CONCORD BANDOLEROS - 9/16/07
By Jason Buckley
JESSE LITTLE WINS CONFUSING WRECK-FILLED BANDITS RACE
In life, being in the right place at the right time can be beneficial. The same hold true in racing and Jesse Little knows that feeling after winning the Bandits division event Sunday evening in a race filled with wrecks and a confusing finish.
The normal players in the always intense Bandits race were up front battling for the win, including Dillon Bassett, Stephen Bergh and Bodie Bellinger. Meanwhile Little was just taking his time, racing around the track in his first Bandits division event since moving up from the Beginner Bandits after the August 31st event.
The complexity of the race changed when Bassett and Bergh got together in turns one and two, collecting Bellinger in the mess. Bergh’s car was hauled off the track while Bassett and Bellinger were able to continue, but had to go to the back of the field for being part of the incident.
The rest of the race was plagued with cautions caused by spinning cars. Late in the race, Little saw himself being placed on the point by officials after they determined he was the only driver not involved in a recent scuffle. On the final restart, another car spun causing the yellow and officials called the race complete, giving Little the victory.
“This is actually my first race here in Bandits,” said Little in victory lane. “I didn’t think I could do it. I was just trying to finish the race and get experience. They said it was going to be a green/white/checkered finish. As soon as they threw the green I ducked to the inside.”
Jesse Little was patient on the track, which led him to the victory. (FASTRAC Images)
Three wide was normal during the Bandits race. (FASTRAC Images)
Tyler Lester ended up second at the end of the race. He was happy he got second, but was confused over the lineup on the final restart.
“The restart was terrible,” said Lester. “Everybody started wrecking. The #03 (Little) was there at the right time because he was too slow to get in the wrecks, so that is how he won.
“On the RACEiver they said he was the only one that didn’t spin. I didn’t spin in the wreck so I don’t know what they are talking about. They just don’t like people that run good out here I guess.”
Jordan Stillwell unofficially finished fifth, but even he wasn’t quite sure what happened during the race.
“Somebody kept spinning,” said Stillwell. “Congratulations to Jesse. He did a great job. All I can say is half of us got screwed on that call right there. I don’t understand it.”
Regardless, for Little, keeping out of trouble and just logging laps of experience paid off at the end of the night. A somewhat stunned Little was surrounded by his friends and family in victory lane, including his father Chad Little, a former driver in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series ranks. A few minutes after everything calmed down, there was only one thing Little could think about doing after winning in his first Bandits division race.
“Celebrate,” he said.
SELLERS BACK ON TOP WHILE ON-TRACK INCIDENT CAUSES CONTROVERSY
This year in the Outlaw division at Concord Motorsport Park, Kendall Sellers has been the driver to beat. His fast yellow #6 Bandolero always runs out front and has taken the majority of the winner trophies. However, the last race at CMP, Sellers had to settle for second as Nathan Rodgers turned it up a notch, driving away from Sellers and the field to take the victory.
This weekend, all eyes were focused on both drivers – Rodgers to see if he could back up his strong run last week and Sellers to see if he could get back to the dominance he has shown this season. While Sellers did take the checkered flag, the battle between the two was cut short when Rodgers was involved in a wreck on the track with T.J. Hicks, which sent his car home on the hook and Hicks car getting kicked off the track by officials for the incident.
Kendall Sellers has been running out of things to say in victory lane. (FASTRAC Images)
Hicks started from the pole position with Sellers alongside and Rodgers behind. It took a few laps, but Sellers snagged the lead on the outside.
“We started outside pole and ran the outside of T.J for two laps,” said Sellers. “We finally got around him. It was a pretty good race.”
Behind Sellers, Rodgers went to the outside to also get around Hicks. Going into turn one, Hicks went up the hill and made contact with Rodgers, sending the #42 car into the wall hard. The contact resulted in Rodgers car being too damaged to continue and Hicks being kicked off the track by officials for the incident.
“I was right behind the incident,” said Dawn Eagens. “I don’t know if the #21 (Hicks) took out Nathan Rodgers on purpose. He was out of control, whether it was voluntary or not, I am not sure. He did come up into Nathan pretty hard and the end result was Nathan going home on the truck.”
Marcus Limehouse was also on the track behind the two drivers, and also had an opinion on the contact.
“The beginning of the race I saw the 21 car (Hicks) wanting to misbehave a little bit,” said Limehouse. “Nathan and him were bouncing around and that kid was way out there and in the wrong all the way around. Nathan didn’t do anything wrong there because I was right behind him and I saw it the whole time. Nathan got put into the wall and the #21 was taken off the track.”
Dawn Eagens made the trip to CMP and had a good finish. (LN Photo)
With Hicks and Rodgers off the track, Sellers cruised onto victory. It was a win he wanted, but not necessarily the way he wanted it.
“I hate it for Nathan and T.J.,” said Sellers. “I don’t know what happened. I wish I could have seen what we would have had against the #21 (Hicks) and #42 (Rodgers).
“We have been missing a little something out here at Concord lately. We had a flat tire in the heat race and still finished second. We have had a good comeback and will be strong for the last two races.”
Eagens, who has recently started venturing out at different race tracks outside Lowe’s Motor Speedway and the Summer Shootout, crossed the line second. Her decision to race at Concord was based on the track improvements made prior to the start of this season, when they placed a straight wall around the track in front of the angled concrete barriers, making the track safer to race on.
