LateModelStock.com - News

Love Starts Last then Wins at Lanier

Braselton, GA (May 5, 2001) - You can't start from the rear of a 14-car field and expect to win a 50-lap late model race on a tight 3/8th mile NASCAR Weekly Racing Series track, right? You can if your name is Mike Love and you somehow manage to avoid debris from a season-high eight cautions.

After qualifying third-fastest, Love, of Pendergrass, GA who came out of retirement this season, was informed in post-qualifying tech that his No. 25 Chevrolet failed a fuel test in the Budweiser Pro Late Model division. Lanier National Speedway rules stipulate competitors must run Sunoco brand fuel. Love's fuel tested positive for a rival brand meaning he would watch the entire field get the green flag through the front-windshield of his Chevy.

"We started the season with BP fuel and run it because we had it. After that, for the last three or four races, we haven't had any (BP fuel) in there. We're assuming it must have gotten in the foam in the bladder (of the fuel cell) and there was still some in there. So it's no problem. If it checked wrong, we're wrong so we go to the back," said Love. Last week's Budweiser Pro Late Model winner Stacy Long was informed his car also failed the post-qualifying fuel check. He opted to withdraw from the event.

Tom Hardy was fastest in Sunclear Water qualifying but rolled a five afterwards which put Clay Dale on the pole. For the third consecutive week, the action started on the first turn of lap one as outside-polesitter Shane Chastain and Dale made contact. Chastain spun and momentarily blocked the track. Amazingly, only one car - David Watters' - suffered damage. Chastain had to fall to the rear of the field.

As leader Dale clung to the bottom of the track thwarting passing attempts by Tony Bennett, most of the competitors behind them littered the track with bent sheet metal over the first-half of the 50-lap race. On lap 26 Dale and Bennett got together in turn three. Both cars got sideways with Bennett straightening out his Pontiac within seconds. Chastain, who had recovered from his first lap spin and moved into fourth, never lifted and saw a hole open briefly and went for the lead in turn four.

But the opening closed quickly as Bennett and Chastain collided coming off turn four resulting in a shower of sparks from the right front of the No. 3 Chastain Chevy. Bennett's No. 42 Pontiac limped into the pits. When the smoke settled, the cagey veteran Love found himself in the lead.

Hardy moved into second and on the restart began to apply pressure to Love who last won a race and track championship at Lanier in 1996. But with ten laps to go Hardy's Ford slapped the wall below the flagstand at the start-finish line. He could only watch as Love, the 1987 and 1992 NASCAR Sunbelt Region champion, pulled away for the win.

Hardy said afterwards, "I was sitting there trying to pass him and I got caught up in what he was doing and lost my concentration in what I was doing and hit the outside wall. When we hit the wall we were done and very fortunate to finish second."

When asked if he realistically thought he could win after starting last Love responded saying, "Well, I don't know. My race car was better tonight. I've got to thank Bud (Lunsford who is Love's father-in-law). He's been coming down here helping me do a few things and making suggestions. So that has been a pretty big help. He said we're not where we need to be yet though."

Love also handed out other postrace accolades to "Steve Pearson, who built my race car. Also, Sam Satterfield is there day and night working on the car. Steve Elrod has come in and helped us. And, of course, my brother Jim and everybody's just working. We're getting there."

Love's victory made him the fifth different driver in this season's first five late model points races at Lanier to go to victory lane.

George Williams, Jr of Bethlehem, GA continued his mastery of the Akins of Winder Pro Truck division as he passed pole-sitter Andy Gaddis early then held off Billy Duncan for the win. Gaddis was involved in a scary incident on lap 23 after he tangled with Mark Caudell coming off turn four. Neither driver was injured.

Kevin Stephens made it five consecutive wins in the Simpson's Trucking & Grading Sportsman class as he sat on the pole then fought off the challenge of Chris Wingo who got to within a car-length with five laps remaining. Wingo failed post-race tech which moved Harry Caudell into the runnerup spot.

Thomas Ross put a last-lap fourth-turn move on Curt Britt and came away with his first win of the season in the Sunoco Ministock division. Chad Hoopaugh wound up second just ahead of Steve Hill, Rich Chitwood, and Brian Huff.