Story by: Corey Latham ~ [email protected]
Altamahaw, NC(November 11, 2010) — Usually at this point in the year we have only one more race to go in “Big Race” season, the Myrtle Beach 400. But, a welcome addition was added to the order this year as Ace Speedway announced their own big race this November, the “FallOut Invitational”. With $5000 on the line for 150 laps and some of the biggest hitters around came to try out the tight bullring and almost all left feeling the tight tracks wrath.
Critics questioned whether the race would be a hit and those that didn’t attend simply missed out, as it was one of the best Late Model Stock Car races seen in recent memory. At a track that hasn’t hosted a big season ending race for nearly ten years, this one looks to stay and become one of the premier events for years to come.
With Martinsville and South Boston’s 300 lapper in the rearview, and Myrtle Beach on the horizon, some wondered if the timing and the late announcement of the race less than a month ago would hurt the car count. But it was great timing, as it gave the drivers from the previous races time to make adjustments and repairs, as well as giving ample time for drivers heading to Myrtle Beach to get their cars ready also. 24 cars made the trek, and while at some tracks they may be a low count for a “big” race, at Ace it was perfect, as all year they have averaged 11-17 cars and the action has put other tracks to shame.
One thing about Ace that makes it different than other tracks is how tough the track is. Some drivers travel around from track to track and do well, but while the regulars at Ace don’t move around the region much, It’s extremely hard to come into their house and beat them. Local competitor John Moore proved that point easily in qualifying, capturing the pole with a scorching time of 15.560, just a few hundredths off the track record. Moore was followed by former track champion Jason York, Jonathan Cash, the hottest man in Late Models Matt McCall, and the winningest Late Model driver in history, Barry Beggarly.
One driver missing from the top five, well, the entire lineup was Frank Deiny Jr. Deiny was making his third start of the season driving a car built by his own chassis company for Kiker Motorsports, getting more time on the car as they had ran Caraway a few weeks earlier and were getting the car ready for the beach. The 2004 Ace track champion had been one of the fastest cars in practice, but as he made his qualifying run something went terribly wrong entering turn one as he took the green.
The right rear brake seemed to lock up sending the car rear first into the wall at full speed, making the car lift up on the wall and looking like it was nearly going to flip over, this was one violent wreck. Deiny would climb out OK, sore, but more than anything disappointed. After having a decent run at Caraway, he was looking to get aggressive at Ace and “Put some donuts on the doors” as he said, but it wouldn’t be this weekend, that car was trashed. Guess we’ll have to wait to see what the #4 can do at the beach.
The anticipation had built, we all knew what the day had in store as the track is one of the most racy around, it was now time to get it on. Moore would jump out to the early lead with York and Cash falling in behind. It doesn’t take long for things to get interesting as Rodney Cook goes for a loop on lap two and continues on. Under the caution Garrett Campbell hits pits road for a flat left rear and Tim George Jr already has damage. This would be a theme for George the rest of the day as he tried a new way to win a race……..by eliminating his competition.
Now it was another thing we had been waiting for, our first cone restart of the day. In a move never seen by any track at a “Big” race, Ace Speedway used a procedure they had used all year, a cone goes out on the track with one to go to green and anyone who wants to try their luck on the outside can do so. For example, on the lap two restart the top three didn’t budge, but fourth place McCall, fifth place Beggarly, sixth place Ward, ninth place Alex Yontz and Rodney Cook all the way from the back were now the first cars on the outside line. By far the cone restart in Late Model racing is the best thing we have seen in some time.
Once again on the restart Moore screams out to the lead with ease, while not ever winning a race in the Late Model division since moving up from Limited two years ago, he was on a rail and let it be known he was going to be reckoned with. McCall would fight hard to move by Cash and get on York for second while the rest of the field tries to sort themselves out behind them. The best action is back in the pack, as Scotty Warren is trying to hold off George as he almost gets wrecked a few times off turn four.
The caution would fly once again on lap 23 as Clint King and Lee Ball get tangled up with each other with Ball going hard into the inside guardrail at the start/finish line. Ball had not raced all year from lack of funds, and this was his first start in the Late Models as he had run Limiteds in the past. His day was cut short with this one though, his ride hit the inside so hard that it pulled the poles holding the guardrail nearly out of the ground. King would pit for repairs also, but his day would be long also as the 14 year-old never got going the entire weekend and he would have more action headed his way later, not the good kind.
