SEPTEMBER RACING ACTION AT CONCORD
Stories From: Saturday, September - 6th, 2008
By Elgin Traylor
LegendsNation.com
PRO: JESSE BUNNELL INHERITS WIN AFTER HEMRIC AND ROSS TANGLE
It was one of those races that had a blue print that is usually followed. Twice though, fans were left wondering, what happened to the blue print?
All season long Daniel Hemric has been the top dog at Concord. With nine wins already this season and a start from the pole on Saturday night, many could predict what was going to happen, or so they thought.
As the field went green, Hemric appeared to miss a shift and slipped back in the pack. It took only a handful of laps before he regained the top spot, which put the blueprint back in the mix.
As the laps clicked off, Steven Ross moved into second and closed the gap on Hemric. When the white flag flew, Ross had closed the gap to five car lengths and off the second turn it was down to three. The third turn was where the blue print was thrown away completely. Ross made a kamikaze move on Hemric, the two got together and Hemric went for a spin. Both were sent to the rear for being involved in the caution.
“I went into three and he made up about eight car lengths and laid it too me,” said Hemric. “That’s the way it goes. There’s not much to say about Steven Ross. I can look at the ground and I can look at the dirt and that’s what I think he is. When it comes down to something like that, that’s what always happens. I hear they are starting a demolition derby up at the big track. Maybe he needs to go enter that.”
Jesse Bunnell ended up in victory lane after the Ross, Hemric tangle. (51 Sports Photo)
Ross had nothing to deny after the race. He said it was payback for an on-track run in that happened a few weeks back.
“It’s the same situation of what happened at Caraway,” said Ross. “He (Hemric) drove into the last turn and spun me out for the win. They’re all upset with me, but when the shoe is on the other foot they think it’s ok. I drove in there way harder then I usually do and I am not going to lie, I was trying to get to his bumper. I wanted to move him out of the way to win. Unfortunately he spun out. I don’t want to race that way, but he’s beaten me that way before. I have to race him the way he’s going to race me.”
The big benefactor was Jesse Bunnell, who was third at the time when the incident happened. Bunnell took the lead and held on for the win. It was his first win of the season.
“I hate I missed the after party down there in tech,” joked Bunnell. “Those guys race hard and they are the two best cars out here. I am a third or fourth place car most of the time. Those guys got together and it worked out for me.
“We built this car for Orlando Speedworld (FL) and I tore up all my other stuff at the Shootout. This is the first win of the season for me in this car. It feels pretty good to win.”
MASTERS: CLAY HAIR KEEPS WINNING AS NATIONALS APPROACH
The small picture shows that Clay Hair is not a factor in the Masters Division points standings at Concord Motorsport Park (due to not running the required sponsor stickers to get track points since it is competition to his business). He still has 13 wins this season at the track, but this time of the year it’s not so much the wins as it is preparing for the Legends Nationals. Although October 4th is as far a way as the Elko Speedway in Minnesota is to CMP, Hair still likes to have fun before the battle begins.
Clay Hair in victory lane again at Concord. He has won 13 races at Concord Motorsport Park this season. (51 Sports Photo)
“I think (Don) Barnard has 2500 points and we have 2500 points,” explained Hair. “We’ll just have to go to Elko to see what happens. That’s what we are gearing up for right now. I have more fun racing with my buddy Charles Kiser then I do racing anywhere. This is our hometown track. I started racing these Legends Cars here back in 1995.”
Hair had to race his buddy Kiser for the win, which is the norm at CMP as of late. Last week it was Kiser beating Hair to the checkered flag. This week it was Hair topping Kiser, and at one point the two got a little crossed up on the track, causing contact between the two cars. Still though, Hair hung on for the win and joked in victory lane about Kiser’s comments a few weeks back that he needed an act of congress to beat Hair on the track.
“We needed to finish third in the heat to start on the inside row for the feature. Then I was just following Charles around there. I got into to him a little bit and it kind of surprised me how quickly I closed up on him. We’ll have to get the congress or something to see what happened,” joked Hair.
SEMI PRO: HACKENBRACHT DRIVES SIDEWAYS TO VICTORY LANE
A healthy field of 15 Semi-Pro cars took the track for the final feature of the night. The action up front was tight as always. Timely restarts were key for Chad Hackenbracht’s first victory of the season at Concord. The only hick-up for the winner was Devin Jones’s attempt at a pass with four laps to go.
