LateModelStock.com - News

Friday, April 27, 2001 - RaceWorld.com Night

CAPRON, Va. (April 27) — Brandon Butler of Richmond, Va., moved out front on the fourth circuit and showed the way to the finish in the 100-lap RaceWorld.com Late Model Stock Car portion of Friday evening’s NASCAR Weekly Racing Series program at Southampton Motor Speedway. The victory was Butler’s first at SMS.

Butler set the fast time in qualifying with a 96.970-mph effort. After a redraw among the top six, though, he started fourth, while Jamey Caudill of Four Oaks, N.C., and Doug Godsey of Richmond shared the front row.

As the race began, Godsey got a good jump and nosed ahead. Caudill battled back, though, and he and Godsey made contact as the field rolled through Turns 1 and 2 for the first time. Caudill pulled into the lead, while Godsey’s car skittered up the banking, opening the door for Butler, who drew even on the backstretch and grabbed the runner-up spot off Turn 4.

Trouble broke out on lap 2 as several cars piled up on the backstretch. Among those involved were Jim Williams of Chesapeake, Va., Max Smith of Roanoke Rapids, N.C., Bob “Hardcore” Holly of Mobile, Ala., Jack Bailey Jr. of Stafford, Va., and Buck Godsey of Richmond.

Back under green, Butler shadowed Caudill for a couple laps, then made his bid for the lead. He drove under the leader on the backstretch on lap 4 and claimed the top spot exiting Turn 4. Within four laps, Butler had pulled away by a couple car-lengths.

Godsey slipped past Caudill on lap 15 to take over second place. The exchange allowed Butler to extend his advantage to five car-lengths.

The race’s only other caution flag waved on lap 37 when Smith spun at the end of the frontstretch. Lining up for the restart, a lapped car separated Butler from second-place Godsey. Caudill was third with two lapped machines between him and fourth-place Terry Allison of Chesapeake.

As the race resumed, Butler broke away by three car-lengths, while Godsey worked past traffic. Caudill was less successful at negotiating past the slower car as the lead duo pulled off.

Within 10 laps, Butler had forged a half-straightaway margin over Godsey and, as the race continued under the green flag, the advantage only grew and grew. By the finish, Butler’s margin of victory had swelled to 8.343 seconds — about half a lap.

Godsey was second to the line, followed by Caudill, Phil Warren of Norfolk, Va., and Allison. The top-five cars were the only ones on the lead lap at the end, a testament to Butler’s dominance in the event.

In Victory Lane following the race, Butler, who was sidelined from the season’s first two races by engine failures, commented on his run: “That Danny Cox power under the hood is some kinda good. Car was just awesome tonight. It was flawless. Kinda looked like what Doug and Jamey looked like before here, so now I know what it feels like.”

Asked about his change of fortune since disappointments in the opening weeks, Butler said, “We switched engine men and it seems to be working out for us. We’ve run four races with this guy and we’ve won three of ‘em. We’re pretty excited. We’re kinda on a roll, but we know that it can turn at any time, so we’re just thankful for tonight.”

Godsey, who saw his two-race winning streak come to an end, didn’t seem too crestfallen at the outcome: “It’s not too bad, finishing second to Brandon Butler. He deserves it. He’s had a tough year so far. We must have a little tire trouble this week. She got super, super, super loose. Don’t know why. We’ll figure it out by next week.”

Third-place Caudill commented on the competition at the head of the field: “Brandon had a good car. Had three good cars. I had a good race car tonight. We were just a little bit tight, but we weren’t bad. We’re getting closer and we’re gonna keep coming ‘til we get this thing figured out and we’ll be all right when we do.”

   LATE MODEL STOCK CARS - 100 laps

1.  Brandon Butler - Richmond, Va., 100
2.  Doug Godsey - Richmond, Va., 100
3.  Jamey Caudill - Four Oaks, N.C., 100
4.  Phil Warren - Norfolk, Va., 100
5.  Terry Allison - South Mills, N.C., 100
6.  Mike Shearin - Emporia, Va., 99
7.  Tony Grady - Raleigh, N.C., 99
8.  Wayne Grubb - Richmond, Va., 99
9.  Bubba Johnston - Chesapeake, Va., 99
10. Chris Hopkins - Petersburg, Va., 99
11. Andy Bell - Norfolk, Va., 99
12. Denny Hamlin - Chesterfield, Va., 99
13. Mike Conner - Gloucester, Va., 98
14. Jeff Sipe - Middletown, Pa., 98
15. Bud Kenny - Virginia Beach, Va., 97
16. Mike Lee - Richmond, Va., 97
17. Jack Bailey Jr. - Stafford, Va., 97
18. Jim Williams - Chesapeake, Va., 96
19. Max Smith - Roanoke Rapids, N.C., 94
20. Rodney Taylor - Petersburg, Va., 72
21. Ty Miller - Mineral, Va., 16
22. Bob “Hardcore” Holly - Mobile, Ala., 1
23. Buck Godsey - Richmond, Va., 1
24. Bubba Adams - Moyock, N.C., 1