SENOIA, Ga. – Story, photo and audio by Managing Editor Jacob Seelman for Speed77 Radio, Race Chaser Online and USCS Racing –
After a season of near-misses, runner-up results and stunning strides for www.rockauto.com USCS 600 Sprint Car Series rookie Remeno Loyal, the Snellville, Ga. driver finally added a victory to his resume during Friday night’s preliminary feature at Senoia Raceway.
Loyal used a huge turn four slide job to steal the lead from two-time series champion Bobby Zaiontz on lap 11 and drove off into the Georgia night, leading the final five laps of the 15-lap feature en route to his first career USCS micro sprint victory.
In a feature that saw three different leaders, including Loyal and Zaiontz, the home state driver said there was “never any doubt” that his car was going to be the one to beat in the main event – even after the invert placed him sixth for the initial start.
“This feels awesome,” a breathless Loyal said in www.rockauto.com USCS Victory Lane. “We’ve been working a long time for this. Sam McCullough, Mike Magic, my son Miles and everyone that’s mentored me and gotten me to this point – this is all for them.”
“I knew it wasn’t going to be easy – Bobby is one of the best ever in these cars and in this series – so I knew whatever we did it was going to have to be big and we’d only have one shot at it. I just shot it off into turn four and it stuck. I still can’t believe we just did what we did. A clean sweep is a heck of a way to start this weekend!”
Zaiontz, from Columbus, Miss., tried to chase Loyal back down in the final laps but faded to a straightaway back at the checkered flag, finishing runner-up in his No. 1 PMP Chassis entry after leading laps two through 10.
“To be honest, I didn’t think he was close enough that he could catch me, so I started letting off a little earlier than I had been going into the corners in order to conserve my equipment,” Zaiontz admitted. “I had the race and I just simply messed it up. It’s my bad. We’ll be back tomorrow to try again.”
Zaiontz’s teammate, three-time season winner and Cumming, Ga. young gun Brandon Taylor, rounded out the podium finishers in third.
Montgomery, Ala. invader Kyle Amerson led the opening lap but didn’t have the speed to stay up front and ultimately finished fourth, with Shane Werner, out of McDonough, Ga. rounding out the top five.
Another pair of Georgia natives, Alpharetta’s Bob Trapino and Trenton’s Aubrey Black Jr., finished sixth and seventh as the last two cars running at the checkered flag.
Castalian Springs, Miss. rookie contender Michael Barton and Winder, Ga. veteran Mike Magic both had problems derail their nights – with neither driver able to complete a lap during the main event.
In preliminary action, Loyal grabbed the win in the Hoosier Tire Speed Dash for his second dash victory of the year, and followed that up with a win in the Engler Machine and Tool Heat Race.
The all-star performance made Loyal the provisional polesitter after scoring the most passing points in heat race action, but when a six was rolled on the K&N Inversion Die, Bob Trapino grabbed the K&N Filters Pole Position. Loyal also passed the most cars in the main event (five) to garner the Wilwood Disc Brakes Hard Charger Award.
The www.rockauto.com USCS 600 Sprint Car Series season continues on Saturday night, August 22 with the finale of the 6th annual Senoia Summer Nationals at Senoia Raceway.
For rules and updated schedule information about the www.rockauto.com USCS 600 Sprint Car series please visit www.uscsracing.com or call the series office at 770-460-7223 or 770-865-6097.
Audio with race winner Remeno Loyal:
Audio with runner-up Bobby Zaiontz:
RESULTS: www.rockauto.com USCS 600 Sprint Car Series @ Senoia Raceway; August 21, 2015
Hoosier Tire Speed Dash: Remeno Loyal, Brandon Taylor, Shane Werner, Bob Trapino, Mike Magic, Michael Barton (DNS).
Engler Machine and Tool Heat Race: Remeno Loyal, Brandon Taylor, Bobby Zaiontz, Shane Werner, Kyle Amerson, Michael Barton, Bob Trapino, Aubrey Black Jr., Mike Magic.
www.rockauto.com USCS 600 Sprint A-Main 15 laps:
- #2X – Remeno Loyal, Snellville, GA
- #1 – Bobby Zaiontz, Columbus, MS
- #07 – Brandon Taylor, Cumming, GA
- #29 – Kyle Amerson, Montgomery, AL
- #48 – Shane Werner, McDonough, GA
- #98 – Bob Trapino, Alpharetta, GA
- #0 – Aubrey Black Jr., Trenton, GA
- #21B – Michael Barton, Castalian Springs, MS
- #14 – Mike Magic, Winder, GA (DNS)
USCS 600 Sprint Race Awards:
Hoosier Tire Speed Dash: #2X – Remeno Loyal
Engler Machine and Tool Heat Race: #2X – Remeno Loyal
K&N Filters Pole Award: #98 – Bob Trapino
Bell Helmets Focus Award: #1 – Bobby Zaiontz
K&N Filters Podium (3rd place) Award: #07 – Brandon Taylor
Brown and Miller Racing Solutions Fourth Place Award: #29 – Kyle Amerson
Wilwood Disc Brakes Hard Charger Award: #2X – Remeno Loyal
Keizer Aluminum Wheels Top Five Award: #48 – Shane Werner
Saldana Racing Products Super Sixth Award: #98 – Bob Trapino
DMI/Bulldog Rear Ends Top Ten Award: #14 – Mike Magic
About the Writer
Jacob Seelman is the Managing Editor of Race Chaser Online and creator of the Motorsports Madness radio show, airing at 7 p.m. Eastern every Monday on the Performance Motorsports Network. Seelman grew up in the sport, watching his grandparents co-own the RaDiUs Motorsports NASCAR Cup Series team in the 1990s. He is currently studying Broadcast Journalism at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C., and is also serving as the full-time tour announcer for both the United Sprint Car Series and the Must See Racing Sprint Car Series.
Email Jacob at: speed77radio@gmail.com
Follow on Twitter: @Speed77Radio or @JacobSeelman77
