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Leicht Takes Tri-County Win

By Pat Simmons

Hudson, NC May 28,2005) - Kevin Leicht celebrated his third win of the season in victory lane Friday night at Tri-County Motor Speedway in Hudson, NC.  Leicht took the lead on lap 32, while Junior Franks and Josh Goble staged a battle for third that ended with tempers flaring.

Franks was the fastest qualifier and the roll of the dice delegated him to the seventh starting spot. Roger Powell was the early leader with Goble getting by Jason Grant to ride in second while Jimmy Doyle was third.  Just past the midway point, Grant lost control on the front stretch and crashed. He was done the night.

Powell spun in turn four on lap 48, after having give up the lead to Goble. Leicht then got around Goble for the point and Goble fell back to fourth and battled with Franks for third and on lap 70 Goble spun in turn four and then Franks spun in turn three. That was when tempers began to wear thin and Goble retaliated by hitting Franks under caution.

With Leicht holding off Jimmy Doyle to take the win and Doyle second, Powell came back for third, with Nick Waycaster fourth and Eric Greene debuted in fifth.  Goble was sixth, Matt Leicht seventh, Jackie Buckner eighth, Stan Robinson ninth and Franks was tenth.

Monty Cox picked up a big payday in the Super Stock Pepsi Challenge after taking the win in their 50-lap event.  Cox started from the sixth starting spot after Kevin Dill was the fastest qualifier and the dice came up a seven, meaning the top seven fastest qualifiers were inverted.

Ricky Brown started on the pole after the invert with Marshall Sutton sharing the front row.  Sutton was out front at the drop of the green flag, but it only took three laps for Cox to get to the front and never look back.  Sutton rode in second and Brown third.  On lap 21 Whistle Burrows took a spin in turn two and then on the restart Burrows, Everette McMahan and John Clark all spun.

As the laps were ticking off Sutton and Kevin Dill were battling hard for second when Dill spun.  After the restart Dill was making his way back toward the front, when on lap 47 he got caught behind a slower car on the inside of turn four and hit the tire at the end of pit wall at the perfect angle to get airborne.  The car got up on it’s nose and then rolled.  After a few anxious moments Dill emerged from the car unhurt.  The same could not be said for his Monte Carlo.  The race was red-flagged during clean-up.

With Cox crossing the line first, Marshall Sutton was second and Scott Franklin posted third.  Rookie Kaleb Pressley was fourth and Mark Livingston was fifth.

Jon Waterhouse was sixth, Russell Goforth seventh, Chuck Suddreth eighth, John Rineheimer ninth and John Clark tenth.

The Hudson Superette Street Stocks thrilled the fans for 25 laps and Bobby Sutton was another repeat winner after starting 12^th on the field.  Sutton held off Gary Ledbetter, Jr. for the win.

Gary Dietz started from the pole and led the majority of the race until he fell victim to Sutton and Ledbetter.

On lap seven, Jamie Mitcham, David Smith and Kevin Hensley tangled in turn two with all three cars suffering considerable damage. Mitchum tagged the outside wall hard but was unhurt. All were done for the evening.

Sutton and Ledbetter raced hard and with two laps to go Sutton got past Ledbetter for the point.  The caution once again flew when Brian Huffman, Jonathon Smith and Ernie Harris spun in turn two.

Sutton was able to hold off Ledbetter on the green, white, checkered restart and go on for the win with Ledbetter coming home second.  Kevin Eby was third, Phillip York fourth and Jonathon Smith fifth.

In the Mini Stocks Hank Hefner picked up the win after Tim Canipe took the checkered flag and then refused post race inspection.

As the starter waved the green flag Randy Canipe, Hank Hefner and Arnold Propst tried a bit of three-wide racing but settled in as Randy Canipe led early but had equipment failure and fell back in the field.  Tim Canipe and Doug Setzer got together in turn four for the first caution, while Hefner was putting the pressure on Randy Canipe for the lead. Hefner was unable to hold off either of the Canipe brothers, but as Randy Canipe’s car faded, Hefner moved to second. Doug Setzer was second, Randy Canipe third, Arnold Propst fourth and Dennis Trivette was fifth.

In the Fast and Furious newcomer Jody Church got his first tour of Tri-County Motor Speedway from the best point of view, out front. Church took his Dale Earnhardt, Jr. look-alike racer to the lead on lap three after spinning on the first start. His move toward the front kept fans on their feet. Jeff Poston was leader, but Church came on strong and was able to make the pass, leaving Poston to battle with David Hasson.

Hasson came back after spinning on lap ten for second with Poston third, Adam Hatton fourth and Stephen Clippard fifth.

Race Results Tri-County Motor Speedway - May 27, 2005

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