This past Saturday Dominion Raceway hosted THE BIG ONE presented by W.G. Speeks with near picture perfect fall weather as a passing shower would delay some sessions of practice and qualifying. The track crew however, hard at work, was successful in drying the racing surface in time for qualifying. With $3,000 on the line and the Breg Pole Award, Landon Pembelton would clock the fastest lap around the highbanks of Dominion and ultimately redraw a 6 starting outside 2nd Place points holder Dustin Storm.
We asked both drivers prior to the racing action, while keeping with the theme of THE BIG ONE, presented by W.G. Speeks, a residential and commercial Heating and cooling company with over 80 years in business in the Richmond area, how exactly they stay “cool” both mentally and physically for a long hot 150 lap battle.
“Its going to be a lot of pacing yourself, keep the tires on it tonight, just managing everything, that always helps keep you cooler when you’re not just running ‘all out’ like we usually are” Dustin Storm said.
“Its feeling pretty nice out there today, got a good breeze, nice and cool, just gotta hydrate. Been working hard all day, with all the different kinds of rubber here today, the smaller American Racers, the vintage running the hoosiers, kinda throwing us for a whirl” Pembelton would say.
The real whirl on track perhaps was the sight of the iconic blue and orange paint scheme & #57 LMSC on the front row to start with none other than the man himself Eddie Johnson behind the wheel. ‘Well, we’re kinda out here just cruising, having some fun. Think we have the car a little bit better than we have in the past, the biggest thing is just to try and make some money, to have some money for Chases’ race car” says Johnson. Eddie Johnson son Chase, Truckin Thunder VA Racer points leader, would also be driving 150 laps in the VA racer division later in the night for $2k to win.
Octane Nation member Paul Myers would give the drivers the command, delivering the most famous words in motorsports before the LMSC took to the track first. Eddie Johnson and Trey Williams would start on the front row leading the field to green before Williams in the #3 machine would complete the pass on Johnson for first before 2 laps later being overtaken by #01 Trenton Kilgore for the lead.
CJ Terczak in the #51 would pilot his way around #28 Dustin Storm, following the trail of Landon Pembelton, while Colin Lozo in the #24 pressured Kilgore for the lead. Kilgore would concede the spot to Lozo with 137 laps to go. Lozo would stay out front as he and the rest of the field would work around slower cars.
With 122 to go cars would make their way around Eddie Johnson who had been holding on to 4th for some time. The pressure started to build in the last laps of the first half as CJ Terczak would find himself in the top 5 and then p4 until Dustin Storm started to surge forward.
Just a handful of laps later with 95 to go, Kilgore would move back into p1 after running back down Colin Lozo, he would bring Landon Pembelton #0 and Dustin Storm with him and then with 88 to go would get passed by Landon Pembelton for the lead. Moments later the #51 of CJ Terczak would go up in smoke, bringing out the red flag while the Napa clean up crew got hard to work. At the halfway point, cars were brought down pit road for 10 minutes to make adjustments (no hard part changes) before heading back out for the second 75 lap.
The restart would see Pembelton and Storm take off side by side before Pembelton quickly positioned his car at the point and from there never looked back.
Although Landon Pembelton wasn’t looking back in his Williams Logging Toyota LMSC, he had a hard charging Owl Metals machine of Dustin Storm behind him closing the gap fast. With around 20 to go, track announcers Brandon Fuller and Cody Sealey began making note of lap times between Pembelton and Storm. With 15 laps to go, Storm was within Striking distance. It looked like Dustin Storm was about to set up for a pass, when Pembelton seemingly turns it up a notch and begins to pull away from Storm once more. The race looked to be over… but far from over it was, seconds later, Trey Williams #3 would cut a right front tire leaving him stuck against the outside wall of turn #2.
A Green white checkered would would ensue and Landon Pembelton would take the Capitol Custom Trailers & Coaches choose cone to the outside of Dustin Storm. A Gutsy call, that would eventually lead to the win as the #0 was able to hold off Storm to his inside for the win and the 3k pay day. The two would come across the line side by side, Landon with the advantage by half a car.
