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Jay Vaquer
PHENIX CITY, Ala. (April 19) - Race Director Ken Kinney Jr. brought his United Dirt Late Model Challenge Series from LaBelle, Florida to compete on the high banks of East Alabama Motor Speedway in a 50 lap $4,000 to win event. The Series offers fast and exciting racing with rules set to allow most dirt late models to run without major changes or modifications. Therefore we had our local Late Model Crates compete against Late Model Sportsman cars with more powerful engines. As long as it was a 358 everything, save an aluminum block, was fair game. Mark Whitener from Middleburg, Florida was born to race at EAMS. He posted a fast time of 15.24, which was nearly a half second faster than anyone else to win the pole. On the outside was Jay Johnson from Moultrie, GA and in the second row was Fastrak National Champion William Thomas and our local late model legend Dana Eiland on the outside. When the green dropped on the feature, Johnson won the drag race to turn one while Larry Harrod fired and lost power. Harrod skillfully entered the pits without causing a caution and began searching for the cause of his engine failure. Johnson went high in turn one and dropped three spots to Whitener, Eiland and Thomas, who blasted by on the inside. Ricky Culpepper had a great start in the top ten but got caught up in the mix, forced off the back stretch and now faced a full field of 28 cars chasing victory. Another powerful local competitor, The Rocketman Richie Stephens, bent the left front suspension and had to take an unfortunate DNF from seventh place. Johnny Collins began an all out assault on Thomas challenging for the third place. They put on a great spectacle of highly competitive dirt track racing, swapping positions, which fulfilled the prophecy for excitement. On lap 11 Johnson made the pass for third stick. Former Late Model Champion Jeff Culpepper was having a successful run when he lost power in turn 4 and coasted to a stop on the front straight for a yellow flag caution. Later the crew discovered Jeff's throttle linkage broke, no doubt due to that big lead foot hammered down as he was coming to the front. Jordy Nipper was tangling with the Assassin, Terrance Nowell in eleventh who was really hooked up in turns one and two, but not too well in three and four. They were at it back and fourth then the Assassin took a walk on the wild side off turn one. Bobby Eiland retired to the pit with a mechanical failure while Nipper and another former Late Model Champion, JR Moseley were on a run. Moseley is always fast when the track is hard and was having a good run as he worked on passing Montana Dudley. Coming out of turn 4 Moseley's line took him into a slick spot where suddenly he was along for the ride. While doing a 360 his front nose was amputated giving him the Modified look. Moseley called it a night and went to the pits for a DNF. Johnny Collins was finding out why Dana Eiland is a living legend when he tried to take second place from The Master of Faster #K9 Eiland. At lap 24, a disappointed Ricky Culpepper entered the pits with a failure and a DNF. Whitener was having it his way as he ran through lap traffic at record speeds. He kept an even keel anywhere on the track while running wide open and displayed tremendous driving skills. Eiland could run him down but only wait for the opportunity or luck, to make a pass. To the dismay of many fans, Thomas, in third and poised for his last minute bid for the win, lost power and coasted into the pits for a DNF. When Whitener hit heavy lap traffic Eiland moved his K-9 in for the kill and ran door to door for some serious excitement. Whitener used the lap cars as picks to maintain the lead. The Assassin took a shot and came to a stop for the lap 30 caution. Larry Harrod was down 30 laps but being our current Late Model Champion he showed the "never give up" attitude of a true champ and came back to the race. His crew discovered that a wire had separated in his distributor when he fired at the beginning of the race. When the green came back Whitener kept the pressure on as he gained serious ground from the pack, with the exception of the persistent K-9 nipping at his heels. They were soon a straightaway ahead of Collins in third. Eiland was as fast as Whitener but needed that element of chance to pass. Shane Williams from Deleon Springs, FL who has 11 UDLM Series wins this year, coasted to a stop in turn one. Russell Brown JR got a flat and stopped in turn 4 for the lap 44 caution. There were now 16 cars left on the track, including several lap cars. When the green came back Whitener and Eiland chose the high groove and Collins and Keith Nosbisch, running third and fourth, took the middle groove. On lap 48 the seventeen's tried to cancel themselves out as the #17 of Dusty Cone hit the #17 of Shan Smith and they spun to a stop in turn 4. This set up a green, white checkers situation. Mark Whitener in his # 7 Robert's Construction Russell Brown Racecar was definitely the man as he took the checkers. Dana Eiland finished in second, which is ahead of the other 43 teams who showed up for the event. Johnny Collins finished third, Keith Nosbisch fourth, Shan Smith fifth, Jay Johnson sixth, Jackie Nosbisch seventh, the Phenix City Assassin Terrance Nowell finished eighth with his Crate engine, Adam Bedenbaugh ninth, and local rookie phenom Montana Dudley rounded out the top ten in tenth with his # 55 crate engine.
