COPPER HILL, VA :: 2013 saw several thrilling finishes throughout the course of the season, everything from photofinishes to last lap bump-and-run maneuvers and more. We continue our look back at 2013 by taking a look at the best finishes of the 2013 racing season.
13. Last Lap Melee at the Memorial Day Classic (Franklin County Speedway – May 27, 2013)
The opening race of the season at Franklin County Speedway which was held on Memorial Day saw plenty of action all race long. At the end of the race, it came down to a green-white-checkered finish which saw Steve Dalton score the win but it was the calamity that happened behind him that made this one memorable. Down the backstretch, Bobby Gillespie and Wesley Thomason were racing side-by-side for the fourth position when Kyle Barnes made a daring move to the inside making it three wide. Barnes drove in deep in to turn three and wound up taking out Gillespie and Thomason and a host of others. Veteran racer Calvin Brooks was injured in the accident but was released from the hospital the next day and returned to racing a few races later in the track’s Mini-Cup division.
12. Baker Wins Orange County Classic (Orange County Speedway – September 14, 2013)
Orange County Speedway staged an instant classic on the night of September 14th in a race that many people who attended the race said was the best race they had ever seen anywhere. A late race caution set up a wild finish to a thrilling race. Chris Denny was leading when they got the restart but washed up the track in one of the turns allowing Baker, Chuck Lawson and Craig Moore to get by. Baker said it was an emotional victory for him and his family. He also won the Limited Late Model race that night.
11. Wilson Wins in Wild Finish (Caraway Speedway – August 23, 2013)
Entering the final lap of the second of two twin races at Caraway Speedway on August 23rd, it looked like it would be a duel between Robert Tyler and Lee Pulliam for the win. Tyler was on the inside, Pulliam was up high and the two were racing hard for the win but racing clean. Things weren’t as clean when Ryan Wilson stuck his nose in the battle. Wilson charged in to turn one and moved Tyler up the track and in to Pulliam sending Pulliam spinning. Wilson dashed back to the checkered flag to score the win while Tyler stewed.
10. Frantic Finish at Franklin County (Franklin County Speedway – September 28, 2013)
Jake Keaton had finally gotten around Daryn Cockram to take the lead in the closing laps when Cockram went around in a wreck that also took out Johnny Cash who had also been involved in the battle for the lead. That set up a green-white-checkered finish at the high banks of Franklin County Speedway and a chance for Wesley Thomason to score a win. Thomason got a great restart and went to the point but Keaton had no plans of rolling over. Keaton and Thomason raced side-by-side on the final lap before Keaton finally got out in front exiting turn four and held off Thomason to score the win. The victory was Keaton’s second win of the season with the other coming at Lonesome Pine Raceway. Keaton’s win came in his first ever start at Franklin County.
9. Bump-and-Run (Southern National Motorsports Park – December 1, 2013)
A lapped car being wrecked off the front bumper of Ronnie Bassett, Jr. set up a late race restart in the Thanksgiving All-Star Classic at Southern National Motorsports Park. That restart put in place the ingredients for a wild finish and it was wild. Two-time defending NASCAR Whelen All American Series National Champion Lee Pulliam was in the lead and, prior to the caution, had the race well in hand. The race resumed and Bassett stayed with Lee Pulliam and, in the final laps, executed a bump-and-run on the champion before driving away. Bassett held on to win while Matt McCall edged Pulliam at the line to finish in second.
8. Motor Mile Madness (Motor Mile Speedway – August 2, 2013)
The best race of the year at Motor Mile Speedway also made for one of the best finishes in 2013. In the first of two twin Late Model races, Peyton Sellers had dominated the race leading every single lap entering the white flag lap. It was on the money lap that Lee Pulliam muscled his way by with a bump-and-run entering turn three to win the race. The contact left Sellers frustrated and disappointed with the National Champion after the race. The second race also featured a spectacular finish when Deac McCaskill, Pulliam’s main challenger in the National Championship, ran Pulliam up the track during a late race restart to score the win.
7. Anders Inherits Myrtle Beach Win (Myrtle Beach Speedway – March 22, 2013)
The final lap of the 2012 Myrtle Beach 400 featured a spectacular finish where the driver who crossed the line first did not win the race. Justin Milliken led the race on the final lap entering turn one. On his inside was a hungry Ben Rhodes. Milliken and Rhodes went for the same real estate on the track with Milliken trying to defend the lead and Rhodes trying to take it away. Milliken spun off Rhodes’ front bumper sending him in to the wall. Rhodes raced back to the checkered flag but was penalized immediately handing the win to Anthony Anders.
