FASTRAKPR
09-25-2011, 09:41 AM
Watts Wins the Battle – Umberger Wins the War at Wythe
Rural Retreat, Virginia – Young David Watts of Buchanan, Virginia grabbed the lead from the outside front row starting position and never looked back as he picked up the $3000 FASTRAK Dirt Late Model Super Nationals at Wythe Raceway. Watts’ victory made him the ninth different winner this year in FASTRAK Southeast /Mid-East Touring competition. Brandon Umberger wound up in the 2nd position and secured his first career FASTRAK Southeast / Mid-East Touring Championship.
Umberger started off the evening in Shell Racing Solutions Pole Qualifying by eclipsing mile facility. Umberger’s lap of 17.649 seconds equates to an average speed of 102 miles per hour. “The car was very good in qualifying and we just wanted to give everything we had to win the race. We knew we needed to start up front to give ourselves the best shot to do that. We just need to go and win the race now and the points will take care of themselves.” Umberger said after qualifying. Watts was second quick overall followed by Jensen Ford, Barry Arnold and David Smith.
With potential weather looming and only 23 cars signed-in, FASTRAK and Wythe Raceway Officials decided to forego heat races and go straight to the 50-lap feature. At the drop of the green flag Watts wrestled the lead from Umberger through turns one and two. Umberger was left to fight with a hard charging Jensen Ford. As the field rolled down the back straightaway, Ford found some daylight to Umberger’s outside but the two made slight contact sending Ford into the outside retaining wall. The resulting damage ended Ford’s chance of a win at his home track.
With the field reset in the FASTRAK choose-style double-file restart Watts chose to start from the outside placing Umberger to his immediate inside. It was another drag race to the corner again with both front row cars entering turn one door-to-door. Watts kept his momentum up and grabbed the lead again as the field spilled onto the back straightaway. Umberger settled into 2nd with Smith right on his rear deck.
As the race reached it’s later stages Knoxville, Tennessee’s Mike Smith emerged as the fastest car on the racetrack. Lap after lap Smith mowed drivers down advancing from his 9th starting position. FASTRAK transponder scoring showed that several laps Smith was nearly 3 tenths of a second quicker than the leader. Also making a late charge was Matt Long. Long started from the 11th position but was back to 13th near the races halfway point. Long fought his way forward working both top and bottom of the track.
With only 2 laps remaining Watts was firmly in control but Smith was steadily cutting into Umberger’s lead. But at the line, Umberger held him off as Watts captured the win. The win was Watts’ second career FASTRAK victory. “That was exciting. I am proud to win this race. This will hopefully give us some momentum going into the Grand Nationals races. We ran pretty good over there at Cleveland County last week so I feel like we have a good shot at winning that $30,000.” Watts said from Victory Lane.
Umberger was stoic as he was officially crowned the FASTRAK Southeast / Mid-East Champion. “I owe all of this to those guys that work on this car every week. And man Jason Short my car owner gives me great equipment and makes it easy on me. If it wasn’t for them I couldn’t even be here. They do all the work I just have to drive. I want to thank Stan for putting up all this money. I feel good about heading into the Grand Nationals now. We just have to go and try to win all the races and if can’t win try to finish 2nd and see where we end up.” Umberger commented.
Now the FASTRAK drivers across the country will turn their focus towards the $250,000 Grand Nationals set to kick-off October 7th and 8th in the individual regions. After night 1 in each region all the drivers will converge on the Volunteer Speedway in Bulls Gap, Tennessee on October 20th-22nd. For more information and a complete schedule visit www.fastrakracing.com
The FASTRAK Racing Series would like to thank all of their great 2011 partners including: Hoosier Racing Tires, GM Performance Parts, City Chevrolet, VP Race Fuels, NOS Energy Drink, Shell Racing Solutions, Old Man’s Garage, Vicci Apparel, TNT Race Cars, Rocket Chassis, RockAuto.com, FK Rod Ends, Longhorn Chassis, Velocita and Beyea Headers. To join the FASTRAK Racing Series as a partner please call the Series Office at (678) 935-7304.
Official Finish (Pending Tire Test Results)
1) 04 David Watts
2) 54B Brandon Umberger
3) 4 Mike Smith
4) 11 David Smith
5) 25 Matt Long
6) 88 Vic Chandler
7) 15 Barry Arnold
8) 19 Bobby Mays
9) 22 Jordan Dill
10) 57 Lee Cooper
11) 24 Tim Byrd
12) 51 Chad Hale
13) 17 R.K. Dix
14) 83 Jensen Ford
15) 29E Jake Eaton
16) K22 Kenny Peeples
17) 9 Ryan Atkins
18) 99 Teddy Tate
19) 7 Clinton Cook
20) 54 John Curtis
21) 44 John Broce, Jr.
