HAMPTON, VA :: Race fans were treated to twin 75 lap Late Model features on an unseasonable cool Saturday night. Coming into the race with a solid 35 point advantage in the 2013 points race was CE Falk. Falk picked up his fifth and sixth wins the week before despite being harassed on every turn and straightaway. Some said on that night that CE Falk was a survivor; others thought it was one of his best performances.
But that was last week, this week could go differently or it could be more of the same if CE Falk has his way. Race action began in qualifying as Matt Waltz picked up another pole run in 2013. His lap of 15.613 sec at 91.078 mph bested the 17 others who took time and would lead the field to the green. Showing speed in qualifying was 2012 Langley track champion Greg Edwards who shared the front row with Waltz. Also, Duane Shreeves with his best lap of the season started third, in fourth was Nick Smith and in his best lap in 2013 was Jeff Oakley. Once again, were seeing more race teams making gains but would that mean a new winner in 2013?
Matt Waltz took off as soon as the green was displayed and left the other 18 race teams to sort themselves out. The races first caution came on lap five of the event in which Jeremy Grogg was pointing the wrong way. Green flag racing resumed but not for long as troubles for CE Falk with a flat left rear tire sent the points leader around for the race’s second caution. CE Falk had to restart at the tail end of the field. The lap seven restart saw out in front but not for long as Nick Smith snuck to the inside and took the lead. But then, the caution came out once again.
More troubles in an already plagued season for Greg Edwards occurred as he and Wesley got together ending the evening for Wes Falk in his #41 ride. Back to green flag racing and Nick Smith set sail pulling Matt Waltz with him. After many laps in this feature, Smith was on a tear, CE Falk and Greg Edwards would do a nice job of getting back to the top five in the event. Matt Waltz kept pace with the leader and made a charge towards the end but only got as close to Smiths left rear quarter as the two battled for the lead. After several intense laps of light to hard contact, Smith on the final lap had held off Waltz’s charge to win his 1st feature in 2013.
After cutting the left rear tire, CE Falk battled back to finish third and, also having troubles early in this race, Greg Edwards finished fourth. Rounding out the races five best was Mark Wertz in a backup car that was just prepped days before the race. Other notables were Duane Shreeves who followed up his third spot at the start on the grid with a solid sixth place finish. Terry Carroll, Dude Gibbs, Jeff Oakley and Casey Wyatt also had solid runs. With Smith’s win gives him the pole for the second feature as the field would be set as to how they finish the first feature.
This time, 18 Late Models would start the second 75 lap feature and like the snap of a finger, Nick Smith made quick work of the field to lead the races first lap. After a brief battle with CE Falk, Smith must have loved how his ride was working because Smith opened up a sizable lead early. Then the race’s first caution came on lap 11 as Justin Carroll, Sam Hunt and Jeff Shiflett forced the yellow to wave. Reporting handling issues and giving up his third place spot in the field was Matt Waltz who came to pit road under this caution. By rule, Matt Waltz would have to be at the tail end of the field on this next restart.
Green flag once again and, as expected, CE Falk made a run at Nick Smith for the lead. But Smith was able to slam the door shut and secure the lead. Several laps would go by before the race’s next caution flag would wave when Jeremy Grogg spun. But just before the caution, smoke was appearing from the back of Greg Edwards’ machine as he suddenly began to slow along the backstretch. More misfortunes again this week as track officials reported engine failure for the 2012 Langley track champion. This may very well end any hopes of a title defense for Greg Edwards and his race team in this 2013 race season.
Lap 26 restart, the action heated up as Nick Smith and CE Falk went to work. This time, Smith left too much room for Falk to get underneath and the race has its first lead change as CE Falk took the point. Falk managed a small lead before Smith would reel him back in and just like that, Nick Smith was back out in front. The halfway point saw Smith beginning to check out and showing that, on this night, he had the car to beat. Matt Waltz had worked his way to the fifth position and was coming through the field. Dude Gibbs and Jeff Oakley were having solid runs in the third and 4th positions in the field.
Several laps went by now and Nick Smith was all by himself searching for the checkered flag in the lead. CE Falk was holding his own in second but mentioned earlier was the assault of Matt Waltz who made quick work disposing of Oakley and Gibbs and was setting his sights set on Falk. No doubt that this night belonged to Nick Smith as not only did he prove to be fast, he proved his car would not fade as he easily would go one to win the second feature of the evening. In the race’s final two circuits, Waltz would catch Falk in an exciting door to door battle as Falk held off the charge and finished second. Just a mere foot behind Falk, Waltz finished in third.
Rounding out the top five was Dude Gibbs fourth place run and Jeff Oakley in his first top five run of 2013. At the end of this night, the NASCAR Whelen All American Series Late Models have reached the halfway point in the season. With the misfortunes going on in the Greg Edwards stables and, though he didn’t find victory lane on the night, CE Falk will be well in command of the points en route to a fourth track title. There is lots of racing left at Langley Speedway and lots of opportunity for things to go wrong as well. But what’s going to be interesting is that guys like Edwards, Smith and Waltz now have nothing to lose now but races.
There’s no pressure to points race, there’s no big picture, only winning matters for these 3 race teams. Add the fact that many other teams are making gains week after week; winning may just get a lot tougher for CE Falk at Langley Speedway. If time really is a fortune teller then in 2 weeks will see, just who else may win and visit victory lane.
