Lee Merritt scores first-ever win; Josh Collins leads flag-to-flag in 3rd Annual Hangover

The 3rd Annual Hangover at the 411 Motor Speedway was washed away on Tuesday January 1st, 2013, but track officials made sure there was still a “Hangover” for fans to see. The 3rd Annual Hangover took place on January 5th, and the racing was fast and furious just like it always is at 411. First on the track was the Mini Stock division, where we saw Lee Merritt notch his first career victory! In Topless Modified, it was all William Hux who led flag-to-flag. In Classic, Robbie Sands continued his dominance by claiming the win. In Thunder & Lightning, Robbie Comer would take the checkers in this 10-lap feature, which was shortened due to time after Clyde Overholt took a tumble (video can be seen at http://ustream.tv/channel/motorspeedway411 – “Features from January 5th, 2013 – Part 1” at around 49:14). Finally capping the night off was the 40-lap Limited Late Model feature where 2012 champion Josh Collins claimed the win.

Coming up on January 19th is the 2012 Awards Ceremony! It will begin at 6:00p Eastern and further details will be released within the next 24 hours! All fans, drivers, and crew are invited to the ceremony, and it’s guaranteed to be a blast! Our next racing event will take place with the Sweetheart 60 on February 16th! More details about this race are coming soon!

 

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Mini Stock

Lee Merritt and Chad Manning your front row, ready to roll at The Hangover, GREEN FLAG! Manning with the early jump into 1, Merritt in 2nd, James Mitchell moves to 3rd off 2 with Gavin Murphy just behind him. 1 lap complete, but Merritt spins in 2, caution will fly.

 

Delaware double file restart here, GREEN FLAG! Manning maintains the lead, Mitchell in 2nd, new 3rd place man as Nick Adams moves into the 3rd spot, now Mitchell gets sideways, makes contact with Adams, now Mitchell spins on the backstretch. Caution here on lap 2.

 

Green flag back in the air, now 3-wide for the lead off 2, they quickly get single file into 3. Manning begins to pull away as Murphy moves into 2nd with Adams giving him a shove into 3, now Adams inside off 4, that’s a battle for the 2nd spot but caution flies for debris in 4.

 

Green flag back in the air, Manning leads the field into 1, Adams moves into the 2nd spot, Merritt rallies to look inside Murphy, give Merritt the 3rd spot into 1. Now Merritt gets sideways off 2, hangs onto it and maintains the 3rd spot. Adams trying to chase down Manning for the lead here as 7 laps are now complete. Adams now gives a bump off 2, both drivers about to have company as Merritt is closing in. Merritt now peeks inside on Adams, the 2 make contact, but caution flies as Charlie Grooms loses fluid on the frontstretch.

 

Green flag back in the air, Manning under fire for the lead off 2, now off 4 Merritt pulls inside, but behind them caution flies in turn 3 as Alex Squires loses a right-front wheel.

 

Green flag in the air, Adams with a great jump, pulls to the outside on Manning, now falls in line as Merritt dives inside on Manning, give the lead to Merritt off 4. Now Manning battles back, dives inside into 1, off 4 they’re side by side, looks like Manning leads that lap, he’ll get sideways off 2 and falls in line. Looks to battle back, Manning gets sideways, hangs on and continues on but loses about 4 car lengths to Merritt. Manning reeling the leader back in as 12 laps are complete. Adams in the 3rd spot, now Manning pulls inside for the lead as Adams loses a tire into 3. Up front, Merritt your leader, white flag in the air as time has expired. Merritt takes the win, followed by Manning and Murphy.

 

Cautions: 5
Leaders: 14-Manning (1-8; 10), 14-Merritt (9; 11-15)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Topless Modified

William Hux and Eric Hux your front row, GREEN FLAG! Johnny Ridings quickly jumps into 2nd off 2, has a slight bobble into 3, gathers it up and drives away from Eric Hux off 3. Up front, William Hux your leader, Ridings has his machine loose as he tries to reel in the leader. Behind him, Josh Chesney now peeks inside Jerry Hux, but caution flies as Kevin Lewis spins in 2.

 

Delaware double file getting set, green flag back in the air! William Hux off with the jump into 1, Eric Hux takes the power off 2 to take 2nd, Ridings slips to 3rd as Blake Kelley gets the wall in 2, he’ll continue on. Now Chesney creeping in on the back door of Ridings as Ridings now begins to reel in Eric Hux for the 2nd spot. William Hux driving away from Eric Hux, who now has a comfortable lead over Ridings with 10 laps complete. Now here on lap 14, caution will fly as Lewis goes around in front of the leader. William Hux did a nice job of avoiding trouble there.

