Also having a great Late Model race season in 2016 is East Carolina Motor Speedway. Two of the big names centered right smack in the middle of the points series is leader Young Gun Brenden Queen and the ever crafty Veteran Louis White. Coming into Sunday’s twin 40’s the two are only separated by a mere two points as the race season is quickly approaching. The two drivers are also locked up tight in a heated North Carolina state points championship which ends September 18th making this weekends racing huge for both drivers at East Carolina Motor Speedway.

After last nights victory at Southern National Motorsports Park, current National points leader Matt Bowling would also be in attendance looking to add to his point totals in his quest for his first ever National title. Both National, State and track series championships were on the line at east Carolina Motor Speedway as twin 40’s will decide the points picture heading into the final week of NWAAS Division One Series points racing. The afternoon began with qualifying as Brenden Queen clocked in the fastest lap at 15.643 sec or 92.054 mph. The lap was better by twenty nine thousandths of a second then the lap laid down by Tyler Matthews who got to share the front row with Queen. Matt Bowling, Thomas Burbage and Louis White would make up the five fastest on the grid.

Notable laps from Thomas Marks who would start sixth and Paul Williamson starting seventh in this first of twin forty lap events. The first try at a green flag was called off but the second one was good for the officials as Brenden Queen would lead lap one. Matthews and Bowling would then battle for second with Bowling able to gain position to move on by Matthews for the spot. Also in an early battle was Burbage and White for fourth with White eventually nabbing up the position on the grid. While all that was going on, Bowling would catch Queen and take the lead on lap six of the race.

Several laps now in this green flag run would see White muscle Matthews for second but soon after the move, the race experienced its first caution on lap nineteen for the spinning car of Justin Carroll. Back to the race action, Queen would mount a charge for the race lead but Bowling with position and the advantage holds Queen to secure the point. But for Queen is didn’t stop there as Louis White wanted the two spot on the grid. Both White and Queen exchanged blows in the battle but White prevailed and Queen dropped to eight in the scuffle. Back up front, Bowling was in cruise control and hitting his marks unpressured until a lap thirty five caution is on the track.

After quick cleanup for debris, green flag ensued and once again, Bowling has the point. But behind him, Louis White is seen going around to bring out the caution. Paul Williamson along with Thomas Marks sustained damage in the melee thus setting up a five lap shootout to the finish. Green flag waves again and again Bowling is money on the start. Matthews would give him a chase but could not track down Bowling who would go on to win the race.

In the second forty lap race feature, Tyler Matthews would lead lap one of the event pulling along Bowling in second leaving White and Queen to decide third. Just as the field began to sort itself out, caution was displayed on the track as both Thomas Marks and Dean Shiflett get together. Back to green flag racing its was Matthews who once again secured the point. That would leave Bowling, White and Queen to settle matters for themselves. White would soon get by Bowling but meanwhile Matthews was mounting up a lengthy lead. Halfway in the race, the field was single file and showing the way was Tyler Matthews.

Then a few laps later, the racing action came to a halt on lap thirty nine as Ryan Haddock has troubles but the caution was brief. Green flag racing was back over the track and Matthews once again nails the restart to maintain the lead. But then the caution waves again when both Queen and White makes contact to slow the action back down. After clean up concluded, the field was back at it again with Matthews refusing to be passed on these restarts. Bowling was able to hold second down and looking for a line to run down Matthews for a chance at the lead but it was not to be. Tyler Matthews would go on to finish the remaining laps and it was he who crossed the stripe first. Matt Bowling, Jeff Shiflett, Louis White and Brenden Queen rounded out the five best.

Race action at East Carolina Motor Speedway will continue next week September 17th in the Ronnie Barnette Memorial. The race will ultimately decide the 2016 North Carolina State Championship and the 2016 East Carolina Motor Speedway Late Model series Championship. Matt Bowling will head back to his home track at South Boston Speedway where he’ll look to wrap the track championship and hopefully be named the next NWAAS Division One National Champion.

Race Results #1
1 #83 Matt Bowling
2 #63 Tyler Matthews
3 #03 Brenden Queen
4 #9 Thomas Burbage
5 #01 Jeff Shiflett
6 #91 Justin Carroll
7 #7 Louis White
8 #12 Wesley Johnson
9 #33 Ryan Haddock
10 #5 Paul Williamson
11 #88 Thomas Marks
12 #25 Kenneth Mercer
13 #12 Dean Shiflett
14 #26 Eric Winslow
15 #67 JT Jackson
16 #10 Madyson Ryan
17 #83 George Brunnhoelzl III
18 #01 Mark Wertz
19 #0 Justin Snow

Race Results #2
1 #63 Tyler Matthews
2 #83 Matt Bowling
3 #01 Jeff Shiflett
4 #12 Wesley Johnson
5 #7 Louis White
6 #03 Brenden Queen
7 #12 Dean Shiflett
8 #9 Thomas Burbage
9 #91 Justin Carroll
10 #33 Ryan Haddock
11 #5 Paul Williamson
12 #26 Eric Winslow
13 #67 JT Jackson
14 #10 Madyson Ryan
15 #88 Thomas Marks
16 #01 Mark Wertz
17 #83 George Brunnhoelzl III
18 #0 Justin Snow