5.24.15 Carolina Clash Late Models Results
On May 24, 2003, the Carolina Clash Super Late Model Series rolled into Antioch Speedway in Morganton, NC. How that is related this past weekend’s event at Lancaster Speedway? The Antioch race then was when Dennis Franklin scored a Carolina Clash victory for the first time, the first of four wins that season. This past Saturday night at the Lancaster Super Speedway in Lancaster, South Carolina, Dennis Franklin ended an early 2015 season slump as he scored his 40th Carolina Clash victory 12 years later.
Franklin, who qualified sixth for the feature out of 16 cars entered, settled into the top five early in the event, as he moved into fourth place on the opening lap. Rambo moved into third position when the second-place car of Josh Langley, lost power exiting turn two. Langley, one of the Carolina Clash rookie candidates was a seasoned-pro as he noticed the temperature gauge quickly rising and shut-off the engine, ending his night. Langley was among several home-town favorites to enter the Lancaster event, which was the 15th race all-time in the history of the Carolina Clash. Josh Langley drives a Longhorn chassis powered by Steve Allen Race Engines for Jeff Langley Motorsports of Lancaster, and is sponsored by Langley Collision Center and Mid-Carolina Masonry.
Franklin stayed in the third position over the rest of the first half of the event, as race leaders Tim Allen, who was the Langley Collision Center Fastest Qualifier of the event with a quick lap of 18.669. Allen led the first 19 laps of the race before a flat left-rear tire forced him to pit the #17 Longhorn. This gave the lead over to second-place local favorite from Rock Hill, SC Ben Watkins, driving the #16 Sandwood Company, A Mobile Truck Storage Rocket. Watkins held the lead over the next two laps, but a sudden problem with the right-rear tire sent him into the third-turn wall. Watkins pitted and would restart behind Allen in sixth.
Franklin had been battling with a third local favorite Johnny Pursley, who had quietly moved into the second-place position. Pursley, who has also had previous wins at Lancaster in all three levels of late model racing (super, limited and crate) gave Franklin a few looks during the early stages of the second half, but could not gain enough to mount a charge.
Joey Coulter of Miami Springs, Florida finished third at Lancaster, the first time he ever raced there. Driving for Wolfpack Racing of Troutman, NC, Coulter had previously picked up wins in the SECA Crate Late Model and is still searching for his first Carolina Clash score.
2009 Carolina Clash points champion Jeff Smith, of Dallas, NC returned to Lancaster Speedway having won there in October 2012. Smith drives his self-prepared and owned machine with a new Hatfield Engine under the hood.
Tim Allen rebounded from his early woes to finish fifth, with Watkins placing in 6th.
Ronnie Hoover made his 2015 debut at Lancaster this past Saturday. The China Grove, NC driver was the focus of a single-car spin on lap 16. Hoover was set to be on track for the Safety-Kleen Hard Charger of the race, having advanced to seventh from his 12th place starting position. He would eventually finish seventh.
Doug Sanders nursed an off-powered engine to an eighth place score, while limited late model driver Mike Huey finished ninth.
Kevin Wilson was the last of the Carolina Clash regular points contenders in the top ten.
The 40 lap event lasted for 39 minutes and was slowed by three cautions.
Jonathan Edwards was the Heintz Performance Hard Luck Award winner after hitting the wall hard entering turn three. He was able to make enough repairs to start the event, but parked after the first lap.
The series will move next to the Fayetteville Motor Speedway this coming Saturday on June 6, 2015 as the race might be considered a “practice” for the upcoming Lucas Oil Series Race on Thursday, June 18, 2015. Track promoter Jim Long, Jr. announced to the Carolina Clash drivers that the highest finishing driver who attends the June 6 FMS Carolina Clash event will be guaranteed a starting spot as a track provisional for the Lucas Oil event on June 18, in the event that driver fails to qualify for the Lucas event.
Then, the series will move to Laurens County Speedway on Tuesday night, June 9, 2015 for the annual visit to LCS for the 34th Laurens County Shrine Benefit Race.
The final race of the spring/summer half of the season will be at Wythe Raceway on June 20, 2015 for the make-up race which was rained out on April 25.
Lancaster Speedway Results
1. Dennis Franklin
2. Johnny Pursley
3. Joey Coulter
4. Jeff Smith
5. Tim Allen
6. Ben Watkins
7. Ronnie Hoover
8. Doug Sanders
9. Mike Huey
10. Kevin Wilson
11. Kevin Godwin
12. Anthony Sanders
13. Josh Langley
14. David Yandle
15. Josh Harris
16. Jonathan Edwards
The Carolina Clash Super Late Model Series began in the year 2000 as a challenge between Fayetteville Motor Speedway and County Line Raceway in North Carolina. Since 2001, the Carolina Clash series has completed 286 events over 16 consecutive seasons at 27 racetracks across the Southeastern United States in five states. 63 different drivers have won Carolina Clash Super Late Model Series races.
Thanks to American Racer, Hoosier Racing Tires, Renegade Racing Fuels and Racing Lubricants, Safety-Kleen of Charlotte, NC, Steve Heintz of Heintz Performance, Tri-Star Racewear, Steve Knight’s Performance Tees, Thomas Clarke Performance Web Design and Solutions, and Lee Furniture Company for all their support with the Carolina Clash.