Twenty five states and Canada were represented at this years 15th Annual Raceceiver Legends and the 6th Annual Thunder Roadster Nationals.
"European" style qualifying was used. This style of qualifying puts groups of drivers on the track for a predetermined amount of time. Each car has a transponder that records the best lap. Each driver's best lap is recorder for credit. This system seemed to keep the times very close.
In the Pro division, Craig Goess once again proved that he is always fast by setting fast time just a tick ahead of Georgia driver Kyle Fowler. The top 20 were within three tenths of a second. The Masters fast qualifier, Clay Hair, was no surprise as he was fast all weekend. The top Semi-Pro was Matt Bowers just six one thousands ahead of Gainesville, Ga. driver Shawn Simpson. Relative newcomer Justin Stauffer set fast time in the Thunder Roadsters followed by Thomas Van Wingerden.
The heats were set with the top 20 locked into the A-mains. Fast cars started in the back. Points from the heats were combined with qualifying point to set the fields for main events. Some great battles ensued during the heat races with Max Gresham, Jake Dallenback, Matt Norton, Jacob Dore, Ryan Ayers, Thomas Hartensveld, and Ryan Johnson winning their respective heats in the Semi-Pros. The Masters also had some great close races for heat-race points as Clay Hair came from behind to win along with Paul DeJong, Texas driver Scott Anderson, Canadian Steve Navratil, and John Wachter.
The Pro division showed their talent as Brian McArdle, Casey Roderick, Brennan Poole, Ben Stancill, Chris Eggleston, and Kory Abbott won their heat races.
Two great Thunder Roadster heats ran with the top finishers being Rob Hall and John Shue.
With the Heat races finished, the fields were set for Saturdays main events. The Race of Champions took place Friday night under the lights. The Race of Champions has been a tradition at all Asphalt Nationals and consists of the top points winners from each state racing for a nice trophy and even nicer bragging rights.
Blind draw set the starting grid. Four good-size fields were set, and each race ran cleanly. The top Semi-Pro winner was Thomas Hartensveld taking the lead from Taylor Hull on lap 17. Brian Weimer led all but two laps to win Masters while Brennan Poole led every lap to clinch the Pro division title.
The Thunder Roadster Race of Champions was won by Drew Calhoun, the 2006 King of the Ovals champion.
With Friday in the record books, each driver contemplated their chances for Saturday while pit crews went over last minute changes to the cars. Qualifying was over and all positions were set for the mains. A few fast cars had disqualifications from Friday to contend with. These setbacks from tech would relegate these drivers to the rear of the field in the C-and-D-mains. It would be an exciting Saturday afternoon for those in attendance at Lanier National Speedway.
In the Semi-Pro D-main, it was all J.R. Allen showing his stuff with a victory followed by Alabama's David Pritchett. Jeff Hendrick finished third, Kevin Holdridge fourth and the final transfer spot went to fifth place finisher JR Campbell.
With many fast racers in the C-main, the transfer positions to the B-main would be hard to come by. Several cars had struggled in qualifying and the heat races. Matt Bowers was one of the faster cars who needed to transfer. This would seem easy for the Florida driver as he handily won the C-main followed by Cody Haskins, Jason Richardson, and the final transfer driver Kara Clarke. Tim Mangrum, Kyle Goodwin, and JR Allen tagged the rear of the B-main.
Randy Thornton was one of the Masters drivers that was very fast but a slight miscalculation in tech kept him from receiving any heat race points. He started in the back of the Masters C- main but easily worked his way to second-place transfer spot right behind Scott Anderson. Bruce Little was third followed by Donnie Tilley. Also transferring up to the Masters C-main were Ron Poley and Johnny Rucker.
The Pro C-main was won by Michael Van Wingerden followed by Tennessee driver Josh Mullins, Dean Abbey and Kevin Rollins.
The B-mains transferred the top four to the A-mains. The battled for fourth place in each B-main was fierce with fifth going home and the top four being able to compete in the finals.
The Semi-Pro B-main had several drivers starting towards the rear that were quite capable of winning. Bowers and Allen both had shown their speed with transfers up from the C-main with Allen also moving up from the D-main. At the finish, Bowers prevailed, followed by Beau Browning, Matt Norton, and Andrew Carlson. Allen would come up one position short of the A-main by finishing fifth!
The Masters B-main included the motivated Thornton, who moved up from the C-main as well as very fast racers such as Connecticut driver George Whitney and Montana driver Spike Schultze. After the dust had cleared, Thornton had come to near the front twice after going to the rear and finally settling for fifth, one spot from the transfer. Texan Gene Conley won with locals Sam Mc Cullough and Bill Henry following. Jerry Warden from Michigan would get the final spot.
