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David Scott Edges Mike Knight in Thriller at
Little Valley By Dave Sully (Little Valley) The intrepid David Scott, from Garland PA, fought off challenges from Ron Davies and Mike Knight to record his second win in three races in the 30 lap Super Late Model Feature at Little Valley Speedway on Saturday, July 17th, before an appreciative crowd. While thunderstorms raked nearby areas, there was plenty of thunder on the track, as well. Ed Carley took the early lead while the two early principals, Scott and Knight moved quickly into contention. A lap seven caution saw the two lined up behind Carley for the restart. Knight dove to the outside to grab the lead in turn two, with Scott taking second three laps later. Scott ran down Knight and the two engaged in a high low duel, with Knight guarding the bottom and Scott in his customary position flying around the outside. Scott steamed around Knight on lap 13. Scott observed, “When I caught Mikey he slowed down a little bit, and I just ran in the corners and did my thing, got by him on momentum. I figured I’d be okay as long as I kept my momentum up, as long as I hit my marks.” A lap 18 caution saw Ron Davies, winner of the second race at LVS this year, but injured for the last race, now up to fourth after starting twelfth. When the race resumed, Davies wasted no time mounting a challenge, moving into second on lap 19. Davies then engaged Scott in a nip and tuck battle, with Scott doggedly holding to the outside, while Davies tested him low. Scott explained, “Ronnie (Davies ) drove all the way up beside me, the same deal as Knight, but momentum (outside) was so much better that as long as he gave me a lane he couldn’t get all the way by me. It became an epic battle between me and Ron, no doubt about it. I don’t know if I could have held him off or not, but I’d have gotten my elbows up and run a little harder yet.” Davies was able to get under him several times, but couldn’t get enough push to make the pass. That challenge ended when Davies clipped the wall in turn four on lap 24. A somewhat disconsolate Davies noted, “It was pretty dusty, and I was running too close to David. I misjudged the corner, just got into the fence, couldn’t get away from it and it was over.” On his chances of passing Scott, he added, “This car will run anywhere I want to go. It’s the best race car I ever had. We were actually off a little bit. Probably had the wrong tires, but we had to run right up on the cushion. Down low in one and two we were good. I think we could have made the pass. I was missing the marks just a bit, but I think we would have passed him.” Knight took up the challenge once again, getting under Scott twice over the final laps, but at the line it was Scott, with Knight right on his heels, followed by Dick Barton, Pete Alspaugh, and defending champion Bob Close to round out the top five. Knight, an infrequent visitor to Little Valley, but a former winner, observed, “David was good. We were about the same car. He was a little better on the long restarts. He’s a classy driver. We’ll race hard and rub doors. There was a lot of respect in the top two spots.” Of the race, he added, “I normally run the top, but once I got the lead I knew the bottom was decent. I thought I could maintain it down there. I saw the 3 (Scott) in second and was a bit worried about him rolling the top, but by the time I saw him it was too late.” Scott concluded, “All I had to do was hit my marks. Don’t overdrive the car or underdrive it. As long as I did my job, I was going to be okay.” He was okay and pocketed $3,000 for his effort. The 20 lap BRP Can Am 360 Late Model Brock Young Memorial was a rugged affair, with five cautions and a red flag punctuating the race. The turning point was on a lap three restart when leader Jeremy Wonderling was punted by series point leader Wayne Robertson, resulting a in a multi car scrum in turn two. Robertson was banished while Wonderling restarted at the rear. That turn of events put youngsters, Adam Ashcroft and two time winner Bryce Davis, who both were able to avoid the carnage, at the front for the restart. Davis was able to maneuver past Ashcroft in turn four to take a lead he wouldn’t surrender. Wonderling was able to claw his way back to fourth by lap nine, but a spin on lap 13 ended his night. Several cautions at the latter stages kept the issue in doubt, but in the end the eighteen year-old Davis, from Canisteo, smooth throughout, scored his third straight Little Valley win, adding to his lore the prestigious Brock Young Memorial. He summarized his efforts, saying, “I have been having trouble avoiding wrecks this year. Every time it’s happened, I’ve been right in the middle of it. This time I played it smart, hanging back. I knew I had twenty laps to do it, so I was just keeping my head and watching out