Elkins Raceway
June 14, 2013
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Hawkins gets second Super Late Model win at Elkins Raceway

by Jeff Yost
KERENS, WV (June 14) - It was Old Timers Reunion night presented by Performance Motors Friday at Elkins Raceway. Some of the elder statesmen were on hand reminiscing with long time friends and fans and making new ones. 

The Good Samaritan of Barbour County Mod Lites were spotlighted again with the Andy's Heating $500 to win race. Making his debut at the 3/8 mile oval, George Englert won the first heat and Lynn Knepper grabbed the second. Englert jumped to the point with Knepper hot on his tail. Knepper continued to apply pressure until he made his move on lap six. Knepper driving the Evolution / Knepper ATV #21, slipped by Englert and would not relinquish it. Englert then had to fend off a late charge from Jeff Fornash for second. Braedon Dillinger, and Beau Newlon rounded out the top five. 

In the Jenkins Ford Super Late Models, Skip Hare snared the first heat while Jared Hawkins captured the other. Elkins uses a handicap method for their feature lineups. When you win a feature the following week you must start eighth. If you are not present the following week another position is added, and so on. It had been two weeks since Hawkins was in the pits, therefore he started ninth. Cody Hardesty grabbed the front spot at the drop of the green and set sail to a comfortably lead. But on lap five exiting turn four he slapped the front straight wall damaging the car enough that it ended his evening. That handed the lead to Hare. A yellow on lap nine for a spin by Shane Hitt, found Hawkins in the top five. Hare continued to run the race of his life, but by the half way mark Hawkins had climbed to third. On lap 19 Hawkins motored to second. J-Hawk began to turn up the wick and as the front due entered turn one on the white flag lap Hawkins ducked under Hare and made the pass. The J C Distributing / Melvin's Transmission #37 made it's second trip to victory lane this season. Hare had to settle for second. Bob Gordon, Billy Holbert, and Butch McGill completed the top five. The elder Hawkins hoped his win would be good medicine for his younger brother Jacob, who had underwent surgery Friday morning for being struck in the face with debris at Eldora's The Dream last week. 

In two of the three previous weeks, the Budweiser FASTRAK Late Models had failed to run their full schedule of laps due to cautions and the time limit expiring. This week the full allotment would be completed. Michael Lake shot to the front with Derek Rogers, Dusty Swecker, Kyle Thomas and Corey Metheny filling the top five. The yellow flag only waved three times before the half way mark. Lake continued to show the way, but began to flirt with disaster circuit after circuit in turn two. The young driver drove very high each time coming out of the turn, until lap 17 when the rear end came around on him looping his mount. Rogers piloting the RR Scott Construction / CLK Financial Group #23 inherited the spot, and then had to hold off a hard charging Thomas for his first checkerboard of the season.  Norm Weaver, Matt Lopez, and Chad Green would finish third through fifth.

In the Fast "N Friendly Pharmacy Modifieds, it quickly became a two car battle at the front. Vic Vandergrift would be the front runner with Phil Jeffries breathing down his neck. Lap after lap Jeffries hounded Vandergrift. As the front duo entered lapped traffic, on lap 10, Jeffries masterfully trapped Vandergrift behind a back marker and made his bid for the lead. Just as the pass was secured, the yellow waved voiding the move. That brought third running Brent Trimble into the fray. Now the trio would drive away from the field but neither Jeffries nor Trimble could overtake Vandergrift. The Tri City Electrical / Vandergrift Auto sponsored #V16 notched his first trip to victory circle in 2013. Jeffries, Trimble, Dave Defibaugh, (within striking distance) and Robert Smith completed the top five.

In the Miller's Used Cars Street Stocks, Scott Bittenger would lead flag to flag enroute to his second checkerboard of the season. The Automotive Machine / Gold Digger Racing #29 fended off Steve Wilmoth (substituting for Samantha Rogers), J P Tallman, Ronnie Tincher, and Ryan Watson. Tincher was awarded the Leggett Refrigeration Hard Charger award.

