By James Stewart

Saturday came as no Saturday had so far this racing season…0% chance of rain! Of course we know how that goes in North Carolina! But alas, even though clouds came, the rain stayed away and a full night of racing ensued. The big event this week was the Sportsman 100, the longest race of the season for the exciting Sportsman cars. However, with last week’s rainout, the Whelen Street Stock 50, their longest event of the season, was rescheduled for this night also! The Street Stocks and Sportsman would both qualify for their events and the top 6 qualifiers would redraw for their starting spots. The modifieds would run twin 25 lap races with the famous madhouse scramble for the second race. The Stadium Stocks would open the night with the B race and close the night with the A race.

Taylor Robbins, 2 weeks off her first ever win at BG, would capture the pole for the Street Stocks with a lap of 15. 010. This time would have started her seventh in the Sportsman race. She would be followed by Derrick Rice, Kirk Sheets, Blake Shupe, Spencer Martin, and Jeremy Warren.

Michael Adams won the pole for the Sportsman race followed by Tommy Neal, Zack Clifton, Zack Ore, John Holleman IV, and making his first start of the 2016 season, Taylor Branch.

Tim Brown won the pole for the first modified race with a 13.6 lap, he was followed by Brandon Ward, Burt Myers, Lee Jeffreys, and Michael Clifton.

Before the national anthem was played the Winston Salem Police Department was honored for their role in keeping the city safe as a celebration of Memorial weekend.

The Stadium Stocks opened the night with the 15 lap or 15 minute time limit B race. Randy McElveen would edge out Kevin Hedgecock and Cody Arrington for the time shortened 10 lap event.

Tim Brown led a field of 20 roaring ground pounders to the line and led all the way in the 25 lap race. Burt Myers was second, followed by Brandon Ward, Lee Jeffreys, and Michael Clifton. Tim would draw the 8th starting position for the 2nd race, meaning the top 8 cars would be inverted.

Next up was the 100 lap race for the Sportsman cars. After the top 6 redraw, Tommy Neal and Taylor Branch made up the first row, followed by Michael Adams, Zack Ore, John Holleman IV, and Zack Clifton. Neal jumped out to the lead and Branch faded fast, getting stuck on the outside before finally able to get in line at 12th place. It didn’t take long for the action to start as Adams drove inside of Neal coming off turn 2. The 2 made contact and Holleman dived inside of both with Noah Triplette pushing him. Neal was able to hang on to the lead as Adams car got the worst of it.

As the cars piled up behind them David Adams car ended up under Wayne Hill’s car. No one was injured but feelings were hurt. Another incident later would see Ore and Clifton tangling into the wall. Ore’s night was over, but Clifton would continue but a lap down. As the race entered the last 10 laps, Neal was still leading with Holleman 2nd. Adams spun Holleman off 7 laps left to bring out the last caution. Neal would go on to lead every lap and win the Sportsman 100. Noah Triplette finished 2nd, Ryan Robertson 3rd, Michael Tilley and Jordan Fleming would round out the top 5.

On the backstretch after the race Holleman spun Adams to return the favor only to have Dylan Ward smash into the back of Holleman’s car sending him crashing into Robertson’s car. Tempers were flaring and I heard there were some altercations in the pits, but I can’t confirm that.

The modifieds rolled out for their 2nd 25 lap race of the night with Jason Myers and John Smith on the front row as a result of Tim Brown’s number 8 draw. Myers would lead the entire caution free race followed by John Smith, Dean Ward, Lee Jeffreys, and Tim Brown. This being a double points night, Brown’s win and 5th place finish moved him from 17th to 4th in the points, 34 behind leader, and so far winless, Burt Myers.

The Street Stocks lined up for their 50 lap race with Jeremy Warren and Spencer Martin on the front row, next in line were Blake Shupe, Taylor Robbins, Kirk Sheets, and Derrick Rice. As the cars lined up Warren’s car never made it to the starting grid. When the green flag flew Spencer Martin would jump into the lead and withstand many restarts after cautions to lead all the way in the 50 lap race. Post race inspection found the cam to be illegal and the Martin team was disqualified, handing the win to Blake Shupe Brian wall was 2nd, followed by Derrick Rice, Kirk Sheets, and Jamie Byrd.

Wesley Thompson would close the evening by leading all the way in another time limit shortened race for the Stadium Stocks, this one the 7 lap A race.

