CONCORD LEGENDS - 8/24/07 & 8/25/07
By Jason Buckley
TWO NIGHTS, TWO CARS, TWO WINS FOR PRO JORDAN ANDERSON
When it’s your weekend, it’s your weekend.
Jordan Anderson headed to Concord Motorsport Park Friday looking to take both Pro division victories. What he didn’t expect was a mechanical failure to put his weekend sweep in jeopardy, but with experience and perseverance, Anderson was able to take both Pro victories, ironically ahead of his buddy Scott Knox both nights.
Knox, who has only been seen for the last few seasons at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, dusted off his car to run at CMP.
“I haven’t been here in three years,” said Knox. “I saw they were running back-to-back nights and there wasn’t really anywhere else to run. I even called Jordan Anderson on Tuesday and asked him if he was running Concord because I wanted someone to race against.”
Friday night, Anderson pretty well had the combination Pro-Masters event in the bag. Knox challenged Anderson during the race, but never could take the lead away from him.
“Man, he set the bar,” explained Knox. “We worked on it here in practice. I gained on it big time. He would make a mistake and then I would make one. He had the car to beat. We knew that before we came out here. After three years to hang there with the guy that has been dominating, I am happy.”
Anderson enjoyed his victory Friday, especially since he did have some drivers to race against.
“It was a good race,” said Anderson. “Last week I was the only Pro out here, which was disappointing. I called all of my competitors to come out here. We had five Pros tonight. Scott Knox came out here tonight. Brandon Temple came down here so we had a good show.”
Jordan Anderson was certianly the "Pro" this weekend at Concord. (FASTRAC Images)
Scott Knox showed up to race at Concord, something he hasn't done in three years. (LN Photo)
Saturday Anderson looked to duplicate Friday’s results in his #19 Legends, but ended up completing the task in the #99 Legends instead.
“Tonight wasn’t as easy as it was last night,” explained Anderson. “In the first lap of practice the motor blew. Andrew Carlson and Nick Pistone worked feverously today to get this (#99) car ready. They brought it from the shop 45 minutes ago. I have never even sat in this type of Sedan before let alone Nick’s seat, so I was sliding around in there.”
Even though two second-place finishes are something most drivers would completely enjoy, Knox hoped he would have had at least one win over the weekend.
“I don’t race that much anymore, but I am too competitive to come out here and run second,” said Knox. “Jordan is my buddy though and I cheer him on. I have been critical on some of the younger drivers at the Shootout, but Jordan has always run with class. Guys like him, Tyler Green and Casey Roderick. Those are guys I root for. If maybe one of them makes it one day at least I can say I ran up there with them.”
CLAY HAIR MASTERS THE MASTERS BOTH NIGHTS
Clay Hair. (FASTRAC Images)
Most everyone in the Carolinas know if the #29 Masters car shows up be ready to be on top of your game.
Clay Hair unloaded his #29 car at CMP fast. In the combined Pro-Masters races, he wasn’t able to get to the front of the field, but he had enough to stay ahead of the other Masters, sweeping the divisional races.
“Tonight they started the Pros up front and I had to start eighth,” said Hair after his Friday night win. “Kyle (Beattie) is a Pro and I kind of roughed him up in the corner. If I turned him around or wrecked him I would get put to the rear, and what is the logic in that? I figured as bad as he was he would let me go by.”
Behind Hair on Friday was Charles Kiser, who has been picking up speed over the last few weeks. Even though he didn’t beat Hair, he was thrilled by just hanging with the well-known driver.
“I just can’t say enough about Clay,” said Kiser. “He has secretly helped me out with some things and giving me advice. I can’t thank him enough for that. Clay gets a lot of flack from people, but he is the man. I wanted to beat him, I really did. I am just not there yet.
Charles Kiser has been picking up the speed over the last few weeks. (LN Photo)
“I have been trying all year to get by him. I am just proud to be in the same zip code as him. To be the man you have to beat the man. He is the man I want to beat.”
Saturday Hair made some changes with his car to not only beat the other Masters, but the Pros in the combined event. While he came in third overall, he still won his division.
“I opted to go with a set of tires that were not the quickest,” explained Hair. “I thought they were quick enough. I was watching Scott (Knox). He had a pretty good car and I got to him. I figured Scott was going to move him (Jordan Anderson) out of the way. I was just kind of watching what was going on. I was a little loose off, and I wasn’t going to mess with him. I figured I would let them settle the difference.”
