MIDLAND, N.C. — Audio and race report by Managing Editor Jacob Seelman for Speed77 Radio and Race Chaser Online — Ryan Mackintosh/FAB Specialties photo — During Friday night’s racing action at the Concord Speedway, the underlying tie for most of the evening’s victorious drivers was that they took the lead on the start — and never gave it back.
In fact, in six of the night’s eight features, the race winner led every lap of the event.
Joey Padgett wired the night’s headline feature — the 25-lap Pro/Master combined race — by starting from the pole and building a steady gap as the battle for second raged behind him. By the time Robbie Woodall finally prevailed for the runner-up spot, Padgett was 10 car lengths out in front at Lap 3 just before a caution for the spinning car of Heath Byerly bunched up the field.
A red flag on the restart for a multi-car incident that took out Jamie Smith and Dwayne Holder from competition whittled the field down to six survivors, but despite a third caution at halfway, Woodall was never able to close the gap and finished roughly half a second behind Padgett at the checkered flag.
While Padgett claimed overall and Pro honors, Woodall was credited with the Masters victory. Daniel Abee completed the top three.
The night’s most serious accident took place on the opening lap of the Semi-Pro feature when John Holleman took the lead going three-wide into turn 1. While the scramble made it through that corner, it wouldn’t survive turn 3, when Josh Brimecombe was shoved wide and took a vicious hit into the outside jersey barriers. Hey walked away, and Holleman was put to the rear for the restart for aggressive driving.
From there, it was Casey Brown who held off a valiant charge by Taylor Jorgensen to claim the victory, with Holleman bringing up the third position after a broken shock mount slowed his pace.
Carson Ferguson wired the Young Lions feature after starting on the pole, with Christian Eckes chasing him all the way to the line in a race that saw Alex Murray make hard contact with the turn 4 wall after a tap from Alex Reece. A displeased Murray took to the pit area and Reece contineud on, finishing third behind the two pace-setters.
Jensen Jorgensen and D.J. Canipe both carried over their momentum from the Summer Shootout by winning the Bandolero Outlaws and Bandolero Bandits division features, respectively. Jorgensen held off Austin Powell until the latter was forced to the pit area with mechanical troubles and then raced away from Justin Taylor and Nick MacMillan for the win. Canipe drove from the pole and never looked back despite two cautions in the opening laps, keeping Ashton Higgins and Daniel Wilk at bay for the victory.
Isabella Robusto continued her winning ways in the Beginner Bandits class after scoring a win in Round Nine of the Jack in the Box Summer Shootout Series just down the road at Charlotte Motor Speedway by winning the 15-lap Beginner Bandits feature and leading wire-to-wire. Robusto stretched her lead to over a straightaway at times and took the win over Ashley Pantoulas. Bryson Ruff, another Shootout regular and winner this season, completed the podium in third.
Other feature winners included Hunter Richards in the quarter midget class and Andy Lombi in the Davis MiniCup Series feature.
Due to time and track curfew constraints, only one ‘winnerview’ was able to be completed during Friday night’s program.
Concord Speedway is back in action tonight — August 16th — with a full card of racing action. Gates open at 4:30 PM.
RESULTS: Concord Speedway; August 15, 2014
Legend Car Pro/Masters Feature (25 laps): 1. Joey Padgett, 2. Robbie Woodall, 3. Daniel Abee, 4. Les Miranda, 5. Jeramy Lowe, 6. Heath Byerly, 7. Jamie Smith, 8. Dwayne Holder. DNS: Scott Whitaker
Legend Car Semi-Pro Feature (25 laps): 1. Casey Brown, 2. Taylor Jorgensen, 3. John Holleman IV, 4. Cecil Harwell, 5. Josh Brimecombe.
Legend Car Young Lions Feature (25 laps): 1. Carson Ferguson, 2. Christian Eckes, 3. Alex Reece, 4. Jacob Heafner, 5. Sprout Royal, 6. Alex Murray.
Bandolero Outlaws Feature (19 laps): 1. Jensen Jorgensen, 2. Justin Taylor, 3. Nick MacMillan, 4. Trevor Rizzo, 5. Hannah Bell, 6. Gillian Kirkpatrick, 7. Kayla Lyons, 8. Hunter Richards, 9. Jordan Plummer, 10. Austin Powell, 11. Matthew Emery, 12. Ronnie Goins.
Bandolero Bandits Feature (20 laps): 1. D.J. Canipe, 2. Ashton Higgins, 3. Daniel Wilk, 4. Josh Kossek, 5. William Robusto, 6. Blake Cisneros.
Bandolero Beginner Bandits Feature (15 laps): 1. Isabella Robusto, 2. Ashley Pantoulas, 3. Bryson Ruff, 4. Tyler Adams, 5. Tommy Good, 6. Byers Faunce, 7. Zack Miracle. DNS: Landon Syner
Davis MiniCup Series Feature (25 laps): 1. Andy Lombi (modified winner), 2. Bill Saltz (stock winner), 3. Thomas Heavey, 4. Eric Coombes, 5. Brandon Coble.
Quarter Midget Feature (8 laps; 1/5 mile track): 1. Hunter Richards, 2. Mason DeJarnett, 3. Truett Miranda.
Audio with race winner Hunter Richards:
