LMS Winter Heat 1/26/07: Legends Racing Action
By Jason Buckley
MASTERS: WITH CLAY HAIR SITTING OUT, HOYT DEMIS OUTRUNS JAN INGRAM FOR VICTORY
The Winter Heat Series at Lowe’s Motor Speedway runs eight races during its season, but only a driver’s top six points finishes count towards the championship. With six victories, Clay Hair locked in the championship without having to run the final race of the series, so he sat out while the action took place on the track. That allowed other competitors to fight for the victory, and when the checkered flew it was Hoyt Demis bringing home the first-place plaque.
After a race filled with spins, wrecks and cautions, Jan Ingram looked to be the driver to claim the final Winter Heat checkered for the Masters until Demis stole the top spot away late in the race.
Jan Ingram has been racing in the Winter Heat Series all season, but victory eluded him once again Saturday in the final round. (LN Photo)
“If it wasn’t for that caution we would have definitely taken it,” said Ingram. “I just started overdriving it too much on that restart and started pushing up. It got away from me a little bit. It ended up good considering how nasty the track was yesterday and this morning. It was just real slick.”
Demis, who hasn’t shown his face or Legends Car much at race tracks over the last few years, was happy he was able to beat an old competitor, but sad he didn’t have a chance to beat the master of the masters.
“We had a good time,” said Demis. “Jan and I used to race against each other about six years ago back at Caraway, so he is a good guy. I like to race against him.
“We wished Clay was there. He has won about every race in the Winter Heat, and he is a good competitor. We missed him out there today.”
Hair, who spent most of the day watching over the other cars in his camp, said the decision to not race was a team decision.
“The guys in the shop parked me,” explained Hair early on in the day. “We won every race we ran except for the deal where we broke a switch the first week. We are just going to save it for Florida (Winternationals). When we get back from Florida we will take it to 600 Racing, put it on their jig and get ready for the points season.”
After the Masters event, a scuffle apparently took place between a few drivers, including Hair, over a new driver racing in the Masters division under the Clay Hair Motorsports banner that caused a few drivers to have problems on the track. LegendsNation.com is investigating the incident and will have more later in the week as facts roll out.
YOUNG LIONS: DYLAN PRESNELL CLOSES OUT WINTER HEAT WITH FOUR VICTORIES
The 2007/2008 Winter Heat Series for the Young Lions saw a dominate performance from Jimmy Heavlow, who ended the eight-race season with four wins, two seconds, a third and a fourth-place finish. The only other driver to come close to a stellar record was Dylan Presnell, who entered Saturday’s final event with three wins. Presnell capped off his season tying Heavlow in the victory column by winning the eighth race of the series.
Dylan Presnell was all smiles after winning the last Young Lions race of the Winter Heat. (LN photo)
Early on, Presnell had pressure on his back bumper by Ronnie “The Rock” Bassett, Jr. Late in the race though, it was lapped cars that caused some of the havoc on the track.
“At first I had ‘The Rock’ right on my back bumper,” said Presnell. “I was scared he was going to spin me out, but he didn’t. Then Truex (Ryan Truex) got around him, so I wasn’t as worried. Towards the end I was pulling away from them.
“The lapped cars that were spinning out came back on the track and cut down right in front of us, so it was a little difficult getting around them, but it ended up ok.”
Truex, who had finished second in the last three attempts he has made in the Winter Heat, once again had to finish second, this time to Presnell.
“In practice today I was junk, so to get second is a lot better than I thought I was going to get,” said Truex. “The #04 (Bassett) raced me clean. I just wish I had something for the #83 (Presnell). I had him for a little while. I was right on him and a lapped car got in the way. There is nothing you can do about it.”
Truex was a little upset over the lapped cars, feeling his chances were taken away to get to Presnell because of them.
“A couple of them try to race you like they are the leaders,” said Treux. “They are slow and shouldn’t even be out there. If you spin out four times you should be black flagged and shouldn’t even be out there. It is stupid.”