“That was pretty exciting there,” said Hackenbracht. “I got into it with the 35 (Jones) a little, but I didn’t think he had position on me. I ran my normal line and we got together and I had a good save. It was a really good race. All year and even in the spring we have had the best car here.”
Hackenbracht was nearly 90 degrees out of shape before he saved it. Jones had to settle for second after the on-track run in.
“He chopped us a little bit,” said Jones. “That’s just racing. It was a bummer because after that our toe was knocked out. It was still a good race and a good debut at Concord with Chris Rogers Motorsports.”
Chad Hackenbracht won for the first time time season at Concord. (51 Sports Photo)
[Editor's Note: INEX took Dan Snyder Racing driver Chad Hackenbracht's motor to be checked out at their corporate headquarters in Harrisburg (NC). Dan Snyder contacted LN on Monday afternoon and said that everything checked out ok.]
CHARGERS: STILLWELL WINS IN SMALL FIELD OF CARS
The Charger field was small with only four cars, but Jordan Stillwell ran 15-laps with Austin McDaniel right in his tire tracks. With no mistakes, Stillwell managed to hang on for the win, his second consecutive triumph at Concord.
“We finally got two in a row and the car was great,” said Stillwell. “I think that was the best race I have been in this year. I just want to thank everyone for helping us out this year. I am glad to be in victory lane.”
The steps are unclear to the new Bassett victory lane dance, but one thing is the same as Bassett took home win number 14. (51 Sports Photo)
BANDITS: BASSETT INVENTS THE PENNSYLVANIA SHUFFLE
The “Cupid shuffle” and the “Icky shuffle” are post-event celebrations that have become famous over the years. In racing, drivers have come up with there new thing after a victory, including Tony Stewart and Helio Castroneves have the fence climb, Alan Kulwicki inventing the “polish victory lap” and now young Dillon Bassett has his own trademark, the “Pennsylvania shuffle,” after scoring his 14th win of the season.
“It’s called the ‘Pennsylvania shuffle’,” said Bassett. “I wasn’t very good at the back flip, so we came up with something new.”
Some might think Bassett is a little cocky by coming up with a victory dance, but when you have won as many races as he has its understandable.
“Our cars have been great here all season,” added Bassett. “We have been able to pull off a lot of wins. We always run good when we come here. The two races we didn’t win we finished second, so it’s been a great season here.”
BEGINNER BANDITS: MASSEY ADDS TO WIN TOTALS
A back and forth battle for the lead in the Beginner Bandits class left Grayson Massey in victory lane for the fourth time this season. The Virginia native really enjoys coming to North Carolina to race, however his racecar was so loose you might wonder how he ever got to victory lane.
“It was really loose and I almost hit the wall a couple of times,” said Massey. “I was really scared that I was going to hit it. I never thought I could drive a car that loose and still win.”
Massey passed Carson Ferguson with three laps to go and never looked back on his way to the finish line. After the race, Massey had something to look forward to.
“I will sleep on the way home,” said Massey. “It’s a lot easier to sleep when you win.”
OUTLAWS: PEPPICELLI DOES IT AGAIN, AND AGAIN, AND AGAIN
In the Outlaw race Brett Peppicelli overcame a loose racecar to post a win after surviving an early battle with Bailey Daniels. Peppicelli now has five wins this season.
“It feels real good to win,” said Peppicelli. “I had a perfect car and it was a perfect night. I am stoked.”
On lap five, Peppicelli was working up off the second corner and the car almost snapped around on him. He gathered it back up and pulled away for the victory.
“I went in there a little two hard,” explained Peppicelli. “I figured out what I had to do after that to get the win. Bailey, she was stick right with us there for a while, but when my tires got heated up the car got faster and I could pull away.”
Virginia driver Grayson Massey is all smiles in victory lane. (51 Sports Photo)
Brett Peppicelli wins again in the Outlaw class. (51 Sports Photo)
YOUNG GUNS: LINKER GRABS NUMBER SEVEN
It was shaping up to be a show down of the two big guns. Matt Linker and Robert Poole came into the night having won 10 of the 16 races this season. Each driver won their heat and looked to have strong cars for the feature.
When the green flew in the main event, Poole’s car faded and slipped out of contention. That left Linker to take the win after a good fight with Tyler Lester in the 15-lap feature.
“My car has been really good here and we have won seven races so it feels really good,” said Linker. “It’s just been an amazing season for us here at Concord. Me and Robert (Poole) have had some disputes, but thing have been fine recently. I know if I had to battle him it was going to be a good battle. I did get a really good battle from Tyler Lester.”
