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Racing Editor |.
Mike Cearley
Wayne Dellinger
turns season
around
A new engine, an added
sponsor and a 25-lap prayer -
made the difference for Wayne
Dellinger when he ended Jimmy
Galloway's six-race win streak
at Carolina Speedway two
weeks ago.
Dellinger, son of former
NASCAR crew chief Freddie
Dellinger, used an engine his -
father rebuilt last week to record
his fourth win of the season and
his first ever at Carolina
Speedway.
The following Saturday,
Dellinger got another first — a
weekend sweep — as he won
the late model feature at East
Lincoln Speedway for his fifth
win of the season.
Galloway, who had been
forced to start each race from
the rear of the field since
winning his third straight,
charged to a second-place
finish. But he couldn’t catch .
Dellinger, who almost checked
out on the field before a caution
tightened the pack.
“Old Galloway, he’s tough,”
Dellinger said. “Now he won't
have to start from the rear. It'll
be interesting if we both start up
front.”
Besides the regular winner's
share of the purse, Dellinger
collected a $100 bounty for
beating Galloway and a $200
bonus from new’ Sponsor Dave
Watts. NRG LN
Watts, of Dave’s Auto
Salvage, joined sponsors
Abernathy’s Garage and
Lowesville Automotive
Warehouse on Dellinger’s car
two weeks ago.
“We had some bad luck
down there at Carolina the last
couple of races,” Dellinger said.
“We didn't start two races
because we had rouble
qualifying. ;
“Dad put another motor
together for me. It was actually
an old motor, but he changed
some stuff and it ran good. We
picked up another sponsor, and
he told me he would bring me
luck.”
Dellinger, who set a new
track qualifying record at East
Lincoln Speedway earlier this
season, started on the inside
front row alongside Tim
Sigmon. He got the jump on
Sigmon on the first lap, and
held the lead from then on.
“I started praying on the
first lap, and I prayed every lap
that I would stay up front,”
Dellinger said. “Then I started
praying for that white flag.”
Final edition
This is the final edition of
“Inside Dirt Track” for this
racing season.
The space normally used for
this section will be dedicated to
local high school football
Coverage:
» However, we will still .
provide results and stories on
local dirt track racing until the
season ends in October.
And we are still interested
in comments or story ideas on
local drivers. Please contact
Mike Cearley at 825-0580.
“Inside Dirt Track” will =
resume when the 2000 season
starts next March. rn
; Mike Cearley
AROLINA
MOTOR SPEEDWA
STOCK CAR RACING - Every Friday Night
Gates open at 5pm - Racing at 8pm
Kids under 6 FREE
Kids 7-12 & Seniors 1/2 Price
New Ownership!
Herald/Times Page 3B ::
Racing Editor, Mike Cearley
| ns ide August 25th & 26th, 1999
Dirt Track
Former dirt track promoters
Terry Brotherton and Mike
Johnson have joined forces to
stage a special super late model
race Sept. 5 at Cherokee
Speedway in Gaffney, S.C.
The Sunday Night Sizzler
will feature a 60-lap super late
model race as the main event.
The winner will take home
$5,000 out of a total purse of
$25,000.
Brotherton, the former
promoter at Cherokee
Speedway, now serves on the
Lincoln Board of County
Commissioners. Johnson,
former owner of 311 Speedway
in Madison, now owns a Ford
dealership in Madison.
The two have leased the
track from owner Edgar “Rock”
Gault for the event. The
program will also feature main
events in the limited late model,
limited sportsman and rookie
four cylinder divisions.
The Sizzler is expected to
draw a healthy field of super
late models, including Phil Hall,
Dellinger
Enterprises to
Spotisor Super
d Shootout
Dellinger Enterprises of
Belmont will sponsor the Super
Mod 4 Shootout at Carolina
Speedway this Friday. =.
Owner Greg Dellinger, who
started driving in the four-
cylinder divisions this season,
said the event should attract top
super mod 4 drivers from North
and South Carolina.
“We're hoping to get some
people in the stands for this
race,” Dellinger said. “It should
be a very competitive race with
a strong field of cars.”
Dellinger is looking for his
first win in the super mod 4
division after back-to-back top
five finishes.
“I'm trying hard to get that
first win,” he said. “I really
thought we had it last Saturday
at East Lincoln.
“Two weeks ago at Carolina
Speedway, I won my heat race,
but it started missing during the
main event because of a fuel
pump. Maybe we can get there
soon.”
Drivers to appear
at Apple Festival
The Lincoln County Apple
Festival is set for Sept. 18, and
several local dirt track stars will
be on hand for a car show and
autograph signing.
The special event is
sponsored by Speedway Photos.
Drivers and their cars will have
a special display area across
from the Public Library on Main
St.
They will be signing
photographs that will be
distributed free to the fans,
courtesy Speedway Photos.
“We want to get people
riled up about dirt track
racing,” said Speedway Photos
owner Valerie Milburn. “We're
heading down the stretch and
all the points races will be
decided in the next few weeks.”
Valerie's daughter, Jennifer
Rice, is coordinating the event.
AE
Tony Hicks, Larry Blankenship,
Dan Breuer, Billy Hicks, Johnny
Stovall, Art Wooten, Jimmy
McCormick, Ray Tucker, Phil
Sink, J.T. Shelton, C.S. Fitzgerald
and Pete Broughton.
Cherokee regulars such as
Dennis Franklin, Mike Duvall,
Ricky Weeks and Steve Phillips
is also expected to compete.
