Finchum Wins CMP; Halverson, Linker Face Possible Suspensions
Spins and Intentional Wrecking Overshadows Racing Action At Concord Motorsport Park
By Jason Buckley
LegendsNation.com
Chad Finchum celebrated in victory lane after a rough race on the track. (MRIimages Photo)
Before Chad Finchum showed up at Concord Motorsport Park (NC), 2008 Bandolero Young Gun season regulars Matt Linker and Robert Poole had been dominating the Young Guns division features. Linker went to victory lane in the first three races with Poole taking the next two. Linker also hit victory lane one more time, but all of the victories the two drivers have racked up have been without Finchum on the premises.
Heading into Sunday’s race, Finchum had entered and won three races at CMP this year, giving him a perfect record at the track. At the conclusion of his fourth trip to the North Carolina track, Tennessee racer Finchum kept his streak alive taking the win in a race filled with spins, intentional wrecking and possibly the future suspension of two racers, including Linker.
Starting from the pole position, Finchum led the 14-car field to the green flag, but it wasn’t long before the complexion of the race changed as contact between Finchum and Linker sent both drivers to the rear of the field.
“We were going into the corner and he (Linker) got a push from behind,” said Finchum. “I looked in my mirror and he got up under me, so I was moving up the race track going into one and the next thing I know the car jumps around.”
Both cars restarted at the rear of the field and once again contact was made. Linker jostled Finchum down the front stretch all the way to turn one before Linker ended up spinning and hitting the wall, collecting Luke Demis at the same time as he slammed the wall hard.
“Going into turn one, just like last time, I looked in my mirror, started moving up the race track and the next thing I know the car jumps around again,” explained Finchum. “I didn’t know he (Linker) was out of the race until I heard them on the RACEceiver tell him to load it up and go home.”
Matt Linker exited his car after spinning and hitting the wall in turn one. (LN Photo)
After Linker’s car was taken off the track by the safety workers, Linker explained his role in the incidents on the track with Finchum.
“On the restart, everybody is bumper to bumper and Richmond (Richmond Gage, INEX Race Director at CMP) can’t have that,” said Linker. “It has to be perfect; three feet. Three feet is giving him (Finchum) enough to get down the straightaway. Well, when he comes down, it is fair game, and he came down on me the first time so I spun him. Then he did the same thing. Then he did it to me the next restart and I turned him. It screwed up my car and I’m proud of it.”
With Linker out of the event, Finchum started working his way towards the front to catch Poole, who assumed the lead after the first incident between Finchum and Linker. His run through the field ran into a snag when he passed Riley Halverson for the second position. Halverson pushed Finchum around half the track before losing it himself coming off turn four.
“I got up beside the #60 and got around him,” explained Finchum. “All I know is when I passed him off two, I felt our bumpers hook. He drove me all the way to the middle of three and four. I saw in my mirror that he spun out.”
Riley Halverson (#60) pushes Chad Finchum (#19) down the back stretch (top) and through turn three (middle) and four. Halverson eventually wrecked, then under yellow he ran Finchum into the wall (bottom). (top and middle photos courtesy MRIimages, bottom photo = LN photo)
Halverson had a different take on it.
"He just brake-checked me and I had nowhere to go," said Halverson.
During the caution, Halverson slowed in turn two, waited for Finchum to drive by, then drove into the side of the #19 Finchum machine as they both hit the outside wall.
“Well, Finchum gets into everybody he passes, so I put him in the wall,” said Halverson after the race.
Finchum said he had no clue why it happened.
“Apparently he was dead stopped on the track waiting for me and he ran me plum into the wall under caution,” said Finchum. “I saw him sitting there and I thought he might have been trying to get his position back. I heard them say on the RACEceiver telling the #60 (Halverson) to not hook bumpers. As soon they said that he turned the wheel right and gave it a lot of gas and he jumped sideways and put me in the wall.”
Finchum was able to get his car going, and on a green-white-checker restart he was able to work his way around Poole to take the win.
“The car was so junky I had to stay in the throttle so much to get it going,” said Finchum. “We went down into one after the restart and I saw him (Poole) check out. I thought second was good, but not good enough. Coming down the backstretch I knew that my car was good because it turned to the bottom and stayed. I caught him coming off four and stayed high. When I did that I got a massive run on him going into one. I went for the hole since it was a green-white-checker finish. Once I got the lead it was ours the rest of the way out.”
After the race, Poole declined to comment on the race, but did mention to LegendsNation.com he was disappointed he didn’t win as Saturday was his birthday and he wanted to win one of the two weekend races, but wasn’t able to since Finchum went to victory lane both Friday and Sunday.
While Finchum celebrated his fourth straight Concord victory, giving him 16 Young Guns wins in 2008 (14 in a row), rumors swirled around the pit area that Halverson and Linker would be parked and not allowed to compete at Concord Motorsport Park for a few races or even the entire season. Many drivers said they heard Gage tell Halverson on the RACEceiver he would be suspended for the year from competition, something that Halverson shrugged off.
“Yeah, I don’t care,” said Halverson on what he thought of a possible suspension at CMP.
When asked where he will race instead, Halverson’s comment was, “Somewhere else but here.”
Matt Linker (#06) and Riley Halverson (#60) parked next to each other earlier this year at Orlando Speedworld. Now both might be parked at Concord Motorsport Park after Sunday's action. (LN Photo)
On Linker’s end, his feud with Finchum has been well documented. Earlier in the season at the Winternationals at Orlando Speedworld (FL) Linker’s team was forced to pack it up and go home early after a confrontation between Linker’s crew and Finchum’s crew. Finchum continued to compete, winning the Winternationals title. Now, rumor of a race or two suspension might once again put Linker on the sidelines as the feud continues.
Linker explained his frustration to LN.
“Every week he has come down here he has won. That is bull crap,” said Linker. “They can’t catch nothing in tech. He comes down here and wins. He drives dirty. He hit every car on his way up through the field, but Richmond don’t see it is the problem. And I am glad Riley did put him in the wall.”
Finchum defended his driving style.
“I am not a person to dirty race,” explained Finchum. “Using the bumper to get around people is the key. You have to do it sensibly. You cannot run in there wide open and bounce off people or you will turn them. You have to do it easy and calm, but stay focused.
“I remember when Glenski (Ryan Glenski) was always winning and I was just determined to beat him. We would go out there and try our hardest. It seems that week after week the #06 (Linker) has been getting faster and faster. I didn’t expect this to happen between him and I and certainly not the situation with the #60.
“If he (Linker) said he wrecked me on purpose, that is dirty driving and I do not agree with it.”
Even though Finchum might not have to contend with Linker on the track in the near future, Linker told LN he thinks the feud is not over.
“I don’t know, it might continue onto Legends Cars,” said Linker. “He drives dirty and won’t get over it.”
LegendsNation.com attempted to get comments from both Larry Thomas, events director at Concord Motorsport Park, and Richmond Gage, INEX Race Director, on the situation and possible future penalties for Halverson and Linker. Both declined to comment at this time.
