Suffolk driver earns second win
Published 9:13 pm Monday, January 17, 2011
By Gary Daughtrey
Special to the News-Herald
HAMPTON — Charlie Green grabbed the lead on a restart at lap 21 and motored to the win in the 50-lap Top Dog race, the featured event of Saturday evening’s Arena Racing Hampton Roads Pro Series event at the Hampton Coliseum.
Michael Weddell was the pole-sitter for the event, sharing the front row with Dylan Crumpler’s Bethel High School Bruin-mobile. Crumpler snagged the early advantage, hauling the field into the first corner.
A Main winner Adam Florian, of Suffolk, looped his machine in Turn 2 on lap 16. He meandered through the infield, losing a couple laps in the process, then tried to rejoin the field in Turn 4. Instead, he was collected by Mike Johnson to bring out the first caution flag on lap 20. Florian worked his way back up to sixth place by the race’s end.
On the double-file restart, Spencer Saunders got the jump on Crumpler and led at the start/finish line. On the next lap, Crumpler got crossed up out of Turn 2 and triggered a multi-car melee.
Green passed Saunders on a restart. By the finish, his winning margin had swelled to 1.367 seconds — about half a straightaway. Saunders was the runner-up, followed by Jordan Wood. Michael Weddell was fourth, while Derek Miller completed the top five.
Florian grabbed the lead on a restart following the first caution flag and sailed to his second consecutive A Main victory.
Saunders led from the opening lap until a caution flag on lap 32.
For the ensuing restart, Saunders chose to go to the outside, leaving the inside lane open for second-place Florian. Back under green, Florian jumped ahead of Saunders to take the top spot.
Florian had to keep his lead over Saunders through two more restarts down the stretch. By the finish, he was up by a full straightaway. Saunders was second, followed by Miller and Scott Prillaman.
Josh Ayer moved out front on lap 20 and showed the way to his second feature victory of the season in the 50-lap B Main.
Mike Johnson assumed the lead with four laps to go and rolled to his first career win in the 50-lap C Main.
Cameron Lopresti led all the way from the pole to capture his second feature victory in the 30-lap Youth Series A Main.