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Clash PR
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (July 6) - Ricky Weeks finally put it all together on Sunday afternoon at Fayetteville Motor Speedway. After being shut out of the winners circle in 2008 the four time and defending Carolina Clash Series Champion captured his first 'Clash' win of the season in the rain delayed running of the 40 lap main event.
The race was originally scheduled for Saturday night but rain washed the event away after qualifying was completed. All but three of the 34 cars entered returned for the racing action on Sunday afternoon.
Swainsboro, GA's Chesley Dixon led the 24 car field to the green flag after setting fast time in Mega Plumbing of the Carolina's Qualifying. Dixon quickly took the point with Raeford, NC's Shawn Beasley in tow. The duo swapped the lead a couple of times before Dixon settled in. Meanwhile, Weeks was on the move from his 18th starting position and by the mid point of the event he had moved into contention.
Dixon's hopes of a win vanished when he hooked a rut and looped is mount on lap 19, just after Weeks had motored by. On the restart Weeks blew past Beasley to take the lead for the first time. Beasley and fellow top five runner Randle Chupp both went pitside on lap 28 with mechanical woes. Also joining them in the pits was Dennis 'Rambo' Franklin who fell out for the second consecutive week with problems. Weeks win combined with Franklin's 16th place finish moved Weeks into the points lead for the first time this season.
As the race went back green the man on the move was Jeff Smith. Smith, also looking for his first Carolina Clash win of the season stared on the third row but had to restart from the rear after having problems early on. He was able to drive all the way to second but Weeks was to strong as he held on for the $5,000 win. Smith was second with Scott Autry third, Larry Blankenship fourth and defending PBM Performance Parts Rookie of the Year Brent Robinson fifth. Sixth through tenth went to; Dustin Mitchell, David Taylor, Roger Lucas, Scott Neighbors and Doug Sanders.
Weeks was the Heintz Brothers Performance Hard Charger of the Race. Chris Blackwell took the Dirt Trax Motorsports Hard Luck Award. Autry and Weeks were the B-main winners.
The Carolina Clash Super Late Model Series heads to Friendship Speedway this weekend for a $4,000 to win 40 lap main event on July 12th.
CAROLINA CLASH FINISH: 1. Ricky Weeks 2. Jeff Smith 3. Scott Autry 4. Larry Blankenship 5. Brent Robinson 6. Dustin Mitchell 7. David Taylor 8. Roger Lucas 9. Scott Neighbors 10. Doug Sanders 11. Craig Shuffield 12. Ed Gibbons 13. Randle Chupp 14. Shawn Beasley 15. Chesley Dixon 16. Dennis Franklin 17. Deano Long 18. Timmy Blackwell 19 Chris Blackwell 20. G.R. Smith 21. Ricky Boahn 22. Anthony Sanders 23. Dan Breuer 24. Mike Mason DNS: Derek Francis, Casey Barrow, Greg Stutts, Chuck Smith, Craig Miller, Jason Altiers.
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