After four consecutive weeks of race weekends dashed by rain, snow, and ice, one could tell it had been a while since drivers had turned competitive laps.
Five laps into the $1,200-to-win Limited Late Model feature race at Columbus Motor Speedway, there were four caution flags and four drivers who’d been knocked out of the race.
But veteran Johnny Stokes, who started on the pole, avoided the wash and navigated lap traffic to win the 25-lap race, the first feature race in the Golden Triangle this season.
“Everybody’s gotta get the rust off, I guess,” Stokes said. “I’ve been doing this so long — and that’s not to say anything about anyone else — that I guess I’m used to it (racing after a long layoff).”
Stokes dominated his heat race and led comfortably for most of the feature, building a 10 car-length lead on Blake Koenigsberger and Jeremy Shaw, who finished second and third, respectively. After Kyle Shaw spun out on lap five, Koenigsberger charged past Jeff Holloway and Eric Carr to reach second. Jeremy Shaw got to within a car length of Koenigsberger on the penultimate lap, but he had to pull off the throttle after losing traction in turn two. As a result, Koenigsberger took second without a late charge to the line.
Stokes’ stiffest competition looked to be Shay Knight in the No. 3 car, particularly early on, when the two traded the lead twice and were side-by-side going into each corner. But Knight suffered mechanical issues after lap three.
“He said he broke a push rod,” Stokes said.
Carr took fourth, Fore finished fifth, and Hunter Carroll was sixth. Knight, who started on the outside of the front row, finished 15th out of 18 cars.
Alexander holds off Shelton for 602 Stocks win
Ray Alexander passed John Maxey on lap six and turned in what was likely his best lap of the night to win the 602 Stocks feature Friday.
The $700-to-win, 15-lap feature started much like the Limited Late Model race, as caution flags marred the first two laps.
But when the race settled down, Maxey’s lead disappeared when Alexander and Tony Shelton passed him on lap six.
Jamie Pickard took fourth and Allen Simmons finished fifth.
In other races:
n Trey Bright won the Street Stocks feature, while DeWayne Estes and Jamie Sudduth finished second and third, respectively. Lee Ray and Tony Silvestri rounded out the top five.
n Tyler Castle won the Mini Stocks feature, while Matt Meadows and Donny Andrews finished second and third, respectively. Jonathan Bullard and Josh Holbrook rounded out the top five.
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