Post by Dirt Master on Aug 9, 2006 20:55:02 GMT -5
VICKERS VICTORIOUS at EAST ALABAMA
Phenix City, ALA - August 5, 2006 - Ray Miller brought his National Late Model Series into East Alabama Motor Speedway this weekend to provide the thousands of fans with one of the most exciting spectacles on dirt. This extremely competitive group of professional full jig Late Model drivers blended with East Alabama's own local champions in what proved to be a night to be remembered in the $3000 to win 50 lap main event. Series driver Alex Vickers won the fast time qualifying to earn the pole position for the feature event. Local legend Late Model champion Dana Eiland made his presence known by earning the outside pole position with the second fastest time. The second row had series driver Phillip Cobb on the inside and local champion Shane Thompson in his # 00 Fun Carts of Opelika Rocket Chassis Grand Prix on the out side. The third row had our 2006 Late Model points leader Tod Darda on the inside and rookie speedster William Thomas, making his debut in a Ben Thomas Racing BTR Scorpion chassis,on the outside and the stage was set for a serious shootout. When the green flag dropped on the feature the thunderous roar of 26 Late Models hammering down shook the earth as Dana Eiland out ran Vickers to turn one. The lead was ephemeral as a spinout in the middle of the pack caused a pile up and the start was waved off by flag man Chad Herrington. On the second start, again Dana Eiland had the momentum to take the lead coming off turn three and when Vickers realized he was beat, he did not fire. The third start was single file with Vickers leading. Thompson was quick to pass Cobb and move into third. when Darda and Thomas passed Cobb it was obvious his machine was laying down on him and he was out of the game. Vickers and Eiland set a blistering pace with lap times in the low 16's and they quickly pulled away from Thompson in third. Marvin Cook was also experiencing a mechanical failure and could not get up to speed and came to a stop on the front straight to bring out the lap 5 caution. Cobb and Stacy Roberts went to the pits during this caution. On the restart, two more local Champions, Jeff Mills, in the # 15 Benning Auto Parts Snap On Tools BTR Scorpion Chassis Monte Carlo and Mike Parkerson engaged in a fierce battle for seventh going door to door all the way around the high banked clay oval. At the same time Eiland had caught Vickers and would get ahead through the corners but Vickers had tremendous bite off turns 2 and 4 and would retake the lead. This battle had many fans on their feet cheering on the local champ. On lap 12, the leaders put Cobb a lap down and as they sped into turn one, Bo Allen lost the handle in turn two spinning to a stop. To avoid disaster, Vickers went to the high side, shooting off the track in turn 2 while Dana Eiland took the inside way around Allen. The lap 14 restart order was Vickers, Eiland, Thompson, Darda, Thomas, Anthony Meadows, Mike Parkerson, Jeff Mills, and in the ninth was the 4 time defending NLMS champion Ivedent Lloyd. On this restart Meadows passed Thomas in turn 4 then when Thomas reached the end of the front straight his rear end locked up sending him into the outside wall. Thomas was towed to the pits for an early and unfortunate DNF. Attrition was mounting as the next victim was Dana Eiland. eiland was pursuing his relentless charge on Vickers when his front a-frame broke on his famous # K-9 Swartz Chassis Andy's Auto Parts Monte Carlo. Eiland hit the front wall full speed and in a horrific crash came to a dead stop. The Champ emerged unscathed but his trusty steed was pronounced DOA. In the aftermath of this accident collateral damage claimed Shane Thompson, Anthony Meadows, who plowed into Eiland. Ricky Culpepper also had no choice but to slam into Ivendent Lloyd, who was also towed to the pits for an early DNF. The restart order now was Vickers, Darda, Parkerson, Mills, Mike Nasworthy, Mike Eubanks, DeWayne Johnson, and Ricky Culpepper. When the green came back out the new order provided new battles all around the track. Johnson was all over Eubanks, Darda was making a serious bid for the lead going inside Vickers who was using every trick in his repertoire to keep Darda at bay. Johnson made the pass and was charging hard to get to his normal position, which is the lead. Allen Sparks was making Steve Jones fight hard to keep his position when Ricky Culpepper broke and coasted into the pits. The lap traffic got very heavy and it looked like downtown Atlanta at rush hour. Vickers managed to weave his way back into a clear track but Darda got caught behind the thick group of lap cars. Vickers overcame all the obstacles to take the checkered flag in a hard fought and well earned thriller. Tod Darda finished second, Mike Parkerson third, Jeff Mills fourth, Dewayne Johnson fifth, Mike Nasworthy sixth, Jimmy Sharp seventh, Mike Eubanks eighth, Mark Whitener ninth, and Steve Jones rounded out the top ten in tenth.