“He made us work for it right there, we weren't the best car in the last 40 laps.” When asked about the decision to restart on the outside Pembelton said “Man i’ve always found the outside anywhere for me is better, just able to get the momentum and keep it rolling, he gave me a fit right there for sure he raced hard, we rubbed and thats how its supposed to be”
Next up the Virginia Vinatge racers showcase their american muscle on track with Sparky Staton taking home the trophy for the Modifieds and Shawn O’tey taking home the win for the sportsman class.
A true homegrown grass roots effort had The UCARs racing for $1000 Saturday Night with multiple awards to go along with it. Big Willie Mullins on behalf of Bugsy’s Repair would get the ball rolling by offering $500 to win in the comments of Dominion Raceways race promotion. From there, more local businesses would chip in as Kyle Fowler also would jump in on the fun and help promote special awards and coordinate a big trophy and check to go along with the presentation. Fellow Modified driver Allen Marshall of Chesdin Automotive and Collision would throw in on the action as well as Jimmy Cardwells Eagle Towing and Recovery, Kellys Heating and Cooling. Gonce Mobile Repair and Towing would provide $100 Hard Luck and $100 Hard Charger and H&H Services provided $50 Fan choice as well as The Mattaponi Indian Reserve with another $50 fan choice. The money was on the line for the UCARS and the action did not disappoint.
Just a few laps into the UCAR feature #7 Chuck Hines had what can be described as the save of the year as he and Chapman would make contact going into turn 3. Hines broke loose nose pointed to the inside wall before over correcting and sending his machine violently the opposite direction to the top of 3 before barely swinging back around the opposite direction again into oncoming traffic avoiding all contact with walls and competitors it was truly a site to see.
The following restart occurred with Mike Chapman and Cameron Ruggles on the front row with Michael Frayser’s #1 starting in p3 and quickly taking over the top spot from Chapman before caution came out on lap 7 after Ryan Pritt #22 and Tanner Griffith #5 exchange blows for a few laps, Pritt eventually spinning Griffith to the outside wall.
UCARs would remain green flag to the finish after the final restart seeing a few posistion swaps behind Frayer who is dominated the final 19 laps.
In Bugsys Repair victory lane, Frayer dedicated his win to his late Stepfather of whom passed earlier in the week. “The reason why I was driving so hard was, we lost my stepdad on Monday, he’s the one I started this UCAR stuff with, this wins for him. (Mike Wells)”
Michael Frayer currently sits a top the division five south eastern regional title standings and 7th in the nation.
For the Truckin Thunder VA Racer $2k to win 150 lap feature presented by W.G. Speeks JD Eversole topped the charts with a blistering fast qualifying time of 16.202 seconds and Mike Ganoe took 2nd fastest.
After the redraw, #22 Eric Winslow and #8 Conner Weddell brought the field to green for the first 75 lap stretch and the field began jockeying for positions from first all the way to the final car in the field of 18.
#9 Ayden Millette would be on the hardest charge, starting p10, he quickly advanced a few spots to reach p7 within 3 laps and then continued to pick off cars on a mad dash to the front, cracking the top 5, passing #2 of Peyton Lee just 6 laps into the action setting his sights on 2nd place qualifier Mike Ganoe in fourth.
Mid pack racing was just as tight as #15 Kyle Terczak had a solid start passing Chase Johnson on for 9th just 10 laps in with #21 Reid Murphy and #89 Rob Jenkins door to door behind them only separated by a strong #46 of Carson Higgs.
While Jenkins and Higgs continued door to door with 134 Laps to go, just 16 laps into the race, Ayden Millette had reached current race leader Eric Winslow, passing him one lap later.
Patience may have begun to wear thin for Chase Johnson when he started on the move with 130 to go, passing back Terczak and then #33 Dan Rogers when Rogers got stuck on the outside after racing with #98 JD Eversole. The field would continue this side by side racing throughout Mike Ganoe and #45 Brady Penny would share some contact as well as Eversole and Higgs. Wheel to Wheel for several laps #1 Christian Kesterman wrestled with Rob Jenkins
104 Laps left, your top 5 of Millette, Winslow, Weddell, Lee and Eversole were holding off a fierce Kyle Terczak in 6th and Chase Johnson who would pass Eversole and have him stuck to the outside as the low line would train through, that of which included Rogers, who received the same treatment laps back. Laps later the same would happen to Conner Weddell as Kyle Terczak moved into 3rd, Chase Johnson close by in 4th.
