Picture perfect weather accented another action packed weekend at Larry King Law’s Langley Speedway. As the season series points races continue to heat up, the race action has been nothing short of thrilling. With the Larry King Law Modifieds on the schedule for twin race features, that meant the Balluzzo Bounty was still available to anyone that can keep Shawn Balluzzo out of Victory Lane. Highlighting the evenings fare were the ERA Real Estate Champ Karts as were the Pepsi Grand Stocks. Parts Barn Enduros were back on the schedule as the Bojangles UCar’s and Harris Truck Shop Super Trucks were set to battle. The race drama is high, it’s a get it while you can and a give it all you got type of feel. Here’s a recap of what happened and who celebrated in Victory Lane.
ERA REAL ESTATE CHAMP KARTS 20 Laps: Putting his kart on the series pole for the first time, Hunter Waltrip had the fast lap at 23.216 seconds. Jake Harberts would get his share of the front row as Chris Bechtel, Jeffrey Johnson and Garry Osborne were the five fastest in Champ kart qualifying. With the green flying high, pole sitter Hunter Waltrip would show the field into turn one. With a bit of help from Chris Bechtel, Waltrip would lead lap one of the race. Next lap suddenly saw the race leader Waltrip going around as a tire breaks loose from his ride. Once cleanup was performed, the race continued as the new race leader would be Chris Bechtel. In a five car break away, Chris Bechtel, Jake Harberts, Aaron Leach, Jacob Harberts and Matthew Leach were all single file nose to tail of each other. Laps later, Jake Harberts worked around Bechtel for the lead as the others jockeyed for position. At the halfway and still in the five car breakaway, the leaders remained close all searching when to make their move. Chris Bechtel on numerous occasions would veer out of line to make a run but the help from Jeffrey Johnson was nothing doing. Latter stages of the race, it then became a two horse race when the leader Jake Harberts and Aaron Leach broke away to settle the feature. But then comes Johnson and Bechtel who were making great speed made it a four car side by side battle for the win. At the line, its Jake Harberts in a thriller by a margin of just 0.080 seconds. Harberts from Victory Lane, “I don’t know what happen to Hunter, I was hoping he would have a strong finish, that was his first pole. I owe it to my teammate for staying there on my bumper and keeping me out front. It’s always great to be here in Victory Lane here at Langley Speedway”.
Race Results:
- #78 Jake Harberts; 20
- #45 Aaron Leach; 20
- #30 Jeffrey Johnson; 20
- #67 Chris Bechtel; 20
- #80 Jacob Harberts; 20
- #16 Davey Millard; 20
- #51 Matthew Leach; 20
- #26 Robert Pellek; 20
- #29 Scott Allen; 20
- #97 Tim Waltrip; 20
- #10 Danny Millard; 20
- #3 Jeremiah Strandberg; 20
- #02 Jordon Wood; 20
- #59 Charlie Ray Lorah; 20
- #23 Bradley Gower; 20
- #39 Mattisen Morrill; 20
- #01 Jesse Call; 20
- #24 Vaughan Crittenden; 20
- #06 Steven Griggs; 19
- #12 Adam Hopper; 19
- #41 Casey Bristow; 19
- #28 Garry Osborne; 5
- #17 Hunter Waltrip; 2
Larry King Law Modifieds Twin 40’s: Shawn Balluzzo took the pole in the Modified qualifying session clocking in at 16.617 seconds. Bubba Johnston would get his spot on the front row starting second. Then it was Jamie Sample, Rick Gdovic and Matt Morgan qualifying in the top five. Green flag would wave over the track as Shawn Balluzzo mats down on the horsepower and headed into turn one. With him was the outside row one starter Johnston but by turn two, Balluzzo secured the point. Coming through and one spot bettering himself would be Jamie Sample to second. On back, great battle for fifth when TJ Largena puts his number up on the scoreboard getting the spot. Back towards the front, Balluzzo had mounted a six car length lead and still early in the race. Halfway point, Sample had cut the race leaders lead in half even though Samples car looked wicked loose out of the corners. Matt Carter would pick up the spot to third and closed in on Sample who still occupied second. Late in the race, Balluzzo began to encounter lap traffic as Jamie Sample tried to close in. But Balluzzo would prove to be tough and goes on to win by 0.844 seconds.