For Presnell, ending the Winter Heat Series season with a victory was extremely satisfying.
“It is awesome,” said Presnell. “I love this track and I am just glad I got one at the end of the year.”
SEMI-PRO: BLANEY FINALLY RE-ENTERS VICTORY LANE
With Steven Ross dominating the Semi-Pro Legends division since the end of last year, not many drivers have been able to put their car in victory lane, but this weekend Ross moved up to the Pro division, giving the other drivers a chance to take the top honors. This move proved beneficial to Ryan Blaney as he was able to enter victory lane for the first time since the 2007 Summer Shootout on the quarter-mile oval at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
Ryan Blaney exited his car and was greeted by his father, NASCAR racer Dave Blaney. (LN photo)
Blaney started inside the second row and quickly moved his way to the lead.
“I got a really good starting spot,” said Blaney. “I started in third and that is my favorite place to be. We got the lead on the first or second lap. The car felt real good, a lot better than it did in the heat race. We were able to pull out a little.
Behind Blaney, Sam McAuley looked like he was going to be Blaney’s biggest challenge, which kept Blaney looking behind him throughout the race.
“I was watching (behind) a good bit because I saw he (McAuley) started second and won his heat race,” said Blaney. “The #06 (Michael Brown) was pretty fast too. I was looking in my rear view mirror a good bit, especially when he (McAuley) got into second, but I saw he was about seven car lengths back so I just started cruising.”
For McAuley, the difference in winning and finishing where he did in second was all due to the early moves on the track.
“We started outside pole,” said McAuley. “We kind of got shuffled back there at the start and went back to third. After the caution I was able to get by the #06. We were about even with the #10 (Blaney), but we just couldn’t catch up. We were hoping for a caution there at the end.”
While he only could manage second, McAuley wasn’t disappointed with his finish.
“It was a good run,” said McAuley. “It was our best finish of the season. We got some problems with the motor figured out and we have the setup where it needs to be. It was a good run and I am glad I could finish up front.”
Blaney, who splits his time between driving his Legends Car and his Quarter Midget, was thrilled with the final Winter Heat win.
“It has been a while (since the last win),” said Blaney. “I think the last time I have been in Victory Lane in a Legends Car was the Summer Shootout race in Semi-Pro, so it is good to finally get another win.”
PRO: DANIEL HEMRIC ENTERS PRO DIVISION, EXITS WITH PERFECT ONE FOR ONE
The Winter Heat Series at Lowe’s Motor Speedway usually sees a shift in divisions for racers as they move up to a more experienced division between points seasons. In Legends, multiple drivers have made the move from Semi-Pro to the Pro division, including Steven Ross and Daniel Hemric. In his first Pro division race, Hemric showed the Pros he belongs as he scored his first Pro division victory in his first attempt.
Hemric has been around the garage area during the Winter Heat season, but hasn’t been racing due to the Winternationals coming up in February at Orlando Speedworld in Florida.
“I was taking some time off getting ready for Orlando,” said Hemric. “We figured why not come out here on the last race and get more seat time in Chris’s cars (Chris Rogers).
“The car has been so hooked up since the last time we came here. We got rained out, so unfortunately we didn’t get to run that race. We didn’t touch a thing and it was hooked up when we came back. Like always, it drove great and it was good to get the first Pro win the first time we ran (in the Pro division). I can’t thank him enough and Kevin Combs enough for letting me drive the car.”
The Pro division field was filled with the cream of the crop in the Legends realm. (LN photo)
Rob Hall, who is more known for his road course racing skills, crossed the line second behind Hemric in a field filled with top talent.
“The top five were all really good,” explained Hall. “It was going to be a close race. PaHud (Christian PaHud) and I got into it just a little bit. We were back there fighting for position and that let Daniel get away from us. Once we got sorted out there wasn’t anything anyone could do about him.”
Now, with a smile on his face and a win under his belt, Hemric is turning his attention to Florida.
“Hopefully we can go down there with a strong consistent run,” said Hemric. “Hopefully we can come out of there with the championship.”