Former NASCAR driver and
1984 National Dirt Racing
Association champion Rodney
Combs said he will be there too.
“When you add a dozen or
more track regulars, there's no
doubt the entry list will exceed
30 super late models,”
Brotherton said.
Combs, 1 30-year racing
veteran, hasn't raced that often
at Cherokee, but is looking
forward to competing.
“As long as I have been
racing on dirt tracks, it’s odd
that I've only raced at Cherokee
a few times,” Combs said. “The
locals are tough to beat, and it’s oe She
a challenging track, but I look : Photo by Mike Cearley
forward to the test.” Dennis “Rambo” Franklin won his second straight super late model race at Cherokee
Speedway Saturday night. Rambo will join other super late model drivers for the Sunday
Night Sizzler on Som, 5.
Rainouts prevail
on Friday
~The much-needed rain that
moved across the area last
Friday night washed out the
action at area dirt tracks.
programs.
Both tracks will be back in
action this week.
Martin wins
three in a row
Shawn Martin won his third
straight thunder & lightning
main event at East Lincoln :
Speedway last Saturday. Photo by Mike Cearley
Martin will have to start this Greg Dellinger is looking for his first win in the super mod 4 division. His company,
week’s main event in the rear. Dellinger Enterprises, is sponsoring the Super Mod Shootout at Carolina Speedway this
Rob McLaughlin made a Friday. Engine builder Leroy Shelton (left) checks out the motor with the company of (I-r)
strong charge to finish second, Dellinger, Wayne Abernathy, Lee Abernathy and Andy Abernathy.
and was protested by third-
place finisher Mike Walker.
McLaughlin's car was declared
legal following an engine
inspection.
Billy Thompson won his
second straight in the pure stock
8 division.
Buddy Smith takes
Cherokee win
Cherryville’s Buddy Smith
was back in the winner's circle
at Cherokee Speedway last
Saturday after another classic SPEEDWAY PHOTOS!
battle with rival John Pursley. Jason Rice turns a hot lap at East Lincoln Speedway. Jason competes in the thunder &
Pursley finished second and [iohtning division at East Lincoln and Carolina Speedway each week.
Chris Steele was third.
ada
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THE NEW. Friday, August 27th :
Super Late Models Cherokee Speedway ;
i. Super Late Model xi {
hey \ Also UMP Modifieds, x Se aracatmir shane sonpsssurtans Depnis Franklin wr :
Limited Sportsman, . ....Ricky Weeks i Richard Crow {!
59, TIOURY Stock 8, Stock 4 Steve Phillips. = 2u....cciinrvmimsssisssasstsssessssessssasss Jeff Cook f§:
Lawndale, NC 0ck 8, 2/0CK Limited Late Model 4 ..Jim Blackburn {i
ondge Mod 4 & Rookie 4 A Buddy Sith dunno Scott Childress
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For More info Call; 2 asaiy Chris Steele By eritencenisarinsssisiutiversisio Ronnie Goforth |:
(704) 732-2685 Gates open at 5pm de ROBE Hamrick 2. Andy Mattison |;
, i . in aoe .Jerem 8
OF (704) 530 o008 (i1ack) Races begin at 7:30pm Teesrsrrmrersisress i retary : So Sewell Bre sereriraresesbersminisvirnass Tern Leagon
www.welcome.to/thundervalley z Freddy Crawford Rookie
3 ieresrsriserrerssintssnssessnsssensnssssenes Roger Pate Lasting gonlreddy Neal
i i 2. utc apman
Limited Sportsman 3... ....Greg Butler
IN: ea eT a: d 1. ENGL FH Cook a a Justin Reid
; 2... ... Billy Randolph
Carolina Speedway, Highway 274 South (Union Rd.), Gastonia East Lincoln Specdway
JOLENE Diomanishs Dinsy Simp Tap POI eitt | ems mw TT Rea
Admission: $10 grandstand, $15 pits. Divisions: late model, [Donald WILKES Gorvernemsmesmsresivighusnen Neal Lunceford
thunder & lightning, limited sportsman, super stock 8, modified | | 3ummmmmmins Tim Sigmon Mod 4
2
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4 .David Lindsay Tierererersrisessonscssrsrsrarsins Jonathan Warlick
4, pure stock 4. . ghtning ! .Mark Treadway
Thunder Valley Speedway | 248 Qld Statecoach Rd., Lawndale Lo Mn SPP Mike Th
704-538-9666 Promoter: Ernie Elkins Racing every Friday night. § | 3.777 Mike Walker e Stock 4
‘Admission: $10 Grand Stand; $16 Pit. Divisions: super late A reed sna Kevin Black Lindi TTS) Hilde
model late model; thunder & lightning, UMP modified, limited Nettie ersi Billy THOMPSON Burov co harlie Lunceford
’ Spo risman, mod 4, stock 4, rookie 4. 2 Bil or rl rp Sr, Roseman
' East Lincoln Speedway, 1873 Mariposa Rd., Stanley 704-263- tees ts Am Walker: 200 Sl Asa Epperly
Super Mod 4 3%. Jennifer Venezia
5347 Promoters: Boyd Knight, Richard Meabon Racing every vee sesrsrassarentanrassnssraanons Damon Crump 4 Tim Allen
Saturday night. Admission: $10 grandstand, $15 pits. Divisions:
laté' model, thunder & lightning, pure stock 8, open mod 4, mod
& pe: stock 4, Spins. : Carolina Speedway - rained out
Thunder Valley Speedway- rained out
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