“They fixed the walls,” said Eagens. “The created a different banking on the walls here at Concord, so I am more inclined to race here. I was intimidated by the walls before with cars flipping, but now I enjoy it a lot. It was a fun race and a fast track. I just need to figure out how to get as fast as Kendall.”
For Limehouse, a third-place finish was just what he needed, prior to heading out on a family trip out of the country.
“The car handled good,” said Limehouse. “It went through the turns a little bit loose, but that is the way I like it. Loose is fast. I got to run a little bit and got out of work a little bit, so it is all good.
“I decided to come out here and race before me and my brother go on a trip. We are going to fly out of the country and go play in Costa Rica and hang out on the beach.”
SAME SONG, DIFFERENT VERSE AS HOLLEMAN WINS BEGINNER BANDITS RACE
John Holleman beat Chandler LeVan back to the checkered flag again this week. (FASTRAC Images)
In the past five Beginner Bandits races at Concord Motorsport Park, John Holleman has driven his #4 Bandolero to victory lane each time, dominating the division. Last week, Chandler LeVan and Noah Triplett finished second and third to Holleman, and looked to knock him off the top spot this week. All three drivers were once again a factor this week, but the finish was the same as last with Holleman beating LeVan and Triplett, taking his sixth win in a row.
Holleman and LeVan battled from the start of the race with LeVan taking control of the race. Multiple times throughout the race the two leaders had to weave their way through the lapped traffic and spins as they logged laps trying to get to the finish.
“It was intense, I will give you that,” said LeVan. “There were so many cars spinning out. It was hard to get through on one of those laps. It was four wide and I was trying to get through. It was hard.”
During one of the bottlenecks, LeVan and Holleman split the lapped cars with Holleman taking the top spot and driving on to the win.
“Chandler was fast,” said Holleman. “I was just sticking behind him for the race. With about five laps to go we came up on lapped traffic. He went to the outside and I went to the inside. I had to focus on my line a lot. Chandler drove me clean and drove me good. I have to thank him for that. I led about four laps and came home with it.”
LeVan had one last shot at the victory on a restart with a few laps to go. While he was able to get alongside Holleman on the green, he had to back off in turn one so both drivers could make it through the corner without wrecking.
“I was really trying hard,” said LeVan. “I saw the green flag and I went. I wanted to win. We will do a little more work on the car and get a little bit of practice and I will be good.”
Behind the two, Triplett crossed the line in the third position after spinning late in the race trying to avoid running over LeVan.
“I let off to not hit the #8 (LeVan) and spun myself,” said Triplett. “I felt like maybe if we would have had more laps I would have finished better.”
With just two races remaining in the Concord Motorsport Park 2007 schedule, Holleman has just one thing on his mind.
“That is six wins in a row,” said Holleman. “I am going to do my best for the rest of the year and maybe get all of them, but a win is never guaranteed.”
Another race, another trophy for John Holleman. (FASTRAC Images)
PACK IS BACK IN CMP VICTORY LANE AFTER VOWING TO NOT RETURN
Last week Dylan Pack wasn’t happy with Concord Motorsport Park officials after being penalized for dropping a wheel off the racing surface, hitting a cone. He was dropped from second in scoring to last place, and was upset with the call. He said if the track didn’t reverse their decision, he was not coming back. Officials kept him in last place in the final rundown, making many think that was the last time they would see the yellow #89 Bandolero on the track at CMP.
They were wrong.
Not only did Pack show up to race, but he drove on to the victory over his Concord track rival Ronnie Bassett.
“The Beantown Bandolero was good,” said Pack. “I would like to dedicate this race to my step-dad especially, and to my dad, my mom and all of them. I win these races for them and for my sponsors like Cody Grading Incorporated.”
Bassett and Pack again put on a battle for the top spot, but this week Pack had something to prove. That extra motivation after the call made last week helped keep him focused in the car.
“We did have some misfortune last week,” said Pack. “I don’t agree on the call, but it is the track’s rules and you have to go by what they say. They are a higher authority than us. You just come here and do your best.
“Overall I came out here with a good head this time and got out to the front. I raced Ronnie clean and got a good run off turn two on him and got the win.”
Dylan Pack put last race behind him and came out the winner this week. (FASTRAC Images)
Bassett might have wanted the win, but wasn’t taking any chances. His mind was focused on the track and national championships, not necessarily the race win.
The #89 Bando checked out on the field Sunday. (FASTRAC Images)
“I had a good car,” said Bassett. “I have to thank Pack, he drove me clean. I started on the outside, and it isn’t the greatest spot (to start). I got the jump, but he (Pack) was a little faster. I was points racing and not taking a chance on messing anything up. We will come back here next week and hope to get us a win.”
Behind the two front runners was Devon Jones, who has been using his Kart experience this season to advance up through the field in the Young Guns division.
“We have been running strong here,” said Jones. “We finished second last week and we are happy to get on the podium here. We were hitting the rev limiter a little bit too much in this race. We will just keep on working on it until we get a win.
“We used to race Karts in Southern California. We used to race in Stars of Karting all over the country and a few races in Europe. This (Bandolero racing) is a whole new thing. We haven’t raced on any oval-tracks in the past. We used to race on road courses, but this is our new venture and we are here to stay.”