In the Modified encore edition, DJ Valente would get the pole start based from the NASCAR mandatory eight car invert. As for race one winner Shawn Balluzzo, he would give up his eighth place starting spot and would go to the rear in seeking max Division Two National Points. Green flag was all in the air and leading the first circuit would be DJ Valente. Brad Adams would pull down to the bumper of the leader in second as Rick Gdovic, Bubba Johnston and TJ Largena were the early top five. Jamie Sample would make his way into the top five then top four when on the backstretch, Rick Gdovic goes around. Word quickly spread that Shawn Balluzzo was at fault and would be forced to the rear for getting into Gdovic. Back to the green, back to the yellow when Matt Carter and Matt Morgan collect each other in turn three. Reports from the tower called for TJ Largena to go to the rear of the field. Ensuing restart saw DJ Valente maintain the race lead as Bubba Johnston jumps into second. Picking them off one by one, Shawn Balluzzo found himself in third and catching the leaders. Soon after, Balluzzo did away with Johnston for second and putting the bullseye on the race leader. Then on the next lap, Balluzzo takes the race lead as the halfway drew near. Past the halfway, Balluzzo continued to lead but then another caution involving Bubba Johnston, Rick Gdovic and Jamie Sample. Once cleared, racing continued as Balluzzo showed the way. Brad Adams would now inherit the two spot and raced hard trying to get to the leader. But it was once again another great night for Shawn Balluzzo, sweeping both events making it thirteen in a row. Margin of victory was 1.040 seconds, Balluzzo from Victory Lane, “A lot of these guys are coming around, a lot of this stuff was avoidable tonight (wrecks). I thought when I got out of the race car how bad I felt, I felt bad getting back in the car but I feel better now. Clutch felt funny but I thought I was imagining stuff and when I tried to do a burn out, push the clutch in then bam, the transmission broke. Thanks to everybody, thanks to the fans that stuck around”.
Race Results #1:
- #48 Shawn Balluzzo; 40
- #28 Jamie Sample; 40
- #78 Matt Carter; 40
- #19J Bubba Johnston; 40
- #4 TJ Largena; 40
- #47 Rick Gdovic; 40
- #3 Brad Adams; 40
- #18 DJ Valente; 40
- #16 Eric McPherson; 40
- #98 Matt Morgan; 39
- #95 Danny Harrell; 39
Race Results #2:
- #48 Shawn Balluzzo; 40
- #3 Brad Adams; 40
- #16 Eric McPherson; 40
- #95 Danny Harrell; 40
- #4 TJ Largena; 40
- #19J Bubba Johnston; 40
- #18 DJ Valente; 40
- #47 Rick Gdovic; 40
- #28 Jamie Sample; 22
- #78 Matt Carter; 8
- #98 Matt Morgan; 8
Pepsi Grand Stocks 40 Laps: Tim Wilson was once again on the Grand Stock division pole, his lap at 18.029 seconds denied Paul Lubno who earned the two spot on the grid. As the green flag waved, Tim Wilson would lead the Grand Stock group into turn one and emerging out of turn two with the lead was pole sitter Tim Wilson. Michael Waters quickly took the second spot leaving Paul Lubno in third. After a brief caution for the spin of Dale Nichols, racing resumed and once again, Tim Wilson is money at the start. But it’s the last lap that pays and could he hang on? Just like that, the race leader Wilson mounted up a five car length lead. Waters would chase and on his tail was Lubno in third. Hot mover in the field was JR Smith who started last but then troubles came and had to come to pit road. Back up front, the chase for the leader would start to string out as Wilson’s lead was now ten car lengths. Halfway flag waved and much more of the same as Wilson was hooked up. From there, Michael Waters would give chase but Wilson proved to be too strong and would go on to win by 5.287 seconds. Tim Wilson talked about his run in Victory Lane, “Yeah, we found a couple of things in the front end, my crew I gotta thank them guys. They went over this thing, we finally got it handling again, I wish Paul didn’t have problems with his, he been fighting with his car all day. It’s going to be a battle for the championship because he isn’t going to give up”.
Race Results:
- #17 Tim Wilson; 40
- #2 Michael Waters; 40
- #14 Paul Lubno; 40
- #1 Kevin Morgan; 39
- #51 Amanda Satterly; 36
- #71 JR Smith; 8
- #8 Dale Nichols; 1
Parts Barn Enduros 30 Laps: Based on the pill draw, Enduro pole sitter Ben Wolff would get the top spot as Thomas Fontaine pulled the two pill for his position of the grid. With the green waving to the twenty nine car field, leading lap one would be Hunter Kane. After a quick caution, racing resumed as Colby Vance would lead lap two of the event. Phil Nelson was soon hot on the tail of the leader when lap traffic spoiled his efforts allowing the race leader to get away. On back and running well in third was Hunter Kane, fourth belonged to Chris Kane and in fifth was Charlie Bryant who started deep in the twenty nine car field. Halfway went up on the board as Colby Vance was having his way. Another quick stop to the event, the lead was near a half a backstretch as stoppage to the race does the man in second no good. Back to green flag racing, Vance continued to lead but the fastest car on the track just might be Charlie Bryant who at this point was showing third. Late laps in the race and of the twenty nine cars that started, none could get to the bumper of the race leader who motored on for the race win. Colby Vance wins by 11.296 seconds, Vance with words from Victory Lane. “Gotta thank a bunch of the lap cars for giving me a hand single on which way they were gonna go. Thank all the family and friends, everybody on Fanschoice, all the fans who came out on this warm August night. Thank everybody who keeps short track racing alive, let’s keep it going and making it fun”.
