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Dennis Franklin Paces to Flag-to-Flag Victory at 311 Motor Speedway - Round 1 of Roush Yates Performance Products/JE Pistons Championship Chase
- Mark Huey, Carolina Clash Press
Two-time defending Carolina Clash champion Gaffney, SC Dennis Franklin led flag-to-flag in the first round of the Chase for the Championship by Roush Yates Performance Products and JE Pistons at 311 Motor Speedway in Pine Hall, NC. From the pole position with a fast qualifying time of 15.948, the only driver to crack into the 15 second range, he never looked back after an early challenge from Chris Ferguson, who took outside pole honors. On lap #1, Ferguson had rear end issues on his #D1 Carver & Sons Roofing machine from Mt. Holly, NC. Ferguson fell out on the opening lap and finished 26th.
There were several cautions during the event's first 15 laps, which featured chase contenders Ross Bailes, Wayne Hughes, Michael Marlowe, and Doug Sanders each experienced mechanical problems and pitted. Marlowe and Hughes were involved in a very tight point battle for Rookie-of-the-Year and stayed on the track for the event in damaged cars. Marlowe finished one spot ahead of Hughes in the final rundown and stretches his point lead to 7 over Hughes.
Luke Roffers had problems on the #21 car on lap 20 of the event on the left rear and pitted. He was the point leader entering the event. He battled back to seventh to salvage what would have been a disastrous night.
Tim Allen returned to Clash racing with a very impressive run and finished second. Great for the "Toolman" who has struggled all year with his #17 car, as Scott Autry held on to third position. Jeff Smith was fourth and Ricky Weeks finished fifth.
2011 Hall of Fame inductee Billy Hicks finished sixth from his 19th place starting position, earning the Safety-Kleen "Hard Charger of the Race."
The Chase for the Championship moves to Wythe Raceway for event #2 in the series.
Dennis Franklin commented on the win from victory lane.
"The track was really racey tonight. There were many grooves as I could run my car high, low or in the middle. It got a little crazy with the traffic late in the race. These chase races are so important because you can't fall out of any of them. It's gonna be a matter of who attends all of them and who finishes all of them. It is such an honor to drive this car, getting to work on it and I just can't thank Daddy, Steve Cooke and all of my crew for an awesome job!"
Dennis Franklin in the past few weeks have won three Carolina Clash races and two very high paying GM Performance Late Model races, for a total payday of $19,000 since the first of August.
Thanks to 311 Motor Speedway promoters Steve and Blake Stultz, Randy Joyce, and Ray Robertson for making this night a success!
CLASS: Late Model - Main Event
Position
No.
Name
Laps
Gap
Last Laptime
Best Laptime
Misc
1
37C
Rambo Franklin
40
00.000
18.410
16.874
Main Event
2
17A
Tim Allen
40
-02.693
18.458
17.489
Main Event
3
A1
Scott Autry
40
-03.402
18.757
17.274
Main Event
4
18M
Jeff Smith
40
-03.819
18.442
17.582
Main Event
5
1W
Ricky Weeks
40
-09.512
18.472
17.728
Main Event
6
79
Billy Hicks
40
-10.897
18.839
17.604
Main Event
7
98
Travis Yow
40
-14.159
18.847
18.050
Main Event
8
23
Steve Blackburn
40
-23.685
24.289
18.019
Main Event
9
15X
Jimmy McCormick
39
-1 Laps
22.839
17.976
Main Event
10
17
Mike Gault
39
-1 Laps
19.576
18.104
Main Event
11
15
Gary Mabe
39
-1 Laps
19.011
18.267
Main Event
12
31M
Bubba McGee
39
-1 Laps
22.213
18.110
Main Event
13
93
Raymond Brown
39
-1 Laps
21.377
18.458
Main Event
14
00
Jay Sessom
36
-4 Laps
20.419
17.766
Main Event
15
08
Michael Marlowe
31
-9 Laps
24.233
19.700
Main Event
16
51
Randy Harmon
29
-11 Laps
51.220
19.137
Main Event
17
1H
Wayne Hughes
26
-14 Laps
23.899
19.592
Main Event
18
09
Johnny Pursley
24
-16 Laps
20.935
17.217
Main Event
19
21
Luke Roffers
21
-19 Laps
18.788
17.641
Main Event
20
33H
Chuck Smith
20
-20 Laps
18.870
17.734
Main Event
21
42
Doug Sanders
14
-26 Laps
18.708
18.052
Main Event
22
281
Kyle Pierce
12
-28 Laps
20.084
18.408
Main Event
23
618
Kevin Wilson
12
-28 Laps
20.937
18.520
Main Event
24
D8
Dustin Mitchell
2
-38 Laps
18.283
18.283
Main Event
25
87
Ross Bailes
1
-39 Laps
17.896
17.896
Main Event
26
D1
Chris Ferguson
0
-40 Laps
Unofficial Carolina Clash "Chase for the Championship" Point Standings - Race #1
1.
Luke Roffers
1045
T-2
Ricky Weeks
1040
T-2
Dennis Franklin
1040
T-4
Jeff Smith
1037
T-4
Scott Autry
1037
6.
Travis Yow
1030
7.
Mike Gault
1027
8.
Johnny Pursley
1024
9.
Michael Marlowe
1022
10.