The Pro B-main included some surprises. Two very fast brothers, Michael and Thomas Van Wingerden, had qualified into the B-main along with another pair of talented siblings, the Molesworth brothers, Duncan and Patrick. Veteran drivers Nick Pistone and Ben Stancill were also looking for those elusive transfer spots. For 25 laps, these Pro drivers went all out. Andrew Smith took the victory from the seventh-starting spot. Thomas Van Wingerden stayed in the top three all race to finish second. Chris Eggleston started ninth to finish third with Pistone taking the final transfer spot. With two cars scratching in the Pro A-main, Michael Van Wingerden finished fifth and was awarded a transfer spot.
The regional qualifier winners who did not qualify through the heat races or qualifying points tagged the rear of their respective fields.
Young hotshoes Darrel Wallace, Jr. and Taylor Hull occupied the front row of the RACEceiver Legends Car Semi-Pro feature.
Hull jumped to the early lead at the green, but by lap seven, Wallace had passed him. It looked like everyone else would be settling for second as Wallace lead while the rest of the top five continued to swap positions. Paddy Rodenbeck, who started fifth, moved to second by lap 25, and was closing on Wallace. Hull had slipped to fifth with heat race and local driver Max Gresham holding down third.
On a restart for a late race caution, Rodenbeck zoomed past Wallace for the lead, only to have Wallace go back by with two laps to go. It looked as if Wallace would cruise to victory, but on the white flag lap, Rodenbeck made a bold move into turn one to try and grab the lead. Gresham was patiently sitting in third, waiting on the leaders to sort themselves out.
As the cars drove through turns one and two, the top two cars made contact with Wallace taking the brunt of the contact. The contact slowed the frontrunners, allowing Gresham to dive inside coming out of turn two to take the lead.
Wallace moved up the track, loosing several spots as Rodenbeck held on for second. The best seat in the house was that of Simpson as he watched the shuffle and held on for third followed by John Stancill and Hull.
It was a great example of Semi-Pro drivers, none of which were more than 15-years-old, displaying what they had learned all year. They raced close and hard for all 40 laps with none giving an inch.
The victory was a popular one as Gresham, 12, is a local driver and his family, including Grandfather Jim, has been involved in Legends Car racing for years.
The Masters field came out ready for some good old fashioned fun. Missing from the field was Tom Van Wingerden. Tom had a hard hit in turn three in the B-main and had to be a spectator for the A-main.
Clay Hair really hit the spot on setup as he had easily set fast time and handily won his heat. Just as he has been for four straight years, Hair was impossible to beat. He lead every lap in the Masters race.
Jeff Haynie tried to give Hair some competition in the late stages of the race, even getting by the No. 29 on a restart, but Haynie couldn't make the pass stick. Haynie also had his hands full with Race of Champions winner Weimer, but was able to hold him off to claim second. Just to keep Weimer honest, Dwight Pilgram filled up his mirror for most of the race and finished fourth. Billy Gomez would get as high as fourth but would have to settle for fifth at the line.
The Pro race looked like a classic duel between the cagey veterans like Craig Goess and Doug Stevens and newcomers Kyle Fowler and Brandon Thomson. The 2005 Asphalt Nationals winner Johnny Gottsacker was there along with seasoned veteran J.C. Umschied. Thomson started from the pole of the 40-lap affair.
He lead laps one and two, but was quickly passed by heat race winner Casey Roderick. Texas driver Chris Buescher would take over the point on lap 19 for a couple laps before Roderick reclaimed the top spot. With four to go, Fowler moved into second, but was unable to challenge Roderick.
Roderick, 14, drove away to claim his first RACEceiver Asphalt Nationals title, followed by fellow Georgian Fowler. Buescher, Stevens and Thomson rounded out the top five. The Thunder Roadster racers would be competing in their 6th Annual National event.
Several different states would be represented including California, Texas, North Carolina and Georgia. Lanier had hosted two Thunder Roadster events in 2006, and the drivers that had competed there seemed to have a slightly better handle on the tricky 3/8-mile track.
Justin Stauffer and Thomas Van Wingerden made up row one. Ryan Zeck started 20th after missing qualifying. Thunder Roadster Oval National points champion Buddy Goudy started 11th.
