Dennis Franklin Wins The Battle, David Smith Wins The War At 2nd Annual Bill Hendren Memorial

(Four Oaks,NC) 40 of the best FASTRAK Pro Late Model drivers converged to the 1/2mile in Lawndale,NC the Cleveland County & Motorsports Complex to go at it for the 2nd Annual Bill Hendren Memorial which had almost $50,000 Dollars on the line in Purse Money, Lap Sponsors, Contigencys and Bonuses. This race was created in honor of a man who firmly stood behind the vision and creation of FASTRAK Pro Late Model Racing some 9 years ago and the program is still ever so popular to this day. Steve & Bettie Hendren created this race last year to have in memory of a great Husband, Father and Pioneer to everyone involved in Dirt Track Racing.

The race went off to a great start. No big problems during the beginning but there was great fierce racinng all through the pack from the 25 starters in the race at Lawndale,NC. Quickly on the early going 6th place man David Smith began to rally to the front of the field hooking up with #6p Furman Parton and #3 Kenny Peeples also in the battle for the championship with him #44w Brandon Umberger we're all hooking uop together going "high low inside outside" to jockey for position and get to the front in the early going. #187 which was driven tonight by "Lightnin" Lee Cooper had mechanical issues in his heat and also suffered heavy heavy damage from contact and had to take a Series Provisional being 2nd in the points trying to run down Smith for the title in 2012. He was trying to mount a charge to the front in the early going but before he could he'd go a lap down in the first green flag run. While Smith & Franklin battled for the lead to complete Lap 22 disaster would happen in turn's 3 & 4 and we could quote the "Big One" of the night in Lawndale,NC. #4s Michael Smith "The Pizza Man" fromRogersville,TN who suffered from a blown motor at the Pro Late Model Nationals the week before a Wythe Raceway would wreck hard after contact with #07 Dale Timms and flip and Barrel Roll end over end down the banking violently before coming to a stop. During the time after the wreck to extricating the driver from the damaged and mangled #4 a fire would ignite behind the driver **** pit and set a flame. However due to the quick effort of FASTRAK & Safety Officials they got him out of the car quickly and extinguished the blaze with no one getting hurt. After about a 35 minute RED FLAG from the wreck with Smith & Timms and having to use a back hoe to put the wall back in place from the hard incident in turn 3 racing would resume. The term "cautions breed cautions" came true at Cleveland County Friday night has just 2 laps later after the "Big One" the yellow lights would cut on again after a single incident with #77 from Martinez,GA Brian Conner. Then a lap later on the 25th circuit the Yellow Flag would wave again from flagman Tony Adair when #99 Jeff Cooke "Mr. Saturday Night" looped it off turn 4 for the 3rd caution in the race. Quick note all incidents in the feature happened off turns 3 & 4 Friday evening. Before the caution one driver was slipping back and another was coming forward. #8b from Troutman,NC Steve Banal was up in the front amongst the Top 5 began to fall back about mid-way in the race and coming hard was #11m "KidQick" Zack Mitchell. The race went back to green for 9 circuits and the racing was hot & heavy in the front of the pack and Smith was doing all he could to run down #11 David Smith & #27c of Leader "Rambo" Dennis Franklin and would try to make his move off turn 2 going high way high and clobbered the wall with the right rear of his #44 Barry Wright but was able to continue but several laps later lost the speed he had and fell back outside the top 5. Final caution would fall on lap 34 when #29 Ricky Weeks driving the Lazier II Chassis that SteveHendren went to victory lane in last year would spin off turn 4 and in the process break the suspension on the right rear of the car from Rutherfordton,NC and would have to pit with 16 laps show of the finish. On the final restart #6p Furman Parton a regular at Cleveland County would get by #11 David Smith and go to second and tried all he could to make a rally to run down the #27c Barry Wright from the AES Racing stables but it just wasn't enough as "Rambo Nation" would come to their feet and pocket $4,000 Dollars winning the 2nd Annual Bill HendrenMemorial. With the 3rd place finish and Brandon Umberger falling back in the late running and obviously the "bad luck" that continued to haunt Lee Cooper from Wythe Raceway the week before in a back up car tonight "Hollywood" David Smith would go on to win his 2nd career FASTRAK City Chevrolet Touring Division title and carry the title as CHAMPION and pock $10,000 Dollars at the Awards Banquet to be held in January 2013 in Nashville,TN (Date TBA). For these two drivers they would both go home with big smiling faces in an event that went towards a great cause and a great race for a great man for the sport Mr. Bill Hendren. "Rambo" Dennis Franklin won the Battle: 2nd Annual Bill Hendren Memorial and David Smith won the War: 2012 FASTRAK City Chevrolet Touring Division Champion!! There will also be a full PR coming soon about the entire season #11 David Smith as had in the quest to be the 2012 Champion coming soon!!


