Eldora Speedway | 13929
St Route 118 | New Weston | OH | 45348
For immediate news release e-mail: mail@eldoraspeedway.com
MOYER
WINS BALTES CLASSIC IN WORLD 100 TUNE-UP
Rossburg, OH (Aug. 31) --- Beating Billy Moyer
in Late Model racing at Eldora Speedway can be tough –
start him on the pole and the job gets even tougher! Such was
the case in Sunday night’s Baltes Classic presented by
Aesthetic Finishers, as Moyer put on a driving clinic to capture
the $3,000 victory. More importantly, it was a tune-up for this
weekend’s famed World 100 and Moyer fully knows how many
drivers have parlayed a victory in the ‘week before’
event into a World 100 triumph.
In the companion events, Doug Adkins finally
found his way to victory lane in Moser UMP Modified racing,
while defending champion Jeff Babcock turned the trick one more
time to capture the Advance Auto Parts Stock Car finale.
Matt Miller had the quickest time of the 42
cars timing in for the Sunoco American Late Model Series event
sanctioned event, but with the redraw – Moyer drew the
coveted number one position. At the dropping of the green flag,
he sailed away with the lead and never looked back.
Only slowing down for one caution flag, the
25-lap affair was a quick one and lapped traffic in the later
stages of the contest proved interesting for Moyer. “The
track was multiple-lane tonight and that’s a good thing,”
commented Moyer in victory lane, “because once I got into
the lapped traffic and could move around, although there was
a bunch of them and I had to be cautious to save the car for
next week and not mess up.”
Some of that ‘thinking’ allowed
Miller to move closer, but it was obvious to everyone that Moyer
was the class of the field, with Miller hanging on to finish
in runner-up position. Aaron Scott did a masterful job moving
through the field to inch ahead of Greg Johnson at the finish
for third, while Chad Ruhlman came home fifth.
“This win, like every other won at Eldora,
is very important to me”, continued Moyer. When asked
if he was aware of the history of winning this race and the
impact it has on the World 100, he quipped. “I know, the
pressure is on now. I would really, really like to win one more
World 100. My boy is starting to get some track time and I want
to work with him and his development. As I begin to think about
slowing down, I still have the desire to win the World one more
time.”
Not to be outdone, the Moser Modifieds took
to the track for their 17-lap finale and what a barnburner it
was.
Adkins led the distance but no means was it
a cake walk. Behind him the action was aplenty. Jason Wheatley
was amongst the first to put up a challenge, as he tried high
and low to get around Adkins, but to no avail. Every time he
would get a run on Adkins, a caution flag would realign the
field. Mechanical woes late in the event dropped Wheatley from
the pace, which brought forth the next challenge to Adkins –
Jerry Bowersock, Kent Robinson and Chad Ruhlman.
That foursome more than provided the huge
crowed with their money’s worth as they fought diligently
for the top prize.
Through it all, Adkins hung tough and failed
to yield to the pressures of those behind him. Following across
the line were Bowersock, Robinson, Ruhlman and Mark Anderson.
Doug Thieman looked to be the driver to be
amongst the Advance Auto Parts Stock Cars in their early stages,
but as the race wore on, point leader Mike Dirksen entered the
scene and shot past Thieman for the top spot. That turned out
to be short-lived; however, as Babcock moved from deep in the
field to inherit the lead with six laps to go.
With his best run of the season, Kevin Gossard,
also from deep in the pack, made some bold moves at the end
to not only shoot by Dirksen, but mount a challenge against
Babcock. That fell short, as Babcock cross the line first, with
Gossard second and Dirksen third. Barney Craig and Bob Burch
completed the top five.
