Rockingham Speedway 1/6/07: Legends Racing Action
By Jason Buckley
SEMI-PRO: THE “BRITISH BULLDOG” TAKES VICTORY AT THE ROCK
Scores of INEX Legends Car and Bandolero drivers pulled into the garage area at Rockingham Motor Speedway on Sunday, January 6th, each with visions and hopes of ushering in the next generation of Rockingham during the first on-track events at the historic facility since 2004.
Every team and driver combination hoped to be the first to visit Rockingham's victory lane since Matt Kenseth won the final NASCAR event there. Only one would do so in the Semi-Pro ranks – BDI Racing of Concord, NC, and 21-year-old driver Matt Harris.
BDI Racing's Matt Harris might be the first driver in history to win at both the USA and UK Rockingham tracks. (LN Photo)
Harris, originally from Winchester, England, paced himself using techniques that he acquired during years of successful road racing overseas to gain the lead with three laps remaining and score his first career Legends Car victory and the first win of the young 2008 season for the BDI Racing camp.
“That might put me as the only driver to have won races at both of the Rockinghams – the one in the UK and the one here,” said Harris, who has relocated to the Charlotte, North Carolina , area from his native Winchester, England . “I have had a win in Formula BMW (at Rockingham in the UK) before, but winning this race here is cool because it is my first Legends Car win overall.”
Behind Harris, Gene Kirila attempted to stay in touch with the #52 Legends, but just didn’t have enough to close the gap late in the race.
“We went out there and came close (to winning),” said Kirila. “We were leading for the first lap, but got loose. He (Harris) was faster though. I tried to get him after that caution, but I couldn’t. We ran a steady race, the times were good and we will be ready for next week.”
While Kirila and others tried, nobody was going to keep Harris' road racing experience and motivation of being the first Legends Semi-Pro Rockingham winner out of victory lane Sunday.
“There were a couple of times I could have made moves on people and backed out of it,” added Harris. “There were a couple of times I probably could have stayed on track but I opted to go through the grass since we weren't racing for points at Rockingham. I just figured I would rather not wreck it and just wait a corner and overtake them then. That's where my road racing experience really helped me out in winning the race.”
YOUNG LIONS: DEVIN JONES GRABS FIRST LEGENDS WIN AT ROCKINGHAM
Devin Jones is a 13-year-old aspiring racer that wants to make a name for himself. One day, he hopes to be racing in the upper levels of NASCAR on some of the biggest and best ovals in the country. But to be a complete racer, Jones would not only have to be versed in ovals, but also on road courses.
Devin Jones scored his first Legends Car victory on the road course at Rockingham. (LN photo)
Having already conquered ovals in Bandolero competition, it was pretty fitting that Jones’ first Young Lions Legends Car win came on a road course. Even more impressive was that the road course win came at the return to racing to one of the country’s most legendary tracks, the recently reopened Rockingham Speedway in Rockingham, North Carolina.
Jones started second and finished first in the Rockingham winter event for the Legends Young Lions, but the win didn’t come super easy for him as he had to work despite his front row starting spot.
“In the heat race, Dylan (Presnell) looked like he had something for me, but he made a mistake coming out of the hairpin and we got a good run on him, got lucky and won,” said Jones. “I just didn’t want to make any mistakes like locking up the brakes or anything in the main event. With about three laps to go I just wanted to stay cool and not make any mistakes.”
Presnell lost touch with the leader, but had to keep an eye on his mirror as Ronnie Bassett, Jr. closed in on his bumper over the final few laps.
“The leader took off on us so it was just Ronnie and I battling it out back there,” said Presnell. “He (Bassett) bumped me a little bit, but we were having a fun clean race. It was fun. I was watching that mirror (on the last lap) and waiting to see if he would stick it up underneath me.”
The Young Lions drivers negotiate one of the harder turns on the course. (LN photo)
Bassett did try to make a last ditch effort for second, but ended up losing it on the last corner. He was able to get going and maintain his third position.
“We had a good battle,” said Bassett. “In the last turn I pushed it too hard and stepped on the gas too hard to get it. I ended up third though, so that is good for the first time being here. It was fun.”
The win for Jones marked the first time any competitive racing has taken place at the track that was recently purchased and reopened by former racer Andy Hillenburg. That made the win even more special to the young racer.
“We were looking forward to this race here at Rockingham more than the road course race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway,” said Jones. “This track has so much history. With all the people that have won here at Rockingham, it is cool to put my name on that list as one of the first winners after Andy Hillenburg bought it.”
