Double doubles no trouble at Langley
Published 9:48 pm Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Robbie Babb ran his unbeaten streak to four with his second doubleheader sweep of the season in the Twin 30-lap Modified events of Saturday’s NASCAR Whelen All-American Series at Langley Speedway.
Babb started the first race from the pole, at 90.011 mph, and led flag-to-flag for the win. Jimmy Humblet was the outside pole starter, only 4-thousandths of a second off Babb’s pace. He held down the runner-up spot throughout the event and finished three lengths back.
Mike Rudy was third, moving up on the restart following the last of the race’s four caution periods. Chris Johnson and Shawn Balluzzo were fourth and fifth, respectively.
In the nightcap, Babb survived a last-lap bout with slower traffic to seal his second victory of the evening. Humblet notched his second runner-up finish, a car-length behind Babb at the checkers. Balluzzo was third, followed by Rudy and Matt Slye, who fought off Johnson over the closing laps.
Robbie Parker picked up his second and third victories of the season, taking both 20-lap Grand Stocks races.
In the first event, Parker moved out front on lap 11 and showed the way to the checkers. Brandon Hinson was the fast qualifier, at 80.708 mph, but started sixth after an inversion. Mark Claar started second in the reconfigured lineup and led the first 10 laps before Parker took command.
At the finish, Parker was the winner by three lengths over Ricky Derrick. Ritchie German, Carl Livingston and Jamie Sample completed the top five.
In the second race, Parker led all 20 laps from the pole to complete the sweep. Derrick shadowed Parker to the finish, a car-length back. Hinson, Sample and German rounded out the top five.
Landon Florian of Suffolk took the lead on lap 11 and roared to his first victory in a caution-free 30-lap Pro Six race. By the checkers, Florian’s margin of victory had grown to a full straightaway over Bobby Hall, who led laps 1-10 from the pole.
J.B. Sipe was third to the line, followed by Debbie Biesecker of Suffolk. Casey Sipe retired after completing nine laps when his engine soured. He was credited with fifth place.