New Castle, IN (May 27, 2003) - Knightstown, Indiana's Jeff Lane
took the lead from the start and beat back a furious charge from fellow
local hero Rodney Scott to win the first ever Sunoco Super Series event,
The WMDH 150, held at Mt. Lawn Speedway, this past Monday afternoon.
Second fastest qualifier Lane started on the outside of the front row do
to the invert draw by fast qualifier Kent Baledge, racing at his home
track Jeff won his third Sunoco Super Series event and his first this
year. The WMDH 150 was the main event of the Car Connection Memorial
Weekend Race Festival at Mt. Lawn Speedway on both Sunday and Monday.
"It's always good to come home!" stated an obviously happy Lane after
the race. "The car went away at the end and I was just hanging on trying
to keep Rodney behind me. Winning is always tough in this series, so we
really tried to take advantage of knowing this track. A lot of these
guys will run better the next time the series races at Mt Lawn, I'm just
very happy to win today."
Baledge, a rookie competitor with the Sunoco Super Series, started
third but his day ended early when his rear end went out on the first
lap. He managed to get off the track without incident. At that point
Lane was in command with Scott, Chuck Barnes Jr., and William Medford
running out ahead of the field.
The red flag flew on lap 5 after Doug Greig slammed the first turn wall
with an apparent stuck throttle. Greig was shaken up in the incident and
was taken to an area hospital for observation. The race had the first of
five yellow flags on lap 12 when Andy Ponstein spun in the long turn.
Ponstein, who competed in the ARCA RE/Max Series event Saturday night at
Berlin Raceway, dropped out at lap 28 do to handling problems.
The three additional yellow flags were for various spins with no harm
done to any of the cars. The yellows did manage to keep the field close
together most of the race. The other yellow on lap 40 was do to a small
fire in the rear of Rick Turner's car in the pits that was taken care of
quickly and green flag racing resumed after a few laps of caution.
Lane used traffic very well to keep Scott at bay during the closing laps
of the WMDH 150, but Scott was right on his tail for the last 10 laps
and was very close with Lane holding him off and winning by a car
length. Barnes Jr. was close behind with Mt Lawn regular Medford
finishing right behind in fourth, both finishes were the best ever in
the Sunoco Super Series for both drivers.
Winning the Yockey Motorsports Marketing Fast Qualifier Award was Kent
Baledge turning a lap of 15.921. Baledge also was the recipient of the
EMF Corp Hard Luck Award after being forced to drop out on the first
lap. Chuck Barnes, Jr. and Tom Hernley, Jr. were the top finishing
Hubler Group/Blake Carburetion Rookie drivers. The Lane Automotive/ISKY
Racing Cams Hardcharger Award went to JR Roahrig who started 18th and
moved up to 8th. Lane claimed the Kingen Interstate Express/ Tague
Excavating Halfway Leader Bonus. William Medford, and JR Roahrig took
the Goodyear Performance Awards. The Sweet Manufacturing "Sweet Move of
the Race" Award was awarded to Eddie Van Meter. Jeff Lane's Crew Chief,
Hayden Butler, was the Gladiator GarageWorks Crew Chief of the race.
The next Sunoco Super Series event will be the Stapleton Automotive 150
Presented By Lucas Oil Products at the Shady Bowl Speedway in DeGraff,
OH on Saturday, May 31.
