“Kenny Miller III Wins Rapid Tire USAC Sprint Car Feature”
“Brad Omps Wins Limited Late Model Feature”
By Brent Hottle
Warm weather blankets the area once again here in the Shenandoah Valley. We know cooler
weather will be coming, but for now the action on the speedway isn’t the only thing that is hot.
We would see the Rapid Tire USAC sprint cars invade the speedway. The limited late model,
UMP modified, hobby stock, and pure stock divisions would also make an appearance.
We would see plenty of side by side racing during the heat races setting up the five feature
events. With a quick pause in the action for our invocation and playing of our National Anthem.
It would be time for the feature events.
First up for the night would be the USAC sprint cars. Pole sitter Kenny Miller III would get a
great start and quickly jump into the lead. Carmen Perigo would stay glued to the leaders’
bumpers and quickly take the second position away from Preston Lattomus. Perigo would try
the low side to get around Miller for several laps. His charge would stall however on lap 6 for a
two car spin. On the restart Miller and Perigo would quickly pull away from the field. As the
leaders pulled away, Lattomus would begin to defend challenges from Bobby Butler for the third
position. Things would settle once again after the caution flag flew once again on lap fourteen.
On the restart the top two would once again pull away from the field. On lap sixteen we would
see Pergio charge to the inside of Miller. Both cars would slide up high on the track with slight
contact being made. Both drivers would maintain control of their cars and continue their battle.
As this was happening Butler would once again challenge Lattomus for third and complete the
pass. As the race came to an end Miller would pull out to a large lead over the field. Kenny
Miller III would take the win, followed by Carmen Perigo and Bobby Butler.
The next division to pull out onto the speedway would be the UMP modifieds. It would take three
tries to get the race started. As the first two attempts would be called off for spinning race cars.
Pole sitter Dave Defibaugh would quickly lead the field as TJ DeHaven and Glenn Elliott settled
into the second and third positions. The caution flag would quickly fly again on lap two, as Frank
Dibella and Roy Clower went for a spin in turn one. Defibaugh would continue to lead after the
restart. Elliott would quickly challenge DeHaven and take away the second position. Defibaugh
would quickly show his car's strength as he pulled out to around a half of a straightaway lead
over Elliott. That lead would quickly be erased on lap eleven as Robert Kramer spun in turn four
bringing out the caution flag. Just as the field got going again, the last caution of the event
would come out on lap thirteen as Roy Clower and Davin Kaiser spun in turn two. On the next
restart we would see Michael Altobelli take over the second position from Elliott and set his
sights on the leader. Defibaugh would pull away from the field and take the win in the twenty lap
event. Michael Altobelli and Glenn Elliott would round out the top three.
It would now be the limited late models turn to pull out onto the speedway. Veteran Brad Omps
would quickly take the lead over young gun Gunnar Walls. Omps would slowly pull away from
the field as Walls held on to the second position just ahead of third place Austin Stover. By lap
seven Omps would have a full straight away lead over the field as he pulled up the back of lap
traffic. The field would slow on lap eighteen as Bryan Benton would break a driveshaft as he
raced up the front straightaway bringing out the only caution of the event. This would set up a
two lap shootout. Last week's winner Jonathan DeHaven would quickly challenge Walls for
second on the restart and take over the position. However, Omps would pull out to enough of a
lead that DeHaven wouldn’t be able to make a challenge. Brad Omps would take the win,
followed by Jonathan DeHaven and Austin Stover.
