DAVENPORT TRAVELS NORTH & DETHRONES FASTRAK NORTHEAST & MOV’S BEST FOR $10,000 WIN AT WVMS

By Mike Leone

July 10, 2010                        

Mineral Wells, WV…The FASTRAK Racing Series made its maiden voyage to the spacious 5/8-mile West Virginia Motor Speedway on Saturday night.  The “National” Event co-sanctioned by the Northeast and Mid-Ohio Valley Touring Series drew 37 drivers from all over the eastern United States. 

In his first ever appearance in the Northeast, Jonathan Davenport walked away with the huge $10,000 top prize in the 50-lap Late Model event.  The Blairsville, Georgia ace started the event from the sixth starting position and passed three-time Northeast winner Mike Pegher, Jr. midway through the event held off fellow Southeast Touring star David Smith for the victory. 

Davenport will go down in the history books as the winner of the richest event ever held in the Northeast and Mid-Ohio Valley and came in his Mega Plumbing/Elite Concrete/Barry Wright Race Cars #49.  Davenport became the season’s sixth different Northeast Touring Series winner in nine events and 20^th different winner in 43 events all-time.

After running second for nearly the entire event before getting caught up in an accident at Mercer Raceway Park the week prior, David Smith made the trip north again from Inman, South Carolina and this time made the second place finish count, which was worth $5,000. 

After starting from the pole, Northeast Touring Series point leader Max Blair came home third for the $3,000 payday- his richest of the season.  Kenny Peeples, Jr. was fourth.  Mark Banal made his first FASTRAK start of the season a successful one driving 2007 Northeast Touring Series Championship car owner Bob Williams’ #8 into the fifth position for $1,500.   

Mike Pegher, Jr., who entered the night winner of three of the past four Northeast Touring Series events, settled for sixth and earned $1,250.  David Watts, Chris Meadows, Steve Cooke, and Dan Angelicchio completed the top 10.  Gary Knollinger, who finished 13^th, took over the Mid-Ohio Valley Touring Series point lead and moved into third place in the Northeast Touring Series.  Sixteen of the 24 starters were drivers part of the Northeast and Mid-Ohio Valley.

Butch Lambert kicked off the new “Wheelman” Bonus Event Challenge Series with a victory in the non-qualifier race.  The Mars, Pa. driver will assume the point lead in the new additional point series.  Matt Long was a half-straightaway back in second as Joe Martin, Charles Daugherty, and Kris Southern completed the top five.

FASTRAK Northeast/MOV Late Model Touring Series Race #9 (50 laps, $10,000 to-win): 1. JONATHAN DAVENPORT (49)  2. David Smith (11)  3. Max Blair (111)  4. Kenny Peeples, Jr. (22)  5. Mark Banal (Williams 8)  6. Mike Pegher Jr. (Geisler 1c)  7. David Watts (04)  8. Chris Meadows (33)  9. Steve Cooke (17C)  10. Dan Angelicchio (14)  11. Bryan Force (31)  12. Josh Holtgraver (00)  13. Gary Knollinger (38K)  14. Jason Genco (29J)  15. Colton Flinner (75)  16. Joel Prosser (77)  17. Cody Hardesty (32)  18. Shawn Jett (1J)  19. RJ Otto (1)  20. Royce Bray (Harris 21)  21. Jeff Burdette (44B)  22. K.C. Burdette (KC44)  23. Dan Karalagas (G1)  24. Shannon Buckingham (50).

Non-Qualifier Bonus Event: 1. Butch Lambert (27)  2. Matt Long (25)  3. Joe Martin (55)  4. Charles Daugherty (22)  5. Kris Southern (K2)  6. Bud Watson (2)  7. Jason Stanke (44)  DNS: John Watson (51), David Gorrell (31), Daniel Hill (8), Tom Copeland (98), Brandon Umberger (54B), Dan Breuer (B7).

Fast Qualifier: Davenport

Heat winners: Blair, Pegher, Cooke, Buckingham

B main winners: Flinner, Watts

Car count: 37

The FASTRAK Northeast Late Model Touring Series will resume action this Sunday, July 18 at Tri-City Speedway in Franklin, Pa. for the first of two appearances paying $1,200 to-win plus the new “Wheelman” Bonus Event Challenge Series if 30 or more cars are present.

The Mid-Ohio Valley Touring Series will return to West Virginia Motor Speedway on Sunday, August 1 for a $1,200 to-win event plus the rained out May 16 $1,200 to-win feature.

You can reach co-directors Vicki Emig and Mike Leone at the FASTRAK Northeast office at 724-964-9300.  E-mail to info@fastraknortheast.com and snail mail to 4368 Route 422, Pulaski, PA 16143.  The office is open daily late mornings and after 1:30 p.m.  For more information, check out the FASTRAK Northeast website at www.fastraknortheast.com.  Become our fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/fastraknortheast.

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