Story by: Langley Austin ~ [email protected]
Callaway, VA(May 29, 2012) — Kyle Dudley came into Monday night’s Memorial Day Classic at Franklin County Speedway having not made a start at the track this season, but the 2010 track champion quickly picked up where he left off by dominating the 35-lap Late Model race.
Dudley qualified on the pole, setting the fast time ahead of Bobby Gillespie, Doug Williams, Kyle Barnes, Calvin Brooks, Wesley Thomason and Ernie Gillespie. Those seven cars set the field for the 35-lap race with the track having a $500 bounty on Gillespie, who had won the last three races in a row. Dudley, who is a regular at Motor Mile Speedway in Radford, VA, had the weekend off and couldn’t resist an opportunity to go after the bounty on Gillespie.
Dudley jumped out front on the initial start and for the next nearly 20 laps, the field stayed single file without a pass to be seen, but a quick caution bunched the field up. On this restart, Gillespie knew that if had anything for Dudley, he was going to have to get going on this restart and the fans were expecting a serious challenge out of the veteran.
On the restart, Gillespie stuck with Dudley a little longer than he had before, but soon slipped back to second position and faded behind the young driver, who’s nickname is “The Kid”. A lap 29 spin off turn four by Doug Williams ended that veterans night, who was running his second race of the weekend after competing in Friday night’s event at Kingsport Speedway. Williams wrecked proved to be a pivital moment for Gillespie, who made his way down pit road for adjustments.
With Gillespie giving up the second position, it was Calvin Brooks who lined up along side Dudley for the restart and while Brooks hadn’t been showing much muscle all night, he had brought himself from the fifth starting position to second. Gillespie would return to the track at the last moment and restarted fourth, but on the restart he didn’t make up much ground and only charged to third.
Up front “The Kid” was leading, but had a serious challenge from Brooks, but as the laps clicked off it was Dudley who would drive off to victory, his first of the 2012 season despite competing at Motor Mile and Ace Speedway on a regular basis this season. Brooks would bring his car home in second and Thomason came home third after Gillespie pulled off the track coming to the white flag.
With Gillespie having trouble and not finishing the race, Dudley wouldn’t collect the $500 bounty offered up as under bounty rules, the guy being chased has to finish the race. Not getting the bounty money wasn’t a big deal to Dudley, who was just relived to have finally got his bad luck out of the way and got into victory lane.
“It was a good night for us for sure,” said Dudley. “We haven’t had very good luck this season and at least this has us heading in the right direction.”
Typically on holiday weekend races, such as this Memorial Day Classic, the Franklin County Speedway, whose slogan is “Buck Wild” has some pretty ‘buck wild’ racing. However on this night, the short field would slow the excitement, but in the end, it was one of the tracks favorite sons who returned to victory lane and gave the fans something to talk about.
Unoffical Results:
1 – Kyle Dudley #84
2 – Calvin Brooks #00
3 – Wesley Thomason #08
4 – Ernie Gillespie #18
5 – Bobby Gillespie #18
6 – Doug Williams #7
7 – Kyle Barnes #15
