November 5, 2013 — Audio/Recap by Jacob Seelman for Speed77 Radio and Race Chaser Online — Rougemont, N.C. — It took two races, and some major fireworks, but the hometown hero was able to celebrate in style on Saturday night at Orange County Speedway.
Craig Moore, who travels not 15 minutes home down the road after each event at Orange County, scored the win in the second of two twin 50 Late Model features Saturday night and was able to celebrate not just a victory, but also a long-awaited first-career track championship at OCS.
“Man I’ve been wanting this since I was a little kid,” Moore said triumphantly in Victory Lane. “I’ll be 36 years old Monday and it has been a long time coming; a long time coming.”
Moore’s track title puts his name on a prestigious list of OCS champions including NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver Timothy Peters and 2011 ASA National Champion Barry Beggarly.
Moore’s title-clinching feature was the calm one, with only a Lap 29 caution slowing the action over the course of fifty laps. The first 50-lap Late Model feature, however, was where all the drama unfolded.
Chuck “Rowdy” Lawson (42) would score the win in that first event, but the story of the race was what happened behind him. On Lap 31, Moore and race leader Chris Denny would stage a hard side-by-side duel for the top spot, with neither one wanting to give an inch. In Turn 3, Moore would slide up the racetrack slightly and make contact with the left rear of Denny’s #2 machine, enough to puncture the tire. Half a lap later, in Turn 2, the tire would let go, sending Denny nose-first hard into the outside wall, cracking the radiator and ending his night.
Following the incident, Denny would get out of his car and walk back to Turn 1, expressing his extreme displeasure to points leader Moore before being escorted out of the track by officials.
In the Limited Late Model class, a single caution just past halfway in the 35-lap main event would not prevent a thrilling finish. Truly epitomizing the phrase, “You only have to lead the last lap,” 2010 LLM track champion Justin Newlin would loosen up Late Model winner Rowdy Lawson coming off of Turn 4 and race him side-by-side all the way to the line. In a photo finish that left fans on their feet, Newlin triumphed over Lawson by just the front bumper.
“Hey, you only gotta lead the lap that pays the money, right?” Newlin quipped in Victory Lane. “It’s great to be here and finish out the season with a win; we want to have a lot of momentum coming into 2014.”
Jerry Hinesley, who finished fourth, claimed his first Limited Late Model track title at OCS.
A spirited duel between rivals in the Bandolero class led to a green-to-checkered event and a battle for the lead that couldn’t have gotten any crazier if it had tried.
Carson Hudson, already a winner earlier in the day at Ace Speedway, came back to his home track at OCS under the lights looking for a weekend sweep and a final shot to celebrate in Victory Lane, while Cody Wiles, who had already locked up the 2013 OCS Bandolero track championship, was looking to dethrone Hudson from his victory pedestal.
In a 12-lap trophy dash, Hudson and Wiles would hook up in the draft to get a sizable gap, and then dueled among themselves for the season-ending prize. Hudson would look inside for four straight laps, getting nearly 45 degrees sideways on the apron in Turns 1 and 2 on Lap 7 before making the decisive pass for the win on the frontstretch a lap later.
“It’s beyond sweet to end our season in Victory Lane,” Hudson said with a grin after the event. “We won earlier in the day at Ace, and to come to our home track and take another win, we’ll take three of our last four. I’m good with that. Missed a couple races in the summer cause of injury, but we’re gonna be back next year and take this track title. Congrats to Cody though, he earned the hardware this year and I’m happy for him, he’s a good friend and a fierce competitor.”
Jarret Milam scored the win in the Pure Stock class, wrapping up the division title after a green-white-checkered finish set up a mad scramble for the win. Milam fended off Jerry Wilkerson after inheriting the lead when the #50 of Jared Gillis spun out of the lead in Turn 4.
Corey Purnell (Super Stocks) and Junior Chriscoe (Super Mini Trucks) were also winners in their respective divisions on the evening.
For more information on the Orange County Speedway, including the 2014 schedule of events as it becomes available, visit their website at ocstrack.com or find them at Facebook.com/ocstrack.
Photo Credit: TGO Photography
Results – Championship Night at Orange County Speedway
Late Model Race 1
1. Chuck Lawson #42
2. Craig Moore #1
3. Brandon Baker #29
4. Terry Dease #06
5. G.R. Waldrop #01
6. Mike Chambers #27
7. Bradley McCaskill #18
8. Mason Hudson #46
9. Chris Denny #2
10. Kenny Forbes #33
Late Model Race 2
1. Craig Moore #1
2. Chuck Lawson #42
3. Brandon Baker #29
4. Kenny Forbes #33
5. G.R. Waldropn #01
6. Terry Dease #06
7. Mike Chambers #27
8. Mason Hudson #46
9. Bradley McCaskill #18
10. Chris Denny #94
Limited Late Models
1. Justin Newlin #18
2. Chuck Lawson #58
3. Brandon Baker #87
4. Jerry Hinesley #46
5. Tracey Chambers #77
6. Dennis Sargent Jr. #38
7. Roger Ellis #94
8. Chris Henderson #78
9. Daniel Schadt #12
Super Stocks
1. Corey Purnell #35
2. Jason Warsing #71
3. Michael Smith #77
4. Richard Hayden #32
5. James Peery #7
6. Austin Purnell #32
Pure Stocks
1. Jarret Milam #27
2. Jerry Wilkerson #76
3. Chase Sandefur #47
4. D J Moser #50
5. Jared Gillis #55
6. Corey Whitley #40
7. Kyle Walker #87
8. Brandon Watson #06
Super Mini Trucks
1. Junior Chriscoe #8
2. Michael Waters #22
3. Ray Chriscoe #7
4. Chase McAdams # 62
5. Wesley Martin #16
6. Scott Martin #15
7. David Wenhart #1
8. Jimmy Carver #25
9. Jeffery Martin #77
Bandoleros
1. Carson Hudson #46
2. Cody Wiles #01
3. Henry Broadbent Jr. #74
Interview with Late Model Feature #1 winner Chuck Lawson:
Interview with Late Model Feature #2 winner and 2013 track Champion Craig Moore:
Interview with Limited Late Model Winner Justin Newlin:
Interview with Limited Late Model runner-up Chuck Lawson:
Interview with Super Stock winner Corey Purnell:
Interview with Pure Stock winner Jarret Milam:
Interview with Super Mini Truck winner Junior Chriscoe:
Interview with 2013 OCS Bandolero track champion Cody Wiles:
