LateModelStock.com - News

Twin 50s at NRV

Diane Brinkley 
NRVS Writer 

Radford VA- Tonight's Roanoke Valley Harley Davidson/Buell 200 at the New River Valley Speedway featured twin 50 races for the NASCAR Late Model Stock car division.

In a pre-race interview before the first twin 50, Wade Day (96) said, "We're going to try to keep Morris (01) on my back bumper. This is a hard track to get the hang of, but we're slowly getting there."

During the first race, Day fought hard for positions throughout the race, finishing up in second place, chasing race winner Philip Morris. After the race he said, "If we would have had more green flag laps I think we could have gotten up there with Morris. I took too many laps passing other cars.

Lap two provided the only caution when Brandon Nichols (10), Jason Dickerson (19), and Michael Kidd (49) got together in turn four. Nichols and Dickerson were able to stay out on the track. Kidd was out of the race due to mechanical problems.

Ray Young (57) finished third, in only his third start here at NRVS, which he calls his home track. Young has been visiting other tracks in the circuit, and he said, "It always feels good to come home and do well."

Randy Taylor (6) finished fourth, and Chad Harris (02) rounded out the top five.

The second twin 50 was a clean race, with no cautions and plenty of great battles for position. Butch Hamlet (21) led 43 of the 50 laps, until Morris took the lead and never looked back. About his second win of the night, Morris said, "It was tough, Hamlet was running awesome, I didn't think I would catch him, he was so good."

When Hamlet, who finished second, was asked about the race, he said, "During the last eight laps I wasn't any good. I'm still amazed with the lead we had. Morris' car is one wicked hooked up car."

Wade Day (96) and Chad Harris (02) ended the race in an almost photo finish for third and fourth positions. Day just pulled ahead of Harris to claim the third spot, leaving Harris in fourth. Tink Reedy (75) finished fifth.

Due to problems found during post-race inspections, Randy Ratliffe (3) was disqualified from both of the twin 50 races.