Column By: BOBBY CHALMERS / RPW – NORTH WILKESBORO, NC – Former NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year and Daytona 500 Champion Ryan Newman took the lead from Spencer Davis in lap traffic with just seven laps remaining and went on to score the Tour-Type Modified Uncatchable 50 win Tuesday evening at North Wilkesboro Speedway.
This was the track’s first event in quite some time as part of XR’s Race Track Revival.
“This is just an amazing feeling,” Newman said. “To get congratulated by Dale (Earnhardt) Jr. I know this place means a lot to him. It meant so much to his dad. Thanks to him and all the fans that came out tonight.”
Newman was extremely grateful to be the first to win at the speedway in what has been a long time coming for racers and fans alike.
“That’s the first time riding an elevator to victory lane for me,” he said. “I dedicate this win to the Parsons family. Benny Parsons wanted to see this day. Terry Parsons helped make it happen. From everybody at XR Racing Series, the Tour-Type Modifieds, SMART Modified Tour and everyone that’s a part of this, it’s really special. Thanks to them and all of the people on this car that are behind me and give me the opportunity to go play on a Tuesday night.”
With the move Newman made to grab the top spot, Matt Hirschman took second at the same time but Davis regained the runner-up spot just two laps later.
However for Davis, whose qualifying time was disallowed and was forced to start in the rear of the field (31st), he ran out of time to try and get the lead back.
The driver of car #29 led a good portion of the event but had to settle for second with Hirschman finishing third. Ryan Preece and Burt Myers completed the top five.
Notables in the field included Jimmy “Showtime” Blewett who finished in seventh, Friday night’s SK Modified winner at Stafford Motor Speedway, Anthony Bello, who finished in 12th, Modified and ARCA Racing Series runner Andy Jankowiak who finished 15th, former Cup Series Champion Bobby Labonte who finished 17th, former NASCAR Mod Tour standout Jamie Tomaino who finished 19th and Super DIRTcar Series hotshoe Max McLaughlin who was an early retiree and finished 29th.
In the companion Crate Modified feature, 11-year-old Paulie Hartwig III captured the victory to become the youngest winner in North Wilkesboro Speedway history. Carson Loftin, McLaughlin, Burt Myers and Blewett completed the top five.
The other event on the card was the Mini Stock division and Robert Strmiska took home checkers over Tim Canipe, Chuck Wall, Brandon Clements and Brandon Brendle.
The track will return to action on Wednesday evening with another full card of racing, including the Tour-Type Modifieds, Crate Modifieds and Mini Stocks once again.
TOURING MODIFIEDS
1. (5) 39 Ryan Newman – South Bend, IN
2. (31) 29 Spencer Davis – Dawsonville, GA
3. (8) 60 Matt Hirschman – Northampton, PA
4. (2) 40 Ryan Preece – Berlin, CT
5. (7) 1 Burt Myers – Walnut Cove, NC
6. (17) 5 Tom Buzze – Statesville, NC
7. (4) 7NYB Jimmy Blewett – Howell, NJ
8. (1) 2 Brandon Ward – Winston-Salem, NC
9. (18) 15 Brian Loftin – Clemmons, NC
10. (11) 20 Max Zachem – Preston, CT
11. (10) 7NYH Caleb Heady – Shelbyville, KY
12. (23) 2PA Anthony Bello – Newtown, CT
13. (21) 4 Jason Myers – Walnut Cove, NC
14. (9) 02C Joey Coulter – Concord, NC
15. (32) 73 Andy Jankowiak – Tonawanda, NY
16. (34) 02Y Troy Young – Boones Mill, VA
17. (6) 25 Bobby Labonte – Corpus Christi, TX
18. (13) 20CT Chase Cook – Norwich, CT
