Hometown Heroes Lead the Way at Bowman Gray Stadium
Annnual Legends and Bandolero Show Brings Healthy Car Count
By Elgin Traylor
LegendsNation.com
PRO AND MASTERS: HEMRIC AND DEMIS COMPLETE SNYDER RACING SWEEP
Dan Snyder Racing walked away with a one-two finish at Bowman Gray Stadium (NC) as Daniel Hemric won the Pro division and Hoyt Demis took the Masters win.
Hemric took the lead on lap five and never looked back. He sailed away to the easy victory. After the race he entertained the crowd as he did a back flip with the helmet, flag and all. He stuck the landing perfectly, ending a great night on his home turf.
“It’s unbelievable to come here and win,” said Hemric. “This place is my hometown and my family gets to come out and watch. It’s really great when you get to win. I have to thank them for supporting me the whole time as well as Dan Snyder Racing. This car was awesome and I can’t thank him enough. You can win races here and there, but there is nothing like winning at Bowman Gray.”
His teammate was also a winner, but an on track incident kept him from being as thrilled. While battling to obtain the top spot in the Masters class, Demis made contact with Charles Kiser, sending him for a spin.
“It doesn’t feel as good as it should,” said a somber Demis after the race. “We spun Charles (Kiser) out going into one. He was loose going into one and he got on the rumble strips and I barely touched him. I hate it because he was being patient and waiting on the car in front of him. I like the guy and that takes away a little of the win for me.”
Despite the issues on the track, Demis wished they could race at the track more than one time a year.
“It ranks up there with some big wins because its Bowman Gray Stadium,” said Demis. “I wish they would run here five or ten times a year.”
SEMI PRO: EVAN SWILLING KEEPS ROLLING AT THE STADIUM
Wild. That’s really the only real way to describe the finish of the Semi-Pro feature. Countless yellow flags slowed the event as it was clear the lead was not the place to be. Donny St. Ours led the early laps before Michael Brown made the bump-and-run work in turn two after 13 laps. As the pack got to the third turn, St. Ours spun and several other guys got tangled up as well, leaving Brown in the lead. Evan Swilling worked his way to second and stalked the leader until the final lap, when Brown went for a spin in turn two. That set up a one lap dash to the checkered flag where Swilling cruised to the victory.
“I just don’t know what to say. I never thought I would be here,” said Swilling. “If he hadn’t spun out he would have won. I hit him down the straightaway and I let him go. Going down into the corner he just lost it.”
The battle behind Swilling was just as wild as Scott Hensley got to second on the final lap as he passed Austin Hill, who ended up third. Both had to come from deep in the pack, but neither had enough time to deal with Swilling, who had also won at the Summer Shootout earlier in the week.
“I don’t want this week to end. I want to keep going. God I just can’t believe it,” added Swilling. “I want to thank Chris Rogers Motorsports, my dad, my mom and my papa.”
YOUNG GUNS: TYLER LESTER WINS IN A CLASSIC BATTLE
Eight months ago Tyler Lester had all his pride taken away when INEX announced an engine rule violation that forced the youngster out of the seat for half of the 2008 season. Since his return, he has already been back to victory lane, but it was nothing like the victory he took home from Bowman Gray Stadium (NC). He started on the pole and things were looking good as he led early on. Then the racing heated up as Corey Gordon took the lead going into turn three with two laps to go. Lester keep the pressure up and did the old cross-over move to regain the top spot coming to the white flag. He was clear from there as he sailed to the checkered flag.
“It feels really good because I got to race my friend Corey (Gordon) for it. This is my second time coming here. I about won it last year, but we got it this year and it feels really good,” said Lester in victory lane.
Behind the leader, Robert Poole followed Corey Gordon up through the field as the two started ninth and eleventh. They charged hard in the 15-lap feature and ended up second and third. They made a late race run at Lester only to fall short.
