Clay Rogers Dominates Hampton Virginia 250 For 2nd
Straight Victory
Clay Rogers Dominates Hampton Virginia 250
For 2nd Straight Victory; 3rd This Season
HAMPTON, Va. (May 29, 2010) – Defending USARacing Pro Cup Series champion Clay Rogers continued his domination of the touring short-track circuit Saturday night at Langley Speedway, leading all but four laps in the Hampton Virginia 250.
Rogers' second straight victory and his third this season also netted the Mooresville, N.C., native a $1,000 WIX Challenge bonus. The award goes to the driver who earns the pole for an event and then wins the race. It was the second straight race in which Rogers has accomplished the feat. Two weeks ago he won the Carolina 200 presented by Black's Tire and Auto Service at Rockingham [N.C.] Speedway to claim the WIX Challenge bonus, which then stood at $4,000.
“What an awesome win!�?? Rogers exclaimed after leading 246 of the 250 laps on the 0.395-mile Langley Speedway. “This just says a lot about these guys and this crew. They put a ton of emphasis in coming up here and winning this race, being their hometown race track. I've spent a lot of time up here lately helping these guys work on these cars.
“It's about the preparation that goes into it. You win these races at the shop nowadays. We put a lot of emphasis into this (race) and came up here and tested. I know a lot of the other teams didn't get an opportunity to come test, but you've got to come loaded for bear when you're coming to the house.�??
Rogers, who averaged 68.179 mph in the race that was slowed by six caution flags for 31 laps, started from the pole and was never passed for the lead on the track. The three-time series champion led the first 144 laps before losing the top position on a pit stop that occurred during the fourth caution period. All of the lead-lap cars pitted for four fresh tires after the yellow flag waved on lap 141 and A.J. Frank beat Rogers off pit road. Frank, however, was able to hold off Rogers' USG Sheetrock Ford Fusion for only two laps. Rogers dove underneath Frank's Speedco Chevrolet Impala entering the first turn on lap 149 to retake the lead for good.
While Rogers cruised to his 26th career victory by a 3.183-second margin, Logan Ruffin and Jeff Agnew battled for second. Ruffin, driving his Turner Motorsports Chevrolet, emerged the victor in that stand-off to claim his second runner-up finish this season. The Memphis, Tenn., native's other second place came at Hickory [N.C.] Motor Speedway earlier this month.
“I looked up in the mirror and I saw him [Agnew] coming,�?? the 15-year-old top finishing rookie said. “I turned both mirrors away so I couldn't see him so I could focus on what I was doing.
“We're so close (to winning a race). Hopefully, here pretty soon, we'll break into the top.�??
Agnew, who started beside Rogers on the front row in his Team 7 Motorsports Ford, hounded Rogers through the first 144 laps before dropping to fifth after pitting for four tires during the fourth caution period. The Floyd, Va., resident had made it to third by the fifth caution period that began on lap 183, but could advance no further.
“We had a good car tonight,�?? Agnew said. “I really believe it's the difference between being third and being first. When we were behind Clayton, when I would pull up on him, we would lose the nose on the car. I thought maybe if we'd been in front of him, maybe we could have pulled away from him.
“But the guys did a great job. We're gaining on it. We're getting really close. I'll be glad the day we can pass Clayton. We narrowed the gap quite a bit tonight.�??
Rounding out the top 5, respectively, were Matt Lofton, a Roxboro, N.C., native, in his Strutmasters.com Chevrolet Impala and Bluffton, S.C., resident Frank.
The USAR Pro Cup Series now takes a week off before heading to South Boston, Va., June 12.
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