19. (26) 99 Jamie Tomaino – Midland, NC
20. (19) 14NC Bobby Measmer Jr – Concord, NC
21. (20) 17 Kevin Timmerman – Ontario, NY
22. (24) 95M Cody Kohler – Schnecksville, PA
23. (33) 3 Craig Young – Boones Mill, VA
24. (15) V4 Tim Connolly – Endicott, NY
25. (28) 3P Danny Propst – Monroe, NC
26. (25) 29P Doug Patton – Greensboro, NC
27 DNF. (16) 79 Jeremy Gerstner – Wesley Chapel, FL
28 DNF. (29) 8NY Wes Gilbert – Preston, MD
29 DNF. (3) 77 Max McLaughlin – Mooresville, NC
30 DNF. (12) 43 Devin O’Connell – Madison, CT
31 DNF. (22) 12 Brian Sones – Sandy Valley, PA
32 DNF. (30) 8F Chris Finocchario – Macedon, NY
33 DNF. (27) 01 Brian Weber – Long Island, NY
DNS. (14) 45 Gary Young Jr. – Burlington, NC
CAROLINA CRATE MODIFIEDS
1. (3) 73 Paulie Hartwig III – Galloway, NJ
2. (4) 23 Carson Loftin – Clemmons, NC
3. (6) 9 Max McLaughlin – Mooresville, NC
4. (9) 54 Burt Myers – Walnut Cove, NC
5. (7) 76 James Blewett – Howell, NJ
6. (19) 41 Carson DiGiantomasso – Jackson, NJ
7. (8) 72 Brian Rygielski – Wilkes-Barre, PA
8. (5) 63 Josh Lowder – Archdale, NC
9. (10) 12 Cody Norman – Lewisville, NC
10. (11) 17 Tony Jilson – Mooresville, NC
11. (13) 02 Ryan Fisher – Leonardo, NJ
12. (2) 73H Paul Hartwig Jr – Galloway, NJ
13. (12) 33 Tanner Young – Henry, VA
14. (15) 35 Troy Bollinger – Lehighton, PA
15. (1) 38 Jarret DiGiantomasso – Jackson, NJ
16. (20) 77 Billy Keyes – Waynesboro, VA
17. (16) 14 Joe Fleenor – Randleman, NC
18. (18) 55 Lou Hoguet – Sewell, NJ
19. (21) 2 Amber Lynn – Walkertown, NC
20. (17) 01 Brian Weber – Long Island, NY
21. (14) 21 Jeremy Gerstner – Wesley Chapel, FL
22. (22) 1 John Kennedy – Hickory, NC
MINI STOCKS
1. (8) 90 Robert Strmiska – Lexington, NC
2. (7) 10 Tim Canipe – Maiden, NC
3. (5) 18 Chuck Wall – Lexington, NC
4. (6) 7C Brandon Clements – Swansboro, NC
5. (2) 43 Brandon Brendle – Tobaccoville, NC
6. (4) 80 Luke Smith – Advance, NC
7. (3) 19 BJ Thrasher – Pendleton, SC
8. (12) 09 Randy Canipe – Hickory, NC
9. (13) 24 AJ Sanders – Mocksville, NC
10. (19) 1 Shane Canipe – Hickory, NC
11. (10) 21 Kevin Jackson – Oak Grove, SC
12. (9) 12 Jessie Yopp – Moneta, VA
13. (15) 0 Dan Braun – Fremont, WI
14. (1) 16 Michael Tucker – Thomasvile, NC
15. (17) 32 Phil Malouf – Manitowish Waters, WI
16. (21) 66 Jacob Gustafson – Webster, NY
17. (23) 5FF Tim Finstad – Poynette, WI
18. (22) 00 Lavin Crain – Taylorsville, KY
19. (11) 98 James Crigger – Lexington, NC
20. (18) 15 Derek Robinson – Tippecanoe, OH
21. (20) 22 Adam Thomas – Lexington, NC
22. (24) 17 Nick Miller – York, SC
23. (16) 03 Mike Herron – Gibsonville, NC
24. (14) 02 Matt Briggs – Holly Hill, SC
B MAIN RESULTS
1. (21) 1 Shane Canipe – Hickory, NC
2. (8) 22 Adam Thomas – Lexington, NC
3. (1) 66 Jacob Gustafson – Webster, NY
4. (2) 00 Lavin Crain – Taylorsville, KY
5. (4) 40 Ken Dixon – Pfafftown, NC
6. (6) 27 Austin Cates – Tobaccoville, NC
7. (11) 17 Nick Miller – York, SC
8. (9) 26 Ayden Gauthier – York, SC
9. (10) 46 Jason Garwood – North Wilkesboro, NC
10. (22) 5FF Tim Finstad – Poynette, WI
11. (12) 22M Marc Jones – Mocksville, NC
12. (13) 51 Andrew Cates – Tobaccoville, NC
13. (19) 96 Rusty Edward – Burlington, NC
14. (15) 99 Amber Garwood – North Wilkesboro, NC
15. (17) 13 Ricky Houser – Aurora, NC
16. (14) 00C Barry Canter – Charlotte, NC
17. (20) 06 Tony Edward – Burlington, NC
18. (5) 8 Stephen Sanders – Midway, NC
19. (7) 7 Chris Carter – Lavergne, TN
20. (18) 5 George Sparkman – Loves Park, IL
21. (3) 42 Ronnie Byrd – Dublin, VA
DNS. (16) 22E Mark Evans – Shallotte, NC
