50-lapper set for Saturday
Published 8:53 pm Thursday, August 2, 2012
By Gary Daughtrey
Special to the News-Herald
Seven feature races are planned for Saturday, as Langley Speedway continues its 2012 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series campaign.
Saturday’s lineup includes: 50-lap Modifieds, twin 20-lap Grand Stocks, twin 20-lap Super Streets, 25-lap INEX Legends and a 20-lap INEX Bandoleros.
After rainouts on July 14 and 21, the Modifieds will see their first action in more than a month when they hit the track for Saturday’s 50-lapper.
Mike Rudy and Shawn Balluzzo, both four-time race winners, top the division standings, with Rudy holding a five-point lead, 226-221. Anthony Kincaid is third, five behind Balluzzo. Robbie Babb and Matt Slye are fourth and fifth, respectively.
The Grand Stocks will also end a month-long layoff on Saturday. Ricky Derrick and Tommy Sweeney are deadlocked atop the standings, with 162 points apiece. Derrick currently enjoys the tiebreaker advantage. Paul Lubno, Rodney Boyd and Mark Frye round out the top five.
Renno Marchetti IV heads into this weekend’s Super Streets with a five-point lead over John Pereira, 147-142. Marchetti has won four of six races this season. His only two losses came in twin events on June 9. Sean Calway, Dale Parro and Ryan Nester round out the standings.
The track’s two INEX-sanctioned classes, the Legends and Bandoleros, will be back in action for the first time since June 16 as Nick Smith and Ryleigh Lemonds try to extend their unbeaten streaks. To add a little spice to the proceedings, Saturday’s races have been designated as national qualifying events.
In the Legends class, Smith has won all four races and holds a seven-point lead over defending champ Brad Hancock, 104-97. Woody Howard, Spencer Saunders and Steve Keesee are tightly bunched in third, fourth and fifth.
In the Bandoleros division, Lemonds has collected three checkered flags and leads Evan Horne by seven, 78-71. Cameron Bowen is one point behind Horne, in third, while fourth-place Madyson Mulligan is just one behind Bowen. Lexi Perry is fifth, six behind Mulligan.
The top three positions remained unchanged in this week’s NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national top 500 with Lee Pulliam, Keith Rocco and C.E. Falk heading the rundown. Behind them, Nate Monteith and Ted Christopher flip-flopped positions as Monteith took over fourth, while Christopher dropped to fifth. Hampton Heat 200 winner Matt Bowling is 11th.
Other Langley regulars in the top 500 include: Greg Edwards (57th); Wes Falk (97th); Mark Wertz (147th); Casey Wyatt (163rd); Shayne Lockhart (182nd); Terry Carroll (215th); Danny Edwards Jr. (238th); Jeff Shiflett (256th); Duane Shreeves (377th); J.T. Jackson (432nd); and Nick Smith (495th).