Date: Sunday, June 04, 2006 7:54 AM
Further Info: Steve Post (704) 784-6554 or SPost68@aol.com (mailto:SPost68@aol.com)

ANDREW THOMAS A FIRST-TIME WINNER AT CONCORD

CONCORD, N.C. – Andrew Thomas of Monroe has been knocking on the door of victory lane at Concord Motorsport Park. Last night he drove through that door scoring his career-first win in the 100-lap NASCAR Coca Cola late model stock feature. He is the fifth different driver to win in six races this season in the division.

Other winners on Independent Tribune Night were: Brian Conforth of Concord in the 35-lap Tommy Johnson’s Motorsports Warehouse limited late model feature; Brian Love of Mt. Pleasant in the 25-lap Golden Gait Trailers pure stock feature; Brad Ballard of Kannapolis in the 15-lap Speedway Plumbing fast and furious fours feature; and Jason Watkins of Ridgeway, Va. in the 25-lap Virginia mini cup feature.

Bo Foust of Harrisburg started on the pole position and led the first 56 laps of the feature. With no cautions flags slowing the race, Foust’s car started to slide around as tires wore and Thomas, who started fourth, closed on the leader. On lap 57, Thomas dove in side Foust into turn one and took the top spot. A pair of late race cautions closed Foust back in and with three laps remaining the cars touched entering the final corner with Thomas maintaining the lead. At the stripe Thomas held on for his career first win with Foust glued to his back bumper for second. Point leader Shane Brafford of Concord finished third, former Champion Shaun Mangum of Monroe had his best run to-date with a fourth and Chuck Crump of Star was fifth.

Jeff Melton of Monroe took the early lead in the limited late model feature with Terry Hoggard of Concord and Kenneth Cook, also of Concord, in pursuit. Conforth started eighth and steadily picked his way forward in a race with no cautions periods. On lap 22 Conforth caught Melton and moved into the lead. He went unchallenged for his third win, and second consecutive, of the season. Hoggard and Cook finished second and third. Melton was fourth with Mike Terry of Charlotte fifth.

Love, the defending pure stock champion, shook off the early bad luck that plagued him scoring his first win of the season. He led the entire distance of the pure stock feature and held off Steve Irvin of Concord. Chad Allmon of Mt. Pleasant, Junior Cress of Concord and Rev. Buddy Compton of Mooresville completed the top five.

Ballard, driving a car titled “Sponge Bob”, took the lead on lap 10 and won his first fast and furious four feature of the year. Brad Deal of Mt. Pleasant and Ben Smith of Harrisburg completed the top three. Watkins overcame a pair of trips to the back of the field to win the mini cup feature. Kevin and Corey Berkstresser of Lexington, Va. finished second and third.

Saturday night is Golden Gait Trailers Night with the late model stock drivers going for 150-laps and the $2,000 top prize. Limited late models, pure stocks and fast and furious fours complete the program.

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 online at www.concordmotorsportpark.com (http://www.concordmotorsportpark.com/).

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