Wayne Hughes
1018
11.
Doug Sanders
1015
12.
Ross Bailes
1011
- Mark Huey, Carolina Clash Press
Two-time defending Carolina Clash champion Gaffney, SC Dennis Franklin led flag-to-flag in the first round of the Chase for the Championship by Roush Yates Performance Products and JE Pistons at 311 Motor Speedway in Pine Hall, NC. From the pole position with a fast qualifying time of 15.948, the only driver to crack into the 15 second range, he never looked back after an early challenge from Chris Ferguson, who took outside pole honors. On lap #1, Ferguson had rear end issues on his #D1 Carver & Sons Roofing machine from Mt. Holly, NC. Ferguson fell out on the opening lap and finished 26th.
There were several cautions during the event's first 15 laps, which featured chase contenders Ross Bailes, Wayne Hughes, Michael Marlowe, and Doug Sanders each experienced mechanical problems and pitted. Marlowe and Hughes were involved in a very tight point battle for Rookie-of-the-Year and stayed on the track for the event in damaged cars. Marlowe finished one spot ahead of Hughes in the final rundown and stretches his point lead to 7 over Hughes.
Luke Roffers had problems on the #21 car on lap 20 of the event on the left rear and pitted. He was the point leader entering the event. He battled back to seventh to salvage what would have been a disastrous night.
Tim Allen returned to Clash racing with a very impressive run and finished second. Great for the "Toolman" who has struggled all year with his #17 car, as Scott Autry held on to third position. Jeff Smith was fourth and Ricky Weeks finished fifth.
2011 Hall of Fame inductee Billy Hicks finished sixth from his 19th place starting position, earning the Safety-Kleen "Hard Charger of the Race."
The Chase for the Championship moves to Wythe Raceway for event #2 in the series.
Dennis Franklin commented on the win from victory lane.
"The track was really racey tonight. There were many grooves as I could run my car high, low or in the middle. It got a little crazy with the traffic late in the race. These chase races are so important because you can't fall out of any of them. It's gonna be a matter of who attends all of them and who finishes all of them. It is such an honor to drive this car, getting to work on it and I just can't thank Daddy, Steve Cooke and all of my crew for an awesome job!"
Dennis Franklin in the past few weeks have won three Carolina Clash races and two very high paying GM Performance Late Model races, for a total payday of $19,000 since the first of August.
Thanks to 311 Motor Speedway promoters Steve and Blake Stultz, Randy Joyce, and Ray Robertson for making this night a success!
CLASS: Late Model - Main Event
Position
No.
Name
Laps
Gap
Last Laptime
Best Laptime
Misc
1
37C
Rambo Franklin
40
00.000
18.410
16.874
Main Event
2
17A
Tim Allen
40
-02.693
18.458
17.489
Main Event
3
A1
Scott Autry
40
-03.402
18.757
17.274
Main Event
4
18M
Jeff Smith
40
-03.819
18.442
17.582
Main Event
5
1W
Ricky Weeks
40
-09.512
18.472
17.728
Main Event
6
79
Billy Hicks
40
-10.897
18.839
17.604
Main Event
7
98
Travis Yow
40
-14.159
18.847
18.050
Main Event
8
23
Steve Blackburn
40
-23.685
24.289
18.019
Main Event
9
15X
Jimmy McCormick
39
-1 Laps
22.839
17.976
Main Event
10
17
Mike Gault
39
-1 Laps
19.576
18.104
Main Event
11
15
Gary Mabe
39
-1 Laps
19.011
18.267
Main Event
12
31M
Bubba McGee
39
-1 Laps
22.213
18.110
Main Event
13
93
Raymond Brown
39
-1 Laps
21.377
18.458
Main Event
14
00
Jay Sessom
36
-4 Laps
20.419
17.766
Main Event
15
08
Michael Marlowe
31
-9 Laps
24.233
19.700
Main Event
16
51
Randy Harmon
29
-11 Laps
51.220
19.137
Main Event
17
1H
Wayne Hughes
26
-14 Laps
23.899
19.592
Main Event
18
09
Johnny Pursley
24
-16 Laps
20.935
17.217
Main Event
19
21
Luke Roffers
21
-19 Laps
18.788
17.641
Main Event
20
33H
Chuck Smith
20
-20 Laps
18.870
17.734
Main Event
21
42
Doug Sanders
14
-26 Laps
18.708
18.052
Main Event
22
281
Kyle Pierce
12
-28 Laps
20.084
18.408
Main Event
23
618
Kevin Wilson
12
-28 Laps
20.937
18.520
Main Event
24
D8
Dustin Mitchell
2
-38 Laps
18.283
18.283
Main Event
25
87
Ross Bailes
1
-39 Laps
17.896
17.896
Main Event
26
D1
Chris Ferguson
0
-40 Laps
Unofficial Carolina Clash "Chase for the Championship" Point Standings - Race #1
1.
Luke Roffers
1045
T-2
Ricky Weeks
1040
T-2
Dennis Franklin
1040
T-4
Jeff Smith
1037
T-4
Scott Autry
1037
6.
Travis Yow
1030
7.
Mike Gault
1027
8.
Johnny Pursley
1024
9.
Michael Marlowe
1022
10.
Wayne Hughes
1018
11.
Doug Sanders
1015
12.
Ross Bailes
1011