September 16, 2013 – By Jacob Seelman for Speed 77 Radio and Race Chaser Online – Kingsport, TN – Despite two rainouts and a two month break from the most recent race for the UARA-STARS tour, when the series resumed for the Model City 150 Saturday night at Kingsport Speedway, the rich just continued to get richer.
UARA points leader Dillon Bassett, out of Winston Salem, NC, not only led the UARA regulars to the three-eighths mile bullring, he led them all the way to victory lane, dominating the Model City 150 presented by Bloomingdale Car Care and leading 75 of the 150 laps en route to his second win of 2013 and second-consecutive UARA triumph. With the win, Bassett extends his points lead over Garrett Campbell with 4 races currently remaining on the UARA schedule.
While long delayed (the last series race was at Caraway Speedway in July, due to consecutive rainouts at Kenly, NC and Anderson, SC), the win was sweet for Bassett, who had to drive through the field from ninth to claim the lead at halfway.
“I knew we had a much better car than we showed in qualifying,” Bassett laughed following the win in Victory Lane. “Once we got the car dialed in, we were just able to pick them off one at a time; I feel like we had the car that could pass anywhere on the race track and we went out and proved it. Time to go for the three-peat in Caraway now!”
Local favorite Daniel Pope Jr., Garrett Campbell, defending UARA champion Travis Swaim and Circle Wheel/Xtreme Trophies and More Rookie of the Race Chandler LeVan completed the top five in a wild race that saw sparks fly and tempers flare.
Six cautions, most notably an engine failure by Paul Nogradi which sparked a 15 minute red flag and a hard crash by 13-year-old Garrett Jones at the exit of Turn 4 added to the action on the night. Jones, who was turned by fellow rookie Chandler LeVan, was very displeased with the way he was raced.
“We got turned by the 81 (of LeVan),” Jones said simply upon exiting his car. “I don’t know what more there is to say.”
“It was purely a racing incident,” LeVan explained after soldiering through to fifth at the end of the race. “He got into me, I got into him, I saw a hole and I went for it. Had he been in my position, he’d have done the same thing. We talked though, and I don’t think there’s going to be any hard feelings going to Caraway.”
The UARA-STARS tour now has a quick turnaround, returning to the Caraway Speedway on Saturday night for Race 10 of their 2013 schedule.
For more information on the UARA-STARS Series, fans can follow the STARS on Twitter @uarastarsseries and “like” them on Facebook under the United Auto Racing Association.
PHOTO CREDIT: United Auto Racing Association
Results: Model City 150, Kingsport, TN
1. 44 – Dillon Bassett
2. 16 – Daniel Pope II
3. 12 – Garrett Campbell
4. 28 – Travis Swaim
5. 81 – Chandler LeVan
6. 3 – Kaz Grala
7. 31 – Thomas Beane
8. 88 – Garrett Jones
9. 55 – Bruce Blessing
10. 15 – Kres VanDyke
11. 47 – Lee Tissot
12. 02 – Paul Nogradi
Dillon Bassett Winner’s Interview:
Daniel Pope Jr. 2nd Place:
Garrett Campbell 3rd Place:
Chandler LeVan 5th Place:
Kaz Grala PostRace Audio:
Garrett Jones PostRace Audio:
