Story by: Corey Latham ~ [email protected]
Altamahaw, NC(May 24, 2012) — With the big “May Daze” 100 lap Late Model race upon us at Ace Speedway, most people knew that the action would be heating up. What no one knew was the whipping 2010 Champion Dustin Rumley would put on the field or the carnage that would unfold behind him. At Ace though no one ever knows whats in stire for the evening.
The field was 19 strong to start the day with as Ace has had some of the best car counts for Late Models throughout the Southeast. Robert Turner, the winningest driver at the track would once again be plagued by engine problems early in practice and would be on the sidelines for the main event. The talk of the town was Garrett Campbell though as he made his return to Ace after being thrown out from a win last year on a questionable DQ and was coming in as one of the hottest drivers around. Campbell was the fastest car of the day and it reflected in qualifying as he grabbed the top spot over last years Ace and ASA National Champion Barry Beggarly, Rumley, RD Smith and Late Model rookie Kevin Neal.
On the redraw the top three would be inverted putting Rumley up front and the young second generation driver would make it clear from the first few laps that he was going to be the car to beat. Beaggarly, Campbell and Smith would follow behind with the rest of the field lagging behind in the opening laps. It may have been quiet up front but from 5th through 12th was nothing more than a hornets nest with Speedy Faucette getting by Neal for fifth on lap 7 then Scotty Warren blistering by Faucette for the spot just few laps later. It looked to be a turn around for Warren who had been plaged by bad luck….but…..the night was still young.
Rumley, Beggarly and Campbell would pace the first half of the race with Smith falling 20cars back, then the rest of the field another 20 cars from him. By Ace standards it looked to be an uneventful night, the top three had nothing for one another and the rest of the field seemed content. Then we remembered where we were as the action started to heat up with Neal getting back around Faucette for sisth on lap 27 bringing nearly the entire field with him, Faucette had a tire going down for sure. He would get his break seven laps later as John Moore was pressing the issue on Todd Massey and spun off turn four just as Faucette was about to go a lap down.
With the cone restart Campbell and Warren decide to try thier luck to the outside of Rumley but the leader was just too strong this night on every restart. Campbell would settle into second while Beggarly tracked him from two cars back. Behind them cars were flying everywhere, Warren into John Moore sending him up the track, Ryan Robertson into Rodney Cook turning him completely sideways, we wrecked about 20 times without it actually happening in the next 5 laps.Faucette was the man on the move as he had pitted under caution and was mowing them down as he came to them.
For the next 30 laps the field would settle down just a bit and get into a groove, everyone was on edge though as we knew the race would more than likely become wild again at any moment. That moment came on lap 72 after several laps of Moore beating on the back of Warren, Warren would move high letting Moore take the spot but only to do a cross over and spin him off turn four. It was clear on the intent, he was tired of getting roughed up each lap and paid the favor back quickly. This cuation bunched the field up once more and then it all went haywire.
After a quick spin and another caution from Cole Apple spinning down the backstretch, the restart saw Beggarly try his hand outside Rumley but once again with no luck. As they completed the next green lap Faucette gets into Smith turning him off turn four collecting the field from fifth back. Cars were flying everywhere, Faucette actually climbed the side of the Smith machine and with the rest of the field so close from the restart it was a mess. Cook was tore to pieces as he ran into Faucette, Massey driving Cook’s backup car piled into the car owner, and Warren took evasive action to the outside but git turned head-on into the outside wall hitting so hard it bent his steering wheel. All would continue with damage aside from Cook and Warren who had to do extensive welding on his car just to be able to load it in the trailer.
Well, it turned out to be about the same for the next restart, the three fast cars weren’t going to be touched anyway and the rest were equally damaged making the racing still fierce. Now the carnage started closer to the front as Campbell once again tried Rumley and hung with him much better than before, that was until they came off turn four when Beggarly got into campbell spinning them both around in front of the field once more, and, they all piled in again. Cambell’s night was done as his team was not impressed by the “Southern Gentleman” on the track.
We try it again, lap 74 now and the running order is Rumley, rookie Kevin Neal, Faucette with a tore up car, Ryan Robertson and Todd Massey who actually got out of his car after the first big wreck but never lost a lap because caution laps don’t count. rumley is shot out of a cannon as Neal has his hands full with Faucette. After several laps of great racing Neal gives in as Faucette moves into second with Beggarly tearing through the field of tore up cars from the rear.
Lap 77 see’s the beat up machine of Faucette get up to Rumley and make a challenge while Beggarly has Robertson in his sights as the two make contact numerous times. Robertson blocks Beggarly’s advances down the backstretch and Beggarly forces his way to the inside going into turn three. They beat and bang down the frontstretch with sparks flying, the two men entered turn one but only one left turn two, it was Beggarly. Robertson got the short end of the deal as his car was into the turn one wall, a new rear clip was in his future.
With 22 to go Neal will go the outside on the restart with Rumley setting sail as he had every time previous. Dean Fogleman gets into Faucette putting him into the wall briefly as Neal ducks in behind the leader. Beggarly was once again coming in a hurry as he quickly disposes of Faucette for third then gets up behind Neal. Neal had seen what the night was all about already and pulled to the outside to let the champion pass without fuss, at this point in the race a smart move. Beggarly gave chase but it was not going to happen tonight, they were all pushing the envelope while Rumley was riding at 80% and cruised to the checkered flag.
It may not have been the best battle for the lead on this night but the rest of the field made up for it. That’s why races start more than one car, every position to the racer is as valuable as the next. And if you have ever been to Ace Speedway you know that 14th means just as much as first. Rumley was one happy camper, he only saw action in his mirror and passing by under caution, he already has that championship look about him early in the season
 Results:
1. Dustin Rumley
2. Barry Beggarly
3. Kevin Neal
4. Speedy Faucette
5. Todd Massey
6. Dean Fogleman
7. Brad Kurth
8. Thomas Scott
9. Bobby Griffin
10. Cole Apple
11. Kevin Parker
12. Coy Hedrick
13. Ryan Robertson
14. RD Smith
15. Garrett Campbell
16. Rodney Cook
17. John Moore
18. Scotty Warren
19. Robert Turner (DNS)