Story by: Tyler Williams/Contributor to RACE22.com
Altamahaw, NC(September 30, 2011) — On a rare Saturday night race at ACE Speedway, Barry Beggarly ended the night with his 4th track championship at the 4/10’s mile bullring in Altamahaw, NC after warding off a hard-charging Jason York on championship night.
Before the competitors could even enter the track for the race originially scheduled for friday, mother nature intervened and forced the cancellation of the race due to rain. Due to ASA regulations, the race had to be run on Saturday in order for the late model drivers to have the event count towards their national point standings. The 2 drivers in focus were point leader Barry Beggarly and Jason York. Both were atop the track standings and subsequently atop the ASA National Standings. Per ASA Rules a driver must win their track title to be eligible to even be eligible for the national title, therefore this race would have alot more on the line than just bragging rights.
14 Late Models would come to compete in the 100 lapper on saturday, though most of the attention early focused on the 2 points leaders, attention quickly turned to weather as on-and-off sprinkle showers threatened the racing. As weather cleared up it was time to race.
While everyone watched York and Beggarly, it was young-gun Jeb Burton who qualified the pole for the event, and showed early on he was the dominant car this night.
Beggarly qualified a dissapointing 6th while York qualified 3rd. York needed to finish 2 positions ahead of Beggarly to win the title and for the first 1/3 of the race he was in position to do so. Beggarly slowly crept forward thru the field, after lap 50 Beggarly goes after the front, he passes York for 3rd, eventually passing John Moore for 2nd which is where he would finish on this night.
During the actual race, Jeb Burton put on his most impressive display yet as he led all 100 laps and lapped all but the top-6 cars.
While Burton celebrated his 5th Ace win of the season, Beggarly celebrated the championship. Barry Beggarly claimed his 4th Ace speedway title and first since 1996, and likely also an ASA National Title. Beggarly is the oldest recorded track champion at Ace since the track was paved in 1990 and only the 2nd Late Model driver to claim 4 titles along with Todd Massey.
When asked where this title ranked among all the accomplishments he has achieved, the 61-year old Beggarly replied, “Well considering my age I would put this one at the top.”
In a title race believed to be the closest points battle in Ace Speedway Late Model history, one of the all-time greats rose to the top and claimed a title that marked a success comeback story and return for the man known as “The Southern Gentleman”. Not many drivers can take a decade off, come back, build your own car from ground up and win at one of the toughest tracks around. But when it comes to Barry Beggarly, would you expect anything less?
NOTE: Beggarly was also awarded the ASA Member Track National Championship officially on Thursday, September 29th. Making him the first driver to win both the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series and ASA Member Tracks National Championship.
