Jun 19, 2009 11:18 PM EDT
Larry Knowles Scores $1,000 in Dart Machinery Ltd. Freedom Open Late Model Event at Black Rock
Larry Knowles is a former champion at Black Rock, scored his first career BRP CanAm Late Model Win in Dundee, and is already off to a fast start in 2009, a $1,000 win on Friday Night only capped it off.
“We always run good at Black Rock. I love this place,” noted Knowles. “When the car is fast, I’m having fun.”
Knowles led all 25 laps of the 1st Annual Dart Machinery Freedom Open to make it to Victory Lane. He had to hold off Steve Dixon in the midst of lapped traffic, as well as on a one-lap restart.
Aside from a lap 16 caution for Brian Conley slowing, the race was run without interruption, that is, until lap 24 when third place running Jon Rivers stalled on the front stretch and Dan Cobb ran into the back of the No. 85 with nowhere to go. The contact was scary and brought the red flag out.
“That got interesting with that one lap restart, I just was praying those guys involved were alright,” stated the driver of the Doug Gross Construction No. 4 after the event. Both Rivers and Cobb were able to walk away.
With 29 cars in the pits from the late models, it was intense from the drop of the first competitive green flag of the night. Three heats and a consolation were needed, but in all of that the racing was close, clean and competitive.
Dixon, of Smethport, PA, was able to come home in second with Glenn Whritenhour moving up to third on the final lap. Bryce Davis would drive up to fourth with BRS Co-Point Leader rounding out the top-five.
Donnie Lawson said after the 20-lap feature that he hated the spec sportsman tire, but with everyone having equal grip, it came down to driver ability, in which he flexed his driver ability for his seventh win of the year.
Lawson moved underneath Rookie Ross Vleck on lap seven after battling with him for several laps and withstood the challenges of defending champion Todd Henderson to pick up his first win on Hoosier Tires.
“The track was very different tonight. It was slick and hard to get bite with these tires, but we were good on the bottom,” noted Lawson, a schoolteacher from Woodhull who dedicated the win to his sixth grade class graduating up to middle school after this week.
Lawson started in fifth place but jumped up quickly to second on the opening lap, making his work through the handicap much easier on a track that was difficult to pass on.
“This handicap thing is a tricky deal,” noted the wheelman of the No. 11 TEO. “You want to be careful getting up through but you can’t wait with all of the quick guys and the wild cards out there that can be so fast on certain nights.”
Two laps after Lawson took the lead; Todd Henderson made a similar pass underneath Vleck for second and began his charge to the lead. It would not be enough though as he would settle for second in his first race back behind the wheel of the No. 18H.
Vleck would score his career-best finish in third with Marcus Dinkins and Loren Lincoln completing the top-five.
Chris Fisher stayed on fire in the his No. 37 street stock, taking the lead for good on lap 16 of the 20 lap feature and scoring his third feature win of the year.
After completely dominating his qualifying heat, the Bluff Point resident moved quickly to the front, taking the top spot on lap eight from Josh Parker. Even though he was strong, Jared Hill, who had already visited the pits, was flying to the front and took the lead on lap 14. It would be short-lived though as his motor would expire a lap later and handle the lead back to Fisher for good.
After Hill fell out, point leader Frank Guererri Jr. would become the new driver to challenge Fisher for the top spot. He would only be able to follow him in his tire tracks though, and settle for second.
Mike Schultz rallied from a first lap incident to score third with George Parker and Kevin Morrison completing the top-five.
Terry Povoski was challenged heavily by Brett Crawford halfway through the Signs Plus 4-Cylinder Feature, but was able to keep the No. 8 at bay and figured out the top of the track was the place to be. Once he got in front of him and into lapped traffic, he drove away for his fifth win of the year.
Crawford, was on a mission early in the event, running the very top of the track before anyone else discovered that was the place to be. He couldn’t complete the pass though before Povoski figured it out and had to settle for second.
Joe Povoski was the early leader but would score third with Rich Sharpsteen II and Scot Bradley completing the top-five.
Ethan Preston would dominate the 10 lap 4-cylinder modified feature event, in addition to scoring the heat win. Chad Ayers would pick up second in his second ride of the night.
Dylan Cecce moved around Brian Wilson on lap eight of the bandit feature to win his eighth race in just nine attempts this season. Wilson, the only driver other than Cecce to win a feature this season, took the lead on lap four from Zach Teed but did not have enough to withstand the “Flyin’ X” in the closing laps.
