Final Points Race of the Season at Concord Motorsport Park
Stories From Sunday, September 28th, 2008
By Jason Buckley
LegendsNation.com
FINAL POINTS NIGHT ADDS NEW AND REPEAT WINNERS IN VICTORY LANE
With the weather causing issues throughout the weekend, Concord Motorsport Park staff decided to end the season with just Sunday's racing action rather than a two-day show. That put the focus on the final races during the afternoon and evening as drivers tried to become the final winners of the points season at the track.
In the Legends divisions, Daniel Hemric (Pro), Charles Kiser (Masters), Harrison Rhodes (Semi-Pro) and Hayden Reeves (Chargers) completed their season at CMP with victories. All had won races this season except Reeves, who was a first-time winner.
Weather all weekend at CMP forced cars to sit under tarps, but the racing action did finally take place Sunday. (51 Sports Photo)
In the Bandoleros divisions, Kendall Sellers (Outlaw), Matthew Linker (Young Gun), Dillon Bassett (Bandits) and Carson Ferguson (Beginner Bandits) added to their win lists by taking victories.
BEST SEASON TO DATE AT CMP
In the driver's meeting, Larry Thomas, Events and Public Relations for Concord Motorsport Park, announced that the 2007 season was the most successful year to date for the quarter-mile track, but the 2008 season exceeded the prior year's season. However …
LOW CAR COUNTS IN FINAL CMP POINTS EVENT
Despite the track having their most successful year to date, the car counts were a bit low for Sunday's season finale.
According to the CMP site, only four Masters, four Pros, six Semi-Pros and seven Chargers were at the track for the Legends drivers. In the Bandoleros, 11 Bandits, 12 Beginner Bandits, 13 Young Guns and eight Outlaws were signed up to race.
The side of Ryan Fischer's Legends car was quite damaged after smacking the wall. (51 Sports Photo)
The lower car count for the Legends cars could be attributed to drivers preparing their cars for the 2008 Asphalt Nationals at Elko Speedway (MN), being held the following weekend.
ARCA DRIVER RYAN FISCHER OK AFTER HARD LEGENDS WRECK
Even though race drivers move up and out of the Legends Car ranks, many return back to the cars for a bit of fun and excitement behind the wheel.
Canadian racer Ryan Fischer has spent his career in Mini-Sprints, Quarter Midgets and Stock Cars, including running some ARCA races earlier this year, but decided to race at Concord Motorsport Park in a Legends Car to add to his resume of racing. After Sunday, he might be rethinking that decision.
During a heat race, contact from Harrison Rhodes sent Fischer into the wall hard, severely damaging his Kyle Beattie Racing machine. While the car was junk, he was ok.
"He (Rhodes) just hooked my right-side bumper going through the turn," said Fischer. "It absolutely destroyed the car. I am fine, but it was a hard hit.'
Rhodes apologized for the contact as he said it wasn't on purpose.
"I was trying to push him (Fischer) off the corner to get a jump on the cars underneath of us," said Rhodes. "He hit the brake and I hit the brake, but in that split second I ended up shoving him up into the wall. It was unintentional and I am sorry about that."
RHODES SHAKES OFF WRECK; WINS FIRST SEMI-PRO RACE
It can be difficult for a young racer to forget being involved in an incident that destroys a race car earlier in the day, but Harrison Rhodes had to move on and get back in the game for the feature after the heat race incident with Ryan Fischer. He did just that, winning his first Semi-Pro division win after moving up to the division from Chargers.
"It is an awesome feeling to get the last win here (of the season) and get my first Semi-Pro win," explained Rhodes. "It took a lot for us to get to the lead, but once we did we took off.
"The competition is greater and the racers are good racers (in the Semi-Pro division). This is more of an accomplishment for me."
HAYDEN REEVES GOES TO VICTORY LANE WHILE FATHER HELPS JIMMIE JOHNSON DO THE SAME
When the rains forced Friday's show at Concord Motorsport Park to be rescheduled to Sunday, it caused a bit of a problem for the Reeves family. Hayden Reeves has been learning the ropes in the Legends Chargers division with the help of his dad, Stevie Reeves, but the paying gig for the elder Reeves forced him to miss his son's race.
