Date: Saturday, April 29, 2006 4:17 PM
Further Info: Steve Post (704) 784-6554 or SPost68@aol.com (mailto:SPost68@aol.com)

BRAFFORD LEADS CABARRUS COUNTRY SWEEP OF RACING AT CONCORD

CONCORD, N.C. – Shane Brafford of Concord scored his 12th-career win and first of the season in Saturday’s 100-lap NASCAR Coca Cola late model stock feature at Concord Motorsport Park. He led an all-Cabarrus County list of winners on Independent Tribune night at the races.

Other winners were: Kenneth Cook of Concord in the 35-lap Tommy Johnson’s Motorsports Warehouse limited late model feature; Alton Boyd of Kannapolis in the 25-lap Golden Gait Trailers pure stock feature; Ben Smith of Harrisburg in the 15-lap Speedway Plumbing fast and furious fours feature; and Kyle Beattie of Concord in the 35-lap INEX/600 Racing thunder roadster feature.

Andrew Thomas of Monroe jumped into the early lead of the late model stock feature and set the pace throughout the caution-plagued event. Throughout, Brafford lurked in the top three waiting for his chance to challenge for the lead. On lap 95, lapped traffic slowed Thomas just enough to allow Brafford a chance. The lead duo and lapped car went sideways through turns three and four; and when they gathered their cars up Brafford was the leader on lap 96. He rolled to the victory. Thomas, who was looking for his first-career win, rolled to a second-place finish. Chuck Crump of Star, Terry Brooks Jr. of Concord and Billy Lemmons of Salisbury completed the top five.

The limited late model feature had plenty of drama early and at the finish. Midway through the race Jeff Melton of Monroe was leading and contact between him and last weeks winner Brian Conforth of Concord resulted in both cars spinning. The race ended up a battle between Concord’s Kenneth Cook and Charlotte’s Mike Terry. On the final lap the two cars collided off the final corner and Cook slid across the finish line first. His car slammed into the wall after the finish line and he ended in victory lane without a race car.
Terry finished second with Ben Hinson of Kannapolis third. Kenny Brooks of Concord and Brian Pedrick of Denver completed the top five.

Boyd survived a late race restart and a door-banging finish with Stanfield’s David Miller to win the thrilling pure stock feature. It was his second win of the season and 31st career triumph at the track. Miller was second while Steve Ackerly of Monroe finished third. Steve Irvin of Concord and Chad Allmon of Mt. Pleasant rounded out the top five finishers.

Smith, a student at Central Cabarrus High School, took his car “Sleepy” to the win in the fast and furious fours feature. Steven Clippard of Lenoir and Brad Ballard of Kannapolis finished second and third.

Drew Calhoun of Southern Pines led a majority of the thunder roadster feature before Beattie made a late race move into the top spot. Beattie and Calhoun were followed by Ryan Zeck of Harrisburg.

04/15/06 Results>>

Saturday night is Pizza Hut Kid’s Night at the Races with actual race car rides for the younger fans. There will also be face painting, balloons, a moon walk, giant slide and a 35 foot pirate ship obstacle course.

On the track, the late model stocks will battle for 150-laps of racing with a complete program for the limited late model, pure stocks and fast and furious fours. Gates open at 5:30, qualifying is at 5:45, the kid’s race car rides are at 7:00 with racing at 7:30.

Concord Motorsport Park is located on highway 601 north of Midland and south of Concord. More information is available by calling (704) 782-4221 or at www.concordmotorsportpark.com (http://www.concordmotorsportpark.com/) .