Racerchaser
06-14-2009, 01:46 PM
By Charlie Brown, Delmar, DE (5/13/09) –
It was obvious in last month’s “Mix & Match” Late Models vs. Modifieds combination event that bragging rights between the divisions were important. It was a hotly contested event with some contact and tempers at the end and Jamie Mills coming out on top for the Modified contingent. Saturday night at the Delaware International Speedway it was round two of the “Mix & Match” format and again it was a highly competitive but cleanly contested event with Richard Jarvis, Jr. evening the score by taking his Super Late Model to the 30-lap win.
Qualifying was intense with rookie Barry Beauchamp and veteran Hal Browning winning the Late Model heats and “Stormin’” Norman Short and Jamie Mills winning the Modified heats. The final qualifying spots were filled by consolations won by Dale Lingo in the Late Models and Joseph Watson in the Modifieds. The driver with the highest point average that did not qualify was also added to the field. Defending Late Model champion, Ray Davis, Jr. and opening night winner Scott VanGorder were the beneficiaries.
Jamie Mills drew the pole with the Late Models lined up on the inside row and the Modifieds on the outside row in the 26 car starting field. Mills jumped out to the early lead with Donald Lingo, Jr. in hot pursuit. The first of only two yellows flew on lap two when the front suspension on Rick Whaley’s Late Model broke bringing him to a stop in the fourth turn.
Mills again set the pace on the restart with Lingo, Jr. close behind. Ross Robinson held third as Richard Jarvis, Jr. worked his way past H.J. Bunting for fourth. Lingo, Jr. was able to keep the pressure on Mills until lap 11 when Mills suddenly slowed on the back straight with mechanical problems bringing out the final yellow.
Jarvis had gotten by Robinson just prior to the yellow and immediately went to work on Lingo, Jr. on the restart. At the halfway sign the top five were Lingo, Jr. Jarvis, Bunting, Matt Jester and Robinson.
The Late Models of Lingo, Jr. and Jarvis put on a wheel to wheel battle for the next four laps that had the crowd pumped. Jarvis would lead down the front straight and Lingo, Jr. would take the lead down the back straight with the two fender to fender in the turns. Jarvis would finally get the clean advantage on lap 19. Meanwhile, Bunting in his Jake Marine Modified, had run down the leaders and immediately went to work on Lingo, Jr. for second.
Bunting finally garnered the spot on lap 27 but Jarvis was working traffic to perfection and had built a solid lead. Mark Pettyjohn was making a late race charge and drove his Late Model into fifth.
With the race staying under the green the final laps clicked off quickly with Jarvis, in the Mid-Coastal Siding/Rocket Late Model taking the checkered. Bunting finished 3.6 seconds back in second with fellow Modified driver Jester finishing third. The Late Models of Lingo, Jr. and Mark Pettyjohn rounded out the top five. Sixth was the Late Model of Robinson with the Modified of Joseph Watson seventh. The Late Models of Austin Hubbard and Hal Browning were eighth and ninth and the Modified of Howard O’Neal rounded out the top ten.
“We certainly had a good car tonight,” said Jarvis with a grin. “We started seventh and just started taking our time working our way up through there. Lingo had a good car and we were able to get by him.”
Action returns this Saturday night with the NAPA Big Block Modifieds, Super Late Models, Crate Models, AC Delco Modifieds and Mod Lites plus the Slide for 5 cars. Gates open at 5 p.m. with hot laps at 7 p.m.
RESULTS:
30-Lap Mix & Match Modifieds vs. Late ModelFeature:
1. RICHARD JARVIS, JR.; (LM)
2. HJ Bunting; (BB)
3. Matt Jester; (BB)
4. Donald Lingo Jr; (LM)
5. Mark Pettyjohn; (LM)
6. Ross Robinson; (LM)
7. Joseph Watson; (BB)
8. Austin Hubbard; (LM)
9. Hal Browning; (LM)
10. Howard ONeal; (BB)
11. Kerry King;
12. Jordan Watson;
13. Dale Lingo;
14. George Richardson;
15. Ray Davis Jr;
16. Scott Van Gorder;
17. Kyle Strickler;
18. Derrike Hill;
19 Staci Warrington;
20. Jeff Brown;
21. Jamie Mills;
22. Dana Walker;
23. Barry Beauchamp;
24. Bobby Watkins;
25. Norman Short Jr;
26. Rick Whaley.
DNQ:
Kelly Putz; Bob Geiger; Eddie Pettyjohn; David Hill; Chad Clark; Craig Ott; Gary Blessing; Dale Hawkins.
