LateModelStock.com - News

Big Jim Kelley Continues to Find Success

KENLY N.C. _ Roy Creech of Clayton has been racing at Southern National Speedway this season in memory of the late Harry Creech, his uncle and SNS's 1999 Four-Cylinder Stock champion.

Wilson's Jerry Howard competed Saturday night in the absence of teammate Ron Langley, who is recuperating at home after going emergency intestinal surgery a week earlier.

Both Creech and Howard found the inspiration to storm to Victory Lane with crowd-stirring finishes during Saturday night's Summer Sizzler 310 auto racing program.

"This is for Harry. He's looking down right now and it's liable to start raining any minute," Roy Creech said moments after fighting off Raleigh's Mike Stodder for his first Four-Cylinder triumph since 1999. "It's been one heckuva night."

Roy Creech and Harry Creech raced in the Four-Cylinder division for six years before Harry Creech's death last winter.

Howard, in Langley's Cutlass, nudged past the Monte Carlo of Kinston's Gary Davis on the final lap to claim the 35-lap Super Stock thriller.

Howard won for the second time in Langley's car, but assured, "this one is the best. This one is for Ron."

Did the 38-year-old Howard sense more pressure on this occasion?

"I put a lot of pressure on myself," Howard answered.

Saturday night's other victors were Freddie Query of Mooresville in Late Model Sportsman, 2000 champion Big Jim Kelley of Newport in Late Model Stock and Jamie Mozingo of Pikeville in Stock Look-Alike.

The Mustangs of Creech and Stodder started on the pole and outside front row, respectively. Creech never relinquished the point, but Stodder never ceased to challenge. Stodder had drawn uncomfortably close when the final caution occurred on lap 21.

"I wish it hadn't happened," Stodder, the previous week's winner, said of the final caution. "I was in a groove and was catching him. I think I would have had a better chance.

"I needed another lap. But it was between me and him the last lap and I am glad it turned out like that. Harry has worked hard and needed a win. If I couldn't win, I was glad it was him."

"This week, the car was great on short runs," Creech said. "The car tightened up and Mike's car has a lot more gear and he was putting a lot more pressure on me. He was nudging me, but he would let me straighten up."

That was all the break Creech needed.

"With the rules change, we've had to adjust," Creech said. "The car is really not where we want it yet. But when we get some gear, this baby is going to be bad."

Points leader Andy Smith of Goldsboro, the winner of the first six 2001 races, finished third in his Toyota, followed, respectively, by Matt Fitzgerald of Selma in a Mustang and rookie Greg Carroll of Clayton in a Mustang. Carroll posted his best finish.

In the Super Stock main event, Davis, starting on the outside pole, seized the lead from the Monte Carlo of pole sitter Stacy Wood of Benson on the first lap.

Despite Howard quickly moving up to challenge, the lead belonged to Davis . But for the second time this season, Davis was denied the checkered flag as the result of a startling last-lap development.

Howard seemed to be fading but suddenly knocked at Davis' bumper the final lap. With the large crowd on its feet, Howard forced his ride below Davis' car in the third turn, nosed out front and beat Davis to the stripe by less than a car length.

"I was gaining ground," Howard said, "but the car has the tendency to push up when it gets low. I dived into three, tried to get up under him and go as hard as I could. I knew, if I could get beside him, I had a chance. I had to make a move; it was just a matter of when I made it."

The dynamite finish left Davis shaking his head in disbelief.

"They (crew) kept telling me to tighten up, but I was running as hard as I could," Davis said. "When you're doing all you can . . . I knew he was coming, but we thought we had him. I guess we are just second-best; it's not meant to be."

Trailing Howard and Davis, respectively, were John Whaley of Goldsboro in a Grand Prix, Perry Bauer of Clayton in a Monte Carlo and Wood, who sat on the pole for the first time.

And it was meant to be Saturday night for Roy Creech and Howard.

Mooresville driver Freddie Query endured a precedent in gunning his Monte Carlo to the 125-lap Late Model Sportsman victory during the Summer Sizzler 310 auto racing program at Southern National Speedway on Saturday night.

With 43 laps remaining during the moth-infested evening, the race was red-flagged to permit a crew member for each driver to remove moths from the grill or front screen of the cars that were beginning to overheat.

The 49-year-old Query assured the occasion was a first, but said, "it was a good call. "We needed it. Cars were running hot. And since we were up front, I figured we were better off than a lot of them."

Query resumed the dominating performance in registering his second 2001 win at SNS. His Monte Carlo started on the outside pole but led from green flag to checkered flag.

Also taking the checkered flag Saturday night were Big Jim Kelley of Newport in Late Model Stock, Jamie Mozingo of Pikeville in Stock Look-Alike, Jerry Howard of Wilson in Super Stock and Roy Creech of Clayton in Four-Cylinder Stock.

