Wheel/Tire Roll Challenge in Breast Cancer Awareness Battle Positions Dillon Brown for Victory
Twenty-seven cars signed in for the series first ever visit to Bobby Koehler's Ultimate Motorsports and RV Park. Lowe and Dietz were ready to continue a hot points battle and chase $5,000 against twenty-five of the other finest pro late models in the country. The track was perfect for the night of racing, with three to four clear racing lanes for great action!
In what was one of the closest battles for the pole in series history, Brandon Umberger took the BHR Fabrication Fast Time award by .003 with a time of 16.308. The driver just off his fast time was none other then one of the points contenders, Jesse Lowe with a time of 16.311! You'll never guess who was just behind him in third, Josh Dietz, the other half of the points battle with a time of 16.318. Dillon Brown would go fourth with a time of 16.345 and "The Newton Ninja" Rick Greene rounded out the fifth fast time turning a 16.372.
The Race Track Connection Dash would be won by Brandon Umberger, with Jesse Lowe taking second and Josh Dietz rounding out third with Dillon Brown as the final driver to lock into the wheel/tire challenge. Those four competitors were brought to the front stretch, ready to roll their wheel and tire. Umberger, was injured from a work accident and had to tag his crew chief in for the roll. Josh Dietz was the early favorite to win the challenge while Dillon Brown had previously told us he'd just start fourth if he were in it. The horn sounded and they were off. Jesse Lowe came out of nowhere to win the challenge and grab the pole spot. Dillon didn't do as promised, but actually rolled the heck out of his tire to get the outside front row starting spot with the early favorite Dietz rolling across third. Umberger's crew chief let him down on the call making him have to start from the fourth position.
The three heat races on the night went caution free. Cheeseburger Bryan Mullis would take the win in Dirt2Media Heat One over Justin Hudspeth and Kyle Pierce. Outside Groove Heat 2 went to Jacob Brown over Jordan Koehler and "Rambo" Dennis Franklin. FMS Rapid Graphix Heat Three went to Tyler Arrington with Benji Hicks and Andrew Lankford. After this track owner Bobby Koehler said start them all, so all competitors would get to race for the money!
The feature field was set and Brown took advantage of his performance in the Wheel Tire Roll challenge to take the lead from the outside front row. Jesse Lowe followed in hot pursuit. The first caution of the night flew for a single car spin in turns one and two. Brown jumped back to the lead and Benji Hicks began picking his way through the field. A few more cautions would fly and Hicks would work his way all the way up to third at one point in pursuit of the leaders. Dillon Brown told us before the night started he was ready to race and felt he had the best piece he'd had with us all year. That proved to be true as the race ended on a long green flag run and he would not be denied his first series win of the season. A few laps Lowe and Dietz would be faster, but never could run Brown down. Jesse Lowe would finish second with Dietz taking third. This would leave Lowe widening the points gap to six or three positions on the track. Benji Hicks took fourth with Justin Hudspeth taking fifth. "The Newton Ninja" Ricky Greene brought it home sixth while Jacob Brown crossed the line seventh. Tyler Arrington, Bryan Mullis, and Hyperco Hard Charger Kendal Tucker would round out the top ten.
The AAS would like to thank Bobby, Wayne, and the whole team at Ultimate Motorsports Park for being such great hosts this weekend, as well as, the fans, drivers, and teams for attending the event! We'd also like to thank all the partners who make it possible: Dirt2Media, PPM Racing Products, Rick Hendrick City Chevrolet, Chevrolet Performance: Vehicles, Parts, Racing, Pro Fabrication "Official Header of the AAS," Mahle, Super Clean "Official Cleaner of the AAS," Outside Groove, FMS Rapid Graphix, Race Track Connection, Beckley Motor Speedway, O'Reilly Auto Parts "Official Auto Parts Store of the AAS," Smash-It by BWR, American Racer, Wieland "Official Aluminum of the AAS," BHR Fabrication and Double Nickle Race Cars, Fast Lane Fabrication, Warrior Race Cars, WV Fireworks Outlet, TNT Race Cars, KRC Power Steering, Peeping Dragon Photography, Terror Race Cars, ATC Bolts & Fasteners, PopBit, MD3, Hyperco, Burgess Motorsports Consulting, ML Performance Midwest, Massey Powersports, Pro-Built Motorsports, East TN Racers Recovery and Fast Fab.