10th — Cook Holds off Smith after McCall, Cash Tangle
The FallOut Invitational at Ace Speedway was shaping up to be one of the best inaugural “big races” ever as Jonathan Cash was out front in the Long Brothers car with Matt McCall in tow. Late in the going, Cash and McCall got together sending both hard into the wall and ending their races. Once the two doninators of the race were out many thought Rodney Cook, the season long dominator at Ace would walk away with the win, but no one accounted for Nick Smith, who was making his first start at Ace. Smith held tight on the outside for the final ten laps as they raced side by side for the win with Cook ultimately edging out the young up and comer.
9th — Falk Bumps Past Hamlin for Showdown Win
Other than the Virginia if for Racing Lovers 300 at Martinsville, the biggest race of the 2010 season wasn’t the Myrtle Beach 400 or the 300-lapper at South Boston, it was a first time Late Model Stock Car race. The Denny Hamlin Showdown, a charity race at Southside Speedway became center stage for the Late Model Stock Car racing world on April 29th and while the race had run a couple times in previous years, this was the first under LMSC rules. The race saw the best competitors from area tracks and the UARA compete against NASCAR Cup, Nationwide and Truck drivers in a unique race on one of the tighest little tracks in the region. Despite the NASCAR influence in the end it was a hometown boy, CE Falk, who stole the show as he bumped former local hero and now NASCAR Sprint Cup Series star, Denny Hamlin from the lead to take the win.
8th — Poole Dumps Burns to Take Greenville Triumph
The 2010 UARA-STARS Series from all accounts was lackluster at best … well except maybe for Brennan Poole, who took home the trophy six different times on six different tracks. His sixth win may well have been the biggest of his career as he knocked down many of the UARA-STARS Series records in the process after a controversial finish. Poole, who had dominated the weekend winning every practice session and qualifying on the pole, was running second in the closing laps, but on the final lap he dove into turn one and made contact with local hotshoe, Jeremy Burns. Burns spun and Poole went on to win the race, which was his sixth of the season, a new series single season win record; his third in a row, the first time that had happened in series history; and he won at Greenville Pickens, a track where no series regular had every won before. It was an exciting finish and a great way for Poole to cap off his incredible season.
7th — Dean Fends off Morris for Elusive First Win
It was simply storybook. Brandon Dean has spent the last several season chasing his first career Late Model Stock Car win. Sure, he could have went to one of the tracks with less competition and got it much earlier, but instead he tackled Motor Mile Speedway, the toughest competition in Late Model Stock Car racing. He had went winless in a full schedule in 2009 and was winless through July of 2010, when he found himself in prime position on August 1st. It was going to be no easy task as while other drivers were picking up wins in the absence of track dominator, Philip Morris, Dean had Morris back to try and keep him out of victory lane. Dean however persevered through the second of twin races after finishing second to Morris in the first one, he was able to edge out the short track legend by less than a car length for the huge win.
6th — Falk Turns Johnson, Johnson Crashes Falk
At the beginning of the 2010 season at South Boston Speedway it seemed as if there was only drivers who were going to compete for wins regularly. Justin Johnson, the previous season champion was back to defend his title and Langley Speedway champion, CE Falk was in his house trying to dethrone the reigning champion. After an epic battle with a rainy finish in the first race, they were back at it in the late stages of the second race of the season. Falk cught Johnson late and as the two raced hard for position, Falk made contact with Johnson, sending the champion spinning. Under caution, Johnson retaliated as he pulled ahead of Falk and brake checked the young driver, damaging his car and all, but ending his day. With these two taking each other out, it opened the door for Tommy Lemons, Jr. to steal a victory at South Boston, his first career victory on the 4/10 mile track.
5th — Johnson Nips Falk in Close Rainy Finish
The first race of the South Boston Speedway was an epic battle between two of Late Model Stock Car racing’s budding stars. Justin Johnson and CE Falk were both reigning champions, Johnson of SoBo and Falk of Langley Speedway and neither were ready to back down as they took to the track on opening weekend. Johnson and Falk were side by side for what turned out to be the final laps of the race as rain began falling on the track past halfway. As the caution came out most in attendance were unsure of just who had led the final lap as they were that close, but track officials deemed that Johnson was out ahead of Falk as the final flag waved, handing him the victory.
