Story by: Langley Austin ~ [email protected]

Dublin, VA(September 13, 2011) — With just two races to go in the 2011 season, it was time for a field of more than 30 cars to ascend on the 4/10 mile track and it was time for some sparks to fly and they did …. literally.

As we often do to give you a better perspective of the race here on RACE22.com, we’re going to give you a break down of the best points of the race and give you some information on some of the key players from the race rather than just focus on the top guys like most media members do. Here we go, here’s how the next to last Late Model Stock Car race unfolded at Motor Mile Speedway.

TOO MANY CARS, NOT ENOUGH TIRES …
36 Late Model Stock Cars rolled into the Motor Mile Speedway for the next to last race of the season, but apparently the track wasn’t prepared for that many cars as some of the teams(at least one that I talked with) was left without tires for the nights event. That problem was somewhat remedied as one of the teams(not sure if there were any others) without tires left early with engine troubles, that was the car of Rusty Gaspard running out of the Chassis Experts shop.

This left 34 cars to qualify for the race with the other car not making an attempt was an FDJ Motorsports entry driven by Quin Houff, who practiced on Friday, but elected not to make his Motor Mile debut on Saturday. Qualifying eliminated one more car as California native, Jake Engle decided not to make an attempt in the race after a poor qualifying effort. Engle didn’t want to get tore up in what everyone expected to be a crashfest of a race as the track elected to start all the cars that qualified for the race. With three cars dropping out, that left a solid field of 33-cars to make the start for the 150-lap race.

NOT JUST ALOT OF CARS, BUT GOOD CARS …
The starting field for this race looked a lot like the starting field for a big race as the field was full of former and current track champions from Motor Mile, but also a couple of NASCAR Whelen All-American Series National Champions and some track champions from other tracks. It was an A-list of drivers including three-time NASCAR National and 2011 South Boston Speedway Champion, Philip Morris, former NASCAR National Champion, Peyton Sellers and 2011 Old Dominion Speedway track champion, David Polenz.

Oh and not to mention the 2011 Motor Mile Speedway champion, Lee Pulliam, who had won in all, but three starts heading into this race. Plus you’ve got a veteran driver, Frank Deiny, Jr., who has won five track championships at five different tracks including Motor Mile Speedway in 2004. Plus a mix of veteran and up and coming young drivers including the likes of Davin Scites, Tommy Lemons, Jr., Josh Berry, Harrison Rhodes, Garrett Campbell, Kris Bowen and so many more of the regions top drivers.

JUST ENOUGH FOR THE POLE …
Philip Morris had the pole when he toured the 4/10 mile track at 15.96 seconds and he looked to be poised to keep it until his arch rival and nemesis, Lee Pulliam rolled his racer onto the track. Pulliam took his Hedgecock Racing Chassis around the track at 15.95 seconds, besting his former teammate to keep a pole streak alive, where the young driver has won every pole this season at Motor Mile. Pulliam wouldn’t get to start from the top spot however as Motor Mile has a handicapping system that any driver who wins two races in a row must start no better than sixth, no matter where he qualifies.

ROLLING TO THE GREEN, 33 CARS STRONG …
With Pulliam placed back in sixth for the start, Morris would start from the pole position with his old rival, Davin Scites flanking him to the outside. Tommy Lemons, Jr., who has ran strong since a mid-season move to drive the Hedgecock Racing Chassis house car would line up third with Rhodes, Berry, Campbell, Sellers, Matt Bowling, Bowen and Jesse Little completing the top ten starting grid.

ARMY NOT SO STRONG …
Frank Deiny, Jr.’s FDJ Army has been strong in recent races at Motor Mile with Deiny leading the way typically. This time however the FDJ Army was very strong in numbers, but not so much in qualifying, but they were all pretty equal as the six drivers with FDJ ties qualified from 15th to 24th with the leader, Deiny posting a disappointing 18th place effort.