It was obvious in last month’s “Mix & Match” Late Models vs. Modifieds combination event that bragging rights between the divisions were important. It was a hotly contested event with some contact and tempers at the end and Jamie Mills coming out on top for the Modified contingent. Saturday night at the Delaware International Speedway it was round two of the “Mix & Match” format and again it was a highly competitive but cleanly contested event with Richard Jarvis, Jr. evening the score by taking his Super Late Model to the 30-lap win.
Qualifying was intense with rookie Barry Beauchamp and veteran Hal Browning winning the Late Model heats and “Stormin’” Norman Short and Jamie Mills winning the Modified heats. The final qualifying spots were filled by consolations won by Dale Lingo in the Late Models and Joseph Watson in the Modifieds. The driver with the highest point average that did not qualify was also added to the field. Defending Late Model champion, Ray Davis, Jr. and opening night winner Scott VanGorder were the beneficiaries.
Jamie Mills drew the pole with the Late Models lined up on the inside row and the Modifieds on the outside row in the 26 car starting field. Mills jumped out to the early lead with Donald Lingo, Jr. in hot pursuit. The first of only two yellows flew on lap two when the front suspension on Rick Whaley’s Late Model broke bringing him to a stop in the fourth turn.
Mills again set the pace on the restart with Lingo, Jr. close behind. Ross Robinson held third as Richard Jarvis, Jr. worked his way past H.J. Bunting for fourth. Lingo, Jr. was able to keep the pressure on Mills until lap 11 when Mills suddenly slowed on the back straight with mechanical problems bringing out the final yellow.
Jarvis had gotten by Robinson just prior to the yellow and immediately went to work on Lingo, Jr. on the restart. At the halfway sign the top five were Lingo, Jr. Jarvis, Bunting, Matt Jester and Robinson.
The Late Models of Lingo, Jr. and Jarvis put on a wheel to wheel battle for the next four laps that had the crowd pumped. Jarvis would lead down the front straight and Lingo, Jr. would take the lead down the back straight with the two fender to fender in the turns. Jarvis would finally get the clean advantage on lap 19. Meanwhile, Bunting in his Jake Marine Modified, had run down the leaders and immediately went to work on Lingo, Jr. for second.
Bunting finally garnered the spot on lap 27 but Jarvis was working traffic to perfection and had built a solid lead. Mark Pettyjohn was making a late race charge and drove his Late Model into fifth.
With the race staying under the green the final laps clicked off quickly with Jarvis, in the Mid-Coastal Siding/Rocket Late Model taking the checkered. Bunting finished 3.6 seconds back in second with fellow Modified driver Jester finishing third. The Late Models of Lingo, Jr. and Mark Pettyjohn rounded out the top five. Sixth was the Late Model of Robinson with the Modified of Joseph Watson seventh. The Late Models of Austin Hubbard and Hal Browning were eighth and ninth and the Modified of Howard O’Neal rounded out the top ten.
“We certainly had a good car tonight,” said Jarvis with a grin. “We started seventh and just started taking our time working our way up through there. Lingo had a good car and we were able to get by him.”
Action returns this Saturday night with the NAPA Big Block Modifieds, Super Late Models, Crate Models, AC Delco Modifieds and Mod Lites plus the Slide for 5 cars. Gates open at 5 p.m. with hot laps at 7 p.m.
RESULTS:
30-Lap Mix & Match Modifieds vs. Late ModelFeature:
1. RICHARD JARVIS, JR.; (LM)
2. HJ Bunting; (BB)
3. Matt Jester; (BB)
4. Donald Lingo Jr; (LM)
5. Mark Pettyjohn; (LM)
6. Ross Robinson; (LM)
7. Joseph Watson; (BB)
8. Austin Hubbard; (LM)
9. Hal Browning; (LM)
10. Howard ONeal; (BB)
11. Kerry King;
12. Jordan Watson;
13. Dale Lingo;
14. George Richardson;
15. Ray Davis Jr;
16. Scott Van Gorder;
17. Kyle Strickler;
18. Derrike Hill;
19 Staci Warrington;
20. Jeff Brown;
21. Jamie Mills;
22. Dana Walker;
23. Barry Beauchamp;
24. Bobby Watkins;
25. Norman Short Jr;
26. Rick Whaley.
DNQ:
Kelly Putz; Bob Geiger; Eddie Pettyjohn; David Hill; Chad Clark; Craig Ott; Gary Blessing; Dale Hawkins.