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Erwin Takes Steel Block Bandit Victory & I-95 Challenge Points Lead

With 88 cars checked in and 132 laps on the schedule, everyone was ready to see some racing Saturday night at County Line Raceway. We welcomed back the Steel Block Bandits for a 50 lap, $4000 to win race. Also on the schedule, the Super Stock 4's, Pure Stock 4's, Pure Stock V8's & Thunder & Lightning.

Our first feature of the evening, the Super Stock 4 cylinders, lined up with Glenn Bottoms & Austin Holcombe on the front row. Holcombe would take the point at the drop of the green flag followed by Glenn Bottoms, James Bailey, Damien Bryant and Hunter Bailey. Holcombe would hold about a 3 car length lead over Bottoms as the caution came out on lap 5. Back green with Holcombe leading Bottoms, J. Bailey, H. Bailey and John Proctor. Hunter Bailey would get around James Bailey as John Proctor started to work on him for the 4th spot. Proctor would get around him to take over the 4th spot sending Bailey to 5th. Hunter Bailey would challenge Holcombe for the lead, taking it and bringing John Proctor with him to take over 2nd. Holcombe held onto 3rd followed by Glenn Bottoms & Bill Winstead. With late race caution, this would set up a green white checker finish. Hunter Bailey put a a little bit of room between him and 2nd place Proctor, but another caution would come out before the lap was completed, giving us a 2nd opportunity at a green, white, checker. Hunter Bailey leads Proctor, Holcombe, J. Bailey & Glenn Bottoms. Hunter Bailey would bring home his 4th win of the year followed by John Proctor, Glenn Bottoms & Bill Winstead.

Up next, the PL Woodard Pure Stock V8 division with Paul Peele and Amanda Liles on the front row. Amanda Liles would take the point followed by Carly Fulghum, Paul Peele, Wade Ferrell and Kevin Beard. Fulghum, Peele, Ferrell & Beard would be 4 wide in turn 3 trying to take over the 2nd spot. Fulghum would be victorious. Liles would drift up the track slightly in turn 4 allowing Fulghum to get by, and right after she got a nose in front of Liles, the caution came out. Back green, Fulghum, Liles, Ferrell, Beard & Peele. Caution again, with Fulghum still leading Liles, Beard, Ferrell & Peele. Beard would make a strong run to get around the 2 ladies up front, and would get around them, with Liles getting around Fulghum to take over 2nd spot. Fulghum would get up high in turn 2 and hit the wall, sending her around. Paul Peele would spin to avoid. Fulghum was towed to the pits, ending her night. Back green with Beard leading Liles, Ferrell, Peele & Roy Hall. Liles would be all over Beard trying to get around Beard, while Ferrell continued to hold off Peele. Liles would get out of shape over in turn 2 and would collect a couple of cars, bringing out the caution. Back green with Beard leading Peele, Phillip Lamm, Jerry Williams & Johnny Killebrew. Williams would get around Lamm to take over 3rd on the white flag lap on the backstretch. Kevin Beard would bring home the win followed by Paul Peele, Jerry Williams, Phillip Lamm & Johnny Killebrew.

Our third feature of the night, the Pure Stock 4 cylinders lined up with Cooper Edwards & Cody Keith on the front row. Keith would take the point at the drop of the flag followed by Cooper Edwards, Robby Causby, JP Brantley & Gary Dillon. Caution on lap 1 when a couple of cars got together over in turn 4. Back green with Causby making the move on Edwards for 3rd spot. Edwards would get loose & go around on the front stretch with JP Brantley getting involved, bringing out the caution. Back green with Keith leading Causby, Dillon, Brandon Whitley and Timmy Mills. A big mess on the backstretch with a few cars. After Cooper Edwards was towed to the pits we were back green. Cody Keith continued to lead Robby Causby Gary Dillon, Brandon Whitley & Timmy Mills. Cody would bring home his 2nd win of the season followed by Robby Causby Gary Dillon, Brandon Whitley & Timmy Mills.