DEVON LAYSER WINS FIRST AND SECOND EVER LEGENDS RACES
When a driver gets their first win, it is something special. When a driver gets their second win immediately after taking home their first trophy, it makes the weekend perfect.
Devin Layser had never won in Legends car competition. All of that changed Friday night as he crossed the finish line first in the Chargers division, claiming the victory.
Deja Vu: Devin Layser entered victory lane Friday (top) and Saturday (bottom). (FASTRAC Images)
“That was fun,” said Layser. “I was trying to watch people in my mirror to make sure I wouldn’t get run over. Cody (Blackburn) put on one heck of a race. I am glad I raced him because he is one of my friends.
“This is my first win in Legends, and I am so happy.”
Behind Layser was Cody Blackburn, who was competing in his first Legends event. Blackburn spent most of the race either spinning or making contact with other drivers, but in the end he ended up on the back bumper of his buddy, crossing the line in second.
“That was about the most fun race I have ever driven,” said Blackburn. “That was just awesome. Me and Devon had a good race. We used to be teammates in Go-Karts. I had fun racing with him. If I would have had a few more laps and I could have got him.
“Everybody was saying I wasn’t driving it hard enough going into the corner. So I went out there and used other people as my brake trying to get into the corner. I wanted to win it really bad being my first race. It still feels good to finish this awesome in my first race.”
Saturday Layser had the same result as he finished first. Behind him though, Thomas Hatcher attempted to steal the victory away but came up just short.
“We just tried to keep it out front and stay out of traffic,” said Hatcher. “This was only my fourth race out there so second place is a great finish for us. I was hoping to stay with the 78 (Layser), but he ran away with it.
“It is awesome. We came out here last night and ran third. We were so close to getting in two big wrecks. We stayed out of them and this second place just tops it off. We are so happy.”
JOHN STANCILL GETS IT DONE IN SEMI-PRO DIVISION
Throughout both days of Legends racing, the results started to sound like a broken record. All divisions had repeat winners both nights, including the Semi-Pro division where John Stancill went home with two divisional trophies.
John Stancill was happy he decided to race at Concord on Friday night. (FASTRAC Images)
Friday night, Stancill had not planned on racing at Concord, but rain changed his night’s plans.
“We were on our way to Anderson (Anderson Motor Speedway in South Carolina). We were planning on racing there and they ended up having a thunderstorm down there so we decided to come back here.”
Stancill’s crew turned around and made it to CMP in time to race and take the win.
“I started outside pole,” said Stancill. “I saw a hole and got down behind the leader. I took the lead from there and pretty much stayed there. My car was great.
“I won out here earlier this season. Once the Summer Shootout started I haven’t raced out here. It feels good to come back here and win.”
Behind Stancill, the race for second ended up being the spot to watch. Once the race took the checkered flag, it was Zach Zimmerly in the runner-up spot.
John Stancill (left) and Steven Ross (right) battled for the top spot late in the race. (FASTRAC Images)
“It was a good race and the car was good,” said Zimmerly. “We had a fast car, but we couldn’t win it. I am just getting used to this car. It rolls a lot better, so that is why I chose this one. I am going to try to feel the car out and get it a little better.”
Saturday night, Stancill had Steven Ross to fend off for the victory. A wild last two laps with the two drivers making contact with each other resulted in Stancill getting another win and Ross settling for second.
“I took advantage of the lapped cars and got into him (Stancill) trying to pass him,” said Ross. “That is racing. He gave it back to me going into turn three and hit me back. That is racing. I hit him first, and I probably would have done the same thing to him. I got second and I am not happy with that, but that is the way it goes. He raced me how I raced him, and that is how it should be.”
By the end of the race, Stancill’s car started to give up on him. He used the same move that booted him out of the lead to get the win one lap later.
“My car was great at the beginning of the race,” said Stancill. “I was fast and I kind of left the field. With about five laps to go my car really went away. I was having trouble with it getting in and it was really sliding. I almost lost it one time.
“With two laps to go in three and four he bumped me out of the way. I understood that. Then coming back around for the checkered I did the same thing. Rubbin’s racin’. He can’t be complaining too much because my front bumper isn’t bent but my back one is. He kind of hit me after the race, but that is how it goes.”
