Burdette Claims Mod Squad Spectacular Win; Duncan, Melvin and Colley Also Score

7/24/2023

Portsmouth Raceway Park

Burdette Claims Mod Squad Spectacular Win; Duncan, Melvin and Colley Also Score

Portsmouth Raceway Park hosted the annual Mod Squad Spectacular presented by Lemley Motorsports on Saturday. Parkersburg, WV's KC Burdette took the checkers in the $3,000-to-win Modified Feature. Cole Duncan made a last-lap pass to win the Ohio Valley Sprint Car Association 410 Winged Sprint Car A-Main. Coal Grove's John Melvin returned from a two-year hiatus to prevail in the Limited Lates, and Minford's Brandon Colley nabbed his first-ever PRP Feature win in the Sport Mods.

Burdette was strong all evening in the Gampp's Power Equipment Modifieds. The firefighter from West Virginia set quick time, came from sixth to third in the Dash, and took over the lead from Beaver, KY's Ervin Vance on lap 8 and never looked back. Burdette and Vance swapped the lead back and forth on lap 7 as Burdette got by in Turn 1 before Vance crossed him over off Turn 2 to retake the point. Burdette wouldn't be denied on the following lap.

While Burdette led the final 22 laps of the 30-lap Mod Squad Spectacular, it wasn't a runaway, as Vance kept him within striking distance. Vance would hold on for second. Gallipolis' JP Roberts placed third. Louisa, KY's Chris Wilson came from ninth to fourth. Lucasville's Anthony Slusher moved up from 12th to fifth. Rounding out the top 10 were Craig Christian, Brandon Smith, Adam Colley, Kenny Johnson, and Derek Richmond. Washington, WV's Kenny Johnson climbed 14 spots, while Smith and Richmond both advanced nine positions.

The 25-lap OVSCA Sprint Car race was a thriller. Circleville's Cole Duncan got by fellow Circleville driver Nate Reeser on the white-flag lap to take the victory. Reeser, who was racing with a heavy heart after the passing of his grandfather earlier in the week, led 23 of the 25 laps. For awhile it appeared as if he was destined to visit winner's circle. He built a substantial lead, but Duncan would track him down. On the final lap, Duncan got under Reeser in Turns 1 and 2 and made the pass for the lead.

Reeser would drive home as the runner-up. Pole-sitter Danny Smith would finish third. Fourth went to Bryan Nuckles, and Chris Garnes rounded out the top 5. Making up the rest of the top 10 were Keith Baxter, Wayne McPeek, Nathan Skaggs, Cale Stinson, and Jamie Myers.

Nuckles set quick time with a lap clocked at 13.268. Average speeds of 120 miles per hour were seen during Hot Laps.

In his first time racing at PRP in two years, nine-time track champion John Melvin from Coal Grove quickly returned to form as he drove from seventh to the lead en rout to winning The O'Reilly Auto Parts Limited Late Model A-Main. His son Matt Melvin was the runner-up. Completing the top 10 were Nicky Pennington, Kevin Terry, Evyian Terry, Rick Stringer, Rick Mardis, Jody Adkins, Tyler Smith, and Eric Scalf.

In The BluePrint Event Tent & Inflatables Rentals Sport Mod Division, 21-year-old Brandon Colley recorded his first-ever PRP Feature win. The Minford driver started on the pole and led every lap. Jeromy Brady, who scored his first win earlier in the season, placed second. Luke Jordan, John Brady Jr, and Stevie Thornsberry rounded out the top 5. The rest of the top 10 consisted of Adam Jordan, Mark Hall, Jimmy Cox, Jason Thayer, and Bill Dement.

Another big part of this past weekend at PRP focused on the younger race fans. Linda and Marcie Barlow once again oversaw The annual Mary's Backpack Giveaway. Children 12 and under received free general admission, and the first 200 kids through the gate received a free backpack filled with school supplies.

PRP will be back in action this coming Saturday for The Fab Four Special Presented by Roots Child Care Center. On the card will be Super Late Models, Limited Lates, Modifieds and The Ohio Valley Roofers Legends Car Series. There will be a higher pay day on the line for the Limited Lates as extra money has been put up by Premier Pre-cast Products, Pickett Concrete, and Roots Child Care. The Limited Late Model A-Main will pay $1,000 to win and $200 to start. Gates this Saturday will open at 4 p.m. with racing at approximately 7:30.

Media Results for 7/22/2023 at Portsmouth Raceway Park - Portsmouth, OH

Modifieds 24 Entries

A Feature 1 30 Laps | 00:37:51.729

44-KC Burdette[3]; 2. J3-Ervin Vance[1]; 3. 9R-JP Roberts[4]; 4. 17-Chris Wilson[9]; 5. 2-Anthony Slusher[12]; 6. 35C-Craig Christian[8]; 7. 244-Brandon Smith[16]; 8. 11-Adam Colley[11]; 9. 1J-Kenny Johnson[23]; 10. 34-Derek Richmond[19]; 11. 7T-Tommy McClain[24]; 12. 660-Cody Hunley[10]; 13. 68-Adam Stricker[6]; 14. 1W-Brian Wilburn[14]; 15. 10L-Nathon Loney[5]; 16. 99-Seth Chaney[18]; 17. D4-David Jamison[13]; 18. CR12-Danny Ferguson[15]; 19. 35-Tony DeHart[20]; 20. 5-Bobby Bagley[21]; 21. 75C-Steve Clemmons[17]; 22. 24H-Michael Howard[7]; 23. 20S-Brian Skaggs[2]; 24. (DNS) 529-Jonathan Harrop

Dash 1 6 Laps | 00:05:21.000

J3-Ervin Vance[1]; 2. 20S-Brian Skaggs[2]; 3. 44-KC Burdette[6]; 4. 9R-JP Roberts[3]; 5. 10L-Nathon Loney[4]; 6. 68-Adam Stricker[5]

Heat 1 8 Laps | 00:08:05.000

24H-Michael Howard[2]; 2. 17-Chris Wilson[1]; 3. 11-Adam Colley[4]; 4. D4-David Jamison[5]; 5. CR12-Danny Ferguson[8]; 6. 75C-Steve Clemmons[7]; 7. 34-Derek Richmond[6]; 8. 5-Bobby Bagley[9]; 9. 1J-Kenny Johnson[3]

Heat 2 8 Laps | 00:03:00.000

35C-Craig Christian[1]; 2. 660-Cody Hunley[2]; 3. 2-Anthony Slusher[3]; 4. 1W-Brian Wilburn[6]; 5. 244-Brandon Smith[4]; 6. 99-Seth Chaney[5]; 7. 35-Tony DeHart[7]; 8. 529-Jonathan Harrop[9]; 9. 7T-Tommy McClain[8]

Qualifying 1 | 00:10:11.000