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BISHOP BATTLES EARLY, SAILS LATE TO RECORD NINTH SEASON VICTORY
GREENVILLE, SC (June 23, 2001)- Donnie Bishop's relentless march toward an
unprecedented seventh track championship titled shifted into high gear
Saturday at Greenville Pickens Speedway, as the veteran driver battled early
but sailed uncontested in the closing circuits to record his ninth season
victory. Bishop started on row two behind polesitter Brandon McCarson of
Greenville, with Leicester's Pete Silva on the outside of the first row. It
was McCarson and Silva vying for the top spot as the green flag fell, with
Silva eventually getting the upper hand and moving his Chevrolet to the
point. With McCarson and Bishop battling for second, Silva managed to put
some distance between himself and the rest of the pack. But by lap 8 Bishop
had managed to shake a determined McCarson and set his sites on Silva who had
built a 7 car length advantage. By lap 15, Bishop's black Monte Carlo had
caught Silva's black Monte Carlo and the two race cars came bumper to bumper
as they entered the first turn. Silva had the line and was doing a masterful
job protecting it while Bishop looked first inside and then to the outside
trying to find a place to pass the 1998 track champion. On lap 20, Bishop
found the daylight he was looking for, as he darted to the outside coming off
turn two and heading down the backstretch. The move vaulted Bishop to a lead
that he would not relinquish enroute to his ninth season trip to victory
lane. Silva stayed close in the remaining 15 circuits but did not mount a
serious challenge for the top spot and settled for a close second place
finish. Marietta's Marty Ward, winner of one feature event this season, was
third. Polesitter McCarson dropped back and finished fourth, with defending
track champion Gene Morgan of Travelers Rest placing fifth. R.A. Brown of
Columbia, Liberty's Kenneth Headen, Dennis Southerlin of Taylors, Candler,
NC's David Messer, and Augusta, GA's Brian Conner rounded out the sixth
through tenth place positions.
GREENVILLE PICKENS SPEEDWAY
OFFICIAL RESULTS
June 23, 2001
Late Model Results
1. Donnie Bishop
2. Pete Silva
3. Marty Ward
4. Brandon McCarson
5. Gene Morgan
6. R. A. Brown
7. Kenneth Headen
8. Dennis Southerlin
9. David Messer
10. Brian Conner
11. Gordon Stanley
12. Benny Youngblood
13. Andy Driver
14. Darrell Burris
15. Gary Greenwood, Jr.
16. Blair Addis
17. Stephen Gahagan
18. Brad Allen
--GP PR
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