The restart once again had a host of Ace regulars take the outside with one non-regular leading he way on the high line, Jonathade6n Cash from fourth. Dustin Rumley, Speedy Faucette and Rodney Cook all follow Cash, the regular drivers know how to use the outside lane and as the day went on others followed their lead. Cash would use it to his advantage as he would squeeze into second and went after Moore. The lead would change hands after the dominant car of Moore slid high on lap 31 allowing Cash to take the top spot……and McCall to take second……and York to take third……when it was all over Moore found himself in ninth after leading just three laps prior. It was wild all over, Beggarly had Cook all over him for fifth, Dean Ward and Nick Smith were fighting hard for ninth, Ryan Wilson and Garrett Campbell were beating each other to death and towards the back Tim George Jr. was going three-wide down the frontstretch.
As Cash begins to put some distance on McCall for second, York has his hands full with the 2010 Ace champion Dustin Rumley. York holds him off while Beggarly still had Cook all over his rear bumper. It’s lap 44 and the action will slow once more as Thomas Scott gets loose off turn four right in front of Jason Payne. Scott almost saved it and Payne tried to stay off of him but they got together once more putting Scott into the inside wall. Beggarly, Faucette and Ward would go to the outside for the next restart, and Beggarly was about to show these young fellas how It’s done.
All year long at Ace Speedway Beggarly has been a force to be dealt with. After sitting out many seasons in retirement and getting into a consulting role, Beggarly got the itch once more this past offseason and built his own car, that’s right folks his car was built by him at his house from stuff laying in the shop, a feat unheard of in these times with specialized chassis. Beggarly finished the season at Ace with three victories in a row and it sparked old-school race fans to remember a time when Beggarly was nearly unbeatable, reminiscent of his 1993 season when he won the National championship and 32 races at many different tracks, mind-boggling in today’s times. Barry would jump with Cash on this restart and hang with him for two laps before settling into second as the crowd roared to life, the “Southern Gentleman” was there to win.
Cash has his hands full with Beggarly and McCall as we approach the halfway mark and York finally has to give fourth to a pestering Cook. Speedy Faucette was making a charge from the back after pitting from earlier contact with Dean Ward sent him to the pits for repairs. While charging back through the field he goes into turn three when John Moore has his brakes lock up for a second putting the front of Speedy’s car in the back of Moore hard, knocking a hole in Faucette’s radiator ending his day. Faucette has raced sparingly this season with dismal results but looks to come back next season for a full campaign.
After a few cautions from George Jr. running over Scotty Warren and then Travis Roberson, we get a few laps to race until halfway when Beggarly and McCall give Cash all he wants for the lead. Cook rides 15 car-lengths behind them, while York is still doing all he can to keep Rumley and now Ward behind him. They would run that way to the halfway break where each team got ten minutes for adjustments, but no tires were to be changed. Cash was very pleased, Beggarly was modest and said his car was “alright”, and McCall looked to just be licking his lips waiting for the end of the race. One car well off the pace was Alex Yontz, who said he was just riding saving his stuff, but being back there near certain cars would have It’s toll on the black #55 later.
The second half of the 150 lap event begins with McCall, York, Rumley and Nick Smith jumping to the outside for the restart, one that Cash was ready for this time as he sped away. Beggarly and McCall put up a heck of a battle with Beggarly finally winning the spot after lap after lap of side by side racing. McCall would have his hands full with York who leaned on him pretty good getting into turn three a few times, McCall would keep third but not forget the roughness that York was showing him.
There was racing all over the track from front to back, but nothing last forever. George Jr. loses it in turn one and collects Jesse Little, Ryan Wilson, Clint King and Alex Yontz. All cars continue with moderate damage, Yontz looked to get the worst as his front bodywork is smashed up good, the toe also got knocked out severely in this accident causing him to be a non-factor for the rest of the event. And as the story goes so many times in racing, the guy who caused the accident comes out once more with not even a scratch.
These cautions are beginning to take it’s toll on cars, but the upside is it gives everyone another chance to see a cone restart. York and Cook would go to the outside for this one. Cash would jump out once again and Beggarly and York would go wheel to wheel for second…….until. As Beggarly and York race side by side, Beggarly suddenly slows entering turn three and enters the pits immediately and parks right in front of his hauler. You could see the trail behind the car and smell it in the air, the rear-end had let go on the famous black #82, ending a run by one of the top three cars of the day, but everyone for sure knew that the legend was there.
The caution would fly a few laps later as George Jr. punts Terry Carroll around with himself in turn four, do you see a trend here? McCall would jump outside of Cash once more for the restart, of the outsiders McCall and Nick Smith seem to really be enjoying the cone restart more than anyone. McCall would hang with Cash this time for a few laps before Cash finally gets the advantage. This would allow York to dive in hard under McCall before he gets to squeeze in behind Cash when contact is made and McCall gets sent up the track. Behind them Jesse Little and John Moore go around on lap 84 with Moore getting drivers side damage, but it would pale in comparison on what would happen to him later.
