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April 21 Race Recap - Victor May Memorial

With heavy hearts, yet great memories, drivers, fans and the family of Victor May filed into County Line Raceway. The Victor May Memorial Race would see over 70 cars sign in for tonight's events! The class that Victor May dominated, the Nashville Feed Super Stock 4's would race for $690! County Line Raceway would put up the initial $621, with LocalRaceChat.com putting up $69, these 4 cylinder driver's would race hard for 20 door banging laps to bring home the prize. Also on the schedule, the P.L. Woodard Purse Stock V8 division, Rapid Red Racing Supply Thunder & Lightning division and the ARCO Restoration Inc Pure Stock 4 division. As an extra, County Line Raceway also had on schedule a 10 lap Dash for Cash for the Super Stock 4 drivers. With the winning amount and driver line up held a secret by track staff, the drivers would have to wait until the end of the features to find out exactly who would be eligible for the Dash.

With the help of Arnold Kotke Motorsports, the Wild Child pole sitter would bring home an extra $100 tonight! The 5th place car at half way would bring home $100 courtesy of Jeff Hall, while the 6th place & 9th place finishers would receive an extra $50 bonus courtesy of Flamin Pastry Racing & Brent Atkinson. The Hard Charger award, given by TA Newsome Service & Repair, would recognize the driver that gained the most positions. These drivers, although competitors of Victor's, held him in the highest regard, and tonight would ring special to all of them. Several driver's would change their car numbers tonight to 69, the number made famous by Victor. Bobby Bottoms, Austin Holcombe and Jeffery Patterson would all sport the 69 in memory of their friend. After a moment of silence, the 24 car field came onto the track out of turn 4, the pole sitter would fall back into the missing man formation in recognition of Victor. The 87 of Brandon Roberson would pick up the $100 pole award while Dakota Whitley would start on the outside pole. At the drop of the green flag, Roberson charged out front while Dakota Whitley and James Manning would battle it out for 2nd spot. Austin Holcombe would suffer mechanical issues bringing out the caution. Unfortunately, Austin would be relegated to the pits with 1 complete. Dakota Whitley would take the lead out of turn 1 from Roberson followed by James Manning, Bobby Bottoms, Larry Dunn and Kevin Sanford. These guys were 3 wide coming out of turn 4, side by side, hard racing all through the field. James Manning would bring out the caution on lap 5. Tough break for Manning who was running 2nd. Bottoms would continue to work on Whitley for the lead, finally taking it coming down the straight away. Putting some distance between him & Whitley, Bobby was catching the tail of field when the caution would come out for the pole sitter Brandon Roberson. Flagman Eddy Pollard would throw the green as they all stacked up in turn 4. Bobby Bottoms would lead the pack of cars but a spin would bring out another caution. Quick to go back green, Bottoms would lead Larry Dunn, Dustin O'Neal, Gary Dillon and Kevin Sanford. Dustin O'Neal would challenge for second spot but a caution would halt to that. A hard hit for Larry Dunn on lap 13 as he hit the inside retaining wall on the front stretch. After a quick clean up by the County Line Clean Up Crew, we were back green with Bobby Bottoms leading Dustin O'Neal, Gary Dillon, Kevin Sanford and Eric Hill. Dustin Would challenge Bottoms for the lead out of turn 4 but it would be Bottoms at the line. Folks we had a 3 car battle going on for the lead between Bottoms, O'Neal & Dillon! O'Neal would make the pass for the lead on Bottoms but Bottoms would come back to the front! Race fans, this all took place within 1 lap!!! Coming to the green white checkers, Dillon would try to take over 2nd spot from O'Neal, while O'Neal was trying to take over the top spot from Bottoms! O'Neal would get by Bottoms as well as Gary Dillon. As they came to the checkers it would be Dustin O'Neal, Gary Dillon, Bobby Bottoms, Eric Hill & Brian Medlin. Prior to the feature, John Proctor was awarded the trophy for winning the Nashville Feed Super Stock 4 division Car Show.

