Coeburn, VA (6/16/2013): Stiltner continues to dominate at Lonesome Pine.
By Chase Brashears
Lonesome Pine Raceway-Public Relations
Hayden Woods qualified on pole for the 60 lap Late Model feature, but an invert of five positions placed Josh Hale on point. With the green flag waving, Hale paced the field until lap two when Ryan Stiltner dove to the inside and took the lead.
The battle for second-place between Woods and Gray was heating up. Woods would power to the outside of Gray, passing the No. 37 on lap 14. Woods was now on a mission for Stiltner’s No. 22. Gradually Woods was gaining on Stiltner, gaining a few tenths of a second each lap.
At halfway, Stiltner continued to lead over Woods. Trouble for Woods, when a flat tire slowed his pace; causing the No. 87 to spin in Turn 3. Woods’ spin would bring the caution out for the first time of the race. Back under green, Stiltner remained in the lead as Woods was on the move from the rear.
Driving to the inside and around Wolfe, Woods would take third-place. Coming to five laps to go, Stiltner continued to lead over Gray and Woods. Ryan Stiltner drove to victory for the sixth time this season, as Gray and Woods rounded out the top three.
Duke Bare was on point in the No. 00 machine for the Mod-4 feature, but Kirby Gobble shot to the lead on lap one. Rocky Yates and Hershell Robinette, battling for third-place, made contact; sending Robinette spinning and bringing out the yellow flag. Green flag back in the air and Gobble was back out front. Gobble dominated the entire 30 laps and recorded another Mod-4 victory.
Green flag in the air for the 30 lap Super Street race as the top four drivers raced two-by-two. Joey Sykes would finally make the inside line work to take the lead. Rob Austin powered his No. 25 to the inside of Sykes, taking the lead on lap five. Austin would take home another Super Street victory and add 100 points to his championship standings lead.
Jackie Jackson was on the front row for the 25 lap Pure-4 division event. Jackson took off from the drop of the green flag by three car lengths over Billy Presley. Mitch Gibson made the pass on the No. 20 on lap seven, to take over second-place. Trouble in Turn 1, between the two leaders, would bring the caution back out. With both leaders involved in the crash, Presley and Hall were now on the front row.
Presley and Hall were battling door-to-door through lap 15 when Hall finally could complete the pass on the No. 20. Coming to five laps to go, Hall and Gibson were battling for the lead. As the white flag waved, Gibson was hooked to the bumper of the No. 88. Onto to the front-stretch came the leaders. Gibson would make contact with Hall, sending Hall’s car into the outside wall. Gibson would cross the line first, but with Gibson’s actions coming to the checkered, Hall was judged as the winner.
Duke Bare dominated the 20 lap Pure Street feature from the drop of the green flag. But Bare’s win would not come easy, as Roby Orr and Bare battled side-by-side in the final laps. Orr would attempt a last-lap pass on Bare in Turns 3 and 4, but Bare would maintain the lead and take the checkered flag.
Michael Husted, after the invert, was on pole for the Iron Warrior race. The caution would wave early, on the first, caused by an incident between the No. 10 and No. 11. To the lead went Ratliff on the restart, but Rannie Breeding was right on his bumper. Ratliff and Breeding battled throughout the closing laps. Ratliff would cross the finish line to take the checkered flag over Breeding and Husted.
