National Late Model Series Presented By: VLR and ERL
ATTICA, OH (March 24, 2011)- We are in Attica Ohio this week for the 11th installment of the National Late Model Series. The story this week is VLR_Shock’s points chase. He’s missed a few races but is quickly catching up. Winning last week put him tied for 4th with Simon. A win tonight could edge him even closer to the points leader BLS_34. And we cant forget ERL_BLKJAK who sits 2nd in points only 24 points behind the leader.
It’s an unusually warm day in Attica Ohio today. Summertime weather with remnants of the last winter storm just weeks ago. Small dirty patches of white where once stood huge mounds of snow. The track is in perfect condition and the drivers are ready. The stands are full of race fans waiting for their first fix of the season. Not too many local drivers show for this traveling series, but the fans are here rooting for those drivers they read about in the magazines and on the internet.
A prayer is read, the National Anthem is sung by a local high school student who does a fantastic job. Then a familiar voice comes over the loudspeaker announcing the drivers and their sponsors. Then the 1st heat is called to line up.
Heat one would line up with BLS_42 on the pole. Simon starts outside and behind him lines up Axman, Squirrel, ERL_Turbo, IFRT_14, and IFRT_Jim. BLS_42 leads the pack to the starting cone coming out of turn 4, the flag drops and they charge down the front stretch into turn 1. it’s a tough race for all with the track still pretty wet, but very smooth. BLS_42 holds onto the lead winning heat #1. BLS_42, Axman, and Simon get the transfer spots to the A-Main.
Heat two lines up with BLS_Deadbolt on the pole and XCR_B58 outside. Behind him lines up VLR_Shock, XCR_T91, VLR_911, BLS_34, and ERL_BLKJAK. Deadbolt leads them around the pace lap to turn four and they go racing. Motors roar and mud flies. The finish would be XCR_58 getting the checkered flag and the first transfer spot to the A-Main. Behind him finishes ERL_BLKJAK and VLR_911 for the last two transfer spots to the A-Main. Everyone else would need to qualify through the B-Main.
The Dash lines up with the top 3 finishers from each heat race. Lining up on the pole is BLS_42 then outside is XCR_B58, then Axman, ERL_BLKJAK, Simon, and VLR_911. After a short race, BLS_42 wins followed by XCR_B58, VLR_911, ERL_BLKJAK, Simon, and Axman.
The B-Main rolls onto the track with IFRT_14 in the pole position. BLS_Deadbolt is outside row one with IFRT_Jim, VLR_Shock, Squirrel, BLS_34, ERL_Turbo, and XCR_T91. After minor contact IFRT_14 looses control and BLS_34, IFRT_Jim, and Squirrel end up with the short end of it. The transfer spots go to VLR_Shock, BLS_Deabolt, BLS_34, and XCR_T91.
Officials call for an intermission and the crews begin preparations for the main even. The pits look like a racecar junk yard with every car up on stands and all four wheels off. Crews are scrambling to get tires, shocks, springs, and bars, swapped and adjusted in preparation of a dry slick track.
The A-Main starts with ERL_BLKJAK on the pole. VLR_911 starts outside. Row two starts XCR_B58 inside and BLS_42 outside. Row three starts Simon inside and Axman outside. Row four has VLR_Shock inside and BLS_Deadbolt on the outside. Row five has BLS_34 inside with XCR_T91 outside.
The drivers roll onto the track. It is as slick as they anticipated and the racing is going to be close. They make their parade lap and cinch up the belts cause coming out of turn 4 they are off!
The green flag drops and the race begins! Right away VLR_911 charges out front and is determined to hold his ground. ERL_BLKJAK, VLR_Shock, and BLS_42 challenge for the lead. The whole pack from 1st to 10th stretch out in the straights and bunch up 3 and 4 wide in the turns. It goes on that way for the majority of the race when finally VLR_911 starts to pull away leaving ERL_BLKJAK and VLR_Shock to battle for second. Then BLS_42 joins the fight for second and Shock begins to slip away inching closer with every lap to the leader. Two thirds of the way through the race Shock catches VLR_911. They begin to exchange positions. First Shock slides into the lead, then VLR_911 takes it back. They battle back and forth until the last turn on the last lap. VLR_Shock bumps the wall, VLR_911 tries to make the best of it and pulls alongside. They race to the line and Shock wins by inches! What a race. The whole feature had side-by-side racing action from front to back. This is what DTR2 is about!
Full results posted at http://teamerl.webs.com/2011nlmsresults.htm
Join us next week as the National Late Model Series goes to Brownstown Speedway where the absent ERL_Goat will catch up to the series after slipping several places in the points chase. Let’s see if VLR_Shock can threepeat by getting 3 consecutive wins in a row.
Written by: ERL_Turbo