Behind Cecce and Wilson was Val Stephens for a strong third, with Teed and Josh Wallenbeck completing the top-five.
Stephens would run the Ladies 4-Cylinder event to end the night, scoring the win in convincing fashion.
Black Rock Speedway lies dormant for Dundee Graduation next Friday, and will run a special Thursday Night event on July 2, which includes the IRL Meet and Greet. For more information, visit www.BlackRockSpeedway.com.
Black Rock Speedway Results: 6/19/2009-
Dart Machinery Ltd. Freedom Open Late Model Feature (25 Laps)- LARRY KNOWLES, Steve Dixon, Glenn Whritenhour, Bryce Davis, Dale Welty, John Waters, Jim Johnson, Dave DuBois, Wayne Robertson, Quinn Sutherland, Bob Buono, Brian Knowles, Chris Peacock, Josh Smith, John Rivers, Dan Cobb, Butch Rhoads, Brady Wonderling, Brandon Smith, Jeremy Wonderling, Brian Conley, Mikey Wonderling, Mike Wonderling, Rich Karlnoski, Wally Wade, Tracey Rhoads.
DNQ: Donnie Clemons, Nate Daggett, Greg Galligan.
Lap Leaders- Knowles 1-25.
Heat Winners- B. Wonderling, Rivers, DuBois.
Consilation Winner- J. Wonderling.
Dart Cylinder Heads Winner- Buono
Hoselton Auto Mall Crate Sportsman Feature (20 Laps)- DONNIE LAWSON, Todd Henderson, Ross Vleck, Marcus Dinkins, Loren Lincoln, Fran Hilton, Brady Fultz, Craig Gardner, Bill McKelvey, Damon Walker, Brandon Butler, Chuck Winslow, Dave Yehl, Mike DeMallie.
Lap Leader- Vleck 1-6, Lawson 7-20.
Heat Winners- Lawson, Dinkins.
Labatt Blue Street Stock Feature (20 Laps)- CHRIS FISHER, Frank Guererri Jr., Mike Schultz, George Parker, Kevin Morrison, Rich McIntyre, Jim McAfee, Kevin Clark, Bruce Kinner, Jason White, Josh Parker, Scott Sebring, Carl Cleveland, Gene Parker, Jeremy Perkins, Jared Hill, Jayme Gilbert, Shane Smith (DNS), Rob Parker (DNS), Loren Lincoln (DNS).
Lap Leaders- Morrison 1, J. Parker 2, White 3, J. Parker 4-7, Fisher 8-13, Hill 14-15, Fisher 16-20.
Heat Winners- Fisher, Schultz, Hill.
Signs Plus of Kanona 4-Cylinder Feature (20 Laps)- TERRY POVOSKI, Brett Crawford, Joe Povoski, Rich Sharpsteen II, Scott Bradley, Ray Speicher, Jason Barrett, Brad Rathbun, Del Cummings, Dave Matwiejow, C.J. Winslow, Chad Winslow, Brian Thompson, John Hand, Harry Ayers, Chad Ayers, John Agnew, Phil Yaw, Erica Bell, Brent Ayers, Todd Hayward, Russ Wassner (DNS).
Lap Leaders- J. Ayers 1-4, J. Povoski 5-7, T. Povoski 8-20.
Heat Winners- J. Povoski, T. Povoski, Speicher.
Ladies 4-Cylinder Feature (8 Laps)- VAL STEPHENS, Paula Wallenbeck, Sarah Potter, Amanda Schultsick, Jamie Schuyler, Nicole Knickerbocker, Erica Bell (DNS).
Lap Leaders- Stephens 1-8.
4-Cylinder Modified Feature (10 Laps)- ETHAN PRESTON, Chad Ayers, Gerry Bayer, Kevin Olsen, Tom Fletcher (DNS).
Lap Leaders- Preston 1-10.
Heat Winner- Preston.
HomeNecessities Bandits (10 Laps)- DYLAN CECCE, Brian Wilson, Val Stephens, Zach Teed, Josh Wallenbeck, Josh DuBois, Noah Harrington, Cody Clemens, Lisa Cornish.
Lap Leaders- Teed 1-3, Wilson 4-6, Cecce 7-10.
