A wild night sees double winners at Tri County Racetrack
By Travis Dockery
389 Country Editor
Track officials and long-time Tri County Racetrack fans could not remember anytime when the track ran a double feature event. That changed on Friday, Aug.12 when the Brasstown Bullring opened its gates to finish a program that was halted due to rain on July 29. Double the racing meant double the points, winnings and tempers on the clay oval.
All racing fans know a full moon on a race night usually leads to chaos. Although the moon was full later in the night, the sun was still in full force when the first round of features got underway. However, the drivers must have sensed it early as some turned into lead foot werewolves.
Perhaps the wildest division of the night was the Street Stockers. In their first feature, points leader Charles Devine was forced to start in the rear of the field due to not competing in the qualifying races on July 29. When the green flag flew the heavy hitters put on a show. Alex Vance and Lynn Burchfield were battling hard up front with Troy Turner, Chuck Simms, Jim Weller and Jacob Lynch running door to door and bumper to bumper.
At one point, Turner tried to complete a pass on Weller coming off of turn two but didn't have the No. 6 cleared, which resulted in contact, sending Weller up on the banking. The race was red flagged for several minutes as track officials removed Weller and his car from the unusual location.
After a restart, hard racing and more heavy car chaos, Charles Devine found himself in the top spot and winning the division's first feature of the evening. Vance took second and Burchfield finished third.
In the first Interstate Welding 602 Late Models, Bobby Elkins managed to close the gap on points leader Dante Curtis with yet another win in his No. 44 Longhorn. Curtis was running second to Elkins until Dylan Beaver made a smooth late-race pass to nail down the runner-up position and dropped Curtis to the third spot.
Other round one winners:
602 Late Model non-qualifier: Mark Ledford
Open Wheel Modified: Matt Sandefur
Front Wheel Drive: James Klauke
Round two added the King Ford Limited/Crate Late Model division. Defending champ Jason Deal lined up on the pole position with 15 year old Tucker Anderson to his outside. The two had a short battle for the lead before Deal's Capital racecar grabbed the advantage and set sail. Anderson found himself in the crosshairs of Dynamite Danny Ledford but was able to hold off the veteran. Deal increased his points lead with yet another victory, with Anderson finishing second and Ledford crossing the stripe in third.
In the second 602 Late Model feature, Elkins flexed his muscles once again by sweeping the night with win number two. Youngster Reese Stillwell got the non-qualifying win and Michael Barnett put his No. 37 in victory lane for the Open Wheel Modified win.
After chaotic heat races and another wild feature, Charles Devine managed to pick up his second Street Stock win of the night and John Fulford returned to victory lane in the Front Wheel Drive division. The visiting Kajun Mini Stock Association series saw Michael Courtney get the win.
It was also Nickel Night at the track. A total of 10,000 nickels were scattered along the front stretch as three age groups picked up all the change they could in the allotted time. Those with the most nickels got additional cash prizes for their performances.
Tri County Racetrack will return to action on Friday, August 26 for Fan Appreciation Night.