Stevie Reeves is the spotter for Hendrick Motorsports driver Jimmie Johnson and had to be at Kansas Speedway for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event at the track on Sunday. Meanwhile, back in North Carolina, Hayden Reeves was practicing and racing his Legends car at Concord Motorsport Park for the final points race of the season at the track. While Stevie coached Johnson to the victory in Kansas, Hayden used the knowledge his dad has given him in the past to drive his car into victory lane for his first career Legends win.
Just like the drama of the final lap at Kansas, where Johnson temporarily lost the lead on the last lap to Carl Edwards before taking it back before the checkered flag, Hayden lost his lead with a few laps to go after contact from another racer, but a caution came out before the drivers hit the line, giving him the lead back.
"I was ready to go off. They were all over our back bumper, then finally got us out of their way," said Hayden. "I kind of lost my temper a little bit, but I gained my focus back. They gave us the lead back, which was really good with two to go.
"We pulled it off. The car was real good and I am excited. It is my first win."
Hayden was aware that his father Stevie was celebrating Johnson's win in Kansas. In victory lane, he wished his dad could have seen his first win, but at least has something to show him when he gets back.
While SPEED TV's Bob Dillner (also Executive Editor of LegendsNation.com) interviewed Jimmie Johnson, who won in Kansas with help from spotter Stevie Reeves (top), Hayden Reeves went to victory lane for his first Legends win at Concord Motorsport Park (bottom).
"My father spots for Jimmie Johnson, so he had to be at the race today," said Hayden. "Jimmie won too, so that is pretty cool. I wish he was here, but I have a video for him."
THE LITTLE LITTLE MAKING BIG IMPRESSIONS WITH FATHER AND FORMER NASCAR RACER
In the hub of NASCAR racing, it isn't uncommon to see a NASCAR driver's child racing in the Legends and Bandolero realm. Mike Wallace (son Matt and daughter Chrissy) and Dave Blaney (son Ryan Blaney) are just a few of the current racers with siblings racing across the Carolinas.
Jesse Little has raced at many tracks across the south with help from his father, former NASCAR driver Chad Little. (51 Sports Photo)
Chad Little has had a few jobs over the years, including being a NASCAR driver and a father. Recently though his focus on being a driver has turned into a coach for his son Jesse, who races in the Bandolero Bandits division.
On Sunday, Jesse finished second on the track to Dillon Bassett, but not winning didn't seem to matter to father Chad, who is living the dream through the eyes of his son.
"I love it. I love working on the cars and watching him learn," said Chad Little. "I like watching him grow from wrecks and grow from wins. Just learning how to race, when to race and who to race is what I preach to him. I like all parts of it and I hope he does too. He is doing good, he really is.
"The old living through your son vicariously thing. It is very rewarding. I get a lot of satisfaction working on the cars too, preparing him and teaching him. From my son to having my daughter help and my wife help, I have always enjoyed the family part of it. I enjoy it."
Even though Jesse might be too young to remember Chad's winning days in the NASCAR ranks, he knows his dad is not only a great help to his own career, but a solid fixture in NASCAR racing's history.
"I have seen a few videos of him racing," said Jesse. "It is pretty cool.
"I get it a lot (from others) that I am so lucky (to have a NASCAR dad), but we are a pretty normal family except I get to come out here and do this a lot."
CAR OR DRIVER? FLIPPER SAYS IT IS THE CAR
Daniel Hemric has won just about everything a driver could win in the Legends Pro division this season. Along with his victories, he has been attached with the nickname "flipper" for his high back flips off his car when he wins a race. Many people believe it is the driver, who has got it done behind the wheel of multiple cars throughout the year, but Hemric credits his set-up guy for making him look good.
Dan Snyder brought a new car to the track for Hemric to race on Sunday at CMP. Even though it was a new car for Hemric to get used to, he was once again able to drive it to victory lane and perform yet another back flip off a car.