“I thought Corey was going to get me there coming off turn four,” added Lester. “I guess I got a better exit off the corner and that got us the win.”
BANDITS: BASSETT - THE NEW HOMETOWN HERO
One of the loudest roars from the crowd all night came when young Dillon Bassett impressed many with his victory lane antics. Not only did he spin into the infield grass for some doughnuts, he made his first attempt at the signature Carl Edwards back flip. Olympic judges might give him a 3 because he didn’t stick the landing, but nevertheless the hometown kid came away with the win.
“It feels good to win two in a row here at Bowman Gray,” said Bassett. “The car was awesome and I want to thank my dad because he has done so much work on this car.”
The Bassett family lives close to the historic Bowman Gray Stadium. In fact Dillon’s father Ronnie Bassett Sr. is a former track champion at the quarter mile. To the fans delight they got to see the next generation of Bassett Racing come from third to first on the first lap and holding on to the top spot during the event.
“We only come here once a year so it feels good to be able to win at your hometown track. I went into the infield and did a little burnout. Then I did a back flip. I didn’t care that I didn’t stick the landing,” added Bassett.
How important is it winning at the stadium? Dillon said he would trade in some hardware that one might not easily give up.
“I would take a win at the Stadium over a National Championship any day,” added Bassett.
Cody Blackburn To Race Final Two Shootout Events With Dan Snyder Racing
In week seven of the Summer Shootout Series, Cody Blackburn and Chris Rogers Motorsports parted ways at the track after the first heat race, leaving the Legends Young Lions division racer without a ride for the final three events. Luckily for him, Blackburn was able to secure a ride for the night in Chris Buescher’s backup car, which allowed him to race his way into the feature and to a top-10 finish, keeping him on top of the points standings. Still though, his ride situation was still up in the air for the final two races.
A Dan Snyder Racing (DSR) representative told LegendsNation.com on Friday at Bowman Gray that Blackburn will drive his own car in the final two events for the Shootout with a DSR motor in the car and DSR support at the track. LN contacted Dan Snyder on Monday and he confirmed Blackburn will be under his banner for the final two shows.
Justin Lloyd In Chris Rogers’ Car For Final Two Shootout Events
Even though it was Tyler Kivett in the #66 Chris Rogers Motorsports Legends car at Bowman Gray Stadium on Friday, LN confirmed with Chris Rogers that Justin Lloyd, who had motor issues recently, will drive that car for the final two Shootout events at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
Ronnie Bassett, Jr. Suspended For Two Weeks From INEX Competition
Bowman Gray Stadium is known for short tempers and contact during the green as well as the yellow. It isn’t uncommon to see a driver wreck another driver during the caution period. Usually though the incident happens, the drivers are kicked from the track for the night and everything is back to normal the next day.
That wasn’t the case for Ronnie Bassett, Jr.
In the Semi-Pro Legends feature, Bassett and Tyler Kivett got together on the track, causing Bassett to spin. Bassett wasn’t thrilled with the move, so he turned around and hit Kivett’s car during the yellow. That earned him a suspension.
According to drivers at the track listening on the RACECeiver, INEX Executive Director Darrel Krentz warned Bassett during the yellow multiple times to not retaliate. When he did, Krentz said he was suspended for two weeks.
LegendsNation.com confirmed with Ronnie Bassett, Sr. on Monday that his son has been suspended for two weeks of INEX competition, which includes the final two weeks of the Summer Shootout Series. Bassett was ninth in Shootout points prior to this week’s race.
Unlike his younger brother, Ronnie Bassett Jr. had a rough night at BGS. (LN Photo)
Hemric in victory lane at the Stadium. (Jim Dupont Photo)
Evan Swilling stays hot at BGS. (Jim Dupont Photo)
Tyler Lester was close last year at BGS, this year he got the win. (Jim Dupont Photo)
Dillon Bassett fails to stick the landing on his back flip. (Testarossa Photography)
