Poole Takes Marion Mitsubishi 200 and $100 Bonus; Taylor, Coake, Burnette, Bare, Sutphin, Barr and Hayes Hit Pay Dirt 

By CHRIS MARQUART

RURAL RETREAT, Va. (May 22, 2004) -- Ronnie Poole learned that a $100 bounty was put on the seemingly unstoppable Kenny Peeples Jr. for this weekend's Marion Mitsubishi 200.

Peeples, of Rural Retreat, had won the first three features at Wythe Raceway this season.

Poole, of Ennice, NC, said he'd take that $100 bet in over a put-up or shut-up 30-lap Limited Late Model Main. After taking the Xtreme Signs Pole Award in a sizzling 18.547-second lap.

The feature grid was set heads-up style, meaning a driver's qualifying place determined their feature start. Myron Irvin started outside the front row with Poole.

Poole swaggered off to the lead, running fast and chasing the bounty waiting for him in victory lane. Meanwhile, Peeples was on the move. Peeples rolled to second on the seventh lap and gave chase for the next 23 tours.

However, he could not solve Poole and had his hands full with Brandon Umberger and Randy Taylor. Umberger, of Rural Retreat, powered from 11th to third in just 8 laps. He pestered Peeples, but eventually fell to fourth as Troutdale's Randy Taylor clawed his way to a top five finish. Crumpler, NC's Damon Eller tallied a fifth-place finish.

The only yellow flew on lap 4 as Ryan Brewer (Wytheville), struck the wall in turn 1 after a tire deflated and dislodged from the rim.

***Coake Quickly Earning Attention in Mod Street Ranks

Brian Coake of Max Meadows tallied his third-consecutive feature win in the Modified Street Class.

Coake and Eddie Bentley (Sugar Grove) put on the best show of the night as the raced door to door for the final 16 laps of the 20-lap Modified Street feature.

The top six from last week's finish were inverted, leaving Coake sixth and Bentley fifth. Together, the two hot-shoes wheeled to the top spots in just four laps. Bentley ran the rim while Coake patrolled the inside line. Wytheville's Tam Topham stayed within striking distance in third, but the lead two were simply flawless.

Coake was able to inch ahead and score the victory. Behind them, Brandon Umberger of Rural Retreat chased Topham, but could not wrestle third away. Daniel Moss tallied fifth.

***Four Races, Four Winners in Crate Late Clash

Randy Taylor became the fourth winner in as many Crate Late Model features when he outlasted teammate Danny Burks in the 20-lap Crate Late main.

Taylor, of Troutdale, jumped to the lead from the front row after the top six qualifiers were inverted. For 13 laps, Taylor showed the way as quick-qualifier R.K. Dix gave chase. Dix faded and Danny Burks (Rural Retreat) swept to second. The teammates ran first and second ahead of Dix, Charlotte, NC's Tony Farris and local Rural Retreat racer Fred Riley.

Burks kept Taylor honest, running him hard for the final seven tours.

Danny Burks timed 19.439-seconds to collect the Xtreme Signs and Graphics Pole award; Kim Gollehon (Marion), ran second in qualifying 19.670.

***Burnett Back in Generation II Mod Mini Main

Chris Burnett used track position to his advantage as the top six from May 8 were inverted to set the feature order.

Burnette took third after seven laps were logged in the 20-lap main. Randy Kincer of Rural Retreat opened the day at the head of the class with Wytheville's Billy Sisk giving chase. At the halfway point, Burnette pulled to second and set his sights on Kincer.

Kincer held the Fancy Gap Flash at bay for another three laps, but the checkers were 10 laps away. Burnette was scored the leader of lap 13 and tallied the win. Kincer held second ahead of Elk Creek's Daniel Moss and Sisk; Daniel Lyles (Chilhowie) placed fifth.

***Bare Bests Tate in 20-lap Street Stock Show

Duke Bare, of Meadowview, the defending Street Stock Class Champion, won the season-opener. He fell to Jimmy Tate the next two weeks. It would not happen for a third time in a row.

Tate, of Wytheville, moved into the runner up spot with 13 laps to go. Bare led flag to flag while Tate did all he could to run down the smooth riding No. 2. Randy Wright (Max Meadows) had a solid podium finish spoiled with three tours remaining as Ron Lyles (Chilhowie) assumed third. Galax's Daniel Cox placed fifth behind Wright.

***Sutphin Repeats with Second 2004 Truck Tally

Dale Sutphin, Max Meadows, had to work up to second place behind Crockett's Artie Irvin. Irvin's engine took care of the rest.

