Saturday evening, the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model Stocks ran their shortest races of the year, with twin 50 lap races. Despite the small number of laps, the night saw plenty of action across two Late Model Stock and two Limited Late Model races.
In the first 50 lap race, Lee Pulliam set the fast time in qualifying and led at the drop of the green flag. Behind him, point leader Tommy Lemons Jr., Myatt Snider, Matt McCall and Dillon Bassett all shuffling for position. Pulliam was the class of the field, though, and won the first half of the twin-bill easily, with Snider, Lemons, McCall and Bassett all finishing behind him.
The second 50 lap race saw the gloves come out, with three-wide racing the norm. Teammates Dalton Sargeant and Dillon Bassett started on the front row, with Bassett getting the early lead. Bassett held the lead through a flurry of restarts, with Lemons, McCall and Snider all contending. McCall charged late, catching the bumper of Bassett on Lap 46. McCall moved Bassett up the track, slipping past and pulling away for the win in the process. Lemons and Snider both took advantage of Bassett’s troubles, with Lemons crossing the finish line second and third respectively. Lee Pulliam was caught up in one of the mid-race incidents, and finished sixth.
The SNMP Limited Late Model division also ran twin races Saturday evening, with each race going 35 laps. In the first race, Rusty Daniels dominated from the pole, taking his third checkered flag in many races. The racing was frantic behind him, though, with Taylor Howard eventually finishing in second, with Michael Fose third.
A five-car invert set the order for the second Limited race, with Andrew Grady starting on the pole and leading the first 12 laps. Grady, however, would see a left-rear wheel break, sending the Knightdale into the wall and out of the race. The restart let Michael Fose get the advantage, and Fose wouldn’t look back, winning his second race of the season. Daniels would settle for second, and Haley Moody third.
Gerald Benton set the fast time in Chargers, but would have to start in the rear for the 30 lap race. This put Jeremy Bohne and Michael O’Brien on the front row, with O’Brien getting the early advantage. O’Brien led the way while Benton worked his way through the field. A late caution for a Bill Barber spin gave Benton and point leader Wayne Goss a final shot at O’Brien, but O’brien held them off to win his first race of 2014. Benton finished second, and Goss third.
In the Southern Ground Pounders’ first race at SNMP this season, Steve Darne took the checkered flag in Modifieds, while Sparky Staton held off a racy Ken Faucette to win in the Sportsman division. Justin Mitchell won his first race of 2014 at SNMP in INEX Legends, fending off a late charge by Will Bristle and Brenton Irving, and in Bandoleros it was Blaise Brinkley edging Henry Broadben Jr.
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