Old Dominion Speedway / September 22, 2001

Stan Owens Takes Home First Ever LMSC Feature Win …………

After making the move from the Redman Fleet Service Grand Stock division, Stan Owens’ reflection on the 2001 season was “Well, it has been okay. But getting a win is what we really want.” Saturday night was just what the Tires Plus / Dudley Martin Chevrolet team was looking for as Owens held off a determined Mike Colabucci for his first ever feature win in the Bailey’s NASCAR Weekly Racing Series 75 lap feature. Owens took advantage of his front row starting spot, and took the lead as the 25 car field entered turn one. His first order of business was to hold off Earl Case, who started along side him on the front row. Case himself was looking for his first ever Late Model feature win and pressured Owens lap after lap. Colabucci reeled in the two front runners, but he and Case made contact in turn three, causing Case to spin and collecting point leader Dustin Storm. Case was sent to the rear, but Colabucci was allowed to remain in the second spot. When the green waved, Colabucci went to work on Owens, and dogged the Haymarket driver on every lap. A caution period on the white flag lap caused the field to slow, and Owens took the checkered flag under the yellow. Following Owens and Colabucci across the stripe was Danny Fair, followed by Doug Tuck, and James Penny. Storm, who was collected in the earlier altercation, was able to come back and finish 14^th, while the only other driver Mark McFarland who had a shot at the points title, finished 9^th. That finish clinched the track title for Storm, as he now has a 58 point lead with only one race remaining.
Chris Donnelly held off point leader Jimmy Hardin for just about the entire 50 lap feature for the Redman Fleet Service Grand Stocks. Both drivers managed to miss a multi-car pileup on the frontstraight which included Willard Lawrence and Jerry Black. Lawrence was only four points out of the lead in the second position heading into the night’s activities, but the crash eliminated him from the event. With his 15^th place finish, he now finds himself in third, 30 points out. Black, on the other hand, has able to repair his damaged machine, and finish third. He is now second to Hardin, just 12 points out of the lead with one event remaining. The top five finishers were Donnelly, Hardin, Black, John Tolliver, and Ray Terczak.
Vince Langan picked up his second feature win in the D&K Electric / Aldie Construction Mini Stock 30 lap event. Langan took over the lead from Keith Machliet, and beat him to the stripe by less than two car lengths. Following Langan and Machliet across the stripe were James Pack, Sean Dawson, and Mike Carte. The Mini Stock title is still up for grabs between four drivers as point leader Adam Flis, Sean Dawson, defending track champ Steve Loughman, and Bill Briggs are separated by just 42 points. Flis and Dawson are separated by just two points at the top.
Jeff Sisak held off the challenges of point leader Dave Gibbs, taking home his fourth feature win in the Gaston Automotive Speedway Sportsman 25 lap event. Gibbs tried high and low, but was unable to grab the lead. “I want to thank Dave (Gibbs) for running me clean. We have had some bad luck lately with blown tires and wrecks. It’s good to be back in victory lane,” a happy Sisak said. Following Sisak and Gibbs across the line were James Lucas, Les Miranda, and Ted Queen. The points chase in the Speedway Sportsman division is down to four divers with a shot at the title. Gibbs leads Lucas by 24 points, defending track champ Scott Lunceford by 32 points, and Sisak by 42 points.
Next Saturday night will conclude the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series at the Old Dominion Speedway. Scheduled activities are a 100 lap feature for the Late Models, 50 laps for the Grand Stocks, 30 laps for the Mini Stocks, and 25 laps for the Speedway Sportsman. Three of the four titles are up for grabs when racing takes the green at 7 PM. Lustine Chevrolet Quick Qualifying starts the evening’s activities at 5:15 PM.