At the green, it was all Van Wingerden, Thomas that is, while Stauffer, Rob Hall, Drew Calhoun, and Jim Fluharty battled. On lap 27 to avoiding a spinning car, Fluharty dropped to the rear. Zeck moved past Hall into fourth, Stauffer fell to fifth. By lap 30, Calhoun worked past Van Wingerden for the top spot. By lap 32, Rob Hall dropped to fifth with Fluharty moving up from the rear into sixth.
At the checkered flag, it was Calhoun capturing the victory with Thomas Van Wingerden, Zeck, Michael Van Wingerden and Hall following.
Paige Monette had a great race and finish eighth, Stauffer ninth, Goudy 10th. D.J. Krentz competed in his only race of the 2006 season after a debilitating injury suffered earlier in the season - his roadster lost a cylinder finishing in 17th.
The staff at Lanier National Speedway worked tirelessly to put on a wonderful RACEceiver Asphalt Nationals, and helped put Lanier in a category by itself as far as Legends and Thunder Roadster race track go.
Tentative plans have the 2007 Asphalt Nationals in Las Vegas on Oct. 11-13. Please check back for further updates.
RACEceiver Pro Feature: 1. Casey Roderick, 2. Kyle Fowler, 3. Chris Beuscher, 4. Doug Stevens, 5. Brandon Thomson, 6. Johnny Gottsacker, 7. Scott Moseley, 8. Mark Marino, 9. JC Unscheid, 10. Jeremy Kalina, 11. Thomas Van Wingerden, 12. J. D. Trenary, 13. Chris Eggleston, 14. Andrew Smith, 15. Jeremy Cook, 16. Conner Cantrell, 17. Nick Pistone, 18. Jason Reisman, 19. Brennan Poole, 20. Casey Tate, 21. Ryan Meldrum, 22. Ryan Paul, 23. Chris Wilson, 24. Roger Austin, 25. Dirk Henry, 26. Tony Steffen, 27. Chris Seavey, 28. Gene Cannon, 29. Chris Bakaj, 30. Mark Bakaj, 31. Michael Van Wingerdan, 32. Craig Goess, Jr., 33. Brian McArdel, 34. Patick Molesworth, 35. Scott Marino.
RACEceiver Semi-Pro Feature: 1. Max Gresham, 2. Paddy Roddenbeck, 3. Shawn Simpson, 4. John Stancill, 5. Taylor Hull, 6. Brandon Dill, 7. Thomas Hartensveld, 8. Mitchell Coble, 9. Keaton Feller, 10. Matt Norton, 11. Zachary Stroupe, 12. Andrew Carlsen, 13. Bobby Buttrey, 14. Brad Hancock, 15. Jay Cloud, 16. Rette Causey, 17. Darrel Wallace, 18. Ryan Ayers, 19. Tyler Chrisinger, 20. Jack Merino, 21. Chelsea Schillig, 22. Scott Petty, 23. Jacob Dore, 24. Baiden Heskett, 25. Justin Lloyd, 26. Kyle Hall, 27. Zach Reardon, 28. Beau Browning, 29. Max Zachem, 30. Jake Dallenbach, 31. Logan Boyett, 32. Matt Bowers, 33. Addison Rogers, 34. Ryan Gandee.
RACEceiver Masters Feature: 1. Clay Hair, 2. Jeff Haynie, 3. Brian Weimer, 4. Dwight Pilgram, 5. Billy Gomez, Jr., 6. Tim Brockhouse, 7. Bill Close, 8. Larry Friddle, 9. Terry Plummer, 10. Gene Conley, 11. Paul DeJong, 12. Sam McCullough, 13. Kevin Yeatts, 14. Jan Ingram, 15. Robert Merino, 16. Cotton Spry, 17. Robert Spence, 18. Jerry Warden, 19. George Whitney, 20. Buddy Goudy, 21. Herman Grenig, 22. James Mullins, 23. Robert Weymouth, 24. Todd Johnson, 25. Andy Logan, 26. Dale Blankenship, 27. Bill Henry, 28. Keith Breasbois.
Thunder Roadster Feature: 1. Drew Calhoun, 2. Thomas VanWingerden, 3. Ryan Zeck, 4. Justin Staufer, 5. Rob Hall, 6. Michael VanWingerden, 7. Tom VanWingerden, 8. John Shue, 9. Jim Fluharty, 10. Paige Monette, 11. Buddy Goudy, 12. Ed Evans, 13. Jim Gresham, 14. Dale Akridge, 15. David Henderson, 16. Sr Ferre, 17. DJ Krentz, 18. Terry Horak, 19. Justin Morton, 20. Ed Clark, 21. Bryan Butler, 22. Adam Akridge