FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 21, 2012
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Ricky Weeks named winner of Al Lucas Memorial Race
Post-race tire sample analysis nullifies Mitchell's victory

On June 9, 2012, the Carolina Clash returned to action with a 40-lap event at Fayetteville Motor Speedway. The race was titled the 1st Annual Al Lucas Memorial Race. Mr. Al Lucas was a major supporter of dirt track racing in the Cape Fear/Southeastern NC region, as he supported several drivers and tracks as a regional Coca-Cola soft drink representative. He passed away in March 2012 and was memorialized in this event. His family and friends were on hand to participate in the tribute.

A huge crowd of fans was on hand for this event, which was the first since April 14 for the Clash faithful. Ricky Weeks entered the event seeking his 37th career victory with the series and his 8th all-time at Fayetteville Motor Speedway. Weeks entered the event in the top five in the Carolina Clash point-standings and was seeking his second win in a row, since Lancaster in April.

Scott Autry captured the pole position during the XS Power Racing Batteries qualifying with a fast time of 17.658 on the 4/10 mile raceway. He would start the event alongside Princeton, NC competitor Dustin Mitchell, who had one previous win with the series at Fayetteville in October 2010.

26 cars entered the event and series officials and track management decided to start all 26 cars based on qualifying times. This decision was supported by many drivers and teams, in an effort to save time on an already full night of racing, not to mention save additional wear-and-tear on very costly tires, fuel, and equipment.

On the first start of the race, Mitchell was able to use the outside lane to secure the race lead, but a caution brought the field to a slowed-pace, with 2010 Rookie of the Year Dean Bowen and Craig Shuffield head toward the pit area. Shuffield had indicated that he was having mechanical problems and had only planned to start the race. Bowen was able to return to the event.

After the completion of the first lap, another caution was waved when 2008 rookie of the year winner Scott Neighbors in the Norman Nichols #7 car spun in turn two, collecting Mike Parker and Charles Hanson. Parker was finished for the event on lap 2. Timmy Carroll brought the #1 car in for a tire change and was able to continue for a smooth 9th place finish.

On lap three, Ronnie Hoover slowed the #5 car on the entrance to turn three, after having made contact with the inside of turn one, damaging the rear end of his machine. This caused the field to jam up behind him. Mike Gault crashed the #17 into turn four, causing extensive damage to the right-rear of his Rocket. In the melee, Austin Kirkpatrick, Gary Mabe, Roger Lucas and Rookie contender Wayne Hughes crashed into Gault, who was retired from the event.

The decision to cancel double-file restarts came very early, as five cautions in the first three laps prompted officials to make this move. The race would resume for seven laps, until Robby Turner brought the next caution out on lap 10, when his Beasley Body Shop entry lost power and stopped on the track.

The race resumed for green-flag competition for the next 14 laps, as Mitchell, Scott Autry, Ricky Weeks, Luke Roffers, and Johnny Pursley settled in single-file. The cars on the move were Jeff Smith and Travis Hair. Smith was already into the top seven at halfway, from his 14th starting position, while Travis Hair cracked the top ten from 21st. Wayne Hughes recovered from his opening lap problems and began to rally his way back through the field.

When the race returned to green at lap 24, the action was getting intense for the front six. Ross Bailes had worked his way into the top five, along with Jeff Smith, who starting putting pressure on the front four by lap 32.

By lap 30, a battle for the lead was setting up between Autry and Mitchell. For three laps, Autry was able to pull alongside Mitchell entering turns one and three. Mitchell fended off the challenge for these three laps each time as the cars exited turns two and four. Then, as the leaders clipped off lap 33, Autry made the most successful run on Mitchell entering turn one and was able to pass the leader. However, the pass was not successful as the two made contact exiting turn two and Scott Autry began spinning up and to the right. As the car began to complete the 180 degree turn, the left rear of the machine dug into the track and the car began to tumble side-over-side and off of the backstretch banking. It flipped three-to-five times before coming to rest on the roof of the car, with the wheels in the air. After many anxious moments, Autry emerged from the heavily damaged machine to the roar of a worried crowd. He walked away unharmed from his Rocket racer prepared by Wolfpack Racing and Cape Fear Motorsports.

In the final seven laps, Mitchell was able to pull out from Ricky Weeks, but the five-time champion closed on Mitchell in the last two laps and was able to challenge for the lead. However, Mitchell held Weeks off and picked up the checkered-flag by a little under a half-second.
 
Mitchell Win Nullified After Tire Sample Analysis
It is customary for the Carolina Clash to collect tire-samples from up to four race cars during each event. Tire samples were taken from two cars based on qualifying results and two cars from the feature event. They are then sent to an independent laboratory for testing. The tire samples from Dustin Mitchell did not conform to the American Racer Benchmark, while samples taken from Ronnie Hoover, Timmy Carroll, and Scott Autry conformed to the American Racer benchmark.

As a result, the victory by Dustin Mitchell was nullified and Ricky Weeks was declared the winner. Series officials will alter the point standings to reflect the new results and teams will be compensated for the differences in purse payouts.

The next event for the Carolina Clash will be another race at Fayetteville Motors Speedway, for the two-time rained-out Ed Gibbons Memorial Race. The race was originally scheduled for March 24th. Then, it was moved to May 5th, where again it was rained-out. The series will return to South Carolina for the first stop in series history to I-77 Speedway in Richburg, SC, before ramping up for a busy August and September to begin the chase.