CONCORD LEGENDS - 9/21/07 & 9/22/07
By Jason Buckley
JOHN BARILKA & HOYT DENNIS SHOW UP TO TAKE MASTERS WINS
This season at Concord Motorsport Park, the Masters division has seen drivers like James Stanton, Charles Kiser, Carlos “Mercury” Moore and Clay Hair run up front and win races this season. While a few of these drivers entered the final two events at the track this season, there were two new faces entering victory lane this season, John Barilka and Hoyt Dennis.
Friday night, Barilka drove his #5 Legends to a win over a strong 11-car field. Behind him, Dennis crossed the line quietly in third. Saturday was a different story as Dennis drove by Barilka to take the Masters victory.
“The car was pretty good,” said Dennis. “We have been off for about six years. I called Dan Snyder up and asked if he could get a car ready for me to race. He said he could, so we decided to come out and race.”
Focusing on his business ventures, Dennis hasn’t sat in a race car in some time, but he hasn’t lost his driving skills from behind the wheel as evident by his strong runs this weekend.
“I have a business back in High Point, and I have been busy with that,” said Dennis. “I just kind of got the bug and I wanted to do a little more racing. My son is 12 and he is going to be ready to do some racing in a couple years, so I wanted to get back into it. I went to Kentucky and missed the feature. It was our first race and we had some brake issues. Then we went to South Boston (VA). We have had a great time taking it slow, and I hope to be there when it counts.”
Barilka has raced many times this season, but not at Concord Motorsport Park. That didn’t keep him from entering victory lane on Friday and a second place on Saturday.
Hoyt Dennis came out of "semi-retirement" to race and win Saturday. (FASTRAC Images)
John Barilka showed up to race this weekend at CMP, getting a win on Friday. (FASTRAC Images)
“We didn’t run here much this year,” said Barilka. “We have run the last few years here pretty successfully, but the work schedule didn’t really agree with us coming over here to Concord. I felt bad because I thought they thought I was mad at them or something. They are real great people here and I am glad they have had good strong car counts this year.
“We were a little off tonight (Saturday) balance wise. He got to my bumper and up out of the groove just enough to get by. I enjoyed it. I have to thank him. That is how I like to move people out of the way to get the spot. No one wrecked their stuff and we had a good time.”
With a victory under his belt and his program back up to speed, Dennis has one person on his mind to beat on the track.
“We are getting ready for Nationals, and we are coming after Clay Hair,” said Dennis with a smile. “He is our next victim. Clay and I used to be teammates and he is a good guy. Now that I am 42 years old, I am a Master and I want to come out and play with Clay a little bit.”
ANDERSON AND DANIELS DOMINATED PRO DIVISION HEADLINES OVER THE WEEKEND
Jordan Anderson has been one of the top Carolinas drivers in the Pro division. Whether he is racing his own #19 Legends car or a Nick Pistone Racing backup car, he has been the one to beat at multiple tracks, including Concord Motorsport Park. His over 500-point lead in the points locked him into the track champion spot, so all the other drivers could do is hope to snag the last two race victories away from Anderson.
Friday night, Anderson had competition on the track in the form of Steven Daniels, who hasn’t been seen much since the Summer Shootout ended. Both drivers raced hard from the drop of the green flag, which had the fans standing and watching as the bumpers were used and abused. Before the end of the race, both drivers had made contact with the other, moving each other out of the lead. The final contact resulted in Daniels driving into Anderson in turn one, forcing the caution to fly and both drivers going to the rear of the pack.
Jordan Anderson (top) was hoping to take the Friday win, but it was Keith Newcomer (bottom) ending up in victory lane. (FASTRAC Images)
“If he (Anderson) would have given me at least two laps to settle down I would have probably pulled away, but he had me jacked up,” said Daniels. “The car was awesome and I ran him down from about a straightaway. Then he started brake checking me. I got up under him once clean and he cut down on me. Then I moved him up the track because he got sideways. Going into three he pushed me up the track again and I just got him back.”
Daniels pulled off the track after the incident and parked his car for the night.
“I went off the track voluntarily. My toe was knocked out and I come here to win, not finish second or third. I just wish he would have raced me clean one race.”
Anderson stayed on the track, battling back to third. The finish wasn’t what he was hoping for, but understood there are bigger things out there controlling his destiny.
“The first couple laps was just hard racing,” said Anderson. “We both wanted to go. I got by him and pulled away. My car started pushing real bad there at the end. The way I look at it is that it was just a hard race. He got up into me and we hooked bumpers. I don’t understand why he went off the track unless that was his purpose out there. I don’t think Steven would do that, but it sure seems like it points to that. It is disappointing, but God had it happen for a reason and that is the way I look at it.”
The tangle between Anderson and Daniels made way for Keith Newcomer to take his first victory at Concord Motorsport Park since the resurfacing this season.
“The car was a little loose and I fought it along the way,” said Newcomer. “Little by little we kept reeling them in. I was hoping that they would take each other out and they did. That gave me a shot at the win.”
Since it was a two-day show at Concord, many thought the second round of action in the Pro race between Anderson and Daniels would result in more contact and controversy, however cooler heads and just hard racing prevailed as neither driver put a bumper to the other. This time Daniels got the lead and pulled away for the victory over Anderson.
Steven Daniels took Saturday night's Pro division win. (FASTRAC Images)
“It was a very clean race, and I told Jordan that is the way I would like to race every week,” said Daniels. “It was a very good race and we didn’t hit. My car was on a rail. I haven’t won at all this year, so it was great to finally get a win this year.”
While Anderson didn’t come out with a victory on the track over the weekend, his track championship as well as being able to race had him in good spirits after the event.