ONE McGUIRE OUT, ANOTHER IN …
This race also marked the return of one of the regions top Late Model Stock Car racers and happen to come on the same night as his nephew wouldn’t be able to make a start. Two-time Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300 at Martinsville Speedway winner, Tony McGuire was in the field making a start in the Bob Unczer owned number 4 car, one of the teams he took to victory lane at Martinsville. McGuire was the fourth driver to take the wheel of the car this season after Nick Smith started the season in the car, then quit halfway through the season with Kelly Kingery and Rodney Cook making starts in the car before McGuire got the call.

Previously, the elder McGuire wasn’t really available to race as he was looking over his young nephew, Michael McGuire’s career. However in recent weeks the younger McGuire has moved his racing operation into the SPP Motorsports shop to be crew chiefed by fellow veteran Late Model Stock Car driver, Mike Looney. While the elder McGuire was set to make his first start of the season, the younger McGuire was sidelined by engine problems during a Friday practice session.

DROP THE RAG & RASH OF YELLOW …
Morris took the lead quickly as the green flag waved over the field and held that position through a couple of early caution flags. Morris and the field were again stopped as McGuire’s return to Late Model Stock Car racing was abruptly ended as he spun into the outside wall off the front bumper of Zeke Shell. Shell, who had been a regular at Motor Mile in the 2009-10 seasons, was also making a return to the track after spending most of this season at his home track, Kingsport Speedway in Kingsport, TN.

The yellow flag wasn’t far behind the green flag after the cleanup was made to the track from McGuire’s crash as Adam Long, who was having a great run in 12th position was first moved by Deiny and then got turned off the front bumper of Kelly Kingery and crashed into by Hunter Devers. Long and Deiny had got together off of turn four and while Long didn’t crash until turn two, he felt as if Deiny was at fault for the crash. That would soon become a theme on the night as Long wasn’t the only driver to lay blame on Deiny.

MORE YELLOW FLAGS…
Natalie Sather, who had an incredible season at South Boston Speedway this season was making her first start of the 2011 season at Motor Mile and while she didn’t perform as well as she did at SoBo, she did make her presence known. After a spin by Polenz that slowed the field on lap 63, it was Sather who would lay the bumper to Craig Stallard and send him spinning on lap 86. Rusty Skewes, who was not up to his usual speed on this night spun to avoid Stallard and would have been able to continue, but Stephen Gallagher, a young driver came steaming in and plowed the front of Skewes car.

GOING BACKWARDS …
For the first time all season it seemed as if the unstoppable, Pulliam may well have his hands full on this night as Morris was out front cruising and Scites was nipping at Pulliam’s back bumper for second. Nearly 90-laps into the race and Pulliam had made his way to second, but now he had his hands full to keep the position after looking strong enough to win the race early on. Pulliam’s transmission wasn’t performing like it was supposed to, his car began bogging down and he wasn’t able to hold off Scites, who made his way back to second.

Pulliam only had use of fourth gear and his night was essentially done, his chances of winning were out the window, he could only hope to hang on to finish this race. He said after the race that it was a miracle that he even finished.

SPARKS FLY …
With Morris out in front of the field and Pulliam’s chances at winning having slipped away, it was both drivers nemesis, who was making noise. Deiny, who came from an 18th place starting position was working on ninth place running, Bowen for the spot when the two got together heading into turn one. Deiny’s car would none the worse for wear, but Bowen’s car had sparks flying and headed straight for the turn one wall. Bowen’s new Marlowe Racing Chassis was essentially destroyed with flames bursting from beneath the car and his night done.

TIME TO WATCH THIS ONE FROM THE OUTSIDE …
Bowen jumped from his destroyed racer and gave Deiny a couple of hand gestures before heading down pit road, where he and Deiny’s team were parked nearly side by side, separated by just one trailer. There he was met by Pulaski County Sherriff’s Deputies, who after trying to calm him down, escorted the young driver all the way back down pit road to the turn one crossover gate. There, Bowen would have to stand to watch the rest of the race unfold, all the while the driver he was mad at was inching on a top five finish.