for that kind of stuff. This car’s a rocket on the bottom. I kept seeing those cautions coming out, especially on lap 18. I knew Cheezy (Jeff Chesebro) was behind me and he was going to be tough to hold off.” On winning the Brock Young Memorial, the budding star added, “It’s a great honor to win this prestigious race and to receive the trophy from the Young family. It made the win even more special.” The 25 lap E-Mod Feature had all the trappings of a classic, as three of the region’s top drivers, Randy Hall, Rich Michael Jr., and Brent Rhebergen, along with upstart Dan Davies were all in the mix for the win. Hall started from the pole, courtesy of the redraw and set the early pace, with Davies and Rich Michael, up from sixth in early contention. With Hall running the outside, it played into the low running Michael’s favor and he took the lead on a lap 10 restart when Hall chose the outside. Meanwhile, Rhebergen, doing double duty this night (he also pilots a super late model), was on a tear, moving from seventh to third by lap 8. He claimed second from Hall on lap 12 and seemed destined to mount a challenge on Michael, but couldn’t quite pull it off. At the line it was Michael, from Ischua, followed closely by Rhebergen and Davies, who hung around the front all night, with Tim Rockwell and Vic Vena completing the top five. It could have been an expensive win for Michael, however. He explained, “We blew a radiator hose with two laps to go, and I think we cooked the motor.” Of the race, he declared, “The bottom was the place to be tonight. I saw Randy a few times, but I didn’t know if he had something up there or not. I saw the 4s (Rhebergen) was in second at the end, but I wasn’t sure how far he was behind me.” As it turned out, it didn’t matter, but this could be a bitter sweet win for Michael, with his possible engine woes. The $1,000 winner’s check may help a little. Finally, the Street Stocks had a first time winner, as Rich Wojtowicz, from Limestone, turned the trick in their 15 lapper, holding off a persistent challenge from two time winner Chris Austin and Andy Michael, whose bid ended when he spun on lap 12. “It was my first win in four years,” exulted Wojtowicz, adding, “I held the bottom and they were going to have go around the outside. That was what I wanted to do. It was my only chance.” NOTES: A Racing Legends tribute was held during intermission, with several pioneer drivers on hand to be honored. Coordinator Lou Ensworth, from Alleghany, was presented with a special plaque in appreciation of his efforts……… There were 96 cars in the pits, including 19 Super Late Models……..Previous SLM winner, Chad Valone, never got a chance to defend, as he blew his motor in hot laps. The disappointment was sated somewhat when his teammate, David Scott, won the race in his back-up car…….With time out for the Cattaraugus County Fair, Little Valley’s next show will be Sunday, September 5th , with the WNY Super Late Model Labor Day Coca Cola Classic. The 360 Late Models, Crate Late Models, Street Stocks and E-Mods will be on hand. It’s also FOAR Score Fan club Night. RESULTS: Super Late Models: (30 laps) David Scott, Mike Knight, Dick Barton, Pete Alspaugh, Bob Close, Ed Carley, Dave Norton, Bump Hedman, Todd Hanson, Paul Grigsby, Chad Silleman, Jeff Dayman, Terry Porter, Brent Rhebergen, Jason Dupont, Greg Oakes, Ron Davies, and Boom Briggs. DNS: Chad Valone. Heat winners were Rhebergen, Dupont, and Hedman. BRP Can Am Brock Young Memorial: (20 laps) Bryce Davis, Jeff Chesebro, Jim Johnson, Larry Knowles, Mikey Wonderling,. Adam Ashcroft, Jeremy Wonderling, Bruce Miller, Brian Knowles, Bob Close, Dave Dubois, John Knowles, Quinn Sutherland, Greg Galligan, Greg Young, Brian Kotarski, Brian Hoffman, John Waters, AJ Young, Mike Wonderling, and Beamer Guzzardi. Blackflagged: John Lichy, Don Krug, and Wayne Robertson. DNS: Kevin Olinger, John Rivers, and Richard Hale. Heat winners were Johnson, Waters, and Jeremy Wonderling. Consi winner was Sutherland. E-Mods: (25 laps) Rich Michael Jr., Brent Rhebergen, Dan Davies, Tim Rockwell, Vic Vena, Randy Hall, Brian Fardink, Butch Southwell, Kyle Bedell, Scooter Pangrazio, Carl McKinney, Justin Carlson, Darren Tarabori, Marc Gilbert, Kari Grasser, Jabon Hill, Jeff Johnson, Leonard Enos, Tim Walden, Nathan Hill, Carl Ballinger, John Woodward, Tim Peterson, Mike Eschrich, Kyle Bradigan, and Jeremy Bucktooth. Heat winners were Hall, Pangrazio, and Bedell. Street Stocks: (15 laps) Rich Wojtowicz, Chris Austin, Rob Stromecki, Steve Mowery, Bruno Mowery, Levi Watson, Dan Giboo, Butch Talbot, Shane Wolfer, Josh Smallidge, Andy Michael, Critter Hemphill, Tim Bruce, Brian Peterson, Julio Padilla, Mark Schwerkart, Jeff Woodward, Dan Morgan, Darren Morgan, Bill Weller, Hiram Clayson, Tony Pangrazio, Jason Schoonmaker, and Randy Taylor. Heat winners were Austin, Michael, and Wojtowicz. |