“I am just thankful that the Lord blessed me with another victory,” said Anderson. “I didn’t get the victory on the racetrack, but just having the opportunity to drive and do what I love to do, I am thankful for that.
“We ran my car in practice and it just wasn’t where we needed it to be. We drove this backup car and it is not where it needs to be. We just struggled with cars that were not where they needed to be. I just couldn’t get them to handle. Oh well. I am thankful to have a good race. Taylor (Taylor Hull) ran me clean, and I had a good season. We still have Las Vegas, and we go out there and see if we can win that.”
Even though the on-track action from the night before wasn’t what he was hoping would happen, he was able to move on and race with Daniels on the track without incident.
“Last night he said he did it,” said Anderson. “We were bumping hard, but what he did last night still was not necessary. There was clean racing tonight.”
After the race, some noticed Daniels wasn’t wearing the typical driving shoes. Instead, he was wearing sneakers, and might just wear them the rest of the racing season.
“I guess I have to start wearing these shoes,” said Daniels. “I left my racing shoes at home, so I guess I will have to start wearing these for luck.”
PAYNE AND LAYSER SPLIT CHARGERS VICTORIES
After a few years of sending Semi-Pro Legends drivers home before the feature race due to the total number of cars showing up, Concord Motorsport Park decided to expand by adding a Semi-Pro Chargers division. This has allowed some of the inexperienced drivers to get up to speed and race instead of loading up and going home.
Travis Payne tried to keep all four wheels down and moving forward. (FASTRAC Images)
Over the season, multiple drivers have entered victory lane in the Chargers division, but this weekend it was Travis Payne and Devin Layser splitting the weekend wins for the final two races of the season.
On Friday, Payne drove his #29 car to victory in one of his only Legends asphalt races of his career.
“It was fun yesterday,” said Payne, referring to Friday’s race. “I started third and ended up winning it. I like this track out here. I am just starting to get into this.”
Saturday, Payne backed up his victory with a strong second-place finish.
“I would like to thank Devin for a good race,” said Payne. “Starting outside pole isn’t a great place to start. We came here today and it has been loose all day. We have been trying to adjust on it and I adjusted too much on it there at the end. It pushed at the end every lap. The more I got on the gas the closer the wall got, so I took it easy.”
Layser crossed the line second Friday, but was able to pull off the victory Saturday ahead of Payne and the rest of the Chargers drivers.
Devin Layser was pumped over his victory. (FASTRAC Images)
“My family and everyone that works on this race car had it hooked,” said Layser. “It was awesome. It was stuck, and all I had to do is drive my line and be consistent.”
Kyle Shano is another driver new to the Legends realm. Racing earlier this season in a Bandolero and on dirt at Millbridge Speedway, Shano took a spin on asphalt both nights at Concord, snagging fourth on Friday and third on Saturday.
“It was exciting,” said Shano. We had some awesome racing. I have never been in a Legends car before and I am getting used to the gears. It is a blast and I love asphalt, but I think dirt is still for me. It is my forte.”
Still though, the weekend belonged to Layser as his two top finishes netted him the Charger division championship.
After the race Saturday night, Layser did attempt to do a celebratory doughnut on the front stretch, but just couldn’t get the car to spin the way he wanted. He still had a smile about it after getting out of the car.
“That was horrible,” said Layser. “It was funny for me. I have never done it before because I have been yelled at every time I go to do it. I need more practice.”
SEMI-PRO ACTION: ON-TRACK CONTACT FRUSTRATES ROSS; PAHUD PENALIZED
Close hard racing has dominated the Semi-Pro division at Concord Motorsport Park this season. Drivers hungry for the win have bumped and banged their way to the top spot and the checkered flag ahead of their competition to take home the first-place trophies all season.
Christian PaHud was too fast to catch Friday night, but had some issues Saturday. (FASTRAC Images)
Friday night, Christian PaHud worked his way to the lead and the win over Steven Ross. Saturday was a different story as contact between the two drivers resulted in PaHud losing positions at the end of the race when he dropped his wheels off the surface and into the dirt for a second time, forcing a track penalty.
“We had a horrible draw this morning and ended up finishing third in the heat race,” said PaHud. “I started fifth in the feature and got up to third then second. From there I got into the lead and got bumpered a little bit. That is just racing, but I got clipped and dropped into the dirt and put to the tail.
“I was just trying to get as much room as I could getting around people and passing them. That is just racing. I bumpered him (Ross) and he bumpered me. I think that is just racing, but tempers flare. It happens every weekend.”
Ross, who was credited with third at the end of the night, was critical of PaHud’s driving.
“We had equal cars out there so it provided for some close racing,” said Ross. “Stancill (John Stancill) and I raced clean, but the #63 (PaHud) has a little problem with passing clean. First time he got to my rear bumper he didn’t even try to pass me. He knocked the crap out of me. Anyone could do that. I could have done that on the first lap and put him in the wall. He needs to learn how to race clean if he wants to run up front.”
Saturday belonged to Stancill. (FASTRAC Images)
Staying out of the controversy was John Stancill and Ronnie Milroy. Stancill got around Ross and PaHud to take the overall victory while Milroy was credited with second.
“I started on the pole and after about three laps I got passed and fell back to third,” said Stancill. “I stayed there for a good while in the race. The #1 (Ross) and #63 (PaHud) got into it a little bit and I ended up passing them both. I led after that and it was a good race.”
Behind him, Milroy was also happy with where he finished, and is ready for more racing later this season.
“I am really excited,” said Milroy. “Dan Snyder set up this car really good for me. He gave me what I wanted. I wasn’t the fastest car out there, but I just got lucky I guess in the end.
“This is my best finish this year so far. I am looking forward to the Winter Heat.”
