Hooters ProCup Series BFGoodrich 250 First
Editiion Post Race Story and Unofficial Results
Midland, N.C.-Clay Rogers always says that finishing second to Bobby Gill is like winning. If that's the case, there were two winners in the BFGoodrich Tires presented by Stewart Warner Performance at Concord Motorsport Park on Saturday night.
Bobby Gill was able to fend off Rogers in a green-white-checkered finish to pick up his 35th career win and his first this season.
"This is Clay's home track, but I've been racing here since they put the dogleg in," said Gill. "Experience plays a big part at this track. I knew the track would get tight late in the race, and it did.
"On that last restart, Mardy Lindley [Gill's spotter] told me Clay was moving high in [Turn 1]. I moved up and tried to take his line away. Clay is a good racer, and he raced me clean."
And it showed. Rogers' car was one of the few that left the track without a scratch.
"Bobby's a good driver, and he's always raced me clean," said Rogers. "We might lean on each other every now and then, but we never knock each other around. His car was good all day long where we struggled a little bit with all ours."
While Clay was struggling to find handle on his car, his brother, Brad, didn't have any problems with at the start.
The younger Rogers swept around pole sitter Danny O'Quinn Jr. as the green waved and pulled a sizable lead over the pack in the first handful of laps. Rogers led the field until Gill made his first trip out front on Lap 75. Shane Huffman hounded Brad Rogers for 10 laps before eventually making his way around on Lap 91 to take over second. By that time, however, Gill had built nearly a two-second lead over Huffman.
Laps later, a multi-car accident trapped Gill and Huffman, allowing Clay Rogers to take the top spot. On Lap 109, most of the lead-lap cars pitted with the exception of Huffman, who took over the lead.
Huffman, who picked up $1,000 for being the Lucas Oil Products Halfway leader, stayed out front until Lap 164 when Gill made his way back to the front. Gill opened the door for Clay Rogers to take over second. And they would remain that way until the checkered waved.
O'Quinn Jr., who won $1,000 for being the Advance Auto Parts Pole Award winner, finished in third.
"We lost second gear, and I had to start the race in third gear," said O'Quinn Jr. "We've had a good car all year, but we've just had some things happen to keep us from good finishes."
Jason Sarvis had his best run of the season, coming home fourth. David Pletcher rounded out the top five.
Unofficial Result Below
1. Bobby Gill
2. Clay Rogers
3. Danny O'Quinn Jr.
4. Jason Sarvis
5. David Pletcher
6. Tom Buzze
7. Shane Huffman
8. Joe Gaita
9. Matt Carter
10. Billy Bigley Jr.
11. Jay Fogleman
12. Mart Nesbitt
13. Mike Laughlin Jr.
14. Michael Ritch
15. Billy Mowery
16. Hal Goodson
17. Randy Gentry
18. Brad Rogers
19. Michael Ruttkamp
20. Brandon Collins
21. George Brunnhoelzl III
22. Jimmy Mann Jr.
23. Don Satterfield
24. Jeremy Rice
25. Calvin Redwine
26. Michelle Theriault
27. Jody Lavender
28. Mike Herman Jr.
29. Derrick Kelley
30. Daniel Johnson
31. Stuart Ricks
32. Jimmy Lang