6. Rhodes Spins, Pulliam Wins (Myrtle Beach – November 24, 2013)
The final lap of the 2013 Myrtle Beach 400 looked a lot like the final lap of the previous installment with one of the same drivers in the mix. Lee Pulliam was leading the race after getting around Ben Rhodes on the final restart of the race. Behind Pulliam, Rhodes was seeing a challenge from Garrett Campbell. Entering turn one, the two drivers made contact in an incident that mirrored the Rhodes-Milliken incident, this time sending Rhodes in to the wall. The caution waved ending the race and Lee Pulliam scored his 30th victory of the season in Late Model competition. Campbell was penalized over the incident; however, he also became Justin Milliken’s new favorite driver as the no. 02 team celebrated as Rhodes spun.
5. Photofinish and a Speech (Hickory Motor Speedway – June 15, 2013)
Christian Calvo’s first career win was overshadowed by an epic speech delivered by runner-up finisher Ashley Huffman, but it was an exception finish nevertheless. On the last lap, Huffman was leading and felt he should have won the race when a caution came out. However, the race resumed after track officials determined the caution came out before the white flag. That allowed Calvo a chance to get around Huffman. Calvo got to his inside and, coming off turn four, got around Huffman and edged him at the line for the victory. Calvo’s celebration was overshadowed by Huffman’s rant after the race in which he called out track officials who didn’t want to talk to him over the handling of the finish of the race.
4. A Matter of Inches (Lonesome Pine Raceway – June 8, 2013)
Hayden Woods’ first career win was a memorable one. Woods worked his way to the lead and held off a late race charge from eventual track champion Ryan Stiltner at Lonesome Pine Raceway. Stiltner charged on the inside line. When Stiltner closed, Woods attempted to break his momentum causing both cars to get out of shape when they came to the line. It was just enough for Woods as he’d go on to score his first career win by .006 seconds.
3. Lemons Scores Martinsville Win (Martinsville Speedway – October 6, 2013)
After Deac McCaskill took himself, Lee Pulliam and a couple of others out of the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300, Dillon Bassett was in command. After a red flag, the green flag waved in darkness and Tommy Lemons, Jr. got a jump on Dillon Bassett to secure the top spot and score the victory. After the race, Bassett’s team protested the finish claiming Lemons jumped the restart while Basset himself was taken to a nearby medical center where he was treated for carbon monoxide after his famous “I ****ing won Martinsville baby” victory celebration. The win held up and the grandfather clock sits at Lemons’ work office.
2. Concrete Jungle Calamity (Kingsport Speedway – October 19, 2013)
Once again, the first driver to cross the line isn’t always the race winner. Ronnie McCarty got around Derrick Lancaster on the last lap of the Kingsport Speedway invitational on October 19th. He crossed the line in first place but another car wrecked off turn four on the last lap just before the leaders got to the line. By rule, the finishing order was determined by the running order on the previously scored lap, handing the win to Lancaster. Lancaster’s victory was protested but it held up and Lancaster took home a grandfather clock of his own after another wild night at the jungle.
1. Falk Gets the Horns (Daytona International Speedway – February 18, 2013)
The first race of the season gets the nod for the best finish of the season. Kyle Larson’s win in the one-off UNOH Battle at the Beach at Daytona was the most talked about finish in all of 2013. Langley Speedway veteran CE Falk dominated the later stage of the race and led the field coming to the white flag. NASCAR driver Kyle Larson was running right behind him. Through turns three and four, Larson gave Falk one shot then another. Falk held on and looked like he’d be in good shape. Coming off turn four, Larson had one more shot. Larson drove straight in to Falk and dumped him to score the victory. Falk looped his car around and recovered for a heartbreaking third place finish. After the race, Falk handled the controversy with class, calling it a racing deal. Larson was not penalized and was allowed to keep his victory over, ironically, Ben Rhodes who finished second.
That’s a wrap on our look at the best finishes of 2013. We’ll continue our look back at the best of 2013 and look ahead to 2014 over the days and weeks ahead on RACE22.com.
