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Charlie Brown
DELMAR, Del. (October 23) - Ricky Elliott's previous best finish in the Delaware State Dirt Track Late Model Championships was a second back in 1991. That was the year he won his second consecutive Big Block Modified point championship but he had never won a Late Model fall championship until Saturday night.
Austin Hubbard started on the pole and was setting such a torrid pace he was working traffic by lap five. Ricky Elliott kept him close with Darryl Hills, David Pettyjohn and Kerry King in the top five. On the fifth lap, Hubbard had a close call as he almost collected a lapped car coming off the second turn.
Elliott took advantage of the traffic and slipped by Hubbard to lead lap nine. By lap 11 only 18 cars were on the lead lap. The yellow came out as Hal Browning got together with the leader then tangle with Hubband and spun in the fourth turn.
Hubbard restarted in the rear with Darryl Hills now running in second and David Pettyjohn up to third. Pettyjohn took second for a lap but on a lap 13 restart, Hills moved back into the spot..
Cautions kept the field tightly bunched. At the halfway sign the top five were Elliott, Hills, David Pettyjohn, Mark Byram and David Hill. With 20 to go, Byram got by Pettyjohn for fourth as Hubbard drove from the rear back into the top five.
Pettyjohn's drive ended on lap 32 as he came to a stop. Five laps later Hubbard's night ended as he came to a stop in the fourth turn. Donald Lingo, Jr. powered through the top five and locked into a battle for third with Byram.
Three yellows in the final ten laps kept the field bunched. The final yellow came out with two laps to go when Kenny Pettyjohn, who was running sixth came to a stop. Elliott handled the restart as Hills made one final attempt in the first turn but could not make the pass. Elliott, in the Hall's Construction/J&M Roofing/Rocket drove to the $7325 win. Hills completed and excellent drive in second with Byram, Lingo and Hill rounding out the top five.
"Man the track was fantastic," said Elliott. "You could run up high or run down low. We didn't hurt any tires. I'm glad Charlie (Cathell) brought this to a night show and I hope the fans liked it better."
Heats were won by David Pettyjohn, Kerry King and Austin Hubbard.
In the 25-lap Crate Model championship Donald Lingo, Jr. jumped out to the early lead driving Skip Syester's backup car. Ross Robinson, making his first Crate Model start of the season chased in second with Joe Warren third, Dylan Evans fourth and Bobby Watkins, driving for Rob Bragg in fifth.
Roy Hassler and Kelly Putz tangled bringing out the yellow on lap nine. Under the yellow, the leader Lingo pulled into the pits. Robinson was the new leader with Watkins in second. Watkins took the lead at the halfway sign the Clay Tapman grabbing third from Warren.
Tapman took second from Robinson with eight to go. Cautions on laps 22 and 23 gave Tapman a shot at Watkins but Watkins pulled the upset by holding the lead and taking the$1670 win. Tapman turned in a person best in second with Robinson, Warren and Clint Chalabala rounding out the top five. Heats were won by Robinson, Lingo and Evans with John Emory taking the consolation.
Ronnie Layton of Laurel, Del. took the lead from Matt Carmean and slid to his first win in the Slide for 5 nightcap. Carmean recovered from a last lap spin to finish in second with Zack Riddle, Mike Creppon and Jesse Betts rounding out the top five.
RESULTS:
50-Lap Late Model Championship Finish: Ricky Elliott; Darryl Hills; Mark Byram; Donald Lingo Jr; David Hill; Dale Lingo; Herb Tunis; Staci Warrington; Jere Wierman; Lou Johnson; Kelly Putz; Rick Hulson; Kevin Scott Jr; Rob Schirmer; Bob Geiger; Kenny Pettyjohn; Dave Hertz; Hal Browning; Derrike Hill; Bryan Driver; Jonathan Favinger; Austin Hubbard; David Pettyjohn; Andy Haus; Kerry King; Ray Davis Jr; D J Troutman; Randy Stoudt; Scott Haus; DNS; Andrew Mullins.
25-Lap Crate Model Championship Finish: Bobby Watkins; Clay Tatman; Ross Robinson; Joe Warren; Clint Chalabala; John Imler; Chris Hitchens; Tyler Reed; Dylan Evans; Mike Wharton; Kevin Hill; Matt Hill; Nick Davis; Justin Breeding; John Emory; Skip Syester; Randy Givens; Roy Hassler; Sparky White; Robbie Emory; Colby Steele; Donald Lingo Jr; Kelly Putz; Matt Glanden; Mike Wilson; Eric Vent.
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