Date: Sunday August 10, 2008 3:40 AM
Further Info: Larry Thomas: lthomas@concordmotorsportpark.com (704) 782 4221

CHUCK CRUMP CLAIMS #7 FOR ‘08

CONCORD, N.C. – Chuck Crump of Star, NC in the #8 R. L. Kellam Company 2008 Ford Fusion picked up his seventh trophy of the 2008 season after Terry Brooks, Jr. of Concord was declared out of bounds with his fuel sample at the conclusion of the Town & Country Ford Late Model Stock Car feature in Saturday’s Pizza Hut Kid’s Night at Concord Motorsport Park.  Other winners in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series event were Steve Ackerly of Medford, New York driving the Town & Country Ford 2007 Ford Fusion in The J R D Earthworks Limited Late Model division; Cooper Faassen of Monroe, NC in the #11 Wilburn Auto Body - Akzo Nobel Chevrolet Monte Carlo in the Coca-Cola Pure Stock feature and Tracy Mullis of Indian Trail, NC in the #55 Miracle Dental Center / Spencer Morgan (Autism Foundation) "THE ENFORCER" Honda Prelude in the Tim Marburger Honda Fast & Furious Fours.

Crump, who earned his seventh Mel’s Ignition Pole Award of the season earlier in the day, jumped to a quick lead at the green for the 75-lap Late Model Stock Car contest.  Terry Brooks, Jr., driving the #23 C W Channel 46 / Carpet Discount Warehouse / Frank Woods Gutters 2007 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS ran a close second from the get go until he and Crump came up on the #00 of Ryan Salomon of Huntersville and #4 of Larry Benz of Harrisburg on lap 44. Salomon and Benz were having a torrid side by side battle for sixth position.  No one realized at the time that Chuck was having problems with a sticky throttle and as he backed off, Brooks went high and wound his way past Crump, Salomon and Benz with Crump coming around Turn Three following Brooks.  As Crump got up on the wheel to set his sights on the #23, Benz and Salomon tangled in Turn Three during Lap 50 to bring out the only caution period of the event.  Benz and Salomon hit the pits to tug out the dents and Bob Saville of New London in the #57 hit the service road as well.  On the restart, Brooks continued his lead through to the checkered flag with Crump crossing the line second. 

Brooks was happy in The Independent Tribune Victory Lane.  “It’s been entirely too long since we’ve been here! We came across a deal and put a new car together with help from Shorty Baucom and Bobby Crump (Chuck’s dad & car owner) helped us set it up!  It’s a new car and a new beginning.”  No doubt that young Mr. Brooks has been struggling this season and everyone seemed quite please to see him in Victory Lane.  BUT, upon inspection, it was found that the fuel in Brooks’s car was not the same as the SUNOCO Purple 110 prescribed by the track and the NASCAR Officials said they were sorry, but…!  Thus, Mr. Crump was handed the trophy with second awarded to season points-leader and three-time CMP Late Model Stock Car Champion Kevin Love of Midland in The #88 Ford Fusion.  Concord’s Justin Hill in the #45 Chevy was third; Bob Saville fourth and Larry Benz rounded out the top five.

If you remember last race, Steve Ackerly in the #66 Ford suffered a similar fate when his fuel didn’t match up.  This week the STR Racing team gutted the fuel system and installed an all-new fuel cell and lines to be certain there was none of last week’s fuel remaining in the system, then set out to prove the point!  He did so with a first-place finish in the Limited Late Models with Charlotte’s Mike Terry in the #23 Chevy a very close second; Burnsville’s Bobby Cooper was third in his # 28 Ford Fusion; David Miller of Concord Fourth in the #74 Chevy and David Earnhardt, Jr. of Rockwell fifth in the #43.  Perennial front-runner Jeff Melton tapped the back straight wall and tank-slapped hard into the retaining wall entering Turn Three on the fourth of the 40-laps.  He was able to drive away, but did not return to competition.  Ackerly and Jay Payne of Thomasville were having a spirited battle for the lead until Payne’s #08 dropped a cylinder on lap 29.  Caution was called on lap 30 for a report of oil on the track from one of the competitors, but no oil was found.  This set up a shootout at the end between Ackerly and Terry.  This time Mr. Ackerly was not to be denied and crossed the line in front.

