Blair's 3rd Place Finish at KC Raceway's O'Reilly's AllStar Race
Chillicothe, OH In what proved to be the final test and tune session for the O’Reilly All Star Late Model Series sancioned ‘Dirt Track World Cup’ Dirt Late Model Classic to be held on October 1, 2, & 3 at Jeff Schrader’s KC Raceway in Chillicothe, OH, Rob Blair's 3rd place finish narrowed the point race to a mere 6 points. "It's been awhile since we've been any good here", stated Blair. "I think we had a better car than the third place finish. We messed up a little on tire selection, but I am happy were we are with our program heading into the final race." Blair was also pleased with the points battle after Saturday's event. "We were pretty much out of it (points title) 4 or 5 races back. We've been able to gain a little each race, and now we have a legitimate shot at winning this thing. Boom's a good friend, and if I can't win the title, I am happy that he's in a position that he is in. We'll see what happens in two weeks I guess." Brandon Kinzer and Carrier brought the field down for green flag with Carrier jumping out to the early lead before Rob Lemaster spun to slow the pace. Michael Paul Howard, Barry Doss, and Kevin Layne also got tangled up in turn four but were awarded theirs starting spots back as the caution was thrown for the spun car of Lemaster. As the field attempted to take the green again, 2008 KC Raceway track champion Ben Adkins spun in turn two to halt the action. The field was finally able to get one lap in before Lemaster spun his car again to bring out the events third caution period and forcing all restarts to go single file for the remainder of the event. Carrier held point while two more early cautions for Greg Oliver’s mount slowed and the other for Doss and Layne spinning again. The field settled down after the lap four restart and the action picked up. Carrier ran a steady line around the extreme outside of ‘Ohio’s Fastest 3/8 Mile Dirt Track’ holding a solid 12 to 15 car length lead over Jason Montgomery who had made his way passed Kinzer for the second spot. The pace was slowed again on lap 24 as ‘Superfly’ Coleby Frye spun in turn three giving the third place driver of Tim Dohm nowhere to go. Dohm slid sideways into Frye ending his evening with a 16th place finish. Carrier continued to lead the 50-lap affair with Montgomery and Robbie Blair in tow. Blair, who is in an intense ASLMS point battle with series point leader Boom Briggs, has used consistency to chip away at a once 40-plus point lead by Briggs. After the ‘Chillicothe 50’ Briggs holds a mere six point edge over Blair going into ‘The Classic’ in October. After one final caution on lap 45 for the spun car of Kevin Layne, Carrier, in his Grover Motorsports, Engines Inc. sponsored Rocket Chassis went on to hold off Montgomery for his third ASLMS (second at KC) win of the season with Blair coming home third, Rod Conley finishing a strong fourth and Donnie Moran rounding out the top five. Kinzer was sixth, Briggs seventh, eighth was Jared Hawkins, 2009 KC Raceway point champion Delmas Conley ninth and Bed Adkins tenth.
‘Chillicothe 50’ Summary O’Reilly All Star Late Model Series ‘Chillicothe 50’ O’Reilly All Star Late Models SPEEDWRAPZ Time Trials Hampton Inn of Chillicothe Heat #2 Hampton Inn of Chillicothe Heat #3
2009 O’Reilly All Star Late Model Series Point Standings as of September 19, 2009 |
