9/14/2014
Hagerstown Speedway
PALMER TOPS LATE MODEL SPORTSMAN FIELD IN SMALL CAR NATIONALS
by Bob Vores
HAGERSTOWN, MD (September 14) - Starting sixth in Hagerstown Speedway/Dirt Capitol’s Late Model Sportsman 35-lap feature of the 8th Annual Small Car Nationals that was rain postponed until Sunday evening, Scott Palmer paced himself until pulling the trigger and making his winning pass under Paul Cursey on lap 22. Becoming the third different leader, he continued on for the $2,500 triumph by holding off Bobby Beard who took over the runner up spot with four to go.
“This ranks up there as one of the best runs I’ve ever had,” Palmer said. “I’m glad I didn’t start on the front row because I didn’t want to deal with being out front. It was kinda nice to just pace myself. It’s just a great feeling.”
Other Nationals winners were Chris Ebersole in the $2,000 to win Pure Stock event; Gary Proctor, his second consecutive in the $650 to win Hobby Stocks; Ryan Laye, $1,000 in the Four Cylinders and Justin Williamson in the $400 to win Rookie Cars, while Elton Love won the Four Cylinder Demo Derby worth $500.
Bobby Beard beat Paul Cursey on the Late Model Sportsman start with Kyle Lee and Scott Palmer into the next positions on the opening lap. Cursey put the pressure on and snatched the lead on the fifth lap.
Cursey opened a slight lead until a 12th lap caution when Palmer powered around the top to move into the runner up spot on the restart.
Palmer kept pestering Cursey for a number of laps and following a 17th lap restart until his efforts paid off when he powered from the fourth turn to go ahead on the 22nd lap.
Palmer then sped away from Cursey and was more than three seconds ahead when the caution was displayed on lap 31. Back under green, Beard took over second while defending winner, Justin Weaver moved into third after starting 15th, but Palmer pulled away to a 1.773 second win over Beard and Weaver with Cursey and Andy Anderson completing the top five.
“You could keep your momentum up on the outside line and it was going to be difficult for him (Cursey) to pass me on the bottom,” Palmer said. “It took me lap after lap after lap to get around him. I just thought I’d go with the momentum and hopefully beat him in the turn and it worked out after that.”
Beard had the overall quick time of 19.772 seconds while Allen Brannon, Palmer and Billy Bleacher were the heat winners. Beard, Cursey, Lee and Bruce Kane were locked in from their times.
Mike Corbin sat on the outside pole for the Pure Stocks with Mike Walls, who had the quick time of 22.937 seconds for the pole. The first attempt to get underway resulted in a ten car pile-up off the fourth turn triggered in the second row but only one car was on the hook and unable to continue. Corbin went to the front over Walls and Greg Diehl with Ebersole coming from 12th and taking third from Diehl following a ninth lap restart. Corbin had a comfortable lead on Walls, Ebersole and Diehl until a 19th lap caution.
Ebersole took the runner up spot and set sights on Corbin. On the 23rd lap, Corbin made just enough of a miscue in turn one that Ebersole was close enough to take advantage of it as he was on the gas and pulled ahead to take the win by .696 seconds over Corbin. Walls, Diehl and Brian Miller were next.
“I knew if I could get up front, Corbin would race me clean,” Ebersole said. ”I just didn’t know if I could get by him on the bottom. My car was hooked up in the turns. I think he messed up a little bit in one and two when I got around him and I just tried not to make any mistakes after that.”
With the front four of Walls, Corbin, Randy Wible and Mike Franklin locked in from time trials, Miller, David Kaiser, Brian Luttrell, and Diehl won the heats while Wayne Hawbaker won the B-Main.
Gary Proctor pulled out from the pole to lead the Hobby Stocks over Kenny Thomas as Proctor had a two plus second lead while Thomas and Tom Caravello battled for second. With several cautions, Proctor had no problem staying a comfortable distance ahead and went on to take the win over Thomas by three lengths with Caravello, Shawn Shoemaker and Dylan Welsh next. Proctor, Mike Hyatt and Chuck Bowie were heat winners.
“Starting on the pole, I knew Hyatt was going to be quick,” Proctor said, “We made a little contact; the track was a little slick. Kenny (Thomas) gave me a run there. It’s just great.”
Ryan Laye exited the second turn in the Four Cylinder feature ahead of William Riley while Gary Newell took second on the fifth lap with Matt Williamson coming from 11th to take the spot on the tenth lap. Williamson got Laye’s attention with several attempts to steal the lead but Laye held on to take the win by two lengths. Justin Hottle, Newell and Kevin Thomas completed the top five. Laye and Riley were the heat winners.