Racing resumes on the 4/10-mile asphalt oval next Saturday night with five features. The green flag drops for the first race at 7:30.

Caution laps marked the first 45 circuits of the Late Model Sportsman feature. But the drivers, including Greg Stewart of the American Speed Association ranks, and former NASCAR Craftsman Trucks driver Randy Renfrow of Fuquay-Varina, settled in.

Query claimed the lead from the Monte Carlo of pole sitter Steve Mendenhall on the first lap. Query built a substantial lead and weathered a charge from Mendenhall with some 25 laps remaining.

"The car quit running," Query said. "Then it started missing and running a little better. And with five laps to go, it took off like a champion. We've had this car good for a couple of months now. Sometimes, it's harder to keep a car good than it is to get it there."

Mendenhall settled for a strong runner-up finish, his best at SNS in the track's fastest division.

"We are going to take this and try to improve on it," said Mendenhall, most acclaimed for his Legends Cars prowess. "He (Query) is king of the Sportsman class _ everybody knows that.

"We made a run on him, but I used my tires up. We knew we had a little margin over the third-place car and just had to settle in. I was just biding my time the last 25 laps."

Former champion Shelton McNair Jr. of Plymouth charged from a 11th-place start to finish third. McNair had been plagued by tough luck until Saturday night.

"Maybe this is the turnaround point," McNair said.

Stewart wound up fourth in a Monte Carlo, while Carnell Lee Jr. of Zebulon rallied from early adversity to salvage fifth in his Grand Prix.

In Late Model Stock, Kelley was locked in a six-car scramble for second place until fate proved kind. Kelley matter-of-factly observed career triumph No. 169. The new motor for his Monte Carlo was not available until late in the week and installation was not completed until 5 a.m. Saturday.

Then came a stern challenge from rookie Stephen Rhodes of Goldsboro, who landed his Monte Carlo on the outside pole for the first time. Kelley started third.

Rhodes took the lead from pole sitter Tom Elliott on the first lap and owned the point until being involved in a spin on lap 22. Kinston's Hank Jarman, who started fourth in a Taurus, bolted out front and was building the lead until an incident on lap 54.

The Monte Carlo of Raleigh's Tony Grady spun; then the Grand Prix of Goldsboro's John Floars spun. Jarman's ride slammed into Floars' car and Jarman was through for the evening.

Kelley assumed the lead, but Rhodes stormed back toward to the front despite the absence of his car's left front fender. The fans were treated to a classic veteran-rookie confrontation the final two laps. Rhodes worked his Monte Carlo below and beside Kelley's ride _ but never made the pass. Kelley pinched to the inside.

"I didn't want to cause any trouble with two laps remaining," the 17-year-old Rhodes said. "I just did the best I could."

"I had to drive in for all I was worth the last two laps," Kelley said. "He drove me clean and that's the way I like racing. I appreciate him racing me like that and I will remember that. All he had to do was drift up a little bit more and I would have been out of there.

"The car was good. It was a little bit tight in the middle of the race, but it worked out well. He (Rhodes) was faster than I was, but I had the spot."

The early scramble for second also involved Rhodes, Billy Ray Lucas of Wilson, rookie Ryan Rhodes of Sanford, Elliott and rookie Sherman Davis Jr. of Fayetteville.

Lucas claimed third, with Ryan Rhodes fourth and Elliott fifth.

Lucas was left with mixed emotions about his third-place finish.

"I had the fastest car," the veteran driver said. "I could have won the race; I just didn't have a chance to do it."

In a Camaro, Mozingo breezed to his third consecutive Stock Look-Alike top finish. His fourth checkered flag of the 2001 season was the 43rd of his career.

While Mozingo dominated, Scott Davis of Goldsboro, in a Camaro, ruled the multi-car chase for second over the Camaro of Grantham's Muriel Brock, the Monte Carlo of LaGrange's Junior Mewborn, the Firebird of Kinston's Jeff Burkett Jr. and the Camaro of Goldsboro's Jon Howell.

Mozingo, the pole sitter, hastily departed for work, but crew members said his car worked better as the race progressed.

"We just don't need all those cautions," one crew member said. "They are killing us."

Grantham, who occupied the outside pole for the first time, placed third, with Mewborn fourth and Beckett fifth.

Much of the 25-lapper saw the Camaros of Davis and Howell weaving all over the track in battling for second. Davis considered himself fortunate in some respects.

"We hit the back wall," he said with a grin. "But we started braking better and started running better and better. It came back to me. Second is better than third or fourth."

Brock, who attributed hard work to his steady progress, was left encouraged.

"We fell back a little bit at the start," Grantham said, "but we gave him (Mozingo) a run for his money. We were all over the top of him.

"Maybe next week."

Racing resumes next Saturday night at the 4/10-mile asphalt oval with five features in the Father's Day Tribute 230. For additional information or directions call the Speedway office at 919 284 1114 or visit www.southernnatlspeedway.com.