CALLAWAY, VA :: Fans may have had to wait an extra month to flock to Franklin County Speedway and may have had to wait a few hours for the main event in the Racing Dynamiks 200 on Monday, but the season opening race was worth the wait.  Langley Austin’s first race as the promoter saw it all.  There was plenty of action, controversy and drama on Monday.

The race was delayed on multiple occasions, first due to delays getting tires mounted than a delay due to a circuit breaker problem cutting the lights out on the backstretch.  Despite the delays, the track put on its brand of classic racing action for a larger-than-normal crowd of spectators who spent their Memorial Day at Franklin County Speedway.  When asked about some of the hitches on race day, Track Promoter Langley Austin called it a learning experience and hopes the next race will go off smoother.

Disclosure: Langley Austin is also the owner and webmaster of RACE22.com.

Could things have been handled better?  It’s easy to say that they could have been in hindsight but I give Austin and company some slack because it was their first race.

Despite new management, the on-track product hasn’t changed at all.  Franklin County Speedway still boasts remarkable, side-by-side racing.  The drama was already intense long before the green flag waved on the 50 lap Late Model feature.  In the Tunerz division, Breeze Linkenhoker got in to it on the track with Chad Burnopp which resulted in a verbal disagreement during a red flag on the front stretch and resulted in Linkenhoker getting in his car under a red flag and chasing Burnopp around the track.

The end result was Linkenhoker being escorted off the premises but not before he swung a fire extinguisher and sprayed the extinguisher at track personnel.  Needless to say, he probably won’t be admitted back at Franklin County Speedway anytime in the near future.

The Late Model race ended up being the best of the season.  Unofficially, there were 16 lead changes in the 50 lap race.  The race didn’t lack any drama.  Steve Dalton led early but he and Kyle Dudley had to go to the rear of the field after spinning to avoid hitting another car.  Both drivers worked their way back up to finish first and third respectively.

Tommy Peregoy looked to be on his way to a win until a slow car held him up, allowing Dalton to pass him, relegating Peregoy to second.  Once Dalton inherited the lead, he never relinquished it.  Kyle Barnes also had a strong run in the race leading several laps.

The moment that took everyone’s breath away came on the last lap when a spectacular crash took out several cars including Wesley Thomason, Bobby Gillespie, David Sell, Tyler Hash, Calvin Brooks and Ernie Gillespie.  Brooks had to be cut out of his car and carried away on a stretcher but he was alert and was released from Roanoke Memorial Hospital the next morning.

For Langley Austin and Moonshine Capital Promotions, the day presented many challenges.  In all, it can be summed up as a successful first race for Moonshine Capital Promotions.  Austin learned a few things on his opening night.  For Austin, it’s probably fortunate many of the problems presented themselves on opening night so he knows how to deal with them in the future.

I was excited about Franklin County’s opener.  Everyone has pitched in to help this track rekindle its old glory.  From upgrades to facilities to upgraded concessions and many of the clean-up, repair and restoration efforts that went on, it sure was satisfying to see it all pay off.

Make no mistake, Austin cares about the track as much as anyone and he continues to show it with the effort he and his team have been putting in to making Franklin County Speedway the premier Saturday night destination in the Roanoke area.  I’m hoping this track succeeds.

It’s obvious it was worth the wait.