"HOLLYWOOD" Dominates Unpredictable Weekend at Pro Late Model Nationals

(Four Oaks,NC) UNBELIEVABLE!! That's the only one word you could use to describe the running of the 9th Annual Pro Late Model Nationals paying $7,500 to win at the 1/2 mile "super fast" Wythe Raceway in Rural Retreat,VA operated by pioneer Promoters Fred & Susan Brown. When FASTRAK Founder Stan Lester & Wythe Raceway's Promoter Fred Brown decided at 1pm est on Friday afternoon that they we're gonna have to really take a hard look at the entire weather situation after the remains of what was Tropical Storm Isaac made it's way up to the mid-east United States and was threatening the "Commonwealth" State all weekend long and would tell all of the FASTRAK Universe by 7- 8 am Saturday morning on their decision. At 7:50 am the following text went out: It's On Lets Rock and Roll!! FASTRAK Companies Int'l employees knew what that meant this race was gonna happen but many still wondered that question. There were so many different things that happened throughout the weekend that proved "The Man Upstairs" was looking out over 164 Race Track Rd. in Rural Retreat,VA which was the location of the 1/2 mile Wythe Raceway dirt facility located off I-81 exit 60 and there were a few scares and worries that was felt by all about the possibility of the event being POSTPONED but as soon as doubt came in MIRACLES happened and made sure the only "R" word out there important was RACING at the 9th Pro Late Model Nationals event under the banner of the FASTRAK Racing Series!!

25 of the best FASTRAK Rock Stars came to the Start of an eager excited young man who will never forget this night waving the Green Flag to the field but it didn't last long because going into Turn #2 with no laps complete they piled in at the bottom of the cushion. Drivers involved were #57 Lee Cooper, #9 Shanon Buckingham which ended the night for him driving Ryan Atkins Barry Wright chassis, also involved were #18 Brent Glastetter and #77 Martinez,GA's Brian Connor but all continued after. #p4 Consi 2 winner Doug Price would go high to avoid the meley and pushed car to top of track and had the right passenger side of his car rim-ride down the backstretch retaining wall which put him on the hook as well. After a couple of solo cautions with #88 Victor Chandler & #07 Dale Timms looping off turn 4 the battle was between 3 drivers in the early going #11 David Smith, #44w Brandon Umberger & #3 Kenny Peeples Jr. all flip flopping and battled side by side numerous times the whole way around the track and insane 3-wide racing as well with daring moves that was having many folks sighing and aweing with "How did they do that" comments to other fans. It was a tough break for #4s Michael Smith from Rogersville,TN who had "high hopes" in having a strong run at the Nationals over the weekend after a 3rd place finish back in July at Wythe's 1/2 mile also while that took place #8 "The Bull" Ron Parker was coming hard through the field and it became 4 cars contending for the top spot . However Smith "hand-grenades " his Chevy Performance Motor just 10 laps to the Half-Way break ending his night. #5 Vic "The Thrill" Hill from Mosheim,TN is a popular standout in "Super" Late Models and has 2 ULTIMATE Series wins in 2012 at Wythe buckled up for the first time in a FASTRAK Pro Late Model and had a great run going til 9 laps til the halfway mark when he had a ill handling vibration come on the right front shock(s) of his car and looped car around, they fixed that shock and still lasted til Lap 79 details on that coming up. After one final Caution flag that fell before Lap #41 by the #18 car of Mooresville,NC's Brent Glastetter the long time Chief Starter of Wythe Raceway Don Widener would show "cross-sticks" to the field and after another circuit around the track the Scheduled Caution fell and all the cars stopped on the front straightaway in front of the fans for a sight to see.

After the 10 minute break the FASTRAK (televised) World Championship was also announced and it shocked all there by surprise as Stan Lester proudly announced it would be on - October 4th, 5th & 6th at Beckley Motorsports Park in Prosperity,WV!!

