CONCORD BANDOLEROS - 9/8/07
By Jason Buckley
BASSETT WINS FEATURE WHILE PACK GETS PENALIZED
The last time Concord Motorsport Park held a double-header weekend, Dylan Pack and Ronnie Bassett split the weekend wins in the Young Guns Bandolero division. Both drivers have been dominating the Young Guns division, putting on a great battle for the top spot each race.
This weekend both drivers were looking to be the one to dominate. While Bassett was the one that came out with both victories, Pack ended up frustrated after not winning on Friday, then being disqualified Saturday due to an infraction on the racing surface while running in the second position.
Pack’s frustration Saturday night started with contact on the track between his car and Bassett’s car.
“I had a good car,” said Pack. “I was running out front and got around Ronnie one time. Coming out of four he punted me going into one and two and didn’t lift. I don’t know why he did that. I have never raced him dirty. He hit me so hard he about spun me going into one and two.”
While trying to catch Bassett, Pack clipped a cone on the inside of the racing surface. Even though he crossed the line second on the racing surface, officials gave him last place in the running order for the cone violation, according to Pack.
“I don’t understand how they are going to DQ somebody,” said Pack. “My car got sideways and I had to save it. It isn’t like I tried to hit the cone and throw it on the track.
Ronnie Bassett celebrates another win at Concord in victory lane. (FASTRAC Images)
Ronnie Bassett and Dylan Pack have put on great races at Concord, but Pack might not return. (FASTRAC Images)
“If they do not change it and give me second-place points you will not see here again. I do not care if I have eight wins and second place in points. I am getting tired of their crap here, so you will not see me here anymore if they don’t change it. I hit the cone trying to save the car.”
One driver Pack’s penalty benefited was Brandon Lynn, who crossed the line in third, but was moved up to the second position in the running order.
“We were trying to get second and we got blocked quite a bit at the end of the race,” said Lynn. “He (Pack) blocked me so much he got disqualified. I am just happy we got second tonight. It was a good race.”
While Pack’s day ended in frustration, Bassett enjoyed his weekend double.
“It feels good to get wins here Friday and Saturday night,” said Bassett. “I got down on the start which is something I didn’t think I was going to be able to do. My dad set the car up great. It is a pleasure to come down here for the last three years. We are going after it again, so we hope we can get it this year.”
DAVEY MATTHEWS: GOODBYE MONKEY, HELLO VICTORY LANE
Davey Matthews ahead of the pack. (FASTRAC Images)
Over the summer, Davey Matthews dominated the Bandolero Bandits division at tracks like Atlanta Motor Speedway (GA) in the Thursday Thunder events. However, lately his races have been plagued with bad luck and wrecks.
All he wanted to do was finish a race, but instead of just crossing the line to complete all the laps, Matthews went out and took the victory Saturday night in the Bandits feature.
“I haven’t finished in like four races,” said Matthews. “I just wanted to finish one. We worked real hard to get this win tonight.”
The weekend didn’t start out smooth for Matthews. Friday night he was involved in an on-track scuffle that left his car beaten and battered.
“Last night I had a bad night,” said Matthews. “Me and Bassett (Dillon Bassett) got together. It was just racing. I went under him and we wrecked and destroyed the car. It was crazy. I had to replace the front clip and bend the horns back. I want to thank the Sellers for helping us replace the clip.”
Jordan Stillwell knows how to win on dirt. Now he just needs to get that asphalt win. (LN Photo)
Getting the bad luck out of the way Friday night allowed Matthews to take off and dominate the front spot in Saturday’s feature.
While Matthews cruised out front, Stephen Bergh and Jordan Stillwell battled for the second position. Bergh looked to have that position locked in until he got sideways, dropping him back to the third position.
“I tried my best and went for it,” said Bergh after the event.
With Bergh losing traction, that put Stillwell in the runner-up position at the end of the race. He was banking on the top two drivers making mistakes on the track as he gained off one of them.
“After a while I was just riding to see if they would make a mistake,” said Stillwell. “Only Stephen made a mistake and it cost him. When he got to the middle of the corner it looked like he got a little loose. I thought at first he was going to spin out so I got off the gas. When he saved it I just drove around him to second.
