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Wolfe noses out Day for Kingsport ‘Top Dawg’ Late Model victory

KINGSPORT, Tenn. (Oct. 6) – Galaxy Kingsport Speedway closed the 2001 racing season Saturday night with the running of the East Tennessee "Top Dawg" Championships, presented by Southland Window & Siding and Automotive Collision Technology. Highlighting the nine-division racing program was the 150-lap, $2,000-to-win Late Model Stock Car feature.

The two-night weekend kicked off on Friday with qualifying and heat races for all divisions. Bristol’s Adam Dean thrilled the crowd by setting a new Late Model Stock Car track record with a fast lap of 15:235-seconds, lowering Wade Day’s record lap of 15:260. Day also topped his former record with a time of 15:246.

Robbie Ferguson won the "King of Kings" (for 2001 feature winners) heat to earn the right to start the 150-lap feature from the pole position, with Wade Lopez and Kres VanDyke finishing in second and third. The "Championship Shootout" (for 2001 non-winners) heat victory went to veteran racer Mike Porter, with Tommy Spangler and Butch Jarvis running second and third. Fast-timer Dean and Day occupied starting positions seven and eight based on their qualifying times in the stellar 26-car field.

Day passed Robbie Ferguson for the lead on lap 39 and appeared headed to victory lane. But Johnson City’s Matt Wolfe, his Wolfe Racing teammate, had other plans. Involved in an early-race, multi-car wreck, which sent him to the pits for the removal of his mangled (hood, fenders and nosepiece) front end, Wolfe tagged on at the tail of the field to mount his charge back to the front.

Wolfe, driving the Smith Wholesale/Race-Scan Communications/Townsend Race Cars/Joey Robinson Race Engines/Wolfe Racing/No. 99 Monte Carlo, was glued to Day’s rear bumper as the pair crossed the stripe to receive the white flag. Day got loose in turn two to open the door for Wolfe to pull alongside down the backstretch. Racing door-to-door off the fourth turn with the checkered flag waving, Wolfe, an 18-year-old East Tennessee State University freshman, beat Day in a photo finish for the victory.

"Man, I never in my wildest imagination thought I would be able to race my way back up through the field to challenge for this win," said a smiling Wolfe after climbing from his car in victory lane. "After coming in the pits to let the crew remove the battered front end from my car, I just didn’t think the car would drive very well. But I was wrong. The car drove great. I couldn’t believe how fast it was still running. We were running lap times at the end as fast as we were at the beginning of the race.

"With the strong field of cars present here tonight, we just bided our time and was patient during the final half of the race. Somehow we were fortunate enough to work our way back to the front to get the win. I knew it was going to be close when Wade and I raced off (turn) four, and I was yelling at my guys over the radio asking who won after we passed the start/finish line. Man, to come back and win this race tonight over my teammate, this is just incredible. I would have been satisfied running second to Wade, but to win in a photo finish, it just doesn’t get any better than that. I still can’t believe we won."

Ferguson launched into the lead over Porter at the drop of the green, but Day was quickly on the move. Lopez and VanDyke got together in turn two on lap 4 while battling for third, with VanDyke and Day both moving around to take over the third and fourth positions. Not content to ride in fourth, Day dropped to the inside of VanDyke in turn one on lap 8 to move into the third spot.

While working lapped traffic on lap 18, Day trapped Porter behind a slower car to move into the runner-up position, setting his sights on the race leader Ferguson. With Ferguson never missing a beat up front, Day finally closed to his rear bumper aided by lapped traffic on lap 30. For the next nine circuits Day rode in Ferguson’s rear view mirror before making his move racing into the first turn to drop to the inside and take over the point.

Caution waved on lap 44 when the fifth-and sixth running Michael Chaney and VanDyke got together while trying to avoid the spinning Caleb Holman between turns one and two. Chaney limped back to the pits calling it a night, while VanDyke’s crew changed a flat tire and he rejoined at the tail of the field.

Going back green the top five were Day, Ferguson, Dean, Danny O’Quinn and Porter. The lead trio began to distance themselves from O’Quinn and Porter, with Porter losing the fifth spot to Brandon Nichols on lap 49. After patiently following Ferguson for several laps, Dean pulled alongside Ferguson racing off (turn) two on lap 70. Having the preferred (inside) line entering the third turn, Dean moved into second place.

With O’Quinn riding on Ferguson’s rear bumper on lap 100 between turns one and two, a slight tap from behind got Ferguson loose. While reeling his mount in, the pair made contact with Ferguson losing the right front fender and door panels from his No. 32 Monte Carlo to bring out the caution. Ferguson maintained his position, while O’Quinn parked his ride with suspension damage.

