Durrence Layne Chevrolet Modified Sportsman Division Week 28 Round Up

ADAIRSVILLE, GA – Luke Riddle of Hartselle, AL won the 2019 Durrence Layne Chevrolet Modified Sportsman Division National Championship in dramatic fashion on Saturday night at North Alabama Speedway in Tuscumbia, AL. To coin a phrase from an old Sports television show, it was the thrill of victory for Riddle, and the agony of defeat for Oakley Gillespie of Five Points, TN.

Going into the Durrence Layne Weekly Racing Series Week 28 race, Gillespie had to win the 20-lap main event to stay alive in the title hunt. Gillespie was looking good to keep his hopes up for his second straight Durrence Layne Chevrolet Modified Sportsman National Championship by starting the race from pole position, and Riddle would take the green flag from the eighth starting spot.

Riddle used the outside groove of North Alabama Speedway to work his way to the front, while Gillespie was committed to the inside line that seemed to get slicker and slicker with each lap. With ten laps to go, Riddle drove into the second spot, and was battling Gillespie side-by-side for the lead.

Gillespie stayed on the bottom of the track trying to work through lapped traffic when he struck a utility tire that marked the inside of the race track, and broke the left-front suspension of his race car. Gillespie rolled to the infield with his race and championship hopes over with. A dejected Gillespie climbed from his damaged machine to watch what he couldn’t keep from happening.

Riddle went on to win the race in the Morgan Machine Special, net on a 49, and bring his best 14-week total to 698 points to clinch the 2019 Durrence Layne Chevrolet Modified Sportsman Division National Championship. Despite his 13th-place finish, Gillespie has clinched the second spot in the National standings with a 14-week total of 694 points.

The battle is still alive and well for the third spot in the 2019 Durrence Layne Chevrolet Modified Sportsman Division National point standings with one week left in the season. Chuckie Gipson of Tuscumbia, AL is third in the National standings with a best 14-week total of 667 points. Gipson finished 17th on Saturday night at North Alabama Speedway and he was unable to net on a 46.

Tracy Terrell of Russellville, AL is fourth in the Durrence Layne Chevrolet Modified Sportsman Division National standings with a best 14-week total of 663 points. Terrell was able to gain four points on his season point total after netting on a 44 with a third-place finish on Saturday night at North Alabama Speedway.

Seth Johnston of Santa Fe, TN rounds out the top five in the Durrence Layne Chevrolet Modified Sportsman National standings with a best 14-week total of 661 points. Johnston finished fifth on Saturday night at North Alabama Speedway to net on a 44 and gain two points on his season point total.

In other Durrence Layne Chevrolet Modified Sportsman Division Week 28 action, Bryce Trull of Lobelville, TN drove the TNT Lawn Care Special to victory on Saturday night at Camden Speedway in Camden, TN. The Saturday night Week 28 race scheduled for Talladega Short Track in Eastaboga, TN was rained out.

Drivers racing in Durrence Layne Weekly Racing Series events compete for both a Track point fund and a National point fund. Drivers compete against drivers racing at Durrence Layne Racing sanctioned tracks across the country using a National points system over a 29-week season that concludes on October 13.

A driver’s best 14 weekly point totals count as their season total. Once a driver reaches 14 weeks of competition, they start trying to net points by replacing the lowest weekly total among their best 14 weekly totals with a higher one. A driver can only count their best point total each week as their total for that week.

The top ten drivers in the Durrence Layne Chevrolet Modified Sportsman Division National point standings will earn a seat at the Durrence Layne Racing Annual Awards Banquet to receive a point fund check and a trophy.

For complete point standings, more information and rules about the Durrence Layne Chevrolet Modified Sportsman Division, visit the series web site at www.durrencelayneracing.com, or visit the series on Facebook at Durrence Layne Chevrolet Modified Sportsman Division. You can follow us on Twitter @DurrenceLayneRacing.

DURRENCE LAYNE CHEVROLET MODIFIED SPORTSMAN DIVISION POINT STANDINGS THROUGH 10/5/19:

1. 28 Luke Riddle – 698 (Clinched Championship)
2. 1g Oakley Gillespie – 694
3. 10 Chuckie Gipson – 667
4. 10 Tracy Terrell – 663
5. J22 Seth Johnston – 661
6. 99 Blake Cross – 659
7. 11 Brent Smith – 651
8. 9 Ryan Sawyers – 649
9. 12 Ron Bailey – 646
10. J7 Joseph Champion – 643

DURRENCE LAYNE CHEVROLET MODIFIED SPORTSMAN DIVISION WEEK 28 RESULTS:

Saturday, October 10:

CAMDEN SPEEDWAY – CAMDEN, TN: 1. Bryce Trull; 2. Ryan Sawyers; 3. Dakota Berry; 4. Derrick Bawcum; 5. Blake Cross; 6. Seth Blankenship; 7. Brent Smith; 8. Jason Maurer; 9. Justin Ray; 10. Clayton Groves; 11. Clay Goodman; 12. Michael Cox; 13. Rex Berry DNS.

NORTH ALABAMA SPEEDWAY – TUSCUMBIA, AL: 1. Luke Riddle; 2. Blaze Trull; 3. Tracy Terrell; 4. Ron Bailey; 5. Seth Johnston; 6. Darren Jewell; 7. Cody Howard; 8. David Nichols; 9. Michael Butler; 10. Alan Lacy; 11. Tim Provost; 12. Jay Whittaker; 13. Oakley Gillespie; 14. Andy McDowell; 15. Bradley Qualls; 16. Johnny Horton; 17. Chuckie Gipson; 18. Greg Smartt DNS.

TALLADEGA SHORT TRACK – EASTABOGA, AL: Rained Out


Durrence Layne Chevrolet, Buick, GMC of Claxton, GA is the Title Sponsor of the Durrence Layne Chevrolet Modified Sportsman Division. Durrence Layne Chevrolet, Buick, GMC is one of the Nation’s Top GM Powertrain and Performance Dealers, with free delivery anywhere in the Southeast. Chevrolet Performance Parts is an Official Sponsor of the Durrence Layne Chevrolet Modified Sportsman Division. Hoosier Racing Tire is the Official Tire Sponsor of the Durrence Layne Chevrolet Modified Sportsman Division. VP Racing Fuels and Lubricants is the Official Race Fuel and Lubricant of the Durrence Layne Chevrolet Modified Sportsman Division. Fullmoon Graphics is also an Official Sponsor of the Durrence Layne Chevrolet Modified Sportsman Division.