LOTS LEFT TO SAY …
While all the ruckus with Bowen was going on shortly down pit road, another new friend of the FDJ Army was now sharing his thoughts with the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series officials. Long, who earlier on in the race had felt that he was a victim of over aggressive driving by Deiny, was now bending the ear of a track official. This conversation got a little heated as Long’s father stepped in to share his thoughts and the official got upset with the direction of the conversation. Soon this verbal sparring match would be over and Long refused to be interviewed by RACE22.com, but did have one quote for us to share.

“You can write this down, FDJ Motorsports is going out of business,” said an angry Long. “I’ll see to that, I’m not going to take him running over us like that.”

GETTING DOWN TO BUSINESS …
With Morris out front ‘walking the dog’, the rest of the field was left to play second fiddle, like they have in nearly every race this season at South Boston Speedway, where Morris won a record 19-races. Scites in recent weeks had been off his game with a chassis change and taking what he called “big swings” at his car to catch Pulliam and Morris. However, tonight Scites was on top of his game and while he wasn’t as good as he wanted to be he was able to hold off a hard fought challenge from Pulliam, who was still struggling with his transmission to finish second.

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TIME? …
Philip Morris has said for months that he has felt this year had a National Championship kind of feel to it and on Saturday night he did everything he could do to help clinch his fourth NASCAR Whelen All-American Series National Championship. He led every lap of the 150-lap race after starting from the pole and even more than the potential National Title lingering, he was able to perform at his former home track, something he hadn’t done in four previous starts this season.

Despite, Pulliam’s problems, Morris felt as if he had the car to beat on this night and after the way he dominated not many with the exception of Pulliam’s team were doubting him. Morris had come and he had conquered on a track that he had previously dominated for the last decade or more, but had been unable to beat Pulliam on this season. While Morris’ run did put him in the drivers seat in the National Title run, it didn’t clinch the title for him as some reports have claimed. His closest pursuer, Keith Rocco, a Modified driver up North still has several races next weekend to try and catch Morris on points.

GIVING ONE AWAY …
While Morris celebrated in victory lane, Scites was feeling pretty good about his second place run, though he isn’t ever excited about finishing second. Pulliam on the other hand was thankful that he finished, but knew that he had gave Morris a victory with the transmission troubles. The problem with the transmission was a simple mistake as the team changed transmissions the week before the race and didn’t fill it with fluid. Pulliam was obviously dejected after this race and felt like he was the fastest car, but wasn’t able to compete with Morris after the car began to slip once he made it up to second from his sixth place start. Peyton Sellers, who was driving Morris’ backup car finished fourth with Josh Berry completing the top five with another solid run for the JR Motorsports driver.

ROCK SOLID …
One driver who has been rock solid pretty much all season, has been Harrison Rhodes. The High Point, NC racer, who started the season with intentions of running the UARA-STARS Series schedule, moved to Tri-County Motor Speedway to run weekly and won a race there before the track abruptly shut down. Now he’s been competing at Motor Mile for the last few months and while he’s not been able to contend with the top two or three cars, he’s been a steady top five finisher. On Saturday night he came away with a sixth place finish despite a crew chief change between the last race and this race. Ricky Bryant had been calling the shots for the young shoe, but he was let go from the team and Brad Brinkley stepped in to help Rhodes get through this race. It proved that no matter who was atop the pit box, this young driver could get the job done at one of the toughest venues against the toughest field of the season.

WE’LL TAKE IT …
Garrett Campbell has been one of the top drivers in the region this year, winning a UARA-STARS Series race early on and taking the checkered flag in a race at Ace and two more recent wins at Caraway Speedway. Last weekend he struggled through a start at South Boston and this week he made his second Motor Mile start and while he only finished seventh, he proved that he could compete with the top drivers running in this race. Campbell if he continues to race at tracks like Motor Mile and South Boston against the best drivers in Late Model Stock Car racing will be one of the young drivers who one day chasing a National Championship.

