LateModelStock.com - News

RUS Uniforms/Pepsi-Cola Night

CAPRON, Va. (Aug. 24) — Absent from Victory Lane since July 27, Doug Godsey of Richmond, Va., returned with a flourish on Friday, sweeping a pair of 50-lap features for the RaceWorld.com Late Model Stock Cars — part of evening’s NASCAR Weekly Racing Series program, sponsored by RUS Uniforms and Pepsi-Cola, at Southampton Motor Speedway. The wins were his eighth and ninth of the year.

Each driver posted two qualifying laps for the twinbill. The first lap set the grid for the opening race, while the second lap determined the starting order for the nightcap. At 93.367 mph, Eric Sartin of Kermit, W.Va., turned the quickest first lap. Brandon Butler of Richmond grabbed the pole for Race #2, clocking in at 94.999 mph.

• Race #1: As the first event got under way, Sartin moved out front, pulling ahead of Terry Allison of South Mills, N.C., out of Turn 4 on lap 1 and opening the door for Butler, who drew even with Allison. Butler cleared Allison for the runner-up spot on lap 4.

Godsey, who started seventh, emerged from the race-opening shuffle in fourth place and bypassed Allison for third on lap 8. Within three laps, he had closed on Butler’s rear bumper.

On lap 16, Godsey made a bid for second, ducking under Butler in Turn 1. The move was negated, though, as the second caution flag waved and scoring reverted to lap 15 for the restart.

Back under green, Butler went on the offensive, pulling to the inside of Sartin in Turn 4. The two dueled door-to-door until lap 21 when Butler grabbed the upper hand out of the fourth corner. Spotting an opening, Godsey moved in and took second from Sartin on lap 22.

After the third caution, at lap 26, Godsey went after Butler for the top spot. He drove under Butler on the backstretch and nosed ahead at the line. Godsey cleared Butler on lap 28, one lap before the fourth yellow flag flew.

Over the remaining laps, which were punctuated by one more caution period, Godsey maintained a comfortable margin over Butler and won by 0.897-second. Butler and Sartin were second and third, while Bud Kenny of Virginia Beach, Va., gained two spots during the final green-flag run to take fourth. Allison completed the top five.

• Race #2: The second event got off to a rocky start as several cars piled up out of Turn 2, necessitating a complete restart.

When the race got going, front row occupants Butler and Sartin locked horns for the lead, running door-to-door for the first six laps. Hanging tough on the outside, Sartin pulled ahead in Turn 4 on lap 7. Godsey, who started third, wrested the runner-up position from Butler on lap 8 and set off after Sartin.

After a caution flag on lap 12, Godsey went to work on Sartin. He motored alongside the leader in Turn 2 on lap 15 and powered into the lead as the field rumbled down the backstretch. Butler tried to follow Godsey, but, after a couple laps of side-by-side action, Sartin fought him off to hold on to second.

The third yellow flag waved on lap 19. Back under green, Godsey opened a slim margin, gradually extending it to three car-lengths. Meanwhile, Jim Sink of Chesterfield, Va., moved up to challenge Butler for third place.

On lap 27, Sink, making his first SMS start of ‘01, pulled to the inside of Butler. Butler battled to hang on to the spot, but finally gave way to Sink on lap 30.

The final caution flag flew on lap 32. Lining up for what would turn out to be the last restart, Godsey, Sartin, Sink, Butler and Mike Shearin of Emporia, Va., made up the top five.

Over the closing circuits, Godsey bolted from the pack, pulling away by nearly half a straightaway as Sink hounded Sartin for second.

At the finish, Godsey was the winner by 0.640-second as Sartin closed a bit in the waning laps. Sink was third, recording his first podium finish at SMS. Butler edged Shearin to finish fourth.

Following the second race, the evening’s final event, Butler filed a protest of Godsey’s engine. After a lengthy inspection, which concluded at 3:30 a.m. Saturday morning, Godsey’s powerplant was declared legal and the results became official.

In the standings, Godsey trimmed Butler’s points lead from 22 to 14 — 786-772.

RUS Uniforms/Pepsi-Cola Night

   LATE MODEL STOCK CARS - Twin 50’s

      Race #1:

1.  Doug Godsey - Richmond, Va., 50
2.  Brandon Butler - Richmond, Va., 50
3.  Eric Sartin - Kermit, W.Va., 50
4.  Bud Kenny - Virginia Beach, Va., 50
5.  Terry Allison - South Mills, N.C., 50
6.  Mike Shearin - Emporia, Va., 50
7.  Chris Hopkins - Petersburg, Va., 50
8.  Mike Conner - Gloucester, Va., 50
9.  Duane Shreeves - Chesapeake, Va., 50
10. Neil McClanan - Moyock, N.C., 50
11. Max Smith - Roanoke Rapids, N.C., 50
12. Andy Bell - Norfolk, Va., 50
13. Dennis Holdren - Roanoke, Va., 50
14. Charlie Bryant Jr. - Portsmouth, Va., 50
15. Robbie Babb - Chesapeake, Va., 50
16. Jimmy Adkins - Chesapeake, Va., 50
17. Ty Miller - Mineral, Va., 49
18. Lee Cox - Richmond, Va., 48
19. Jim Sink - Chesterfield, Va., 28
20. Jim Williams - Chesapeake, Va., 28
21. Buck Godsey - Richmond, Va., 27
22. Ken Rountree - Gates, N.C., 15
23. Bob Shreeves - Chesapeake, Va., 2

• Pole: Sartin - 93.367 mph.
• Hard Charger Award: Shearin.
• Hard Luck Award: Williams.

      Race #2:
1.  Doug Godsey - 50
2.  Eric Sartin - 50
3.  Jim Sink - 50
4.  Brandon Butler - 50
5.  Mike Shearin - 50
6.  Terry Allison - 50
7.  Chris Hopkins - 50
8.  Jim Williams - 50
9.  Andy Bell - 50
10. Bud Kenny - 50
11. Lee Cox - 50
12. Neil McClanan - 50
13. Jimmy Adkins - 50
14. Max Smith - 50
15. Dennis Holdren - 50
16. Robbie Babb - 49
17. Mike Conner - 39
18. Buck Godsey - 18
19. Ty Miller - 18
20. Charlie Bryant Jr. - 11
21. Duane Shreeves - 0
22. Bob Shreeves - 0
23. Ken Rountree - 0

• Pole: Butler - 94.999 mph.
• Hard Charger Award: McClanan.
• Hard Luck Award: Conner.