Coming up this Tuesday night on FASTRAK Weekly LIVE we'll have on the 2012 FASTRAK Champion David Smith, 2012 FASTRAK Southeast/Mideast Rookie of the Year DaleTimms and The Winner of the 2nd Annual Bill Hendren Memorial "Rambo" Dennis Franklin and Final thoughts on the successful event over the weekend with Mr. Steve Hendren fromHendren Racing Engines. Show time will be at 7pm est on the FASTRAK Radio Network concluding that we will have on the tape-delayed broadcast of the event from the 2nd Annual BillHendren Memorial from Cleveland County Speedway in Lawndale,NC.


Official Results from the 2nd Annual Bill Hendren Memorial Race from Cleveland County Speedway & Motorsports Complex in Lawndale,NC
40 FASTRAK Drivers Representing 5 states - NC, SC, TN, VA, GA
2nd Annual Bill Hendren Memorial 50 Lap A-Main Feature Results
1st #27c Dennis Franklin - Gaffney,SC
2nd #6p Furman Parton - Union Mills,NC
3rd #11 David Smith - Inman,SC (2012 Touring Champion)
4th #11m Zack Mitchell - Enoree,SC
5th #8b Steve Banal - Troutman,NC
6th #44w Brandon Umberger - Rural Retreat,VA
7th #3 Kenny Peeples Jr. - Rural Retreat,VA
8th #88 Victor Chandler - Weaverville,NC
9th #88i Trent Ivey - Union,SC
10th #4 Taylor Hicks - Gaffney,SC
11th #23 Corey Gordon - Charlotte,NC
12th #421 Anthony Sanders - Spartanburg,SC
13th #17 Jason Pack - Ellenboro,NC
14th #22d Jordan Dill - Landrum,SC
15th #06 Michael Brown - Pageland,SC
16th #07 Gib Gibbons - Manning,SC
17th #94 Wendell Chavous - Hephzibah,GA
18th #187 Lee Cooper - Woodruff,SC
19th #2 Chris Steele - Rock Hill,SC
20th #29 Ricky Weeks - Rutherfordton,NC
21st #77 Brian Connor - Martinez,GA
22nd #99 Jeff Cooke - Spartanburg,SC
23rd #4s Michael Smith - Rogersville,TN
24th #07t Dale Timms - Hodges,SC (2012 FASTRAK SE/ME ROY)
25th #66 Travis Blackwell - Greer,SC


ALSO ANNOUNCED THAT IT IS NOW OFFICIAL THE 2012 FASTRAK WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS WILL BE A TELEVISION PRODUCTION OF DELMAR STUDIOS AND MOST OF ALL WHAT EVERYBODY WANTED.. IT WILL BE AIRED (tape delayed) ON THE FSN (FOX SPORTS NETWORKS) FROM BECKLEY MOTORSPORTS PARK!!


The FASTRAK Racing Series City Chevrolet Touring Divisions would like to thank all of its marketing partners for their great and continuing support. Those 2012 sponsors include: Hoosier Race Tires, VP Racing Fuel, City Chevrolet, Chevrolet Performance Parts, Vicci Apparel, TNT Race Cars, Rocket Chassis, Longhorn Race Cars, RockAuto.com and FK Rod Ends. FASTRAK would also like to welcome Cool Shirt, Five Star Bodies, Hooker Harness, Kooks Custom Headers, R2C Filters, Sisco Fire and Safety and Tiger Rear Ends to our line-up of product sponsors. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor of the Premier Pro Late Model Series in the Country please contact Stan Lester at the FASTRAK Corporate Office at (678) 935-7304 or Series Director Kelley Carlton at (864) 871-1442. Also Visit the FASTRAK Racing Series online at www.fastrakracing.com and be sure to like us on Facebook and/or follow us on Twitter at @FASTRAK_Racing!!