Up next our P.L. Woodard Pure Stock V8 division with Jerry Williams and David Beaman on the front row. Beaman would challenge Williams but could not complete the pass. The 57 of Mike Wilkins Jr would bring out the first 2 cautions, as he would spin in 2 and 4 respectively. Carly Fulghum would get loose out of 4, but regain control as she lost several spots. Phillip Lamm, while running in 3rd, would bring out the 3rd caution with a spin in turn 2. After a quick pit stop, he was able to rejoin the tail end of the field as they came to the green. Williams continued to lead Beaman, Ronnie Owens, Dwayne Whitley and Tony Harrell. With the field spread out, hard racing was going on further back in the field as Gary Whitely would battle the 42 of Buddy Isles Jr for 7th spot. They were side by side as the caution flew for a car that spun on the backstretch. Back green with 3 to go, Williams continued to lead but Beaman was mounting a hard challenge out of 3 and 4. Drag racing down the front stretch and going into 1, these guys battled hard for that top spot. Williams would come out of 4 taking the checkers followed by David Beaman, Ronnie Owens, Dwayne Whitely & Tony Harrell. Gary Whitely was awarded the trophy for winning the P.L. Woodard division car show.

Our next feature, the Rapid Red Racing Supply Thunder & Lightning division with Cool Hand Luke Owens on the pole and Toby Hoyle starting 2nd. Owens darted out front of the field, but a spin from the 5th place car of David Upchurch would bring out the caution. After lining up for a complete restart, Owens would again dart out front flying down into turn 1, followed by Toby Hoyle, Michael Lamm, Michael Batten and Lane Proctor. Hoyle would spin in 2, bringing out the caution, but after a quick lineup check by scoring, we were back green. Owens would lead Micheal Lamm, Michael Batten, Johnnie Hamilton & Lane Proctor. A spin in turn 4 would bring out the caution again, but we were quickly back green. Wade Ferrell would bring out the caution as he slowed on the front stretch and coasted into turn 2. As the County Line Push Truck headed down the backstretch, he was pushed into the pit area and we were quickly back green. Owens stretched his lead over Lamm by several car lengths, then Batten rode in 3rd, Hamilton in 4th and Lane Proctor, who was fighting off a hard challenge by Skeeter Liles, rode in 5th. Hamilton would suffer some kind of problem causing him to slow and lose several spots before he would spin in turn 2 bringing out the caution. Owens continued to lead, as sparks flew from his left rear, followed by Batten, Lamm, Proctor and David Upchurch. Toby Hoyle would bring out the caution again as he spun in turn 2. Back green and Owens continued to maintain a 3 car length lead over Batten. Michael Lamm held onto the 3rd spot, while Lane Proctor and David Upchurch rounded out the top 5. Coming to the checkered flag it would be Cool Hand Luke Owens bringing home his first win of 2012!! He was followed by Michael Batten, Michael Lamm, Lane Proctor and David Upchurch. Michael Batten not only took home 2nd spot, he also brought home the trophy for winning the Rapid Red Racing Supply Thunder & Lightning division car show.

The ARCO Restoration Inc. Pure Stock 4 cylinder division would come out of turn 4 with Cody Keith on the pole beside Brad Hamm. Keith would come out of turn 1 in front of the field followed by Michael Webb, David Mattox, Bobby Crawford and Brad Hamm rounding out the top 5. Cody Wilson would spin in turn 4 bringing out the caution on lap 2, but would continue under his own power. Back green and Keith continued to lead the field, as the other 14 cars battling it out for position. Car show winner JP Brantley would challenge David Mattox for 5th spot as the caution came out for John Carroll who popped the backstretch wall. Flagman Eddy Pollard threw the green flag, as but would quickly throw the yellow as the hood from 5th place Mattox came unhinged and was flailing. To prevent debris or even worse, an injury to a spectator, Pollard threw the yellow as Raceceiver director Steve Summerlin coaxed Mattox off the track. Keith brought the field to the green, but would loop around in turn 2. Michael Webb would inherit the lead, followed by team mate Brad Hamm, Brent Atkinson, JP Brantley and Bobby Crawford.  Webb would put about 4 car lengths between him and Hamm, as Brent Atkinson challenged for 2nd spot, taking over the position in turn 2. JP Brantley would mount a challenge on Hamm as we came to the 5 to go mark, as David Mattox worked his way from the tail of the field back up to 5th spot. Atkinson would challenge Webb on the inside taking the lead out of turn 2. Atkinson would try to put some distance between that flying 81 and the 9 of Michael Webb as they came to the white flag. Brent Atkinson would bring home the win followed by Michael Webb, Brad Hamm, David Mattox and Thomas Holbrooke.

