. Crump wasn’t caught up, but Tim Andrews and Kevin Love were, with Love’s Ford sustaining substantial damage forcing him to the pits for lengthy repairs the end result of which was Love dropping to second in the Coca-Cola Cup points chase.
Things settled down a bit after the green flag flew once again and on lap Chuck Crump began a challenge on Mangum that would last until lap seventy six went Crump would finally squeeze by on the inside in Turn Three to lead at the line.
Maybe, just maybe, this would be Chuck’s night to notch his first trophy in the Late Model Stock Division! The yellow flag was out again on lap one hundred six for fluid on the track. Unfortunately, it was from Chuck Crump’s Number 8 Chevy and his chances for a win literally went up in smoke!
Landreth was trailing Wayne Grubb of Mechanicsville, VA when racing resumed on lap one hundred fourteen but he wasted no time in moving around Grubb into the lead next time by and Landreth held off Grubb’s number 4 through to the finish of one hundred fifty three laps. The extra laps needed to fulfill the rulebook’s promise that the final five laps of a one hundred fifty-lap LMSC feature will run under green. The last caution came out just short of the finish when Grubb and Nick Cicci of Elmira Heights, NY made contact on the front straight.
At the checkers it was Landreth, Grubb, and Mark Reedy of Middletown, OH making up the top three. AAR Roofing Hard Charger honors also went to Wayne Grubb, who passed thirteen cars on his journey to second spot.
Kevin Love’s sixteenth place finish moved Shaun Mangum back into the points lead with 538 points. Love and Chuck Crump are tied for second just 10 point back.
Next up for the Blue Bunny Supershow was a thirty lap affair for the Carolina Trailer Sales Pro Trucks. This event saw the first ever victory for Concord’s Ken Kellis. “This is the best truck I’ve had all year, that’s for sure. The Lord really blessed me tonight. Anyone could’ve driven this truck to a win! Only people who can really drive are supposed to be in Victory Lane, so I really don’t know what I’m doing here!” Ken shared humorously in Victory Lane.
The win was a well-deserved one as Kellis proved to be the class of the Pro Truck field.
Jeremy Moore of Asheboro, NC claimed his sixth Charlotte Wheel Pole Award of the year with a qualifying effort after the afternoon thunderstorm of 17.325 seconds, but his draw placed him fifth in the lineup with Randy Burnett of Fenton, MO. Inheriting the inside font row spot with Kellis outside. Kellis jumped to the lead on the green and proved he could outdistance the field to the checkers was as dominant a victory as we’ve seen for some time in the Pro Truck Division. Kellis crossed the finish line several lengths ahead of runner-up Roger Lee Newton of Concord and Jeremy Moore.
AAR Roofing Hard Charger laurels were also worn by Moore, who gained positions in the event.
Newton maintains his points lead with 588, 20 points ahead of Moore and 22 ahead of Terry Brooks, Jr.
While Ken Kellis was still celebrating his first win, Roy Maness of Star, NC was gathering up his forty-eighth conquest in the J & W Communications Mini Stock Car Feature. However, Maness hasn’t been to the D R P race Products Victory Lane this season!
“It’s been too long, and it gets tougher every time. It’s still great to win! Maness said in the winner’s interviews. Then he dedicated the race to his sister who is fighting cancer, requesting the prayers of everyone in attendance.
Points leader Jeff Whitley of Mint Hill, NC added the seventh Efird Grading Pole Award to his growing collection in the afternoon run with time of 18.998 seconds but his draw dropped him back to fifth with Chris Rogers going to the inside front row with Maness outside.
Maness realized good luck when he saw it and ran around the outside to the point at the end of lap one and held on to the finish with a flag to flag triumph.
The Blue Bunny Cool Move of the race was awarded to Chris Rogers when he somehow managed to miss the cars of Jeff Whitley and Ron Shepard as they tangled off Turn One while dueling for second. Rogers claimed the runner up spot in the race due to missing that action. Whitley was eventually able to work back to third at the finish. Whitley moves into the J&W Communications Cup points lead with 578, a margin of just 8 points over Jimmy Voyles of China Grove.
The AAR Roofing Hard Charger plaque will hang on the wall of Larry Pierce of Badin Lake who gained five spots going for a fourth place showing.
The ever competitive and always exciting Carolina Pipe Cleaning Limited Stock Car feature was notched by Reggie Carroll by picking up his second consecutive trophy.
Ken Cook of Concord was awarded the Kannapolis Intimidators Baseball Team Pole Award for his qualifier at 18.080 seconds but Cook was demoted to fourth place in the draw with Wayne Whitley of Mint Hill moving up to first, Jeff Melton of Monroe to second and Carroll to third staring spot.
On the break Whitley led the first five, but Carroll moved ahead on lap six and sat comfortably on the point until the checkers. Whitley claimed second and Cook third.
AAR Roofing hard Charger honors went to Alton Boyd of Pensacola, FL who failed to qualify when his car wouldn’t start, the came from fifteenth on the grid to seventh at the finish. Boyd also gathered the Mel’s Ignition Mechanic of the Race Award for the same effort. Alton Boyd is the car owner, crew chief, head mechanic and driver of the number 24.
Reggie Carroll in Victory Lane…“I felt comfortable until the cautions, you really don’t know what will happen on a restart after a caution, you could miss a gear… a lot of things could happen, but once I got a three of four length lead, I could feel comfortable. I could really get used to being here (in Victory Lane), though. I’m enjoying it!”
The King Racing Collectibles X-Carz “I can see clearly” (how would you like to race with the hood UP?!) event was won by Guy Bacelo, Brian Spivey of Albemarle was second and David Miller of Concord third. Bacelo now enjoys a one-point lead over Randy Spivey, also of Albemarle.
Next Saturday, Pizza Hut presents the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series featuring a 50-lap Late Model Stock Car feature, 30-laps for the Pro Trucks and 25 laps each for the Limited Stock Cars and Mini Stock Cars. The X-Carz will go for an 8 lap T-shirt race. As a special added attraction, the Kid’s BOX CAR Races will be held at 6:30 PM. Gates open at 5:00 PM, racing starts at 7:30 PM. General admission is just $10.00 for adults. Children eleven and under admitted free. Top Row Reserved seating is $12.00 per person.
The fifth annual Arctic Cat salute to America SUPERSHOW with fireworks is slated for Saturday, June 30th.
Text provide by Concord
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