The hobby stocks would pull out to the speedway next. Outside pole sitter Jason Wilkins would
take the early lead over Cody Sumption. Sam Hoffman would spin in turn two collecting Gary
Shipe, bringing out the caution on lap two. Next we would see an exciting race between Jason
Wilkins and Chris Sumption. The pair would race side by side for the next seven laps. One lap
Wilkins would be ahead by a few inches. The next lap Sumption would be ahead. The pair went
back and forth over and over. Until Robert Wilson spun in turn four bringing out the caution flag
and stalling the battle. On the restart Wilkins would once again lead as Sumption pulled to the
inside and began challenging once again. The final caution flag would fly on lap fourteen as
Bubba Sealock went for a spin in turn four. This would set up a one lap shootout. Wilkins would
lead, however once again Sumption would pull to the inside and challenge for the lead. As the
pair charged out of turn four Wilkins would take the win a mere inches ahead of Chris Sumption.
Cody Sumption would finish third. This was a close finish race fans. Some think Wilkins won and
some think Sumption won, but remember the cars are computer scored and the scoring loop is
not in the center of the flag stand. A similar instance happened this year during a Lucas Oil Late
Model Dirt Series Race. The scoring and transponder locations were checked and the computer
showed Wilkins crossed the line first earning him the victory.
The final feature of the night would be for the pure stock division. Jason Wilkins and Michael
Carter would make up the front row. Wilkins would charge hard into the first turn causing him to
slide up into Carter. The field would quickly slow as Buddy Wilson would spin in turn two
collecting Trent Holmes. Delmar Grady would also spin to avoid the wrecked cars. On the next
start attempt, we would see Carter take the early lead over Wilkins and Walter Crouch. Carter
would pull out to an early lead over Wilkins. As the laps started to wind down, Wilkins would
begin to reel in Carter and pull up to his back bumper. Andy Adkins would spin in turn two
bringing out the final caution on lap fourteen. Michael Carter would go on to take the win,
followed by Jason Wilkins and Walter Crouch.
We want to thank everyone who attended this week's events. A big thank you to Brandon
Lowery and his team for making the night special for a young fan. Little Charlie Marple is in a
hard battle with cancer. It has been his dream to ride in a race car. Lowery would give him that
opportunity to ride in his car and hold onto the American flag as they paced around the
speedway during the National Anthem. We were also able to get Charlie in the flagman's stand
and allow him to wave the checkered flag during one of the modified heat races. I want to
personally thank everyone who was able to make both events for Charlie happen. We hope this
gave him a moment to enjoy his dreams and forget the battle he is in. Please keep Charlie and
his family in your prayers as they go through this battle together. We look forward to seeing
everyone back next weekend for the Lee Stultz Memorial for the super late model division.
Rapid Tire USAC Sprint Car Results
Kenny Miller III, Carmen Perigo, Bobby Butler, Joey Amantea, Preston Lattomus, Steven
Drevicki, Briggs Danner, JT Ferry, Jason Cherry, Bruce Buckwalter Jr, George Loux, Lee
Kaufman, Brett Rose
UMP Modified Results
Dave Defibaugh, Michael Altobelli, Glenn Elliott, TJ DeHaven, Cody Williams, Mike Grady Jr,
Frank Dibella, Benjamin Seals (DNF: Davin Kaiser, Roy Clower, Robert Kramer, Nick Dibella)
Limited Late Model Results
Brad Omps, Jonathan DeHaven, Austin Stover, Gunnar Walls, Scott Palmer, Gerald Davis,
Craig Parill, Bubby Tharp Jr, Branson Woodward, Mike Franklin, Justin Dillman, Kyle Lear,
Mason Booze, Chuck Bowie, Calvin Michael, Jim McBee (DNF:Bryan Benton)
Hobby Stock Results
Jason Wilkins, Chris Sumption, Cody Sumption, Michael Knight, Robert Wilson, David Barb,
Bubba Sealock (DNF: Sam Hoffman, Gary Shipe, Austin Nichols)(DNS: Justin Hottle, Russell
Fox)
Pure Stock Results
Michael Carter, Jason Wilkins, Walter Crouch, Brandon Lowery, Buddy Wilson, Jerry Jenkins Jr,
Delmar Grady, Trent Holmes, Andy Adkins (DNF: Tyler Gray)(DNS: Chad Perry)