DIGGING …
Frank Deiny, Jr. didn’t exactly make any friends on this night and after the race he wasn’t in the best of moods, in fact this whole day was a struggle for FDJ. Deiny however did take his Kiker Motorsports entry from an 18th place start to finish eighth, a strong run to the front against the stoutest field of cars of the season at Motor Mile. While he may have to deal with Long and Bowen in the next race on the 4/10 mile track, Deiny’s probably more worried about improving his program and getting his FDJ Army back up near the front of the pack.

TOP 10, TOP 20 …
Matt and Kyle Waltz made the trek from the Virginia coast to Motor Mile on Saturday night and while they didn’t make a lot of noise, they did come away with respectable finishes. Matt qualified 12th and was able to complete the 150-lap race in tenth position, while his brother, Kyle qualified a disappointing 23rd and after pitting several times to make adjustments finished 20th. Hopefully with a little more track time you could see these two competing for top fives at Motor Mile.

WE’RE NOT AT OLD DOMINION ANYMORE …
Brandon Brown and David Polenz have combined for seven wins this season at Old Dominion Speedway, their home track, but at Motor Mile Speedway the two weren’t even in the ball game. Brown has made a handful of starts on the 4/10 mile track and has yet to get a grip on the track and wasn’t able to again on Saturday as he qualified 29th and finished a dismal 22nd. Polenz was making his first start at Motor Mile and his first start behind the wheel of an FDJ Motorsports owned car, but his performance was much like that of Brown’s with a 22nd place qualifying effort and a 23rd place finish.

BETTER THAN SITTING AT HOME …
Jason Mitcham has spent many Saturday nights over the last couple of seasons sitting on his couch watching the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race or enjoying time with his wife and daughter. But, he’s a racer and while he loves spending time with his family there’s nothing like being behind the wheel of racecar. Mitcham was at one time the bright up and coming young racer at Motor Mile looking to make a name for himself and maybe make it to upper levels, but now he’s content just to compete on Saturday nights at his home track.

In a new ride with a team that Forrest Reynolds competed with a few years ago, Mitcham was able to make his return to the track with the help of SPP Motorsports out of Salem, VA. Mitcham’s return however didn’t go as expected as the veteran driver had a spark plug wire come of early on and then had a vibration that eventually sidelined him. Despite the problems on this night Mitcham was just happy to be back behind the wheel of a racecar and is hoping that will be the first of many starts for the team.

“I think we’ve got a good piece,” said Mitcham after the race. “We had some problems tonight, but it beats sitting on the couch. Hopefully we’ll be better prepared for the next race and work the bugs out of the car and then I think we’ll be good.”

NO LUCK …
Tommy Lemons, Jr. wasn’t really running up to par early on in the season, but as of late he’s moved into the house car for Hedgecock Racing Chassis and he’s been performing like we expect him to. He’s ran in the top five a lot with the Hedgecock car and on Saturday night he qualified fourth and looked to be one of the top five contenders again, but early on in the race he broke his rear end and his night came to an abrupt end. It wasn’t the finish he was looking for, but aside from some bad luck the last couple of weeks the Lemons/Hedgecock combination has been the cure for Lemons ills and with a little luck could put the young driver in victory lane.

19 DOWN, ONE TO GO …
Motor Mile Speedway has run 19 Late Model Stock Car races this season with Lee Pulliam taking his car to victory lane 15 times, a new track record. Now there’s just one race to go, one more chance for someone other than Pulliam to etch their name into the record book and while Morris may have dominated this race, he isn’t expected to return for the season finale this weekend. Pulliam hopes to extend his record for number of wins, Scites is still looking to break into victory lane, Deiny is hoping to slip into victory lane, but will have a couple of drivers ‘hunting’ him down this weekend and there’s going to be a full field of racers looking for their shot at Motor Mile’s victory lane.

This late in the season, the drama would usually be gone with the championship chase decided, but at Motor Mile it seems there’s always something going on and it will certainly be the place to be this weekend when the final checkered flag flies, but not before some sparks, maybe some fenders and fists and who knows what else ….