8/12/2019
Justin Williams Outduels Billy Hubbard for Pro Late Model Victory on Pepsi Night at Virginia Motor Speedway; Chase Butler Scores Career First in Modif
Jamaica, VA – Justin Williams of Concord, VA and Billy Hubbard of Cobbs Creek, VA put on a battle for the ages. The two exchanged the lead four times before Williams would finally take over the top spot for good with a slide job on a lap 30 restart. Williams would then survive one last caution with two laps to go to score his third Victory Lap Pro Late Model win of the season on Pepsi Night.
“All the drivers here are pretty tough, when you can start sixth and come up and get the win and pass someone like Billy (Hubbard); I would say he’s won two in a row but one of them got taken away from him. I had to throw a little slide job on him to get by him,” commented Williams in WhosYourDriver.org victory lane.
Rounding out the top five were Davis Lipscombe, Russell Erwin in his first race, Billy Hubbard and Corey Almond.
In other action Chase Butler of Mechanicsville, VA scored his career first Budweiser Modified win, taking the lead on lap 11 and then holding off point leader Hunter McClendon for the victory. In the Truckin Thunder Sportsman feature Steve Casuey of Smithfield, VA returned to victory lane with his run from shotgun on the field, and in the Collision One Limited Stock Car 25 lap feature James Givens of Henrico, VA won for the third time this season.
In the Victory Lap Pro Late Model 35 lap feature Troy Williams and Billy Hubbard led the field to green with Hubbard jumping to the lead out of turn 2. Once out front Hubbard began to pull away. Behind him Justin Williams would dice his way from his sixth place starting spot to second by lap 12. With Hubbard working traffic, Williams began to close the gap. By lap 17 Williams had caught Hubbard in traffic and got inside him to take the lead on lap 18. Hubbard would fight back on the outside and regain the lead at the line the next lap. The two were aggressively working lapped traffic, almost getting into a couple slower cars as they negotiated the lapped traffic. On a lap 30 restart Williams would put a slide job on Hubbard in turn 1 and take over the top spot. A caution on lap 33 set up a two lap shootout for the win. On the races final restart Hubbard tried to go around William’s on the outside, jumping the cushion allowing Williams to get away and Davis Lipscombe and Russell Erwin to get by for second and third with Hubbard and Corey Almond rounding out the top five.
In the Budweiser Modified 30 lap feature Chase Butler and Francis Jarelle led the 23 car field to green with Jarelle leading the first circuit. Several positions back Hunter McClendon and Joey Polevoy battled for fourth just as the caution flew for the first time. On a lap 11 Jarrelle decided on a different tactic for the restart, this time waiting till turn 4 to get back in the gas. This time Butler was up for the challenge and jumped to the inside of Jarrelle heading into turn 1 and finally taking the lead out of turn 3. On lap 12 Brandon Galloway got by Jarrelle for second but would lose that position on lap 17 to McClendon. On lap 22 a caution erased all the distance between Butler and McClendon. On the restart Butler would get a good jump and pull away by five car lengths but another caution on lap 24 would once again come back out and close the field on Butler’s bumper. Races the final restart Butler would once again get a great restart and pull away by six car lengths and go on to score his career first victory in the Modified division. Rounding out the top five were Hunter McClendon, Brandon Galloway, Jeff Solinger and Lance Grady.
The first three laps of the 30 lap Truckin thunder Sportsman feature might have been the most exciting of the night. Brett Adkins and Chase Burrow led the field to green with Adkins taking the lead out of turn 4. On the next circuit Burrow, chad Beahr, Matt Ashworth and Tyler Shipp tried to make it four-wide out of turn 2 with Shipp ending up in the backstretch wall ending the point leader’s night. On the restart Burrow was all over the back of Adkins while Joe Weiss attempted to make it three wide. Heading into turn 1 Burrow slid under Adkins with the two touching sending Burrow to the lead with Tim Shelton and Weiss working to his inside in turn 2 making it three wide. Contact would send Burrow spinning bringing out the caution. Weiss would inherit the lead when Adkins would have to retire with mechanical issues. The race picked up again on lap 22 when Causey took the lead from Weiss out of turn 4. The two raced side by side for the next four laps before Casuey would take the lead for good and go on to score his first win of 2019. Rounding out the top five were Joe Weiss, Chase Burrow, Tommy Upshaw and Chad Beahr.
In the Collision One Limited Stock 25 lap feature Trent Clemans and Chad Champion led the field to green with Clemans leading the first circuit. The top five cars all put on great show for the fans with Clemans holding on to the top spot. James Givens would get to second on lap 7 and began pressuring Clemans for the lead. Clemans looked to have the car to win but Givens got to his bumper on lap 17 giving him a bump to move him up the track to take the lead. Once out front Givens pulled away to go on and score his third win of the season. Rounding out the top five were Trent Clemans, Chad Champion, Chris Champion and John Hankins Jr.
The speedway will take the weekend of August 17th off and return to racing on Saturday, August 24th to host the $3000 to win Northern Neck Chevrolet Prelude to the World Championship for the FASTRAK Pro Late Model Touring Series. Many of the Mid-Atlantic’s top Pro Late Model drivers will be on hand to not only try to take home the $3000 top prize but also get some valuable track time for the $50,000 to win FASTRAK World Championship set for September 13-14, 2019.
Also see the tracks Budweiser Modified, Truckin Thunder Sportsman and Collision One Limited Stocks in Dirt Series Championship weekly racing action.
Competitor gates for Saturday, August 24th will open at 3pm with spectator gates opening at 5pm. On track activities will begin at 6:30pm with hot laps.
Adult tickets are just $15; seniors (60+) $12; military $8; students 13 – 17 years old $6; and children 12 and under free. Pit passes, regardless of age, will be $25. All tickets will be sold the day of the event.
Bill Sawyer’s Virginia Motor Speedway is a ½ mile dirt oval track is located on U.S. Route 17, eight miles north of Saluda, VA and 25 miles south of Tappahannock, VA in Jamaica, VA. The speedway is just a short drive from Richmond, Fredericksburg, Southern Maryland and the Hampton Roads area.
Race fans can go to www.vamotorspeedway.com to view the complete schedule Virginia Motor Speedway’s 2019 season, find detailed event information, get the latest news, and get complete ticket and camping information. In addition, fans can get social with Virginia Motor Speedway by following @vamotorspeedway on Twitter, clicking "Like" at www.facebook.com/VaMotorSpeedway and on www.youtube.com/VaMotorSpeedway.
Article Credit: Dave Seay