LateModelStock.com - News

Hardy Hammers the field at Lanier

Braselton, GA (April 21, 2001) - It was a night of mixed emotions in = the 50 lap Budweiser Pro Late Model event for the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series Saturday night at Lanier National Speedway. Popular Tom Hardy was looking for his first win of 2001 while legendary Mike Love was positioned to return to victory lane after coming out of retirement.

Twelve of the 18 cars in the Pro Late Model field spun or crashed in turn one on the first lap prompting a red flag which flew for nearly fifteen minutes. The melee began after Shane Chastain and Richard King got tangled seconds after the green flag waved. After the dust had settled, four cars - those driven by Doug Cantrell, Devan Voyles, Todd Nichelson, and Tom Salley - were unable to continue. The other competitors made repairs and reentered the event.

The next attempt to start the event was much smoother and the entire race then ran caution free. Hardy started on the pole after fast-qualifier Chastain rolled a three in the inversion process. With Chastain forced to the rear of the field after spinning on the initial start, that allowed multi-track champion Love to start third. 20

This quickly turned into a Hardy-Love battle as they separated themselves from Jamie Stephens, Jr who could only watch from third position. With ten laps remaining, it appeared Love had a shot to return to the winner's circle after cutting Hardy's lead to one-car length. But Hardy put the hammer down in his No. 16 McDonald Ace Hardware Ford and finished five-car lengths ahead of the No. 25 Chevrolet driven by Love at the conclusion.

Hardy said afterwards, "my crew told me on the radio to be smooth and cool. Then I looked up as we crossed the finish line and I said, "wow, that's my mentor back there; the guy that taught me a whole lot." I can't say enough about what Mike's done for this race track and what's he's done since I started racing. And these guys that we race with week-in and week-out, I couldn't ask for a better group of competitors."

Love said later, "well, I was sort of hanging in there and then I started to run a little bit harder. And the harder I ran, it just got worse. It was already loose and when I started pedalling hard it just made it worse."

Stephens, Jr was third followed by Chastain and Clay Dale.

George Williams, Jr was fastest in qualifying for the Akins of Winder Pro Truck division, rolled a one for the inversion, then blistered the field leading all 30 laps in the Akins of Winder Pro Truck race. Chris Vandergriff was second, Joey Love third, Billy Duncan fourth, and Andy Gaddis fifth. 20

Kevin Stephens kept his winning streak alive in the Simpson's Trucking & Grading Sportsman division as he passed Tim Stephens for the lead on lap seven of 30 then motored to victory. Stephens has won every Sportsman division event at Lanier in 2001. He outdistanced Chris Wingo, Mike Bruce, Terry Crump, and Mike Mobley for the win Saturday evening.

Curt Britt's success in the Sunoco Ministock division continues as he started second and grabbed the early lead from polesitter Brian Huff enroute to the win in the 25 lapper. Steve Hill was second followed by Huff, Thomas Ross, and Chad Hoopaugh.