Phenix City, ALA - August 5, 2006 - Ray Miller brought his National Late Model Series into East Alabama Motor Speedway this weekend to provide the thousands of fans with one of the most exciting spectacles on dirt. This extremely competitive group of professional full jig Late Model drivers blended with East Alabama's own local champions in what proved to be a night to be remembered in the $3000 to win 50 lap main event. Series driver Alex Vickers won the fast time qualifying to earn the pole position for the feature event. Local legend Late Model champion Dana Eiland made his presence known by earning the outside pole position with the second fastest time. The second row had series driver Phillip Cobb on the inside and local champion Shane Thompson in his # 00 Fun Carts of Opelika Rocket Chassis Grand Prix on the out side. The third row had our 2006 Late Model points leader Tod Darda on the inside and rookie speedster William Thomas, making his debut in a Ben Thomas Racing BTR Scorpion chassis,on the outside and the stage was set for a serious shootout. When the green flag dropped on the feature the thunderous roar of 26 Late Models hammering down shook the earth as Dana Eiland out ran Vickers to turn one. The lead was ephemeral as a spinout in the middle of the pack caused a pile up and the start was waved off by flag man Chad Herrington. On the second start, again Dana Eiland had the momentum to take the lead coming off turn three and when Vickers realized he was beat, he did not fire. The third start was single file with Vickers leading. Thompson was quick to pass Cobb and move into third. when Darda and Thomas passed Cobb it was obvious his machine was laying down on him and he was out of the game. Vickers and Eiland set a blistering pace with lap times in the low 16's and they quickly pulled away from Thompson in third. Marvin Cook was also experiencing a mechanical failure and could not get up to speed and came to a stop on the front straight to bring out the lap 5 caution. Cobb and Stacy Roberts went to the pits during this caution. On the restart, two more local Champions, Jeff Mills, in the # 15 Benning Auto Parts Snap On Tools BTR Scorpion Chassis Monte Carlo and Mike Parkerson engaged in a fierce battle for seventh going door to door all the way around the high banked clay oval. At the same time Eiland had caught Vickers and would get ahead through the corners but Vickers had tremendous bite off turns 2 and 4 and would retake the lead. This battle had many fans on their feet cheering on the local champ. On lap 12, the leaders put Cobb a lap down and as they sped into turn one, Bo Allen lost the handle in turn two spinning to a stop. To avoid disaster, Vickers went to the high side, shooting off the track in turn 2 while Dana Eiland took the inside way around Allen. The lap 14 restart order was Vickers, Eiland, Thompson, Darda, Thomas, Anthony Meadows, Mike Parkerson, Jeff Mills, and in the ninth was the 4 time defending NLMS champion Ivedent Lloyd. On this restart Meadows passed Thomas in turn 4 then when Thomas reached the end of the front straight his rear end locked up sending him into the outside wall. Thomas was towed to the pits for an early and unfortunate DNF. Attrition was mounting as the next victim was Dana Eiland. eiland was pursuing his relentless charge on Vickers when his front a-frame broke on his famous # K-9 Swartz Chassis Andy's Auto Parts Monte Carlo. Eiland hit the front wall full speed and in a horrific crash came to a dead stop. The Champ emerged unscathed but his trusty steed was pronounced DOA. In the aftermath of this accident collateral damage claimed Shane Thompson, Anthony Meadows, who plowed into Eiland. Ricky Culpepper also had no choice but to slam into Ivendent Lloyd, who was also towed to the pits for an early DNF. The restart order now was Vickers, Darda, Parkerson, Mills, Mike Nasworthy, Mike Eubanks, DeWayne Johnson, and Ricky Culpepper. When the green came back out the new order provided new battles all around the track. Johnson was all over Eubanks, Darda was making a serious bid for the lead going inside Vickers who was using every trick in his repertoire to keep Darda at bay. Johnson made the pass and was charging hard to get to his normal position, which is the lead. Allen Sparks was making Steve Jones fight hard to keep his position when Ricky Culpepper broke and coasted into the pits. The lap traffic got very heavy and it looked like downtown Atlanta at rush hour. Vickers managed to weave his way back into a clear track but Darda got caught behind the thick group of lap cars. Vickers overcame all the obstacles to take the checkered flag in a hard fought and well earned thriller. Tod Darda finished second, Mike Parkerson third, Jeff Mills fourth, Dewayne Johnson fifth, Mike Nasworthy sixth, Jimmy Sharp seventh, Mike Eubanks eighth, Mark Whitener ninth, and Steve Jones rounded out the top ten in tenth.