Points leaders are Burt Myers/Modified, Tommy Neal/Sportsman, Derrick Rice/Street Stock, and Wesley Thompson and Billy Cameron Jr tied for the points lead in Stadium Stock.

This week, June 4th, is the NASCAR Hall of Fame 100 for the modifieds and it’s $2 ladies night! All females will be admitted for just $2!!! The 100 lap race will be a complete redraw from qualifying and also another fans choice for the top 4 qualifiers to decide if they want to give up their draw to start in the back for a chance that is now at $6000 since no one accomplished the feat the last 100 lap race! Gates open at 6….see you there!!!
Modified Results from May 28

Race One
FINISH CAR DRIVER
1 83 Tim Brown
2 1 Burt Myers
3 87 Brandon Ward
4 50 Michael Clifton
5 77 Lee Jeffreys
6 71 Dean Ward
7 53 John Smith
8 4 Jason Myers
9 5 Randy Butner
10 2 Joseph Brown
11 79 David Calabrese
12 22 Jonathan Brown
13 66 Ronnie Clifton
14 27 Joe Ryan Osborne
15 76 Scott Gordon
16 87 Mike Speeney
17 18 Daniel Yates
18 16 William Smith
19 40 Chris Fleming
20 01 Jimmy Wallace

Race Two
FINISH CAR DRIVER
1 4 Jason Myers
2 53 John Smith
3 71 Dean Ward
4 77 Lee Jeffreys
5 83 Tim Brown
6 50 Michael Clifton
7 1 Burt Myers
8 2 Joseph Brown
9 5 Randy Butner
10 79 David Calabrese
11 66 Ronnie Clifton
12 76 Scott Gordon
13 87 Brandon Ward
14 40 Chris Fleming
15 18 Daniel Yates
16 27 Joe Ryan Osborne
17 22 Jonathan Brown
18 16 William Smith
19 01 Jimmy Wallace
20 87 Mike Speeney
Whelen Sportsman 100
FINISH CAR DRIVER
1 21 Tommy Neal
2 70 Noah Triplett
3 31 Ryan Robertson
4 26 Michael Tilley
5 40 Jordan Fleming
6 7 Dylan Ward
7 81 Zack Clifton
8 4 John Holleman
9 3 Jeff Garrison
10 0 Michael Adams
11 22 Kevin Neal
12 68 Robbie Brewer
13 86 Taylor Branch
14 11 Wayne Hill
15 19 David Adams
16 92 Kyle Southern
17 28 Billy Gregg
18 14 Les Miranda
19 12 Justin Taylor
20 55 Zack Ore
21 41 Terry Thompson

Whelen Street Stock 50
FINISH CAR DRIVER
1 30 Blake Shupe
2 22 Brian Wall
3 20 Derrick Rice
4 0 Kirk Sheets
5 7 Jamie Byrd
6 50 Austin Edwards
7 16 Brad Lewis
8 81 Robert Lawson
9 69 Gerald Robinson Jr
10 9 Darren Cotner
11 24 Chris Thomas
12 19 Tommy Zachary
13 49 Phillip Jones
14 40 Taylor Robbins
15 13 Kevin Gilbert
16 10 Zach Linville
17 1 Jasper Sumner
18 14 Aaron Hylton
19 17 Jeremiah Simonis
20 29 Bradley Potts
21 58 Barry Edwards
22 94 Jeffery Wood
23 52 Fletcher Whaley

Race One
FINISH CAR DRIVER
1 77 Randy McElveen
2 62 Kevin Hedgecock
3 29 Cody Arrington
4 71 Auston McElveen
5 91 Coty Crews
6 17 Andy Southern
7 10 David Hopkins
8 09 Tim Evans
9 27 Austin Cates
10 14 Ken Bridges
11 88 Ronnie Cranfill
12 90 Robert Strmiska
13 38 Christian Joyce
14 7 Barry Wilson
15 81 Chuck Wall

Race Two
FINISH CAR DRIVER
1 02 Wesley Thompson
2 76 Billy Cameron Jr
3 8 Shane Southard
4 49 P-Nut Vernon
5 97 Bryan Sykes
6 24 A.J. Sanders
7 30 Stephen Sanders
8 83 Shane Tuttle
9 06 Derek Sheets
10 31 Zack Staley
11 22 Adam Thomas
12 0 Carlos Clifton
13 6 Dale Patterson
14 54 Justin Owens
15 99 Dustin McClure
16 48 Junior Smith
17 68 Tyler Bush
18 40 Brandon Brendle