11/06/2004

DONNY LIA WINS NORTH SOUTH SHOOTOUT

Concord, NC: Donny Lia of Jericho, NY took the lead on lap 86 of the John Boy & Billy Genuine Spring Water 100 to score the victory at the 2nd Annual North-South Shootout™ presented by Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer. His race winning pass was set up by an outstanding pit stop by his crew just after halfway. For the second straight year it was a sweep by northern competitors. Lia stood on the podium with Eric Beers of Northampton, PA, and Nevin George of Kunkletown, PA. Bobby Santos, III of Franklin, MA and John Blewett, III of Howell, NJ rounded out the top-five. The highest finishing Southern competitor was Late Model legend Freddie Query of Winston-Salem, NC, making only his second Modified start ever, who drove the Duane Linville owned #67 to a ninth-place finish.

Beers led the opening laps over last year's winner Blewett before disaster stuck on lap two. An incident that involved Jay Foley of Stuart, VA, while running at mid-pack, started a chain reaction that blocked the front stretch and collected over a dozen race cars. A number of cars were eliminated from the competition including Foley, Jay Hedgecock, Pete Brittain, Reggie Ruggiero, Jimmy Broderick, Ken Heagy, Jim Willis and Brian Loftin.

On the restart, Beers resumed the lead for a single lap before Blewett moved in to take over the top spot. Beers quickly found himself fending off the challenges of George for second. Blewett was able to get away as the cars battled. He continued to extend his lead during the stretch of green flag racing.

Ronnie Silk of Wilton, CT and Jerry Marquis of Broad Brook, CT were locked in a heated battle for the sixth position at lap 14. Marquis was able to take the position away with Silk losing ground stuck in the outside groove. The leader entered lap traffic at lap 27; allowing Beers to chop away at Blewett's lead slightly.

Marquis continued his march to the front working over Eddie Flemke of Berlin, CT for the fifth spot on lap 30. He then set his sites on Query. It took several laps but on lap 36 Marquis grabbed fourth, sending Query back to fifth.

Blewett was able to build up his lead once again with Beers and George running nose to tail a distance ahead of Marquis. Lapped traffic began to play a role during the extended green flag stretch. At halfway Blewett led Beers, George, Marquis, Flemke, and Santos III inside the top-five.

The second caution of the event flew on lap 53 for debris on the race track. All lead lap cars took advantage of the caution to head down pit road for the mandatory pit stop. Most teams opted to change right side tires with the exception of Marquis. Marquis led the charge off pit road followed by Beers, Lia, Blewett, and Flemke.

After the double-file start on lap 54, Ted Christopher of Plainville, CT was the man on the move having come off pit road in eighth and quickly vying for the sixth position with George. The spot was Christopher's on lap 56 with Santos following through to also take a position from George.

A spin by Bob Park of Concord, NC brought out the event's third caution on lap 63. Under the caution, Christopher headed to pit road, as did Andy Suess of Hampstead, NH and Daren Scherer of Binghamton, NY. The problems were terminal for T.C. as a broken axle sidelined the Brady Bunch #00. The restart order inside the top-five was Marquis, Beers, Lia, Blewett and Flemke.

On the restart Blewett was able to get by Lia for third but the battle was far from over. The two ran side-by-side for a handful of laps swapping the third spot three times over in as many laps. Finally on lap 67, Lia fell back in line to chase Blewett. Flemke and Santos were having a battle of their own at this point in the race as well. On lap 69, Santos moved ahead of Flemke into sixth.

The top-five in the running order with 30 green flag laps remaining was Marquis, Beers, Blewett, Lia, and George. Santos was a distance behind in sixth but gaining quickly. The top five cars ran in a tight pack through lap 84. There was a tense moment for Blewett on the lap as sparks flew when he brushed the outside wall on the front stretch.

The excitement kicked up a few notches as Lia began to make his move to the front. On lap 85 Lia had moved by Blewett into third. On lap 86 he passed Beers for the second gaining momentum through the dog leg and taking the lead from Marquis before hitting the start-finish line to start lap 87. Blewett began to fade losing positions to both George and Santos on lap 91.

