Dwayne
05-19-2008, 03:36 PM
RURAL RETREAT, VA (May 17) - On a cool spring night in Southwest Virginia, two of the South's most popular drivers heated up the mountain air, as Dennis 'Rambo' Franklin and Jonathan Davenport split the Carolina Clash sanctioned 'Twin 25's' at Wythe Raceway.
The night got off to a rousing start as Franklin smashed the three year old track recorded previously held by Billy Hicks in Mega-Plumbing of the Carolina's qualifying. This put Franklin in control of his own destiny as the green waved for the first 25 lapper. He quickly used the big cushion around turns one and two to power ahead of Davenport as the race got underway. Ricky Weeks, Brandon Kinzer and Doug Sanders filled the top five on the first lap.
Shannon Buckingham roared past Sanders on lap five to join the mix as Kinzer began to look under Weeks. Damon Eller was able to slide Sanders back one more spot on lap seven as Davenport kept Franklin in his sights. As the lead duo raced through lapped traffic Davenport was able to close to Franklin's rear bumper as the pair of Barry Wright Race Car drivers began to distance themselves from the Weeks, Kinzer and Buckingham battle.
On lap 18 Dan Breuer, filling in for the injured Daniel Baggerly, lost a top eight run with a flat right rear tire. This set up a seven lap dash for $2,500.
On the restart Davenport stayed all over Franklin as Kinzer kept the pressure on Weeks for third. As the leaders took the white flag Davenport made one last ditch effort as he powered his mount under Franklin in turn one but Franklin was to strong on the high side as he rolled back to checkers. Weeks, Kinzer and Buckingham rounded out the top five. Sixth through tenth went to Eller, Sanders, Ed Gibbons, Jeff Smith and Furman Parton who charged from the rear after an early tangle.
For the second main event the top eight drew for their starting positions. Davenport's team drew the one with Weeks team drawing the outside front row.
As the green waved Davenport shot to the lead over Weeks, Buckingham, Kinzer and Franklin. Davenport began to stretch his lead out as the laps quickly rolled off. The first caution of the event waved on lap 15 for Scott Neighbors who slowed with problems.
On the restart Davenport again drove away as the green waved. The driver on the move was Parton, who started tenth and was all over Jeff Smith for seventh. Smith was looking high and low for a way around Franklin and then had to contend with a determined Parton who was hugging the low line of the big half mile.
Up front it was all Davenport as he drove his Beaver Bail Bonds/Honda.com/Beaver Motorsports/Dirtwrap/Clements Automotive/Barry Wright Monte Carlo to his first Carolina Clash Series win of the season. Weeks, Buckingham, Kinzer and Franklin rounded out the top five. Sixth through tenth went to Parton, Smith, Barry Arnold, Eller, and Shon Flannery.
Arnold was the Heintz Brothers Performance Hard Charger of the Race. Breuer earned the Dirt Trax Motorsports Hard Luck Award. Shane Roberts took the Beaver Bail Bonds Bailed Out Award.
CAROLINA CLASH (1st Twin 25) FINISH: 1. Dennis Franklin 2. Jonathan Davenport 3. Ricky Weeks 4. Brandon Kinzer 5. Shannon Buckingham 6. Damon Eller 7. Doug Sanders 8. Ed Gibbons 9. Jeff Smith 10. Furman Parton 11. Bobby Mayse 12. Barry Arnold 13. Larry Blankenship 14. Shon Flanary 15. Jimmy McCormick 16. Ricky Boahn 17. Wayne Hughes 18. Anthony Sanders 19. Dan Breuer 20. Tim Allen 21. Craig Shuffield 22. Scott Neighbors 23. Travis Greer 24. Shane Roberts
CAROLINA CLASH (2nd Twin 25) FINISH: 1. Jonathan Davenport 2. Ricky Weeks 3. Shannon Buckingham 4. Brandon Kinzer 5. Dennis Franklin 6. Furman Parton 7. Jeff Smith 8. Barry Arnold 9. Damon Eller 10. Shon Flanary 11. Bobby Mayse 12. Dan Breuer 13. Doug Sanders 14. Ed Gibbons 15. Wayne Hughes 16. Jimmy McCormick 17. Ronnie Hoover 18. Craig Shuffield 19. Larry Blankenship 20. Ricky Boahn 21. Anthony Sanders 22. Scott Neighbors 23. Shane Roberts 24. Tim Allen DNS: Travis Greer, Noel Tucker, Luke Raffers, Brent Robinson, Justin Labonte, Kerry Jones, Randy Harmon
The next Carolina Clash Series event will be Monday Night May 26th at Travelers Rest Speedway. For more information visit www.carolinaclash.com
The night got off to a rousing start as Franklin smashed the three year old track recorded previously held by Billy Hicks in Mega-Plumbing of the Carolina's qualifying. This put Franklin in control of his own destiny as the green waved for the first 25 lapper. He quickly used the big cushion around turns one and two to power ahead of Davenport as the race got underway. Ricky Weeks, Brandon Kinzer and Doug Sanders filled the top five on the first lap.