"It is just another car that Dan Snyder has built," said Hemric. "He can pull a set-up and repeat it every time. Now we going to gear up and get ready for the Nationals."
GOATS AND RACING? OH MY
"I know it sounds stupid, but I wish the old goat was here."
Charles Kiser made that statement Sunday after winning the Legends Masters division feature at the track, wrapping up the season and the championship. Many might think he was talking about farm animals as there are many goat farms within 15 minutes of Concord Motorsport Park. Instead he was actually talking about Masters racer Clay Hair, someone he has become friends with off track and hard competitors on track with this season.
Kiser, one of the only drivers to race with help from multiple teams that compete against each other, was thrilled with his victory, but feels he needed a push on the track to compete at a faster pace. Hair, who skipped racing at CMP for the weekend, is the rabbit in the Masters division everyone tries to chase.
Daniel Hemric gets more air time in victory lane, this time from a new car. (51 Sports Photo)
"I enjoy racing with him," said Kiser. "I have seemed to slow down since he hasn't been racing here."
BOOKENDING: SELLERS ENDS SEASON IN VICTORY LANE DRIVING BORROWED CAR
There isn't much that can be said that hasn't already been stated about Kendall Sellers. He has won just about everywhere and everything in the Bandolero Outlaws division. In fact, there was a point where it appeared Sellers was ready to hang up the helmet, but he came back with a vengeance, winning races during the Lowe's Motor Speedway (NC) Summer Shootout Series and at Concord Motorsport Park.
So, Sunday's victory wasn't anything special in many eyes as on paper it was just another win for Sellers. The difference though was the car he was driving.
Sellers is known to drive his yellow #6 machine, but in his first race of the season at CMP and this last race, he drove Woody Woods' black #1 car with successful results.
"It is great for us to come out here and do that," said Sellers. "We started off the year with Woody and ended it with him.
"I haven't been asked to drive other people's cars. Woody puts his faith in me and I put my faith in him. We are having fun doing it."
IN A POOR ECONOMY, RPM AND RE STEP UP TO SUPPORT LOCAL SHORT-TRACK RACING
RPM Pro-Formance and Racing Electronics are both helping the racers on and off the track. (51 Sports Photo)
This year, the economy has put every American in a budget crunch. Many have curtailed some of their entertainment expenses in order to barely make their monthly bills, which has hurt short-track racing across the country. With fewer fans in the stands and less drivers able to race, some racing facilities have shut down due to the cost of running races exceeding the revenue coming in.
Two companies, RPM Pro-Formance and Racing Electronics, have stepped up at Concord Motorsport Park, hoping to keep the support flowing to the local racers and local tracks.
Jeff Jordan owns RPM Pro-Formance, and has once again sponsored the Legends divisions at the track. A former racer himself, he knows what he does helps the sport and the kids.
"When I started my business, I had a lot of people helping me out. This is just to put a little back into racing," said Jordan. "Also, all these kids out here are here with their parents. If they wouldn't be out here with their parents they might be out somewhere getting in trouble. My mom and dad did that for me to keep me out of trouble, so I put a little bit back."
Bruce Silver owns Racing Electronics and has come on board this year to help out CMP. Silver is a current racer at the track, running in the Masters Legends division.
"Concord Motorsport Park is in our back yard. It is our home race track," said Silver. "We try to do whatever we can to lend support to that track. We want to help make it a better place to compete. We have reached a good marketing agreement with the track that benefits Racing Electronics, Concord Motorsport Park and the racers."
Even though the economy is struggling, there is some hope. Jordan has noticed an increase in customers with his business, allowing a positive outlook on what has been a bleak year for many.
"The economy has been bad, but this year for us so far we have seen some growth coming back from March on fortunately," said Jordan. "I plan on continuing to do this as long as I can afford it and as long as I am in business. I enjoy coming out with the people and having fun with them."
CHAMPIONS OF CONCORD: MORE COMING SOON
Stay tuned to LegendsNation.com later this week with reaction from the track champions at Concord Motorsport Park.