PRO: PAHUD AND VAN WINGERDEN TAKE TOP SPOTS DESPITE OFF-TRACK EXCURSIONS
At most oval race tracks across the country, the inside and outside of the racing surface is bracketed by a wall or barrier to keep the cars on the track and out of the stands. In road course racing, most tracks are open, so if you drop off the racing surface you usually run through grass and dirt. This allows drivers to make mistakes without trashing their cars into the walls.
Both Christian PaHud (top, #63) and Michael Van Wingerden (bottom, #23) went off track during the Pro division heat race. (LN photo)
Thankfully for Christian PaHud and Thomas Van Wingerden, the race this weekend at Rockingham Speedway was held on their road course, which allowed both drivers to slide through the grass and still end up first and second in the Pro division Legends feature.
Of the five Pro racers that showed up to race, four of the five went off course during the heat race. Even though PaHud did some off-track racing, he was able to keep the car on the track to win the feature.
“It has been a crazy day,” said PaHud. “We got here and was fast out of the gate. I stayed with it all day. I had a good run in the heat race and got up to the lead, but going down into turn one I lost it and came back on. During the feature I just got out front and hung onto it. Big thanks to Dan Snyder Racing and Team Full Throttle for the support.”
Thomas Van Wingerden, who was driving double duty as he was racing (and ended up winning) his Thunder Roadster on the one-mile oval, drove his Legends off course on accident during the heat, but seemed to do it on purpose in the main to make up ground.
“I haven’t been out on a road course in about three years, so I was just trying to get used to it,” said Van Wingerden. “I was getting used to it. Towards the end of the race I believe I was running about the same speed, but there was too much ground to make up. It was fun. I mainly came out here to run the roadster on the big track and just play in the Legends car while down here.
“During the heat race I just messed up. The brakes locked up and I just went right through (the grass). In the feature I was trying to take some shortcuts to knock some ground off, but it didn’t work out too well.”
MASTERS: LEGENDS VETERANS GIVE ROCKINGHAM A PASSING GRADE
When drivers come to a new racing facility for the first time, the track owner and promoter await anxiously for feedback from the drivers after the event on whether their program was a success or a dud. Since the Rockingham Speedway was bought by former racer Andy Hillenburg, many thought the Legends and Bandolero event would be run the correct way. That was solidified as the Master Legends drivers, as well as the other racers at the track, gave the event and the track a passing grade Sunday.
Cotton Spry enjoyed his win, but enjoyed the challenging track at Rockingham even more. (LN photo)
Cotton Spry, who is known as one of the best Legends Masters racers in the Carolinas, drove his #16 machine to wins in both the heat race and feature. With the well-known sly Spry smile, he expressed his thoughts of the track after the event.
“I think it is more like a road course race than what we run at Charlotte,” said Spry. “There are long straight-aways, two really tight turns and two or three regular corners, but the track is pretty well flat except for that turn going up on the banking a bit. Charlotte is more up and down and isn’t a true road course.”
Trying to reel in Spry for the win was another veteran of the sport, Jan Ingram. The #7 machine tried to get to the back of Spry, but might have lost focus due to enjoying the technical aspects of the Rockingham road course.
“The heat race was great,” said Ingram. “I wasn’t thinking, just racing. I talked to several people about the line and where to run and I was thinking about that (in the main) and not racing. I just lost it there. I was thinking too much instead of racing.”
Although he had to settle for second, Ingram had a bounce in his step and a smile on his face after exiting his car, all because of the track’s characteristics.
“This track is fantastic,” said Ingram. “It is excellent. The facility is great, the track is great and it is fun to race on. It is a hoot and I hope they have us a bunch more down here.”
RESULTS
Master:
1. 16 - Cotton Spry
2. 7 - Jan Ingram
3. 5 - Ron Munnenlyn
4. 9 - Carlos Moore
5. 53 - Bruce Silver
6. 98 - Tad Segars
7. 13 - Mark Veftt
8. 8 - Bill Baldwin
9. 60 - Charlie Branbot
Pro:
1. 63 - Christian Pahud
2. 12 - Thomas VanWingerden
3. 11 - Daniel Moskowitz
4. 96 - Kyle Beattie
5. 23 - Michael VanWingerden
Semi-Pro:
1. 52 - Matthew Harris
2. 5 - Gene Kirila
3. 07 - Chad Hackenbracht
4. 18 - Tyler Devault
5. 28 - Kyle Pierce
6. 7 - Ronald Mander
7. 99 - Adam Congrove
8. 31 - Cody Johnson
9. 157 - Bryan Silas
10. 48 - Steven Ross
11. 29 - Landon Bullock
12. 22 - Johnny Love
Young Lion:
1. 35 - Devin Jones
2. 83 - Dylan Presnell
3. 04 - Ronnie Bassett Jr.
4. 57 - Jordan Stillwell
5. 33 - JD Abrahams
6. 8 - Brock Baldwin