22) 421 Anthony Sanders
23) 14 Lance Reynolds (DNS)
Rural Retreat, Virginia – Young David Watts of Buchanan, Virginia grabbed the lead from the outside front row starting position and never looked back as he picked up the $3000 FASTRAK Dirt Late Model Super Nationals at Wythe Raceway. Watts’ victory made him the ninth different winner this year in FASTRAK Southeast /Mid-East Touring competition. Brandon Umberger wound up in the 2nd position and secured his first career FASTRAK Southeast / Mid-East Touring Championship.
Umberger started off the evening in Shell Racing Solutions Pole Qualifying by eclipsing mile facility. Umberger’s lap of 17.649 seconds equates to an average speed of 102 miles per hour. “The car was very good in qualifying and we just wanted to give everything we had to win the race. We knew we needed to start up front to give ourselves the best shot to do that. We just need to go and win the race now and the points will take care of themselves.” Umberger said after qualifying. Watts was second quick overall followed by Jensen Ford, Barry Arnold and David Smith.
With potential weather looming and only 23 cars signed-in, FASTRAK and Wythe Raceway Officials decided to forego heat races and go straight to the 50-lap feature. At the drop of the green flag Watts wrestled the lead from Umberger through turns one and two. Umberger was left to fight with a hard charging Jensen Ford. As the field rolled down the back straightaway, Ford found some daylight to Umberger’s outside but the two made slight contact sending Ford into the outside retaining wall. The resulting damage ended Ford’s chance of a win at his home track.
With the field reset in the FASTRAK choose-style double-file restart Watts chose to start from the outside placing Umberger to his immediate inside. It was another drag race to the corner again with both front row cars entering turn one door-to-door. Watts kept his momentum up and grabbed the lead again as the field spilled onto the back straightaway. Umberger settled into 2nd with Smith right on his rear deck.
As the race reached it’s later stages Knoxville, Tennessee’s Mike Smith emerged as the fastest car on the racetrack. Lap after lap Smith mowed drivers down advancing from his 9th starting position. FASTRAK transponder scoring showed that several laps Smith was nearly 3 tenths of a second quicker than the leader. Also making a late charge was Matt Long. Long started from the 11th position but was back to 13th near the races halfway point. Long fought his way forward working both top and bottom of the track.
With only 2 laps remaining Watts was firmly in control but Smith was steadily cutting into Umberger’s lead. But at the line, Umberger held him off as Watts captured the win. The win was Watts’ second career FASTRAK victory. “That was exciting. I am proud to win this race. This will hopefully give us some momentum going into the Grand Nationals races. We ran pretty good over there at Cleveland County last week so I feel like we have a good shot at winning that $30,000.” Watts said from Victory Lane.
Umberger was stoic as he was officially crowned the FASTRAK Southeast / Mid-East Champion. “I owe all of this to those guys that work on this car every week. And man Jason Short my car owner gives me great equipment and makes it easy on me. If it wasn’t for them I couldn’t even be here. They do all the work I just have to drive. I want to thank Stan for putting up all this money. I feel good about heading into the Grand Nationals now. We just have to go and try to win all the races and if can’t win try to finish 2nd and see where we end up.” Umberger commented.
Now the FASTRAK drivers across the country will turn their focus towards the $250,000 Grand Nationals set to kick-off October 7th and 8th in the individual regions. After night 1 in each region all the drivers will converge on the Volunteer Speedway in Bulls Gap, Tennessee on October 20th-22nd. For more information and a complete schedule visit www.fastrakracing.com
The FASTRAK Racing Series would like to thank all of their great 2011 partners including: Hoosier Racing Tires, GM Performance Parts, City Chevrolet, VP Race Fuels, NOS Energy Drink, Shell Racing Solutions, Old Man’s Garage, Vicci Apparel, TNT Race Cars, Rocket Chassis, RockAuto.com, FK Rod Ends, Longhorn Chassis, Velocita and Beyea Headers. To join the FASTRAK Racing Series as a partner please call the Series Office at (678) 935-7304.
Official Finish (Pending Tire Test Results)
1) 04 David Watts
2) 54B Brandon Umberger
3) 4 Mike Smith
4) 11 David Smith
5) 25 Matt Long
6) 88 Vic Chandler
7) 15 Barry Arnold
8) 19 Bobby Mays
9) 22 Jordan Dill
10) 57 Lee Cooper
11) 24 Tim Byrd
12) 51 Chad Hale
13) 17 R.K. Dix
14) 83 Jensen Ford
15) 29E Jake Eaton
16) K22 Kenny Peeples
17) 9 Ryan Atkins
18) 99 Teddy Tate
19) 7 Clinton Cook
20) 54 John Curtis
21) 44 John Broce, Jr.
22) 421 Anthony Sanders
23) 14 Lance Reynolds (DNS)