“There was no catching Davey tonight.”
RODGERS DETHRONES SELLERS FOR OUTLAWS VICTORY
Nathan Rodgers in victory lane. (FASTRAC Images)
In just about every victory lane celebration this season in the Outlaws division at Concord has been the familiar yellow #6 Bandolero driven by Kendall Sellers. Even Friday night Sellers drove his car to another win at the track he has completely dominated. However Saturday night was a different outcome as Nathan Rodgers was able to dethrone the Concord Outlaw King by crossing the finish line first to take home the Outlaws division win.
Rodgers started the two-day show out fast, but wasn’t fast enough Friday to catch Sellers. Finishing second, he came back Saturday night with more determination, pulling out the victory.
“Yesterday I had a real fast car,” said Rodgers. “I wish we would have had a couple more laps. I was running them down and everything. They raced me clean though and it was a good race.
“Today I ran three laps in practice and thought ‘man this thing is fast.’ I went out there in the heat race and tried to get around T.J. (T.J. Hicks), but he was blocking me so I had to give him a little bumper to get by him. I got through that and won the heat race. I came out here in the feature and won that after a good race with Kendall.”
Rodgers paced the field in the feature, but a late race charge by Sellers and the third-place car driven by Christopher McKinney put his win on the line as all three drivers crossed the finish line right next to each other.
“My car started slipping away, especially in one and two,” said Rodgers. “I started backing off because I knew I had a little bit of comfort. It started getting worse, so I have to figure out what that is. It was close. I saw him coming. I knew it was going to be exciting coming down to the checkered flag. I gave him room and held it wide open going into turn three.”
Sellers tried his best, but just didn’t have enough for the win.
Kendall Sellers was just a small blur in Nathan Rodgers' rear view mirror. (FASTRAC Images)
“I don’t know if it is the track or what lately, but we have been struggling,” said Sellers. “It was hard. We have been fighting it the last three weeks. Tonight we got back on our game a little bit better. It was a good finish for us tonight. The national points look good, the track points look good and all we need to do is be consistent and win races.”
Besides looking out the front of his car trying to get the win, Sellers had a mirror full of McKinney, who put on a late charge to try to get second and possibly the win.
“Them two started to battle and I closed in on them,” said McKinney. “They just pulled me coming out of the corner.”
JOHN HOLLEMAN SNAGS FIFTH WIN IN A ROW
Another race, another win for John Holleman in the Beginner Bandits. (FASTRAC Images)
Momentum is everything in racing. When a driver and team hit on a winning combination, it is tough to knock them off the top spot.
John Holleman knows what momentum is all about. He has been on a hot streak lately at Concord Motorsport Park. His familiar #4 Bandolero has been up front in most races this season, including Saturday when he took his fifth victory in a row in the Beginner Bandits feature event.
“It was good tonight,” said Holleman. “Five in a row feels good. Chandler (Chandler LeVan) was good too. Me and him were pretty even. With a few laps to go he got a little squirrelly in turn two and I got the lead and came home with it.
“Last night was also good for us and Chandler was good last night too. It was an awesome race last night. Me and him are pretty fast, and the #70 (Noah Triplett) is pretty fast too.”
Chandler LeVan was forced to finish second both nights to Holleman. He thought he might have finally been able to beat him Saturday night, but Holleman was just too quick for the young driver to hold him off.
“It was hard” said LeVan. “I don’t believe how he can come from the back to the front like that. That is some good driving right there. He is just faster than I am and I am ok with that. I guess I need a little more practice and a little more work on the car, then I should be good.”
Noah Triplett was also in the same realm of LeVan, wondering what they can do to beat the fast #4 car.
“I started third and finish third,” said Triplett. “I didn’t lose a spot and I didn’t gain a spot.”
Once again though, the night belonged to Holleman. Seeming to be beside himself after taking the last five race wins, he really only could think of one way to describe how he felt in victory lane.
“It feels awesome.”
Chandler LeVan wants to get back to victory lane like he did last month. (LN Photo)
