Warren repeats, others grab first wins

Staff

Published Monday, April 26, 2004

Staff report

Phil Warren took the lead on lap 38 and never let it go in his second-consecutive Late Model Stock Car victory Friday night at Southampton Motor Speedway. Brad Higginbotham of Chesapeake, in his SMS Late Model debut, started at the pole with Tim Peters while Warren battled Joey Cohen for the third spot, and took it on lap 10.

After a pair of yellow flags, Warren (whose toughest competitor, Denny Hamlin, was unable to compete after being fallen by engine problems in practice) edged past Higginbotham on lap 13 and anchored himself to Peters' bumper. Peters nabbed a four-car-length advantage, but another caution flag allowed Warren to pull inside of him on lap 35 and jump ahead on lap 36. Peters took the lead back briefly, but Warren found a way to the top on lap 38, and opened up a three-length lead by lap 50. On lap 59, Mike Shearin drew even with Peters, and the two battled for the spot, allowing Warren to go up by half a straightaway. Shearin made one last charge, but Warren managed to hang on for a .714 second (about four lengths) win.

1. PHIL WARREN

2. MIKE SHEARIN

3. TIMOTHY PETERS

4. TRAVIS MILLER

5. BOB SHREEVES

Gary Weeks wasn't to be denied his first victory of the season, taking the lead on lap two of the Limited Late Model race and keeping it until the very end, making him the third different winner in as many weeks at the track.

Todd Van Guilder started on the pole, but he and Ken Rountree got into it on lap two and crashed, knocking Van Guilder out of the race. As the caution flag waved, Weeks went up front, followed by Shawn Balluzzo and Anthony Warren. Rountree, minus most of the bodywork on the front end of his car, returned to the pack, which was interrupted again when Balluzzo blew a tire on lap six. After the next caution, Weeks opened up a half-straightaway lead and Warren went to the pits. Rountree slipped into second, but his battered car couldn't catch Weeks, who won by nearly a full straightaway.

1. GARY WEEKS

2. KEN ROUNTREE

3. ANTHONY WARREN

4. JEFF SAMPSON

5. GENE BRINSON

Ritchie German of Hampton dominated the Super Streets race for his first career SMS victory, leading from lap four on. John Boord of Newport News took an early lead, but German passed inside the backstretch edge on lap four and cleared him. Boord gave chase, but German lapped Dale Parro and Kenny Wood on lap 28 to give himself enough space to win the caution-free race.

1. RITCHIE GERMAN

2. JOHN BOORD

3. SCOTT FINCH

4. STEVE DILL

5. DALE PARRO

Jason Miller appeared to win the Legends race, but he was disqualified when his car didn't pass the post-race tech inspection. Pete Fowler started on the pole, but Don McLaughlin led on lap one before Miller snuck out in front for the next 33 laps. Nearing the finish, Cliff Daniels spurted past Miller for laps 35-37, but Miller jumped back up for lap 38 and took the win by a car-length while Smith edged ahead of Daniels for second place. Miller's car didn't past post-race muster, and his win was nullified, giving Smith, the track's 2000 Legends champ, his first victory of the season.

1. MAX SMITH

2. CLIFF DANIELS

3. KERRY GILBERT

4. PETE FOWLER

5. C.E. FALK

Balluzzo overcame his SMS misfortune to come back to take the Late Model Sportsmen First Twin race at Hampton's Langley Speedway the next night. Balluzzo held off Mark Wertz and Doug Warren to lead all 35 laps, making himself the fourth winner of the season to win a Late Model race.

1. Shawn Balluzzo

2. Mark Wertz

3. Doug Warren

4. Butch High

5. Paul DeBolt

Paul Lubno held on to win the Second Twin 35, his 100th career Langley victory. Lubno set on the pole and led all the way for the win.

1. Paul Lubno

2. Shawn Balluzzo

3. Doug Warren

4. Butch High

5. Paul DeBolt

Bill Wallace held on to win U-Car race after starting in the second position. George Van Guilder pressured Wallace for the entire race, but Wallace held him off.

1. Bill Wallace

2. George Van Guilder

3. Michael Farmer

4. Rick Potter

5. Jon Moore

David Gray opened up a straightaway lead early in the Grand Stock 40 race, but a caution on lap 38 turned the competition into a shootout, with Donnie Brown brawling with Gray and Ryan Nester, who won the last three races, making a move from way back in the pack all the way back up to third.

1. David Gray

2. Donnie Brown

3. Ryan Nester

4. Chris Roberts

5. Robert Ellis

In the Mini Trucks race, Neil Sipe started second and came out first. John McDonald took him on throughout, but the number 22 truck stayed out in front at the finish line.

1. Neil Sipe

2. John McDonald II

3. Bobby Dean

4. David Bridwell Jr.

5. John Hollis

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