Race Results:
- #44 Colby Vance;
- #88 Charlie Bryant;
- #11 Phil Nelson;
- #41 Richard Ellis;
- #99K Hunter Kane;
- #48 Chris Kane;
- #17 Alex Floroff;
- #47 Nate Lundin;
- #7 Dwight Nickles;
- #96 Taylor Kool;
- #3 Mikey Chinn;
- #24 Tim Vinson;
- #28 William Robinson;
- #19 Courtney Schubert;
- #4 Wendell White
- #13 Hayden Sheldon
- #25 Ryan Vinson
- #90 Nick Martin
- #32 Vicky Connor
- #00 Robert Dezero
- #2 Jesse Holston
- #03D Nicolas Deans
- #16 Mel Vermillion
- #4B Jake Bage
- #33 Mike Kanary
- #18 Ben Wolfe
- #21P Karl Park
- #64 Thomas Fontaine
- #66 William Fortaine
Bojangles UCar’s 25 Laps: Michael Waters grabbed the UCar division pole with his fast lap set at 19.241 seconds. Mike Farley would get the shotgun position on the grid in row one as the green flag waved. Electing to start in the rear, pole sitter Michael Waters surrendered the top spot when the green flag waved. Leading lap one was Dean Ballew but from the rear comes Michael Waters to lead lap two. Ballew checked in second as Austin Davis showed third in the early laps. But then a hard crash in the turn one wall as both Ballew and Davis were involved to bring out the races first official caution. Back to the green, race leader Michael Waters would easily secure the point by turn two. Mike Farley was equal to restart himself and would follow the leader’s line just a car length on back. Tyler Borden would run third as Casey Bristow ran fourth. Halfway point, Waters continued to lead but mirroring the leaders every move was Farley still a car length on back. Suddenly, the lead was at the bumper, the battle soon ensued, Waters had it and Farley wanted it. Inside, outside did Farley look but soon gave a two car length lead to Michael Waters. Final lap and one last gasp, Farley would drive it in deep but could not close, Waters wins by 0.684 second. Michael Waters from Victory Lane, “I can’t thank my family enough, Dean Shifflet who built this car, he builds one hell of a car. Courtney for letting me drive it, my dad, Quinn for spotting for me. My brother Joey, to put it in Victory Lane and have my girls with me, it’s a blast’.
Race Results:
- #36 Michael Waters; 25
- #11 Mike Farley; 25
- #2 Tyler Borden; 25
- #33 Casey Bristow; 23
- #8 Dean Ballew; 5
- #3 Austin Davis; 5
Harris Truck Shop Super Trucks 25 Laps: Rick Poust claimed the pole in Super Truck division competition. The pole time was recorded at 18.965 seconds holding off the time of Chase McAdams who did get the two spot on the grid. Green flag racing would wave over the speedway and coming around to lead lap one was the pole sitter Rick Poust. Chase McAdams would haunt the leaders trail just less than a truck length behind. Keith Wheeler bettered himself a spot to third as Ryan Huff, then Shannon Lester as the early top five. Laps later in the feature, McAdams gets to the bumper of the leader to let him know he’s there. With a slight slip from race leader Poust, the door opened and coming through was McAdams to take the race lead. But Rick Poust was not done, back would come Poust looking high, looking low hoping to get the leader to drive from his mirror. With a slip from race leader Chase McAdams, coming through was Rick Poust to retake the race lead. While fairly tame from third on back, the battle was at the front. Final lap, Poust and McAdams are side by side out of turn four. Making contact, coming to the stripe, its Rick Poust by 0.078 seconds. Rick Poust from Victory Lane, “Yeah my dad worked his butt again this week, that was a lot of fun. Want to give Chase a shout out, that was some good door to door racing. I appreciate him running me clean, want to thank my sponsors”.
Race Results Unofficial:
- #9 Rick Poust; 25
- #18 Chase McAdams; 25
- #27 Keith Wheeler; 25
- #3 Ryan Huff; 25
- #65 Shannon Lester; 25
- #38 Paige Caine; 25
- #66 Wayne Lyon; 22
NOTE: Super Truck division finishing order is unofficial at the time of this publication pending further post race tech. Should finish results change once official, updates will be forthcoming.
Langley Speedway PR