Finally, the big event, the 50 lap $4000 to win Steel Block Bandits race. After qualifying, heat races and a redraw, the line up was set with 24 Late Models set to take the green. Russell Erwin & Scott Adams would lead this field to green and as fans stood on their feet, the green flag fell with 24 drivers charging down into turn 1. Joe Leavell would bring out the first caution when he spun over in turn 2. Gib Gibbons would also get a piece of the action. With a complete restart, Russell Erwin lead the field to the green flag, but a pile up mid-pack would put us under caution again. Finally, green flag, Russell Erwin leads Scott Adams, Dustin Mitchell, Joe Leavell & Roger Lucas as we get one lap in the books. Willie Milliken, driving the 89 of JC Clary, held off Michael Batten for 6th spot just as the caution came out on lap 3 for debris over in turn 3. Back green with no change in the top 5, while Willie Milliken would relinquish 6th to Michael Batten, Travis Hair held onto 8th, Denny Bonebreak 9th & Andy Fries rounded out the top 10. Lap 15 would see the caution for a spin over in turn 4 by the 9E of Robby Emory. Back green with Erwin leading Adams, Mitchell, Lucas and Leavell. Unfortunately, 3rd place Dustin Mitchell would suffer sheet metal damage that, after a lengthy discussion, would see him turn in the hot pit to have it removed. Back green with Russell Erwin, Scott Adams, Roger Lucas, Michael Batten & Joe Leavell. Travis Hair, Willie Milliken, Andy Fries, Denny Bonebreak & Damon Kotke rounded out the top 10. After a fuel stop at lap 35, we were back green with Russell Erwin leading Scott Adams, Roger Lucas, Michael Batten & Travis Hair. Michael Batten worked his way around Roger Lucas to take over 3rd spot as we approached lap 39, as Dustin Mitchell started marching through the field. Roger Lucas would slow drastically in turn 2, just as 2nd place Scott Adams suffered a flat right rear over in turn 4, bringing out the caution. This would shake up the top 5, moving Michael Batten to 2nd, Travis Hair to 3rd, Willie Milliken to 4th and Andy Fries to 5th. Denny Bonebreak, Damon Kotke, Dustin Mitchell, Derrick Francis & Bobby Bottoms would round out the top 10. Green flag with Russell Erwin leading Michael Batten, Travis Hair, Willie Milliken and Andy Fries. Caution for a spin over in turn 3 when Damon Kotke goes around. Back green, Erwin leading Batten, Hair, Milliken and Fries. The one to watch, the D8 of Dustin Mitchell who was holding down 6th spot, but trying to make his way back into the top 5. With 6 to go, Erwin stretched his lead by about 6 car lengths over 2nd place Batten, when the caution came out for a spin on the backstretch. Hopefully, for the last time, we were back green with 6 to go. Dustin Mitchell made his way around Andy Fries to take over the 5th spot by taking the high line around in turn 3. Derrick Francis, in the 7th spot, would get spun around over in turn 1 bringing out the caution. Back green, but very quickly back under caution for Damon Kotke. Back green, Erwin leading Batten, Hair, Mitchell & Milliken. Russell Erwin would bring home the win after leading from flag to flag. They were THREE WIDE at the line for 2nd place, but it would be Dustin Mitchell coming home in 2nd place. Travis Hair came home 3rd, Michael Batten 4th & Willie Milliken rounded out the top 5. Bobby Bottoms, Scott Adams, Damon Kotke, Andy Fries and Larry Ramsey were the 6th - 10th place finishers. Great job guys!

Our final event of the night, the ARCO Restoration Thunder & Lightning lined up with Matthew Bissette & Skeeter Liles on the front row. A lap one spin in turn 3 would slow the field for the first caution. Mark Boykin would get turned around and slung up on the berm. Back green with Matthew Bissette leading Skeeter Liles, Kent Wright, Luke Owens & Cy Nelms Jr. Nelms would work his way around Owens to take over 4th spot as Liles closed the gap between him & Bissette. A 4 car spin in turn 3 would slow the field again. Back green with Bissette leading Liles, Nelms, Jr., Kent Wright & James Meredith. Bissette would lead the remaining laps bringing home his 3rd win of the season. He was followed by Skeeter Liles, Cy Nelms, Jr., Kent Wright & James Meredith.

County Line Raceway will be closed next weekend but will be back September 13th as we recognize the First Responders as well as host the finale for the I95 Challenge! Be sure to join us for this exciting series finale! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the track at 252-985-1949, check our website at www.countylineracewaync.com, www.localracechat.com, our Facebook or twitter. Thanks so much for your support and we'll see you at the Line!

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