“I’ve been racing with Matt all year and he’s been doing a good job with that car,” Laye said. “It took a while for the tires to kick in but once they did, it was like a rocket ship. I couldn’t ask for anything better.”
Rookie Car heat winners Justin Williamson and Michael Pfaff were on the front row as Williamson pulled to the front while Cale Martin came from seventh to take the runner up spot on the third lap. Williamson distanced himself and went on to claim the win over Martin by 2.708 seconds. Pfaff, Mark Pollard and Garrett Watkins were next.
The latest news, results, photos, schedule or rule changes can found be on the speedway’s website: www.hagerstownspeedway.com. Also check website for any changes in in weather conditions that may delay or cancel the program or contact the speedway office at 301-582-0640.
Hagerstown Speedway Results
8th Annual Small Car Nationals
Late Model Sportsman, 35 Laps: 1. Scott Palmer, 2.Bobby Beard, 3.Justin Weaver, 4.Paul Cursey, 5.Andy Anderson, 6.Kyle Lee, 7.James Lichliter, 8.Alan Sagi, 9.Jonathan DeHaven, 10.Rodney Walls, 11.Chad Myers, 12.Billy Farmer, 13.Curtis Heath, 14.Richard Walls, 15.Jimmy Jesmer Jr., 16.Mike Walls, 17.Keith Walls, 18.Scott Cline, 19.Keven Deremer, 20.Elwood Sord, 21.Brayden Anderson, 22.Billy Bleacher, 23.Allen Brannon, DNS – Bruce Kane, Ronnie Dennis, Ryan Walls, Ray Ciccarelli
Pure Stocks, 25 Laps: 1. Chris Ebersole, 2.Mike Corbin, 3.Mike Walls, 4.Greg Diehl, 5.Brian Miller, 6.Mike Buckley, 7.Brian Luttrell, 8.Ronnie Garlock, 9.David Kaiser, 10.Douig Hoffman, 11.Josh Wilkins, 12.Craig Parrill, 13.Wayne Hawbaker, 14.Scotty Nelson, 15.Tony Stoneberger, 16.Dickie Tharp, 17.Troy Kassiris, 18.Jeremy Tinsman, 19.Brandon Churchey, 20.Walter Lemmon, 21.Mike Raleigh, 22.Bill Ecton Jr., 23.Jesse Snyder, 24.Josh Williams, 25.Dave Brown, 26.Randy Wible, 27. Kenny Dillon, DSQ- Mike Franklin
Hobby Stocks, 20 Laps 1. Gary Proctor, 2.Kenny Thomas, 3.Tom Caravello, 4.Shawn Shoemaker, 5.Dylan Welsh, 6.Greg Morgan, 7.Jamie Mills, 8.Mike Hyatt, 9.Travis Group, 10.Gary Breeden, 11.David Green, 12.William Crook, 13.Rodney Minor, 14.John Catlett, 15.James Jones, 16.Jason Sarver, 17.Dwayne Snyder, 18.Curt Dunn, 19.Brian Neff, 20.Andrew Henson, 21.Dylan Rutherford, 22.Ryan Ringer, 23.Danny Holmes
Four Cylinders, 15 Laps: 1. Ryan Laye, 2.Matt Williamson, 3.Justin Hottle, 4.Gary Newell, 5.Kevin Thomas, 6.Randy Linaburg, 7.Shaine Sixeas, 8.Michael Warrenfeltz, 9.Jeremy Ott, 10.Charles Shearer III, 11.Jason Stoner, 12.Tim Williamson, 13.William Kressler, 14.Rusty Garlock, 15.William Riley, 16.Chris Anderson, 17.Cody Kershner, 18.Mike Potts, 19.Frankie Gordon III, DNS – Ed Gageby
Rookie Cars, 15 Laps: 1.Justin Williamson, 2.Cale Martin, 3.Michael Pfaff, 4.Mark Pollard, 5.Garrett Watkins, 6.Haley Kaiser, 7.Wayne Brenize, 8.Jeff Wilkins, 9.Kevin Gates, 10.Robert Cutchall, 11.Terry Leach, 12.Lary Lamb, 13.Randy Wilkin, 14.Josh Ringer, 15.Heath Leonard
Demo Derby: 1.Elton Love, 2.Eric Reid, 3.Kevn Swope
Submitted By: Josh Fries