Chase Purdy and Trey Gibson each won for the third time this season at Greenville-Pickens Speedway on Friday in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model Stock Car twin 75-lap features.
Eighteen cars started the first of the two 75-lap features for the Late Models. Cody Haskins in the No. 2 started alongside two-time feature winner Chase Purdy in the Hawk-McCall Motorsports No. 41 in the front row. Haskins grabbed the top spot and started to pull away early as Purdy and two-time winner Trey Gibson swapped second back and forth a couple of times before Purdy took over and settled in.

The early mover was Dylan Hall, as he had his No. 4 perking. Hall drove up into the top five within the first 20 laps, and then got by Rodney Howard for fourth three laps later.

Yellow waved over the speedway on lap 42 as Kenneth Headen stopped on the track in turn four. Headen pulled his No. 99 to the pits and out of the action. Haskins, Purdy and Gibson were the top three on the restart, which was short-lived as Tasha Kummer and Josh Dyer ended up getting crossed up in turn three bringing the caution right back out again.

Haskins took off on the restart but Gibson wasn’t about to let him get far. He dogged the back of the Haskins machine for seven laps until R.A. Brown brought out the third caution of the event on lap 49.

For the restart, Haskins, Gibson, Purdy, Hall and David Roberts would be the top five with Mitchell Mote, Rodney Howard, Ryan Walker, Marty Ward and Anthony Alfredo rounding out the top ten.

Looking for his first win of the year, Haskins held the lead until Purdy took over second, caught him with ten laps to go and made some contact on lap 67, scooting out of turn two with the lead.

Purdy went on to his third win of the season with Haskins, Gibson, Hall and Roberts completing the top five.

Mitchell Mote got the second late model 75-lap main off to a rousing start as he developed a flat left rear tire right at the green flag. Fortunately, the other drivers managed to steer around him and he limped into the pits under the ensuring yellow flag.

Rodney Howard and first feature runner-up Cody Haskins led the field to the start as Mote rejoined at the rear.

Haskins led the first three laps until the No. 112 of Trey Gibson snuck underneath and got by him. David Roberts in the No. 18 stopped on the track at the same time, bringing out the caution. Mote made a couple of pit stops under the yellow for adjustments. R.A. Brown pulled his No. 60 pitside and out of the race. Roberts returned to the race.

The yellow flag fever continued as Dylan Hall went around in turn two after the restart and Rodney Howard took his No. 16 to the pits for some repairs. Just four laps were complete at this time, with Gibson, Haskins, Purdy, Ryan Walker and Anthony Alfredo in the top five.

Gibson opened up a huge advantage over the next many laps, as Haskins, Purdy and Alfredo settled into the top four spots. Roberts, the defending champion in the division, worked his way back up to fifth by lap 16. Marty Ward had taken over sixth, with Ryan Walker, Emilee Riley, Rodney Howard and Dylan Hall in the top ten. Mote pulled out of the race for good on lap 20.

With 25 laps in the books Hall stepped up his pace and charged through to seventh, passing Riley, who was doing a yeoman’s job in her first time at the track. Marty Ward, running sixth, pulled his sharp no. 97 to the pits with mechanical issues at this time and retired from the race.

Purdy found his way by Haskins for second on lap 30 with an inside move, shuffling the deuce back to third. We’d seen this scenario previously this year, with Purdy running second to Gibson until late in the race and then striking like a snake for the win.

Rodney Howard pulled his no. 16 to the pits on lap 40 as Gibson had a 2.6 second advantage over Purdy. Haskins, Alfredo and Dylan Hall rounded out the top five at this time with everyone settling into a rhythm as the race went past halfway.

Alfredo reeled in third place Haskins on lap 52 and made the pass with an inside move as Hall drew in on both of them. Hall was the fastest car on the track at this point and took fourth on lap 56 but Gibson had a 3.3 second advantage over Purdy and was increasing that margin progressively.

Hall kept on coming, taking third on lap 59 and managed to run down second place Purdy from over a straightaway back by the end of the race, but had to settle for third as Gibson ended up with a dominant five second win over Purdy. Hall, Alfredo and Haskins rounded out the top five.

“It felt really good right there,” Gibson said. “We missed the stagger a bit in the first race but we got it right for the second. This is awesome!

Official Results:
Race #1
1 – Chase Purdy
2 – Cody Haskins
3 – Trey Gibson
4 – Dylan Hall
5 – David Roberts
6 – Rodney Howard
7 – Marty Ward
8 – Ryan Walker
9 – Anthony Alfredo
10 – Mitchell Mote
11 – Emilee Riley
12 – RA Brown
13 – JP Dyar
14 – Kenneth Headen
15 – Will Burns
16 – Tasha Kummer
17 – Kevin Vassar
18 – Neil Meredith

Race #2
1 – Trey Gibson
2 – Chase Purdy
3 – Dylan Hall
4 – Anthony Alfredo
5 – Cody Haskins
6 – David Roberts
7 – Emilee Riley
8 – JP Dyar
9 – Ryan Walker
10 – Rodney Howard
11 – Marty Ward
12 – Mitchell Mote
13 – Kevin Vassar
14 – RA Brown