"We had a good starting spot tonight. and I got a good bunch of guys working on the car. I am looking for nothing but good things the rest of the season," said Miller in Victory Lane. "We have had a good car, just haven't been finishing races. We have new equipment now and our motor issues worked out and from here on out I think we will be pretty good."
Following Miller, Anderson and Lupfer were 15th-starting Gary Stuhler and Alan Sagi. D. J. Myers finished sixth in his father's car with Jeff Friese next. Following a brief absence, Roy Deese Jr. return to action, finishing eighth in the Ernie Davis-owned car with Allen Brannon and Jason Covert finishing out the top 10. Heat winners for the 30 late models were Brannon, Lupfer and Anderson. Frankie Plessinger won the consolation. Nathan Durboraw was the Auto Locator Hard Charger.
Rusty Sites quickly took command of the late-model sportsman feature from the outside pole with Darryl Burkholder starting back in 10th. Jerry Bard tried to stay with Sites until Steve Kent took over the runner-up spot on lap five as Burkholder broke into the top five. Kyle Lear, who started 15th, passed Kent for second on lap 14 as Burkholder moved into third on the next lap right before the caution was waved on lap 16, wiping out Sites' large lead. Burkholder went to work as soon as the race resumed, passing Lear for second on lap 17.
After running side-by-side with Sites the final three laps, Burkholder got the jump coming of the fourth turn on the final lap to edge Sites at the finish line by a car length. Following Burkholder and Sites was Lear, who claimed the St. Thomas Towing Hard Charger Award. Bard settled for fourth with Larry Baer, Roy Miller and Richard Walls next across the line. Tyler Armstrong came from 19th for eighth with 21st-starting Wayne Walls Jr following in ninth. Andy Fries came from 20th to complete the top 10. Heat winners for the 41 sportsman cars were Scott Palmer, Eugene Conlee, Sites and Kent. W. Walls and Brian Miller won the consolations.
Brian Tavenner started 12th in the pure stock feature as Dave Stouffer pulled out in front from the outside pole. Mike Warrenfeltz moved into second on the fifth lap but lost the runner-up spot to Tavenner two laps later. Tavenner took over the lead on lap eight and a lap later Ronnie Dennis was on his bumper. Dennis pulled even a couple of times with the leader, but it was Tavenner coming across the finish line by two car lengths. Following Tavenner to his sixth win and the A&C Engines Hard Charger Award were Dennis, Jim Snyder, B.R. Nalley and Darrin Younker. Heat winners for the 31 cars were Tavenner, Snyder and Dennis. Russ Moseley won the consolation.
Mark Vegh started on the outside pole and immediately grabbed the lead as the field passed the starter's stand in the enduro dash. Vegh was never challenged as he won by a half-lap over Steve Thompson. Daniel Main was next with Danny Holmes coming from 23rd for fourth. Bobby Moore came from 28th for fifth.
This Saturday, Aug. 13, the late models, late-model sportsman and pure stocks will be in action with a 4-cyl demolition derby rounding out the night's action. Race time is 7 p.m.
25-Lap Late-Model Feature Auto Locator/Valvoline Night: 1. Jeremy Miller; 2. Andy Anderson; 3. Mike Lupfer; 4. Gary Stuhler; 5. Alan Sagi; 6. D.J. Myers; 7. Jeff Friese; 8. Roy Deese Jr.; 9. Allen Brannon; 10. Jason Covert; 11. Brad Ritter; 12. Nathan Durboraw; 13. Brent Smith; 14. Billy Wampler; 15. Donnie Farling; 16. Jere Wierman; 17. Al Shawver, Jr.; 18. Scott Lebaron; 19. Paul Crowl; 20. Tim Murphy; 21. Ronnie Dehaven; 22. Frankie Plessinger; 23. Jerry Foster; 24. Kenny Shipley. DNQ: T.J. Wright; Charlie Hageage; Eddie Drury; Richard Walls; Brian Booze; David Williams. (Lap Leaders: Ritter, 1-5; Lupfer, 6-13; Miller, 14-25.) 30 cars.
