LMS Winter Heat 12/15/07: Bandolero Racing Action
By Jason Buckley
OUTLAWS: NATHAN RODGERS AND THE RAIN TRUMP KENDALL SELLERS
This season in the Carolinas, Kendall Sellers hasn’t been beat by many people. He has shown his strength at Lowe’s Motor Speedway during the Summer Shootout and at Concord Motorsport Park during the regular racing season. The Outlaw competition did get to breathe a sigh of relief before the Winter Heat kicked off as Sellers told LegendsNation.com he was going to scale back his racing schedule and only run a few events during the Winter Heat. Unfortunately for the competition, Sellers changed his mind and has dominated the first two events of the season.
That changed Saturday as Sellers’ closest competition all season Nathan Rodgers had help from mother nature to take the checkered flag ahead of Sellers in a slick-track race to the finish.
Nathan Rodgers got his first Winter Heat win of the 2007/2008 series. (LN Photo)
When the Outlaw racers took to the track, the surface was covered with moisture as a drizzle continued to fall during the race. This didn’t bode well for Sellers, who tried to keep his car up front for the first few laps.
“As everyone knows I am not a short track wet track guru by any means,” said Sellers. “Every time I get the bad feeling about something it always happens.”
Something did happen as Rodgers set up Sellers for a pass, putting him in the lead.
“I went into one and Kendall and I both slid,” explained Rodgers. “He got on the brakes and I got on the brakes. He slid up a little bit before I did and I bumped him a little bit. I could have ducked under him there, but that wouldn’t have been right so I just waited again until he slipped up a little bit. I ducked under him in turn four and took off.”
Rodgers had to weave his way through the lapped traffic and still keep his car under him while being pressured from behind. Coming back to the checkered flag, both drivers were side by side, but it was Rodgers keeping the lead and taking the victory, his first of the 2007/2008 Winter Heat Series.
“I would have had a little more distance on him (Sellers) if there weren’t as many lapped cars,” said Rodgers. “They were trying to battle and Kendall and I were trying to battle. They were just everywhere.
“Going into turn one I got slowed up a lot and I saw him coming so I stayed low coming off. He got into me coming around the corner a bit so I slid up. Coming out of four I just held onto it wide open just hoping. He got up under me a little bit, but I still had about a half car length so that was pretty good.”
Sellers, who wasn’t thrilled with the decision to race before taking to the track, raced anyway under the conditions, finishing with a second-place plaque.
“Nathan and I raced hard,” said Sellers. “We got caught in some lapped traffic there at the end, but nothing major. I definitely do not like racing in the rain. We have never done that before, but we change things at 600. I am up for new experiences so that was alright.
“I came up a little bit short there, but no big deal. We get to drop two of these things so nine wins and one loss isn’t going to hurt us.”
WEATHER POSTPONES YOUNG GUNS, BANDITS AND BEGINNER BANDIT FEATURES
The Bandolero racers had a tough time during practice and their heat races keeping their car from sliding. (LN Photo)
Just a few days earlier in the week in the Concord, North Carolina area, it was sunny and in the 80 degree temperature range. Unfortunately the weather decided to take a huge turn Saturday as it struggled to even make it into the 40 degree range and the sun didn’t have a chance to warm up the air temperature as rain clouds moved into the area.
Throughout the morning at the Lowe’s Motor Speedway 1/5th-mile back track for the third round of Winter Heat action, the clouds spit drops on occasion, eventually wetting down the track. Most of the day’s practice concluded on dry pavement, but the heat races were completed on a slick wet track.
After track officials ran the Outlaw Bandolero feature, they eventually pulled the plug on the Young Guns, Bandits and Beginner Bandits features.
According to 600 Racing, a date hasn’t been set to make up the races. The series has built in February 2nd as the make-up date if needed, but it is likely they will group the three divisions into a double-feature event on January 26th, when Winter Heat returns to the 1/5th-mile oval.
RESULTS
Outlaws
1. Nathan Rodgers
2. Kendall Sellers
3. Bailey Daniels
4. Dawn Eagens
5. Jared Hick
6. Marcus Limehouse
7. Jake Morris
8. Jason Wells
9. Scott Beaver
Beginner Bandits
Rain postponed
Bandits
Rain postponed
Young Guns
Rain postponed