Lia began to distance himself from the pack when the event's fourth caution flag flew when Burt Myers of Walnut Creek, NC slowed on the backstretch. The race went back to green with 93 green flag laps in the record books. Lia continued to lead Beers, George and Santos as Marquis began to backslide. Things went from bad to worse for Marquis who brought out the event's fifth and final caution flag of the event when he went spinning from the fourth position during a tight battle with Silk.

Lia was not fazed by the two cautions over the final ten laps and went on to take the win by .135 seconds over Beers. George and Santos posted strong finishes coming home third and fourth respectively. Blewett rounded out the top-five. Flemke, Jr. settled for sixth over Doug Coby of Mansfield, CT, Silk, Query, and Charlie Pasteryak of Lisbon, CT.

Earlier in the day, Shawna Crowley, daughter of Lia's crew chief Kevin Crowley, scored a popular win in the first-ever Mini Shootout in a pedal car painted identical to the #18.

The 2nd Annual North-South Shootout ™ promised a hefty payday and it delivered. By virtue of his win Lia will take home over $6,000 in prize money with additional contingency bonuses. Eric Beers will also pocket over $6,000 with his earnings and lap money.

Southern favorite Tim Brown of Cana, VA found himself in an unfamiliar place as mechanical problems all weekend relegated the Bowman Gray Stadium champion to the CV Products Non-Qualifiers event. Brown waited until late in the race to make his move taking the lead from Bill Hebing of Spencerport, NY to score the victory. Brown received $600 for his winning effort. Bill Park of Manorville, NY, Frank Fleming of Mt. Airy, NC and Johnny Sutton of Harrisburg, NC rounded out the top five.

Qualifying action spanned Friday and Saturday for the North-South Shootout Modifieds with time trials, heat races, and two consolation events. John Blewett III earned the DMC Auto Exchange Pole Award with a lap of 15.357 seconds at 117.20 miles per hour on the half-mile tri-oval. DMC Auto Exchange posted a hefty $2,000 for qualifying for the Modifieds with $500 going to the highest time trialer from the Featherlite Modified Series, Race of Champions, S.M.A.R.T.

Tour as well as $500 for an Independent runner. Blewett was the FMS pole winner while Eric Beers took home the honor for RoC (15.360 sec./117.188 MPH), Jay Foley for S.M.A.R.T. (15.509 sec./116.062 MPH) and Freddie Query (15.432 sec./116.641MPH) for the independents. The top five in time trials, Blewett, Beers, George, Query, and Flemke, automatically transferred to the 100-lapper.

Three heat races where run on Friday with Donny Lia, Ronnie Silk, and Jerry Marquis claiming victories. Positions six through 17 were set through heat races. On Saturday an additional four starters were added to the field of the John Boy & Billy Genuine Spring Water 100 through the consolation races. Reggie Ruggiero won consolation event #1 and consolation race #2 went to Jim Willis. (Guaranteed and provisional starters set the remainder of the field.)

In support division action, Buster Bennett of Monroe, NC made it a clean sweep in the Late Models winning both of the Twin 50-lappers. On both Friday and Saturday night Bennett took the win over Kevin Love of Midland, NC. Brandon Hylton of Concord, NC took down the win in the 50-lapper for the Thunder Roadsters. Junior Miller of Pine Hall, NC was the Vintage Modified winner, John Faucette of Virginia was the Sportsman winner and Johnny Gregory of Rural Hall, NC was the Vintage Flathead feature winner.

CV Products Modified Non-Qualifiers Event (35-laps): 1. Tim Brown, Cana, VA;

2. Bill Hebing, Spencerport, NJ; 3. Bill Park, Manorville, NY; 4. Frank

Fleming, Mt. Airy, NC; 5. Johnny Sutton, Harrisburg, NC; 6. Darrel Krentz,

Huntersville, NC; 7. Randy Butner, Clemmons, NC; 8. Jeff Pearsall, Salisbury, NC.

DNS-Jim Storace, Kingston, NH. DNS-Shannon Connor, Kannapolis, NC.