Shannon Buckingham roared past Sanders on lap five to join the mix as Kinzer began to look under Weeks. Damon Eller was able to slide Sanders back one more spot on lap seven as Davenport kept Franklin in his sights. As the lead duo raced through lapped traffic Davenport was able to close to Franklin's rear bumper as the pair of Barry Wright Race Car drivers began to distance themselves from the Weeks, Kinzer and Buckingham battle.
On lap 18 Dan Breuer, filling in for the injured Daniel Baggerly, lost a top eight run with a flat right rear tire. This set up a seven lap dash for $2,500.
On the restart Davenport stayed all over Franklin as Kinzer kept the pressure on Weeks for third. As the leaders took the white flag Davenport made one last ditch effort as he powered his mount under Franklin in turn one but Franklin was to strong on the high side as he rolled back to checkers. Weeks, Kinzer and Buckingham rounded out the top five. Sixth through tenth went to Eller, Sanders, Ed Gibbons, Jeff Smith and Furman Parton who charged from the rear after an early tangle.
For the second main event the top eight drew for their starting positions. Davenport's team drew the one with Weeks team drawing the outside front row.
As the green waved Davenport shot to the lead over Weeks, Buckingham, Kinzer and Franklin. Davenport began to stretch his lead out as the laps quickly rolled off. The first caution of the event waved on lap 15 for Scott Neighbors who slowed with problems.
On the restart Davenport again drove away as the green waved. The driver on the move was Parton, who started tenth and was all over Jeff Smith for seventh. Smith was looking high and low for a way around Franklin and then had to contend with a determined Parton who was hugging the low line of the big half mile.
Up front it was all Davenport as he drove his Beaver Bail Bonds/Honda.com/Beaver Motorsports/Dirtwrap/Clements Automotive/Barry Wright Monte Carlo to his first Carolina Clash Series win of the season. Weeks, Buckingham, Kinzer and Franklin rounded out the top five. Sixth through tenth went to Parton, Smith, Barry Arnold, Eller, and Shon Flannery.
Arnold was the Heintz Brothers Performance Hard Charger of the Race. Breuer earned the Dirt Trax Motorsports Hard Luck Award. Shane Roberts took the Beaver Bail Bonds Bailed Out Award.
CAROLINA CLASH (1st Twin 25) FINISH: 1. Dennis Franklin 2. Jonathan Davenport 3. Ricky Weeks 4. Brandon Kinzer 5. Shannon Buckingham 6. Damon Eller 7. Doug Sanders 8. Ed Gibbons 9. Jeff Smith 10. Furman Parton 11. Bobby Mayse 12. Barry Arnold 13. Larry Blankenship 14. Shon Flanary 15. Jimmy McCormick 16. Ricky Boahn 17. Wayne Hughes 18. Anthony Sanders 19. Dan Breuer 20. Tim Allen 21. Craig Shuffield 22. Scott Neighbors 23. Travis Greer 24. Shane Roberts
CAROLINA CLASH (2nd Twin 25) FINISH: 1. Jonathan Davenport 2. Ricky Weeks 3. Shannon Buckingham 4. Brandon Kinzer 5. Dennis Franklin 6. Furman Parton 7. Jeff Smith 8. Barry Arnold 9. Damon Eller 10. Shon Flanary 11. Bobby Mayse 12. Dan Breuer 13. Doug Sanders 14. Ed Gibbons 15. Wayne Hughes 16. Jimmy McCormick 17. Ronnie Hoover 18. Craig Shuffield 19. Larry Blankenship 20. Ricky Boahn 21. Anthony Sanders 22. Scott Neighbors 23. Shane Roberts 24. Tim Allen DNS: Travis Greer, Noel Tucker, Luke Raffers, Brent Robinson, Justin Labonte, Kerry Jones, Randy Harmon
The next Carolina Clash Series event will be Monday Night May 26th at Travelers Rest Speedway. For more information visit www.carolinaclash.com