Story by: Langley Austin ~ [email protected]

Hampton, VA(May 24, 2012) — Another twist in the CE Falk, Langley Speedway saga comes as NASCAR steps in to help the track reverse decision.

On Saturday night, CE Falk III took the checkered flag on the track twice in twin races, soon after the final checkered flag fell, he was disqualified when his truck arm bushings failed inspection. An unwritten rule prohibits competitors from drilling the bushing and adding a pin, a practice that used to be common according to some racers until it was made illegal.

Though, the rule book doesn’t clearly state that you can’t run truck arm bushings like Falk had them, his wins were dismissed. On Monday, track management reversed the decision on the first of the twin races by using an unwritten track policy, that every race stands for itself. On Thursday, nearly a week after the original decision was made and after three days of deliberating with NASCAR officials, that decision too was reversed, reinstating the disqualification for both races.

The disqualification handed the win in both races to Greg Edwards, a bitter rival of Falk’s and thus wiping out Falk’s championship hopes at Langley Speedway. Through the twists and turns from Saturday night to Thursday, many questioned the integrity of the tracks officials on both sides of the arguement, but one racer who wished to remain anonymous said NASCAR got it right.

“I don’t know what Langley Speedway was thinking,” the driver said of Monday’s decision to give Falk one of his wins back. “That’s not how it’s done in racing, everyone knows that on a night of twins, if you’re illegal, you’re out on both races. Thankfully NASCAR stepped in and forced the track to make the right decision and help them save face.”

The driver also added, “Everyone knows in this deal that what they did was illegal, it’s an unwritten rule that we all just abide by. I guess they just thought they were above the rules.”

The track issued the following statement regarding the Thursday decision.

“The Officials at Langley Speedway, after a three day fact finding mission have decided that it is in the best interest of NASCAR, Langley Speedway, competitors, and fans, to reverse Monday’s decision to allow C.E. Falk III to receive points and a win in the 1st of twin late model races.”

“After much deliberation, with officials at the NASCAR Research and Development Center in Concord N.C. and consulting with NASCAR Corporative offices in Daytona Beach Fla. It is in the best interest of all parties for Langley Speedway to follow pre established national standards.”

“Those industry standards are: When twin features are run during the same event night and a rules infraction is found, following the last event the standard in the racing industry is the competitor is penalized for both races. Therefore, the Competitor in question will be disqulified for both events on the race night of Saturday May 19, 2012.”

Falk speaking with the local paper that covers Langley Speedway (the Daily Press) had this to say in response to Thursday decision.

“This opens our options,” he said. “We still want to compete for a national championship, so we might have to go where we can get the most races and the most car count.”

“We’ll be back for races like the Hampton Heat. I don’t know if I’ll be racing there on Saturday, but I never meant to say (earlier in the week) that I’d never race there again. Langley has been around for 62 years and it will always be bigger than one driver.”

“I know Langley did what was best for the track, but this decision is heartbreaking. I still don’t agree that this is an infraction.”

Hopefully this puts an end to a crazy week for Langley Speedway, CE Falk, Greg Edwards and all the tracks supporters and fans.