Action returned to the Madhouse following a week off for the 4th of July. Drivers, crews and fans were eager to have racing return. While nearly 12,000 would file in to the fame Bowman Gray to witness the night’s action. There was a 100 lapper for the Brad’s Golf Cars Modified race with The Parachute Jumpers who would jump during the middle of the race.
To kick the night off, Street Stock would get the night rolling as Robbie White initially would get the pole along side Kevin “KTrain” Gilbert. White would choose to go to the back, moving up Justin Cummings to the front spot. As the green flag dropped contact between Cummings and Gilbert would take place before both cars would cross the start finish line. Gilbert would go to pit road as Cummings continued while lined up again to take the green as Nick Wall would move up to the front row.
Wall making his return to the track after taking time off from the Stadium, would take the lead and pull away. Zack Staley who would be making his return after a two week suspension made his presence known as he would take the lead from Wall on lap 11 and go on to win the race. Brad Lewis finished second.
During post race inspection Staley would refuse to weigh in and would be disqualified after his decision. That gave Brad Lewis the win. Cale Martin finished second, Nick Wall was third, Christian Joyce was fourth, and Austin Jones was fifth.
Next up would be the first of two Sportsman races, T Dawson would draw pole but would drop to the back giving his teammate Zack Ore the position, along side Chase Robertson, who would lead the field to the green. Robertson would follow suit for a few laps until the faster Michael Adams would get by for second. Adams then would set his sights on the 55 of Ore. On lap 9 Adams would then get to Ore’s bumper and send him spinning while also spinning himself, they’d both try to save it but the 03 of Sterling Plemmons would then get into the left side of Adams car. While all this is going on, the 2 of Amber Lynn and 31 of Robertson would sneak by to take first and second. Amber Lynn would go on to lead the remaining of the race picking up win number two of the season. Robertson second,
When asked what she saw when Adams bumped Ore from behind Lynn said: “That’s just called hard racing. The 55 and 19 really got into it and I was able to slip on by.”
Lynn would win for the 11th time in her career
“After the week that I’ve had it’s really emotional but I’m going to keep it together,” Lynn said. “It was an emotional race and I’m just honored and blessed to be here.”
“It’s been a rough season,” Lynn said. “It’s been a long week, but I’d just like to say thank you to all my sponsors, all my fans, all my followers. You know, without you guys I probably wouldn’t come back.”
Robertson who is chasing his first points’ championship, showed off his consistency this season with his 12th top finish in 15 races.
Sterling Plemmons third, Nate Gregg fourth, and Justin Taylor fifth. Ore finished ninth and Adams finished 10th.
Now time for the main event the Brad’s Golf Cars 100 lap Modified race Chris Fleming qualified on the pole for the 100-lap Brad’s Golf Cars Modified race, but he elected to not try for the $6,000 Fans’ Challenge by going to the back of the field in hopes of finishing in the top four. He would draw second in the full-field draw, William “Crab” Smith would draw the pole.
As Fleming would dominate by leading flag to flag as he would overcome the wrath of Jr Snow who would give “The Showstopper” a run for his money on the restarts. There were a total of nine cautions in the race. This would be Fleming’s second win of the season. With this win it proved that he has a lot left in his tank, as he is days away from turning 60.
Snow would finish runner up, Burt Myers third, Brandon Ward fourth with Tim Brown fifth.
It’s getting late in the season and while Fleming says he doesn’t think about winning the points title, he’s definitely in contention.
“You know me, I’m about winning races,” Fleming said in Victory Lane.
“I’m not going to lose any sleep if I don’t win the points,” Fleming said. “Listen, that doesn’t mean anything to me and I love to win races, we work hard in the shop and tonight I proved them wrong again.”
This win was Fleming’s 16th career.
In addition to the win, Fleming tightened the points race with Burt Myers and Tim Brown. After Saturday’s results, Myers is unofficially in first place with 419 points, one point ahead of Fleming. Brown, who is the 12-time and defending champion, has 415 points and in third place.
The second of the Sportsman races would be the “Real Deal” show as Riley Neal would get by Braden Mills for the lead. As the young Neal would go on to win his second race. Zack Ore finished second, followed by Michael Adams, Braden Mills and Kirk Sheets.
“It was a really good night and I just can’t thank my parents enough and for the Lord to give me the strength to do this,” Neal said who started Saturday came into the night second in points behind Robertson.
Stadium Stock would be next up on the docket, as Kenny Dixon would originally finished third, would be awarded the win after both the original winner and the original runner-up were disqualified after post-race inspections.
Ryan Flores who just two weeks ago was in the Flo Racing booth with Matthew Dillner, Flores is also tire changer for Ryan Blaney and known for his role on the podcast “Stacking Pennies” with Corey Lajoie. Flores jumped in the driver seat of the 39 car. He was originally declared the winner, but he disqualified after he failed post-race inspection. Andrew Mason was second, but he was also disqualified for failing to submit to post-race inspection.
Next week is the annual Truliant Federal Credit Union Night of Destruction. That means there will be a Monster Truck Car Crushing Exhibition and a Midway Mobile Storage Demolition Derby.
In addition, there will be twin 25-lap races in the Brad’s Golf Cars Modified Series, twin 20-lap races in the McDowell Heating & Air Sportsman Series, a 20-lap race in the Law Offices of John Barrow Street Stock Series, and either one of two 15-lap races in the Q104.1 Stadium Stock Series.
Plus, one fan will win a John Deere S120 Lawn Tractor from James River Equipment.
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