The long Green flag run came back on the restart it lasted a total of 26 laps and in that process #11 David Smith who we call "HOLLYWOOD" on the FASTRAK Tour was "GONE"!! He was in his own zip-code and was even picking off cars to put them a lap down one by one but while Smith was gone, the battle for second thru fourth was hot & heavy between Umberger, Peeples Jr., Parker. Wild 3-wide racing all over the place and the daredevils made moves in places at room wasn't available but made it stick and they'd get position lap after lap. The long green flag run would end on Lap 72 when a piece of debris came off a car on the frontstretch just 20 yards past the flagstand and Widener spotted it & threw the yellow. This set up for a 8 Lap shootout but there was trouble on the restart 4 circuits later on Lap 76 when #25 Matt Long from Concord,NC and #15a Barry Arnold spun together in unison off turn 4. On the Restart the racers were coming to the front that were mostly in the back, guys like Arnold, Dill, Cooper, Timms, Ford etc. were all trying to get their final paying spots settled in. However on the white flag lap going into turn 1 DISASTER would happen as Leader David Smith already took the white and was in 2 #57 Cooper & #07 L. Timms got together has Copper got to Timms left rear quarter panel then big trouble ensued which caused Cooper's Barry Wright chassis get airborne the had the front end of the car end up mangled on the passenger side of #5 Vic Hill car and the back of Cooper's car was in the air and pinned under his car was the #7 of Clinton Cook and #12 Ryan Montgomery. Other involved included #83 Jensen Ford, #15a Barry Arnold I'm happy to report after probably one of the worst wrecks of the 2012 season EVERYONE WALK AWAY UNHURT!!

Missing the BIG ONE on the first white flag attempt and coming to the front before the incident was the driver who started 25th with the (FASTRAK Series Provisional) #22 Landrum,SC's Jordan Dill this driver would rally for a top 5 finish and get (Hard Charger Award) after a night for the entire family with hardly NO SLEEP and driving back and fourth all night Saturday into 5pm Sunday afternoon just making it before Hot-Laps. It was a total TNT Chassis effort as Dill explained as well as he dad Joseph Emery also "I have to thank the entire TNT Race Cars family so much, Tony & Teresa Ford did all they could and drove all night back & forth to get us what we needed and nobody complained one iota. To Barry Arnold I can't thank him and his race team also. They we're racing against each-other and sometimes rub fenders but when we got messed up he let us work on our #22 TNT Race Car inside their own race shop which could only fit one car and they worked on their #15a Late Model outside the shop and even sometimes during a rain shower or two!!" God really blessed us all this weekend and Stan Lester's comment about us all being one big "FASTRAK Family" is so so true and this weekend proved that theory!!

After the 35 minute Red Flag which was the 2nd one of the 80 Lap Feature a packed house even though weather was so threatening all weekend saw this race and never left til the checkers fell. David Smith had the lead and the pressure was on the #11 TNT Race Cars chassis has #8 Ron Parker nicknamed "The Bull" had his sights set on "HOLLYWOOD" but only had one lap to do it. On the final restart single file Parker was able to pinch his car to the bottom of the cushion off 1 and rallied beside Smith off to the left rear quarter panel but that's all he could muster has #11 David Smith would cross the line to be the 8th Winner in 9 PLM Nationals events to go to VP Race Fuels Victory Lane. "Man I just can't believe this it's like a Dream you want but don't always get it. I'm so excited we got this event finally I've always wanted to get this victory under my belt and we just had everything go perfect on this #11 TNT chassis all the way til the end. An unpredictable weekend here at Wythe but GOD was looking out for all of us here and it turned out to be a Perfect weekend and I'm glad we could get the show in and have a great fan turnout through it all!!"

UN-OFFICIAL RESULTS FROM 9TH ANNUAL PRO LATE MODEL NATIONALS
1st #11 David Smith - Inman,SC
2nd #8p Ron Parker - Bellwood,NC
3rd #3 Kenny Pepples Jr. - Rural Retreat,VA
4th #77 Brian Connor - Martinez,GA
5th #22 Jordan Dill - Landrum,SC (Hard Charger from 25th to 5th)
6th #44w Brandon Umberger - Rural Retreat,VA
7th #15a Barry Arnold - Max Meadows,VA
8th #25 Matt Long - Concord,NC
9th #83 Jensen Ford - Piney Flats,TN
10th #12 Ryan Montgomery - Fairmont,WV
11th #24 Tim Byrd - Jonesboro,TN
12th #99 Teddy Tate - Rural Retreat,VA
13th #00 Randy Kinder - Radford,VA
14th #07 Dale Timms - Hodges,SC
15th #07L Larry Timms - Hodges,SC
16th #57 Lee Cooper - Woodruff,SC
17th #7 Clinton Cook - Radford,VA
18th #5 Vic Hill - Mosheim,TN
19th #18 Brent Glastetter - Mooresville,NC
20th #4s Michael Smith - Rogersville,TN
21st #11m Zack Mitchell - Enoree,SC
22nd #88 Victor Chandler - Weaverville,NC
23rd #421 Anthony Sanders - Spartanburg,SC
24th #9 Shanon Buckingham - Morristown,TN
25th #p4 Doug Price - Kingsport,TN
There were a Total of 11 Caution Flags and 2 Red Flag periods in the race!!