4th — Cook Moves Rumley, Fireworks Fly Post Race
Ace Speedway is known for having epic battles over the years and this year was no different as one of the tracks veterans was dominating, a young star was also on the rise ready to dethrone the “old man”. Rodney Cook was once an up and comer at Ace Speedway as he watched veterans like Todd Massey, Frank Deiny and Robert Turner beat him, but now it had become his time to shine. On the contrary, Dustin Rumley was now that up and comer and he wasn’t about to sit by and let Cook hog all the glory. Rumley was leading late on August 18th, when Cook came up and moved the young driver out of the lead. The move didn’t sit well with Rumley as he tried to get back ot the veteran’s bumper and move him, but he had to wait until after Cook had taken the checkered flag to get even. The youngster spun Cook out after the race and then … All hell broke loose. Cook came around to enter victory lane backwards as Rumley had turned him and pulled his car nose to nose with the young drivers mount. Cook then proceeded to slam his fist down on the hood of Rumley’s car as he got out to show his displeasure. Cooler heads did prevail, but it was an exciting way to finish up a great race.
3rd — Pressley Spins, Yontz Wins in Bizarre Fashion
Coleman Pressley had a pretty good 2010 season by most standards, but his achilles heel was the fact that while he took home the championship, he was no where near as dominant as Brennan Poole, who finished second to him. Pressley’s stats were a little jaded though as the young driver was in contention to win many races right down to the end, but small things like rear end problems or flat tires kept him out of victory lane. Much was the case at Newport Speedway as he easily had the best car and looked to be on his way to victory lane right down to turn three on the final lap. Pressley suffered some sort of mechanical issue with his rear end and while leading by a couple of car lengths, spun his car into the outside wall. This left Alex Yontz, who had raced up to second by the end of the race with nothing to do, but drive on to the checkered flag and into victory lane. It was a bizarre finish for Pressley and a win was simply handed to Yontz.
2nd — Johnson, Lemons Tangle to the Finish
Justin Johnson was involved in several of the best finishes of the 2010 season with two of them involving CE Falk and two of them involving Tommy Lemons. Lemons had been the benficiary of Falk and Johnson’s tangle at South Boston, but back home at Motor Mile Speedway, Lemons wasn’t so lucky when he and Johnson got together. Lemons looked to have one of the best cars he had ever had at Motor Mile and looked to be on his way to victory, something that had eluded him a few weeks earlier as Johnson stole a win from him in the closing laps. It was shaping up to be a case of deja `vu for Lemons and Johnson as Johnson made it to Lemons back bumper and looked poised to steal another trophy. However Lemons was able to hold him off right down to the final lap, but in the final stretch from turn four to the checkered flag the two made repeated contact and crashed as they crossed the finish line. Johnson was again the victor and Lemons was very upset with the finish even going as far as to protest Johnson’s car in post race. A crazy finish to a great race between two of the top cars in the region.
1st — Monteith, Holman Duke it Out for Trophy
When you think of the best finishes over the last few seasons as we’ve covered them here on RACE22.com, you probably won’t recall even one of them happening at Lonesome Pine Raceway. However, this season in the first six races stood out two of the best finishes in Late Model Stock Car racing. RACE22.com was in the house for the track’s season opener and may well have witnessed one of the best races in Late Model Stock Car history. Right from the start it was a battle between two of the top drivers to ever race on the 3/8 mile Coeburn, VA track as defending champion, Nate Monteih and USAR Pro Cup Series driver, Caleb Holman were up front and ready to battle for the win. Monteith jumped out to the early lead and while Holman was staying with him, it was until Monteith clipped a slower car as he went around him to lap him that things got really interesting. From there Holman was the leader as Monteith had to make his way back through the field, but had the aid of cone restarts to get back up front. Once he made it back up front the two veterans waged an epic battle right down to the finish line. They didn’t beat on each other, but rather showed that even on a short track two competitors could race side by side for the win. In the end Monteith took home the win, but Holman put up a fight right to the very end as Monteith edged him by less than a half car length.