The Darren's Pizza Shack Mini Wedges saw a very scary moment in the second heat. Just as the green flag was dropped Brett Coberly entered turns three and four, but his #00C would not steer. He launched off turn four and nose dived. He then flipped three time landing on a stump. After a trip to the hospital and xrays, he returned to the track with a sore neck, but otherwise ok. In the feature this years top two drivesr again raged a war. When the checkers fell Kaitlyn Frazier won round four over Logan Hitt. That now evens the record of two wins apiece. Paige Bragg, Skylar Moats and Abby Watson rounded out the top five.

This week will be Jenkins Ford Friday Night Thunder autograph night. So bring your markers and cameras! Plus $1,000 to win for the Fast 'N Friendly Pharmacy Modifieds. With double points in all classes. (single points in heats, double for feature only)

Don't forget coming June 28 and 29  the J C Distributing Stars 'N Stripes Topless weekend. Friday night will be regular racing in all classes, plus a HUGE fireworks display. Then Saturday the 25th annual R H Armstrong Memorial Twin Topless 25's. $2,000 to win in the Jenkins Ford Super Late Models for the first feature. Then the field will be inverted, and $3,000 to win the second. (Super Lates must run Friday to be eligible to run Saturday) With a $250 to win both hard charger bounty. Newly added, the rained out Schaeffer Oil $2,000 to win Budweiser FASTRAK Late Models. $750 to win for the Fast ' N Friendly Pharmacy Modifieds. $500 to win for the Miller's Used Cars Street Stocks. Harris Construction / American Garage Door present $750 to win for the Good Samaritan of Barbour County Mod Lites. Also racing both days the future drivers, the Darren's Pizza Shack Mini Wedges. 

For all the latest information, point standings and more go to www.elkinsraceway.net

Super Late Models (13); Jared Hawkins, Skip Hare, Bob Gordon, Billy Holbert, Butch McGill, Tim Senic, Shane Hitt, Shaun Poling, Jamie McCloud, Jess Whitehair, Billy Brown, Cody Hardesty, Steve Cook. Heats; Hare, Hawkins.

FASTRAK (19); Derek Rogers, Kyle Thomas, Norm Weaver, Matt Lopez, Chad Green, Kris Southern, Tyler Stutler, Ron Wiles, Mike Thorne, Jerry Brown, Michael Lake, Richard Frazier, Garrett Paugh, Derrick Shaw, Dusty Swecker, Tracie Sampson, Corey Metheny, Greg Hicks. DNS; Daniel Hill. Heats; Metheny, Lake, Rogers.

Modifieds (14); Vic Vandergrift, Phil Jeffries, Brent Trimble, Dave Defibaugh, Robert Smith, Bryson Sanders, Bill Vandevender, Denny Davis, Kenny Harris, Nick Wilson, Larry Atha, Randy Bohan,. DNS; Matthew Chenoweth, Keith Miller. Heats; Defibaugh, Jeffries.

Street Stocks (14); Scott Bittenger, Steve Wilmoth, J P Tallman, Ronnie Tincher, Ryan Watson, Teresa Vaughn, Rick Knicley, Brian Youtzy, Jamie Keene, Bill Deem, Josh Mullenax, James Nelson. DNS; Willie Mallow, Ricky Vest. Heats; Bittenger, Vest. 

Mod Lites (13); Lynn Knepper, George Englert, Jeff Fornash, Braedon Dillinger, Beau Newlon, Mitch Ward, Jared Barclay, Chris Frank, Ryan Harris, Randy Kerns, Elliot Newlon, Trey Watson. DNS; Garry Harris. Heats; Englert, Knepper.

Mini Wedges (10); Kaitlyn Frazier, Logan Hitt, Paige Bragg, Skylar Moats, Abby Watson, Cody Tate, Austin Simmons, Ryan Gum, Olivia Ferguson. DNS; Brett Coberly.