The Limited Sportsman division started with Russ Ogletree in the lead. Rodgerick Dykes passed Steven Gaines JR to move into second place on lap 9. Danny Stroud had passed Josh Marchman a few times but cautions made them reset. When Stroud finally got around for good, Marchman and Stroud crashed on the front stretch sending them both to the pits for DNF's. On lap 15 Dykes powered his way into the lead and took the checkers. Mikey Mount crossed the finish line with his right rear wheel dangling on a thread. Russ Ogletree finished second, Steven Gaines JR finished third, Thomas Lewis fourth, and Efrem Holbrook finished fifth.
In the Bomber division Billy Duell, JR took the lead from the outside pole. Richard Stephens SR was all over him and took the lead on lap 2. They crashed on the front straight and Stephens went to the pits on lap 5. On lap 10 Steven Bryan, already lapped, took out the leader. Duell was able to hang on and take the checkers. Trevor Elliot finished second, Jeff Elliot third, Turkey Leg fourth, and Josh Thigpen finished fifth.
The Hobby division finally saw Jerry Luke win a feature race. Allen McConnell started on the pole and Luke passed him on the first lap. Luke must be living right as his motor did not blow, his tires did not fall off, and his hood did not fly up and most importantly he drove a mature race, did not spin out, and brought home the bacon. Congratulations. Allen McConnell finished second, John Michael third, Jeremy Nevels fourth, and Chris Arnett rounded out the top five.
Late Model
7 - Mark Whitener
K9 - Dana Eiland
5 - Johnny Collins
101 - Keith Nosbisch
17ss - Shan Smith
1 - Jay Johnson
12 - Jackie Nosbisch
7 - Terrance Nowell
26 - Adam Bedenbaugh
55 - Montana Dudley
32 - Roger Crouse
33 - Jeff Matthews
17 - Dusty Cone
42 - Marshall Austin
15 - Evan Becton
00 - Russell Brown, Jr
48 - Bill Howard
xxx1 - Shane Williams
22 - William Thomas
1n - Jordy Nipper
110 - Ricky Culpepper
99 - JR Moseley
97 - Justin Choquette
10 - Jeff Culpepper
47 - Jeff Conyers
00 - Richie Stephens
27 - Larry Harrod
08 - Bobby Eiland
Limited Sportsman
5 - Rodgerick Dykes
RC3 - Russ Ogletree
50jr - Steven Gaines, Jr
5L - Thomas Lewis
76 - Efrem Holbrook
72 - Chad Scrimpshire
31 - Mikey Mount
19 - Paul Walters
115 - Dustin Elliott
22 - Danny Stroud
21 - Josh Marchman
75 - Brand Lewis
13 - Donny Knapp
24 - Bailey Jones
8 - Paul Still
Hobby
90 - Jerry Luke
24 - Allen McConnell
294 - John Michael
44 - Jeremy Nevels
7 - Chris Arnett
8 - Jeremy Nelson
18 - Ricky Headley
29 - Randy Allen
55 - Kenny Mathis
41 - Jason Anthony
99 - Randy Renfroe
Bomber
721 - Billy Duell, Jr
7 - Trevor Elliott
7 - Jeff Elliott
T3 - Turkey Leg
56 - Josh Thigpen
52 - Shelby Amos
38 - Chris Storey
3 - Steven Bryant
54 - Doug Pullen
16 - Drew Roberts
00 - Richard Stephens
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