Our final event, the Victor May Dash For Cash would see 6 cars line up to race for 10 hard laps. Thanks to several sponsors, County Line Raceway was able to award the winner $690 cash, with the final 5 finishers bringing home $69 each. After several discussions, numerous emails, texts and phone conversations, it was decided amongst Victor's Uncle Rayford Chamblee, Co-Promoter of County Line Raceway Brenda Holcombe, PR Rep Steve Summerlin & County Line staff member Carol Woodruff that the top 5 finishers would line up to battle it out for the $690. Dawson May, Victor's son, was to choose our 6th place starter as a provisional spot for the dash. Dawson rode around, checked out all of the cars and made his choice. He picked Austin Holcombe to round out the field. After announcer Steve Vail did a short interview with the driver's, Dawson & Rayford gave them all high 5's. No one knew how the line up was going to be until Steve Summerlin made the call for an inversion. Austin Holcombe and Brian Medlin would start on the front row, followed by Eric Hill, Bobby Bottoms, Gary Dillon and feature winner Dustin O'Neal. These guys were loaded for bear once they found out that another $690 was on the line! At the drop of the green, Holcombe tried to maintain the top spot but Brian Medlin would get around him out of turn 2. Bobby Bottoms would get around Hill, followed by Dillon and O'Neal. Medlin set a hard pace to follow, but Bottoms, who finished 3rd in the feature, would maneuver around Hill and go after Medlin for the top spot. Side by side Medlin & Bottoms would go for at least 2 laps before Bottoms completed the pass. After that, folks, he never looked back! Bobby Bottoms would take the win, followed by Brian Medlin, Austin Holcombe, Eric Hill, Gary Dillon & Dustin O'Neal. After a very emotional interview and check presentation to Bobby, the May family joined Bobby for pictures. Steve Summerlin and Brenda Holcombe then proceeded to give Ava & Dawson $100 each to go shopping, along with donations from sponsors to Victor's parents. Right before the dash, Frisbee's were thrown out to the fans in the stands & those that were lucky enough to catch a red one with the number 69 on it, received $69 cash from Going2TheRace. Thanks to each & everyone of the sponsors for helping with this very special event; Rapid Red Racing Supply, PL Woodard, Prime Electrical Solutions, Down & Dirty Racing Magazine, Bissette Farms, David’s Paint& Body Shop, Baines Landscaping Inc, Boykin’s Save-On-Gas, CJ’s Home Improvement, Erwin Racing Supply, Friendship Motor Speedway, Stallings’ Brothers, Barnes Equipment, Joyners Mini Mart & Paraclete XP Sky Adventures. Special thanks Brenda & Steve for pulling all of this together in a short amount of time.

Be sure to join us next week as we have a have a full night of hot racing action on tap! The ARCO Restoration Inc Pure Stock Four Cylinders, The Nashville Feed Super Stock Four Cylinders, P.L. Woodard Pure Stock V-8's with a cool $350 on the line, the Barnes Equipment Late Models and the DRU Inc. Open Wheel Modifieds. Tune in on Monday for Kat's Kitchen on 98.5 the Big Dawg as Steve Summerlin & Steve Vail discuss the race from tonight as well as preview next week's feature event. Join us on Tuesday at Buffalo Wild Wings as we have some good food & good times with the James Manning and Anthony Silveri displaying their racecars out front. Also, at Krispy Kreme in Rocky Mount, we'll have Austin Holcombe and his Barnes Equipment Late Model out there with 98. The Big Dawg doing a live remote.This event will be a fundraiser for Victory Junction Gang Camp. For more information, please check out www.countylineracewaync.com/ or call the track at 252-985-1949. We'll see you at The Line!

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