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In the end, there was Brian King, as invincible as ever, climbing out into
the waiting embrace of another victorious celebration. But to arrive at what
has become such a familiar destination, he had to withstand a beating to
remain unbeaten at Ace Speedway.
King conquered a series of challenges during the stretch run of
Friday night's main event and emerged as the winner of the track's 125-lap
feature for the Carolina Carports American Speed Association (ASA) Southern
Modified Race Tour.
Burt Myers set a new Ace qualifying record for the Modifieds with a
lap at 14.717 seconds edging Josh Nichols for the top starting spot. L. W.
Miller, Jason Myers, King and Jay Foley made up the top three rows. Jason
Trinchere, Scott Rigney, Greg Butcher, Gary Young, Jr., David Cranmer, Mike
Norman, Ricky Knapp, Jr. and David Beck made up the remainder of the field
It went down as the Gibsonville driver's seventh victory in seven
starts at Ace this season. Nobody else has won a race involving Modifieds
here this year. "Yeah, there was a little beating and banging. It was a
little rough," he said. "But I drove those guys like I felt like they'd
drive me. "That's just racing. I felt like I had the best car and I wasn't
going to give it up."
King finally found an appropriate angle and a passing maneuver
under Burt Myers with about 50 laps remaining. That was a move some 20 laps
in the making, and it created contact that sent Myers' No. 1 car sliding
high in turn four. And just when it seemed the action had reached its peak,
it bubbled over 25 laps later. That's when L.W. Miller's charging No. 36 car
whacked -- and lifted -- the rear of King's No. 17 with several rugged and
bold attempts to seize the lead. King, who ultimately led the final 49 laps,
proved up the task and protected his turf at his home track. "We used it all
up trying to get back up to him," Miller said, referring to his car. "Brian
had a good car. I got to him and then I had used it up. I was done. "That's
good, hard racing right there. Boy, I had a good time and can't wait to come
back and do that again."
Mooresville's Miller finished second and Walnut Cove's Myers, who
won the ASA Southern Modifieds' Labor Day stop at Ace, placed third. King
was slightly irked that Myers edged him by five hundredths of a second to
secure the night's top qualifying performance. Once the green flag dropped,
though, it quickly became clear which car was in command. King rocketed from
a starting position of fifth and blazed by Myers to lead the 28th lap. He
stayed there until lap 49, when the first caution period offered the
opportunity for a tire change and adjustment. That shuffled King back to
fifth, setting the scene for his second climb to the front of the 14-car
field and the accompanying drama that highlighted the latter stages.
"I knew all day we had a really good car," King said. "My dad built
an awesome engine. This is by far the best engine we've ever had. That makes
it a lot easier on me. I can ride a little bit when I need to ride and make
it up on the straightaways."
Walnut Cove's Jason Myers and Josh Nichols of Cleveland, N.C.,
rounded out the top five finishers. Trinchere, Butcher, Cranmer, Norman and
Knapp completed the top ten with Foley, Beck, Rigney and Young rounding out
the field.
Myers and king each led two times with King at the point for a race
high 70 laps. King was the most improved position winner gaining five spots.
Burt Myers earned the “Carolina Carports Man of Steel” award with his third
place finish and Nichols cashed in on the Pro Fabrication Header award for
finishing fifth.
It was the second race of the season for the ASA Southern
Modifieds, and the first since early March. The next event on the Carolina
Carports ASA Southern Modified Race Tour schedule is set for Sunday
afternoon, June 7th at Franklin County Speedway in Rocky Mount, Virginia.
The mods go for 125 green-flag laps along with the Old Dominion Shootout for
Late Model Stocks and the East Coast Flathead Ford Association.
ASA, ASA Racing and American Speed Association are trademarks of
Racing Speed Associates, LLC. Racing Speed Associates, LLC is not related to
or affiliated with ASA Late Model Series, LLC.
“CAROLINA 125”
Finishing Order
Finish / Start / Car # / Driver / Hometown
1. 5 17 Brian King Gibsonville, NC
2. 3 36 L. W. Miller Mooresville, NC
3. 1 1 Burt Myers Walnut Cove, NC
4. 4 4 Jason Myers Walnut Cove, NC
5. 2 34 Josh Nichols Cleveland, NC
6. 7 76 Jason Trinchere Sherrills Ford, NC
7. 9 0 Greg Butcher Mocksville, NC
8. 11 59 David Cranmer Shrewsbury, NJ
9. 12 12 Mike Norman Winston-Salem, NC
10. 13 1K Ricky Knapp, Jr. Mooresville, NC
11. 6 57 Jay Foley Stuart, VA
12. 14 63 David Beck Lexington, NC
13. 8 49 Scott Rigney Mt. Airy, NC
14. 10 45 Gary Young, Jr. Burlington, NC
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