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James Essex
UNION, Ky. (October 23) - Steve Casebolt of Richmond, IN may wish the 2010 racing season would start anew as the veteran driver wheeled his nearly month-old MasterSbilt Race Car Chassis to his second win in as many weeks as he captured the "Fall 50" on Saturday Night at Florence (KY) Speedway. Casebolt captured the $5,000 first place prize money after a spirited duel with 2010 Florence track champion, Jason Jameson of Lawrenceburg, IN, who finished second, with 10th place starting, Scott James also of Lawrenceburg, IN finishing third. Completing the top five were Cody Mahoney of Madison, IN and Matt Miller of Waterville, OH.
Race Photos - Fall 50 at Florence Speedway
Casebolt, who came into the Florence finale off a win the week before at Kokomo (IN) Speedway, garnered the most passing points after the five heats for the 51 entrants were complete. Joining Casebolt on the front row was Darrell Lanigan, who was subbing for Audie McWilliams, who had a prior family commitment and was unable to drive the John Weber-owned no. 10 car.
Casebolt grabbed the lead from the outset of the 50-lapper as the 32-year-old Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series competitor beat Lanigan into the first turn. Casebolt would lead by a car length for the first two circuits until Lanigan pulled event with him a flagstand on lap three. But Casebolt would quickly start to pull away from Lanigan and stretch his lead to six car lengths by the 12th lap.
Casebolt would then start to enter heavy traffic, but Lanigan was unable to make up any time on the track as Casebolt's lead held steady with 15 laps complete. Mahoney, who for most of the season has crewed for Don O'Neal was running third followed by Miller and Jameson.
Casebolt was able to put several lapped cars between himself and Lanigan with 20 laps scored. A lap later on the 21st circuit, Lanigan would see his bid for the win go out the window has his right rear tire would get cut down as he would slow on the main straightaway bringing out the first and only caution of the race.
On the restart Jameson and James would be the cars on the move. Jameson would climb from fourth to second on the restart and James would come from sixth to fourth as the drivers took the crossed flags indicating the halfway mark of the race.
Jameson then started to put the heat on the front-running Casebolt and with 30 laps in the books Casebolt held a slim two-car length lead over Jameson. Mahoney, who has raced in only a few events this year was holding off James and did so until lap 36 when James was able to get by him.
Up front Casebolt and James were putting on quite a show for the lead as Casebolt was using every bit of the half-mile track; Jameson was able to stay close to Casebolt by predominately using the top groove of the well-prepped track. Casebolt would lose the lead for the first time in the race as Jameson would slip by him on lap 38.
The two would go at it for the next four laps as the top three of Jameson, Casebolt and James were nose to tail with nine laps to go. Casebolt would regain the lead from Jameson on lap 42 during a time when all three were racing in heavy traffic. Jameson was able to tail Casebolt all the way to the checkers as Casebolt held on the take the victory. James would slip back from the battle up front in the final few laps as he was having trouble negotiating lapped traffic, but he held on for third over Mahoney and Miller.
Casebolt, who began driving his MasterSbilt at the Jackson 100 at Brownstown (IN), an event he set fast time for, has scored a top ten finish in the final Lucas Oil Series race of the year at Rome (GA) Speedway on October 10th and he has now picked two wins in the last two weeks with his new car.
"The car was excellent from the start of the race on, I sort of lost my way there a little bit a few times and I didn't know how close the 12 car (Jameson) was until he passed me," said Casebolt in victory lane. "I thought I need to drive this harder and the car just handled great, that was a heck of a race out there, I was fortunate to get back by him, he's tough here, but we really like coming here and we've had some good runs here, the track was great, you could race all over it," commented Casebolt, who has won two of the track's signature events in the past the Spring 50 and the Ralph Latham Memorial.
"I want to especially thank Dixie Chopper, they have been with us a few years now and I really appreciate their sponsorship, hopefully they will be back on board for next season, I have to thank my family who was here tonight, my wife Haley and my mom and dad. Thanks to the crew for the great job they did on the car and all of my sponsors, we'll probably race once more this year at KC next week and call it a year."
Casebolt's MasterSbilt Race Car is powered by a Cornett Racing Engines and sponsored by Dixie Chopper, Integra Racing Shocks, American Racer Tires, Arizona Sport Shirts, Dart Machinery and Sunoco Race Fuels.
Completing the top ten were Eddie Carrier, Jr., John Gill, R.J. Conley, Brad Neat and Dan Schlieper. Neat earned the Hard Charger of the Race as he started 21st and finished ninth, advancing twelve positions. Neat was not driving his familiar no. 41, but was behind the wheel of his brother Dustin's Longhorn Chassis no. 25.
In preliminary action R.J. Conley, Cody Mahoney, Scott James and Zack Dohm won heat races with Brad Neat and Eric Wells winning B-Mains.
Longtime Late Model veteran, John "Weasel" Rhoades of Winchester, OH won the open wheel modified feature in the Stricker Auto Parts, Bob Pierce Race Cars entry. It was Rhoades' first win at Florence in 14 years.
The event concluded the 2010 racing season at Florence Speedway as a major renovation of the main concession stand and restroom facilities will be taking place in the coming weeks in preparation for the 2011 season. The track has announced the dates for its' marquee events next year as the Spring 50 will take place on March 19th, the Ralph Latham Memorial on June 4th and the Sunoco Race Fuels North/South 100 Presented by Lucas Oil will be held on August 12th and 13th.
Florence Speedway Fall 50 Finish: Steve Casebolt, Jason Jameson, Scott James, Cody Mahoney, Matt Miller, Eddie Carrier Jr., John Gill, R.J. Conley, Brad Neat, Dan Schlieper, Darrell Lanigan, Mike Jewell, Duane Chamberlain, Justin Rattliff, Ben Adkins, Zack Dohm, Doug Dodd, Rod Conley, Brandon Green, Chad Smith, Kent Robinson, Eric Wells, Jesse Lay, Tim Prince, Robby Hensley
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