McCall goes outside for the restart, and Cash clears him with York getting by for second as Rodney Cook has joined the party now. Cash pulls away by five cars, York, McCall and Cook are nose to tail until something happens going into turn one with those three jamming up and Cook getting the worst as his hood gets buckled up. McCall thought that
York brake checked him and would repay him back a few laps later when he got to him, he spun him out of second. Under caution York would race around to show his displeasure, but his day was done as he retired just a few laps later. This is one that might carry over to Myrtle Beach, we’ll see.
After another caution for debris, we get to one of the more spectacular accidents of the day on lap 98. John Moore and Clint King make hard contact with the turn one wall with……you guessed it, Tim George Jr. George is able to drive away with heavy rear damage, King is missing his front end, and Moore is totally destroyed as he is slow to get out, it was a very violent hit for the former Ace Limited champ. King would make repairs as the field went red and George finally parked his car, only to be approached by one of the other drivers grandfathers. He then proceeded to tell George that it was a good thing that he quit when he did, his grandson’s car was one of the few he hadn’t hit and when he did it was going to be time to start fighting. That pretty much echoed the feelings of all the drivers there, It’s pretty bad when you get threatened to get beat up by a team you HAVEN”T had contact with.
Enough has happened in this one to cover five races, and we still have 50 laps to go. With cars being eliminated one by one, it has comes down to the best two cars left, Cash and McCall as they seem to be in a class by themselves. After McCall disposes of Rumley for second who restarted to the outside, the chase is on the get to Cash. They run nose to tail until lap 109 when McCall makes the move quickly to take the top spot. It looked as if Cash was almost caught sleeping, as McCall did pass him usually meaning he has the faster car, but he did not pull away, just the opposite as Cash was all over McCall to take the lead back. Behind them Rumley was doing all he could to hold of Cook, we all know the story between those two this year so eyes were wondering all over the track.
McCall manages to get a four car lead when the caution comes out with 11 laps to go, Thomas Scott has come to a stop in turn two, this was going to get exciting real quick again. With only 11 laps to go something very odd takes place at the line, as Rumley is the only car to take the outside lane, all day cars had been fighting over it but with hardly any laps to go, just one taker. McCall would jump out with Cash booting Rumley out of the way, Cash pulls up on the rear of McCall and looks inside entering turn three. They come off four and as they get to turn one Cash goes inside of McCall, contact, and both cars go slamming into the turn one wall hard as Cook gets into the back of Rumley spinning him and taking over the lead.
McCall exits his car and has some choice words for Cash as they survey the damage, it was a pretty nasty wreck. From the grandstands it looked as if it was Cash’s fault, but video shows what we thought, the two best cars were going for the same spot with the win on the line. We hate to see it but sometimes going for the win it comes down to that, neither driver should hang their head as they were both easily the class of the field.
As the mess was cleaned up we now had a whole new complexion to the race. The most dominant driver at Ace Speedway this season, Rodney Cook, was now the leader with the veteran Dean Ward, Nick Smith, Ryan Wilson and Garrett Campbell completing your top five. Ward would stay tucked behind Cook for the restart, but as we suspected, Smith was the first to go to the outside. Smith has made a name for himself as being a top groove racer and this shootout looked to fit him well, it sure didn’t disappoint the fans.
Cook and Smith would start even, with the battered car of Cook taking a slight advantage down the backstretch. Smith comes back on the outside in turns three and four, both cars get sideways off the corner, still side by side……nine to go. Both cars are hanging on the ragged edge, they come back around still even and Ward takes a look to the inside to make it three wide but thinks better of it……eight to go. Even again at the line…..seven to go…..six to go…..five to go……four to go and they are still neck and neck, this is what It’s all about folks.
With three laps to go Cook gets a slight advantage on Smith as Ryan Wilson lays the bumper to Garret Campbell to get by for fourth. Two to go and Smith gives it a little too much off the corner and gets out of shape as Cook slips in front. The white flag is shown and Cook has three cars on Smith as he tries to mount one last charge but comes up just short, Cook takes the win in one of the best races seen at Ace in many years.
Rodney Cook may of not had the best car, but as he said in victory lane he would rather be lucky than good any day. It was a slug-fest to say the least, a lot of trashed cars and some great racing, when the winner pulls into victory lane with a mangled hood and a nearly missing right front fender that’s a pretty good indication of how the day went.
The little bullring at Ace showed how tough it was, the carnage was not from the track or anything to do with the race itself, it was some of the best drivers around showing that they were not there to play, and in turn it became one that they will be talking about for a long time.”Ace Is The Place” is the motto the track has and they showed why on this day…..WOW sums it up pretty good.
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