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National Points Leader Andy Loden Takes Home the Checkered Flag

Press Release- Race Report 5-30-08

Hudson, North Carolina (May 30, 2008) - Baton Tire/Craftsman Night at the Races showed an even field in almost every division.  Jesse LeFevers won the pole in the Late Model division making a quick lap time of 16.274, he rolled a five on the dice roll giving Lucas Ransone the inside pole. Jeff Sparks, Hickory Motor Speedway regular, won the pole in the Baton Tire Street Stocks and rolled a six on the dice putting Chris Townsend inside pole. In the Pepsi Limited Late Models, Bear Rzesnowiecky from Las Vegas, NV pulled off a 17.124 and rolled a six on the dice putting putting Kevin Townsend on inside pole.

The Red Baron Race Parts Hobby Stock division started the night off with Scott Bumgarner making his way to the finish line for the first time this year.  Jimmy Whisnant, Micky Canipe and Carroll McKinney finished second, third and fourth.

The NASCAR Whelen Late Models put on a show.  With Andy Loden outside pole of Lucas Ransone, side by side racing occurred for the first fifteen laps of the show until Loden finally edged pass Ransone and found his familiar high line groove.  Caution on Lap 28 by Michael Faulk who had fluid leaking from his car bunched the field up for the last 22 laps of action at Tri-County Motor Speedway.  When the green flag dropped RA Brown took advantage of Sam Watts and took over third place and battled with Ransone until the checkered flag.  Loden, Ransone, Brown, Lee Tissot and Sam Watts rounded out the top five.

During a short intermission break, Wayne Woodruff, owner of Baton Tire brought down four brand new slicks for a tire race. Four lucky fans got to be paired up with a Street Stock driver and had a tire race down the front stretch.  Two fans were neck and neck all the way to the finish line with Wesley Trivette and Josh Burchette winning the competition. Wayne helped excite the crowd when he pulled off the front stretch by leaving some rubber on the track.

In the Pepsi Limited Late Model race, Josh Wright took advantage of the high line right from the start of the race and got a straightaway lead while Bear, Bill Cassavaugh, Kevin Townsend, Jason Crouse and Dexter Canipe Jr. battled for positions two thru six.  A caution on halfway through the race allowed the cars to bunch back together.  With a single file restart, Bear was able to challenge Wright all the way to the finish line, trying to take the lead away during the final five laps.  Wright beat Bear to the line by only a car length.  Wright, Bear, Cassavaugh, Townsend and Crouse rounded out the top five.

The Baton Tire Street Stock race showed lots of excitement on the very first lap.  Drivers up front checked their brakes and Bill Close got in the back of Waylon Flynn taking himself out of the race.  By the second caution on lap 20, pole winner Jeff Sparks had caught up to Chris Townsend and was ready to finish the race strong.  On the final restart, Chris Townsend got a good jump and stayed out in front to finish the race. Townsend, Sparks, Kevin Eby, David Smith and Kody Townsend rounded out the top five.

Wayne Woodruff pulled a drivers name out of a hat after each race that finished in the 6^th place or worse and gave that driver a $100 bonus. Winners were Monty Cox in Late Model, Steve Parris in the Pepsi Limited Late Models, and Gary Deitz in the Baton Tire Street Stocks.

Next week Tri-County Motor Speedway will not be having a week off, congratulations to all graduating seniors. June 13^th will be filled with a full show of Late Models, Pepsi Limited Late Models, Baton Tire Street Stocks, Red Baron Race Parts Hobby Stocks, Thunder Roadsters, Super Trucks, Carolina Vintage and Road Rage.

For more information call the TCMS office at (828)-726-6600.

Tri-County Motor Speedway Race Results

Friday, May 30, 2008

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