Late Model Stock Feature Finish-Friday: 1. Buster Bennett, Monroe, NC; 2.

Kevin Love, 3. Billy Lemmons, Salisbury, NC; 4. Randy Burnett, Concord, NC; 5.

Bryan Thomas, Monroe, NC; 6. Andrew Thomas, Monroe, NC; 7. Jeff Melton,

Concord, NC; 8.

Chris Gordon, Kannapolis, NC; 9. Lance Moss, Cherryville, NC; 10. Randy

McAnulty, Concord, NC11. Brad Robbins, Winston-Salem, NC; 12. Kevin Barnes,

Taylorsville, NC; 13. Eric Gerchak, Parlin, NJ.

Late Model Stock Feature Finish-Saturday: 1. Buster Bennett, Monroe, NC; 2.

Kevin Love, 3. Randy Burnett, Concord, NC; 4. Andrew Thomas, Monroe, NC; 5.

Bryan Thomas, Monroe, NC; 6. Chris Gordon, Kannapolis, NC; 7. Shane Brafford,

Concord, NC; 8. Lance Moss, Cherryville, NC; 9. Jeff Melton, Concord, NC; 10.

Randy McAnulty, Concord, NC; 11. Donnie Richardson, Greensboro, NC; 12. Brad

Robbins, Winston-Salem, NC. DNS Eric Gerchak, Parlin, NJ; DNS Kevin Barnes,

Taylorsville, NC.

Thunder Roadsters Feature Finish: 1. Brandon Hylton, Concord, NC; 2. Adam

Welch, Conord, NC; 3. John Freeman, Huntersville, NC; 4. Chrissy Wallace,

Concord, NC; 5. Matt Lassiter, Grifton, NC; 6. D.J. Krentz, Huntersville, NC; 7.

Mike Ferre, Concord, NC; 8. John Collins, Jr., Charlotte, NC; 9. Terry Horak,

Charlotte, NC; 10. Jim Reyburn, Goose Creek, SC; 11. John Turnbull, Jr., Howell,

MI; 12. Drew Calhoun, Southern Pines, NC; 13. Jim Gray, Charlotte, NC; 14.

Buddy Compton, Albermarle, NC; 15. David Sugg, Cornelius, NC; 16. Kyle Beattie,

Kannapolis, NC. Dan Snyder-DQ.

Vintage Modified Feature Finish: 1. Junior Miller, Pine Hall, NC; 2. Darryl

Lacks, Goode, VA; 3. Randy Smith, Bassett, VA; 4. John Betts, Salisbury, NC;

5. David Rader, Travelers, SC; 6. Rodney Dye, Garner, NC; 7. Brian Janik,

Southwick, MA; 8. Mack Tatum, Midlothium, VA; 9. Kenny Keith, Hartland, VT; 10. GW

Gerringer, N/A; 11. Barry Roy, Fitchburg, MA; 12. Jeff Tate, Ruffin, NC; 13.

Gary Lloyd, N/A; 14. Dave Deveno, Southwick, MA.

Vintage Sportsman Feature Finish: 1. John Faucette, 2. Gary Lloyd, 3. Van

Oakley, 4. Ken Faucette, Jr., 5. Ken Faucette, Sr., 6. Gerry White, 7. Ricky

Smith, 8. Bruce Burgess, 9. Tim Dwiggins.

Vintage Flatheads Feature Finish: 1. Johnny Gregory, Rural Hall, NC; 2. Rick

Newsom, Pfaffton, NC; 3. Johnny Johnson, Tobaccoville, NC; 4. Bill Claussen,

N/A; 5. Kenneth Tuttle, King, NC; 6. James Rogers, Ridgeway, VA; 7. Joe Evans,

Anderson, SC; 8. Barry Roy, Fitchburg, MA; 9. Jerry Tuttle, Walkertown, NC;

10. Bill Sinclair, Craigville, NY; 11. Willie Wall, Lexington, NC.

Sources:  Dale Wolbrink/North South Shootout PR
Posted:  November 9, 2004