Brandon McClure of Troutdale led the initial and second laps before Irvin assumed the top spot. Engines run the fastest before they let go and the Crockett Rocket was hooked up. However, just after the halfway point, Irvin's power plant soured and he pulled pit side. Sutphin inherited the lead and held for the win.

Darrin King (Wytheville) scored his third second-place finish in as many races. Kevin Wolfe (Abingdon) tallied his first top five of the year with third ahead of Mike Waller (Ivanhoe) and Eddie Brewer (Speedwell).

***Barr Leads Chilhowie Posse in Mini Stock Madness

McKinley Barr (Chilhowie) was the big survivor in the 20-lap Mini Stock feature.

Only nine cars made it to the checkered flag of the 20 cars listed on the initial starting grid. Six cautions slowed the main. Ron Jackson, another proud member of the Chilhowie Posse, led the first three laps before Rural Retreat's Gator Cornett established himself as the car to beat.

Cornett's run at the front lasted 13 laps; he pulled pit side with mechanical ills on lap 16. McKinley Barr moved to the lead and collected his first win of the year. Barr had progressed each of the last three races, moving from third to second, and now to the winner's circle.

Jackson held second ahead of Wytheville's Brandon Bentley. John Carlin (Chilhowie) registered fourth.

***Hayes Hits Hornet Highlight Reel

Brian Hayes, of Troutdale, registered a second, a third and a fifth in the first three races this season.

Though the trend may say he would finish sixth, Hayes pulled a 180-degree turnaround and placed first. He is the fourth different winner in the class this season.

Hayes held off Nathan Tickle (Bland) to score the victory. Daniel Wright (Wytheville) came up from sixth at the start to place third ahead of Jerry Dillow (Bluefield) and Justin Blevins (Marion).

Only one caution period was logged as several cars came together. Michael Deskins of Tazwell found himself on the worst end of things, making heavy contact with the outside retaining wall.

Saturday, the Mark IV Honda 200 is on tap for May 29. This will be another regular points-paying show before kicking off a big month of racing in June with a double-points show.  In one week, the Blue Ridge Nissan 200 will pay twice the points to all places. It will be a prime opportunity for the Limited Late Model runners to gain ground on hot wheel-twister Kenny Peeples Jr.

Also, mark June 12 on your calendars. It is the first of three shows for the Carolina Clash Series. The winner will pose with an oversized, novelty check worth an oversized (but quite realistic) $4,000.

Wythe Raceway is based in Rural Retreat, Va. and hosts seven classes of racing each Saturday night, starting at 7:30 p.m.

On the web: http://www.wytheraceway.com

Marion Mitsubishi 200 Top Fives:

Limited Lates (30 laps): 1, Ronnie Poole/Ennice, NC; 2, Kenny Peeples Jr./Rural Retreat; 3, Randy Taylor/Troutdale; 4, Brandon Umberger/Rural Retreat; 5, Damon Eller/Crumpler, NC

Crate Lates (20 laps): 1, Randy Taylor/Troutdale; 2, Danny Burks/Abingdon; 3, R.K. Dix/Rural Retreat; 4, Tony Farris/Charlotte, NC; 5, Fred Riley/Rural Retreat.

Modified Street (20 laps): 1, Brian Coake/Max Meadows; 2, Eddie Bentley/Sugar Grove; 3, Tam Topham/Wytheville; 4, Brandon Umberger/Rural Retreat; 5, Daniel Moss/Elk Creek.

Generation II Modified Minis (20 laps): 1, Chris Burnette/Fancy Gap; 2, Randy Kincer/Rural Retreat; 3, Daniel Moss/Elk Creek; 4, Billy Sisk/Wytheville; 5, Daniel Lyles/Chilhowie.

Street Stock (20 laps): 1, Duke Bare/Meadowview; 2, Jimmy Tate/Wytheville; 3, Ron Lyles/Chilhowie; 4, Randy Wright/Max Meadows; 5, Daniel Cox/Galax.

Mark IV Honda Pro Trucks (15 laps): 1, Dale Sutphin/Max Meadows; 2, Darrin King/Wytheville; 3, Kevin Wolfe/Abingdon; 4, Mike Waller/Ivanhoe; 5, Eddie Brewer/Speedwell.

Mini Stock (15 laps): 1, McKinley Barr/Chilhowie; 2, Ron Jackson/Chilhowie; 3, Brandon Bentley/Wytheville; 4, John Carlin/Chilhowie; 5, NA.