Caution came out with 97 laps to go as Peyton Lee spins in the bottom of 4. Potentially with the aid of Kesterman who was seen on pitroad attending to some front end damage.
81 laps to go a restart had Chase Johnson outfront for a brief bit before Millette regained the lead and Weddell slipped into 2nd Rogers 3rd Johnson 4th Winslow 5th to the halfway mark of 75. As the caution flew for the break, Ganoe would get into Rogers, causing flats for both cars. They would begin to go to work swapping tires and repairing damage during the 10 minute break and starting at the rear. Ayden Millette taking home the Halfway Hundred award from RaceReady Radios.
At the restart Millette would quickly jump back out to a commanding lead over Johnson with Weddell, Winslow and Higgs rounding out the top 5. Green flag conditions allowed Dan Rogers pick his way back through the field into the top 10 before he and Brady Penny get tangled in two bringing out the first caution of the second 75 laps.
50 to go at the restart with Millette inside Weddell outside, Millette was able to muscle his way forward again to the point leaving Weddell in 2nd while Johnson and Winslow battle behind them. After gaining position on Johnson, Winslow was able to track down Conner Weddell and get inside position with 41 to go but not before the caution flew again, this time for Mike Ganoe and Kyle Terczak colliding on the front stretch.
After Winslow jumped the guns a bit on the restart attempt from the outside of Millette, they had a flawless second restart were they continued around side by side back to the stripe all the way back to 10th before finally sorting out a few laps later.
It was all Ayden Millette for the remainder of the 25 lap dash once the field really got sorted out, seeing a few drivers fighting rough handling machines including Kyle Terczak who spun out of 2 with 13 to go with a little help from #08 Austin Dettor.
It all came down to the final restart with 9 laps to go the #9 of Ayden Millette took the field through the Midas race restart zone along side Eric Winslows #22 who pulled a crossover move the following circuit and leaned on Millette back in turns 1 and 2 who slipped out the groove and up to the outside of Johnson however was able to rip and roll the outside right back up to the #22s bumper where Millette would get inside position after a bump to the rear of Winslow. As Winslow crowded the #9 down the back stretch low he was forced to get on the brakes hard into 3 while Chase Johnson took position on the outside of the both. Winslow would try to hold position against a strong #57 until Millette would creep in the door briefly getting slightly 3 wide down the back stretch and inside position on Winslow as Chase Johnson was somehow able to slide down in front of both for the lead.
Johnson would take the next 3 laps to the Checkered flag and The Bugsys Repair Victory Lane.
In his Victory celebration he shrugged off the $2k pay day and mentioned “I didnt even think about that I just wanted a blue trophy” and followed “I can’t thank my crew enough, we’ve had a heck of a year, its just very special and im trying to soak it up all in, in the moment”
Not only did the fans get to see exciting action on the track, fans were also treated with some aerial action as Kasey Campbell and Kris Barton flew above dominion with an illuminated helicopter and fighter jet during the track walk in between races. We hope to see them back this weekend September 14th for the Flying VA Classic as we honor the life and legacy of the Hendrick Family before the SMART Modified Tour.
Meet Ryan Newman and Bobby Labonte during the pre race fan fest! 99 Lap Flying VA Classic SMART Mods, Truckin Thunder VA RACER, Dominion Stock ,UCAR, VA Modifieds, and 4/6 ANYCARS on tap for the evening.
Gates 5pm Fan Fest 6pm Green Flag 7pm, conveniently located off I-95 in Thornburg VA. Advanced Tickets online $25 Adults 21+ Grab your spot in The Grotto, a ticketed third floor suite with its own air conditioning, bar and food service plus an unbeatable view of the track.
https://drevents.ticketstobuy.com/event/216 Do you have your designated driver lined up for the Flying Va Classic Smart Mod Tour? Choosing a sober ride is always a winning decision. Celebrate responsibly and keep the roads safe for everyone. Buckle up and think ahead!Learn more at WhosYourDriver.org