In Victory Lane Ackerly was about as excited as this normally laid-back character gets about his first official win of the season.  ”We got the car hooked up really good tonight.”  Regarding finishing ahead of Mike Terry: “It felt good to lead Mike… I didn’t want to see that last caution because we weren’t as good as Mike on the restarts. I think we had a tire going down close to the end, that‘s why we were loose the last few laps.”

During the Pure Stock feature, a third-lap tangle on the front straight eliminated three of the contestants as the #60, driven by Evan Cupples of Harrisburg got totally side ways in the narrowest part of the track and collected the #21 of Frank Hill and the #17 of track chaplain Buddy Compton from Mooresville.  All three were unable to continue.  On that restart Cooper Faassen was able to pull away as points leader Charles Hutto in the #1 Monte Carlo and the #2 of Clinton Baker were involved in a combat for second spot.  Faassen held his lead to the finish and was jubilant on his first time win in Victory Lane. “We’ve been working for this all year! We finally got one!”

A caution free Tim Marburger Honda Fast & Furious Fours 20-lap event saw Tracy Mullis in the #55 ENFORCER sprint to a first place finish, his fourth of the year.  Chad Johnson of Concord brought his #15 Honda home in second; Concord’s Chad Miller finished third in the #88 Junior clone (the writer’s description) Honda; Salisbury’s Wayne Harrington came in fourth in the #3 SUPERMAN Honda and Jake Simpson of Albemarle claimed fifth in the #74 ALBEMARLE BULLDOG Honda.

Next Saturday, August 16th is Independent Tribune newspaper’s Driver Appreciation Night.  All drivers competing in the August 2nd races were awarded 30 complimentary tickets for next weeks events as all the drivers competing next week will be recognized during the pre-race awards.  Grandstand gates open at 5:30 PM, qualifying time trials at 5:45, pre-race at 7:00 and racing at 7:30 with 20-laps for the Fast & Furious Fours, 30-laps for the Pure Stocks, 40-laps for the Limited Late Models and 75-laps for the Late Model Stock Cars in The NASCAR Whelen All-American Series event.  Grandstand general admission is one again $12 for adults with children age 11 and under free with a ticketed adult.

Racing starts early again this week and the USAC Ford Focus Midgets, WKA Go-Karts and Stadium Stock Cars return for “Mid-Week Mayhem” Wednesday August 13th on the quarter-mile oval.  Racing starts at 6:30 PM.  Grandstand admission is $7 for adults and children age 11 and under free with a ticketed adult.

INEX Legends and Bandoleros return to the quarter-mile Friday August 15th after our break for The Summer Shoot-Out at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.  Pit gates open at 5:30 PM; the heat races start at approximately 7:45 (depending on the length of practice and driver’s meeting) with features to follow.  Again, grandstand admission is just $7 for adults with children age 11 and under free with a ticketed adult.  Those holding ticket stubs from the August 9th Pizza Hut Kid’s Night may use those for free admission Friday.

Down the road a bit, as part of the September 27th events, CMP is bringing back the “One-On-One Spectator Drags”.  Entry is limited to the first 16 street-licensed cars registered under the restrictions.  Interested participants should contact Larry Thomas at 704-782-4221 or by e-mail at lthomas@concordmotorsportpark.com.

Concord Motorsport Park is located at 7940 U. S. Highway 601 South of Concord.  For information call 704-782-4221 or visit the website at www.concordmotorsportpark.com

August 8, 2008 Results>>

Driver Points as of August 8, 2008

Driver Points Standings as of August 9, 2008
Town & Country Ford Late Model Stock Cars

J R D Earthworks Limited Late Models

Coca-Cola Pure Stocks

Tim Marburger Honda Fast & Furious Fours