Day had Dean lined up on his tail going back green, poised for the attack, with Ferguson, Wolfe and Porter in tow. Wolfe continued his climb towards the front on lap 107, passing Ferguson to move into third place.

The track fell silent on lap 120 for a violent wreck involving Dean between turns three and four, forcing track officials to throw the red flag. While closely pursuing Day for the lead, Dean cut a right-front tire down at full speed entering the third turn, sending his car veering right and head-on into the outside concrete wall. Several drivers were forced into evasive action to avoid hitting Dean’s car when it ricocheted off the wall. After receiving attention from emergency crews, Dean was finally able to climb with assistance from his destroyed racecar. He was taken to the hospital for precautionary measures and, after receiving a clean-bill of health, later returned to the track.

From lap 120 to 143, Day, the 2000 Galaxy Kingsport Speedway and NASCAR Weekly Racing Series Blue Ridge Region champion, was riding in style out front apparently headed to yet another big victory at the 3/8-mile concrete oval. The stage was set for an exciting seven-lap dash to the checkers on lap 143, when the fifth-running Porter got loose and spun in turn four to bring out the event’s final caution.

Wolfe was glued to Day’s rear bumper going back green, while Ferguson, riding in third place was feeling the effects of carbon monoxide gases coming inside the cockpit of his car, which was missing the right-side body panels from his earlier altercation with O’Quinn.

As Day and Wolfe crossed the stripe to receive the white flag, they were running nose-to-tail. On a very cool night in East Tennessee, Day’s mount momentarily broke loose in turn two, which opened the door for Wolfe. Racing alongside Day into the third turn, the fans were on their feet. Still running side-by-side off (turn) four headed to the flagstand, Wolfe edged Day at the start/finish line by about a foot for the victory. Finishing third through fifth were Ferguson, Lopez and VanDyke.

Completing the top 10 finishers were Jeff Berry, Porter, Bill Garrett (the last car on the lead lap), Dave Burks and Holman.

"Hey, I want to see a video of this, because I still say I won," said Day with a smile on his face, reflecting on his close runner-up finish. "Man, I guess as the old saying goes, ‘It ain’t over till it’s over’ really applied tonight. I’m making no excuses, but my brakes were gone. What really hurt, though, was when the car broke loose in turn two there on the white flag lap to let Matt pull alongside me. But I still thought my momentum on the high-side would carry me off (turn) four and I’d still win. I wanted to win, but a one-two finish for Wolfe Racing isn’t too bad."

With Lopez entering the season finale at GKS leading Berry by only one point for the track championship, whichever driver finished ahead of the other would win the title. Lopez, driving the Refrigeration Services Inc./Food Country U.S.A./Century Control Systems/Buckles Enterprises Heating & Air/Pro Image Graphics/Minter Race Engines/Childress Race Cars/No. 83 Grand Prix, captured the title by finishing in fourth-place and Berry coming home in sixth.

"First of all, I want to say what a pleasure it has been to be in such a tight points race all season with Jeff," Lopez said. "He is truly a great professional racer. Even though we battled each other week-in and week-out, we settled this deal the way it should be – racing each other clean. Our team, we’ve faced a lot of adversity throughout the season, and I don’t really want to go into all of it. But it sure does mean so much for us to win this championship. You just don’t know how much."

"TOP DAWG 150" LATE MODEL STOCK

   1.Matt Wolfe #99-Johnson City, TN 
   2.Wade Day #96-Blountville, TN 
   3.Robbie Ferguson #32-Jonesborough, TN 
   4.Wade Lopez #83-Abingdon, VA 
   5.Kres VanDyke #15-Abingdon, VA 
   6.Jeff Berry #61-Kingsport, TN 
   7.Mike Porter #3-Princeton, WV 
   8.Bill Garrett #4-Johnson City, TN 
   9.Dave Burks #5-Abingdon, VA 
  10.Caleb Holman #77-Abingdon, VA 
  11.Mike Potter #1-Johnson City, TN 
  12.Frampton Ferguson #79-Columbia, SC 
  13.Wayne Hale #19-Piney Flats, TN 
  14.R.J. Stanley #18-Bristol, TN 
  15.Tommy Spangler #28-Bristol, TN 
  16.Allen Hawkins #77-Kingsport, TN 
  17.Reece Milton #16-Blountville, TN 
  18.Adam Dean #82-Bristol, VA 
  19.Danny O’Quinn #01-Coeburn, VA 
  20.Clyde Jones #7-Kingsport, TN 
  21.Tim Nichols #52-Abingdon, VA 
  22.Doug Price #00-Blountville, TN 
  23.Butch Jarvis #53-Blountville,TN 
  24.Brandon Nichols #10-Abingdon, VA 
  25.Michael Chaney #24-Abingdon, VA 
  26.Rick Pannell #33-Kingsport, TN