Single file restart, green flag in the air! Ridings gets high off 2, Tim Cooper dives to his inside, the two make contact into 3, and into 1 Cooper slows and caution flies. 15 laps complete.

 

Fast pace restart here as William Hux hammers down off 4. Eric Hux in the 2nd spot with Ridings in 3rd, now Ridings pulls inside off 2 on Eric Hux, tries to stay close off 4, falls into line into 1. Ridings still trying to find a way around Eric Hux as he’s trying to find a line for his car to work, but checkers are in the air, William Hux takes the win followed by Eric Hux and Ridings.

 

Cautions: 3
Leaders: 51-William Hux (1-20)

 

 

 

 

 

Classic

Robbie Sands and Logan Dukes your front row, GREEN FLAG! Sands gets the jump off 2, with Dukes in the 2nd spot. Scott Russell in the 3rd spot with Shannon Reece in 4th, now Bobby Pressley makes slight contact with Reece into 3, Pressley is around, caution flies here on lap 2.

 

Green flag back in the air, Sands picks up where he left off, Dukes in the 2nd spot, Russell in 3rd. Reece looking for room around Russell, peeks inside off 4, falls in line into 1. Last year’s champ Bart Baxter just behind them as 5 laps are complete. Caution flies as Shawn Walton is around in 2.

 

Green flag back in the air, Sands powers off 4 and leads the field into 1. Dukes just behind as it’s 3-wide off 2 for the 3rd spot, they all get sorted out with Reece moving into 3rd, dropping Russell back to 4th. Pressley making a rally as he reels in Russell, looks inside off turn 4, falls in line into 1. Now smoke billows from the Baxter machine into turn 3. Caution here on lap 8.

 

Green flag in the air once more, Sands powers off 4 with the lead, opens about 2 car lengths over Dukes off 2. Dukes now under pressure from Reece as we reach the halfway point. Sands powering away as he now has a turn lead over Dukes, now Reece gets up in the wet stuff up high in 3, he’ll lose 3rd to Russell, and 4th to Philip Shockley, so move Reece back to 5th. Reece now battles back inside on Shockley, still side by side as Pressley joins the 3-way battle for 5th. Sands way out front, Dukes a long way ahead of Russell, but that ends the separation as he’s got his mirrors full of Shockley, Pressley, and Reece as Pressley has moved around Reece for position. Checkers on this one, Sands takes the win, Dukes gets 2nd and 3rd goes to Russell.

 

Cautions: 3
Leaders: 17-Sands (1-20)

 

 

 

 

Thunder & Lightning

Robbie Comer and Scott Johnson your front row, ready to roll, GREEN FLAG! Comer with the leap into turn 1, Johnson in 2nd, Dale Watson looking for room around him, now Robbie Buchanan has a challenge from Clyde Overholt, give Overholt the spot off 4. Johnson now around in 3, gathers it up, we stay green. Overholt goes high into turn 1, he’ll slam the outside wall, up and over he goes, parts of his car goes flying as he makes at least 2 barrel rolls. Driver is OK after the vicious crash. Caution here on lap 3.

 

Green flag back in the air, Comer picks up where he left off, Nick Barnard now steals the 2nd spot from Buchanan off 2, but Comer has checked out. Watson now powers around Ray Jarnigan and Dakotah Knuckles down the backstretch, looking to reel in Apaches Quinton for the 5th spot, but now trouble in turn 2 as Billy Sands gets some help from Quinton, around goes Sands, Watson can’t make it through, he’ll be collected also, and caution flies here on lap 8.

 

Time limit has expired, so it’ll be a green/white/checker finish for this one. Comer your leader, he takes off off turn 4, leads the field into turn 1 as Buchanan slides into 2nd over Barnard. White flag in the air, Comer way out in front, Buchanan in 2nd, Barnard in 3rd, and that’ll be the finish.

 

Cautions: 2
Leaders: 42-Comer (1-10)

 

 

 

 

Limited Late Model

Adam Beeler and Josh Collins your front row, this is sure to be a show, it’s the 3rd Annual Hangover, AND WE ARE GREEN!! 14 cars made the call for the feature, they power into turn 1, 40 laps will determine the victor! Collins leads the field into 1, but caution flies as Brandon Gardner is around into 1, Shane Taylor climbs up on the wall, Raymond Shepard spins to avoid. Complete restart coming up.

 

Take 2, green flag!! Adam Beeler and Collins side by side off 4, Collins this time shows his muscle and powers into 1 with the lead. Adam Beeler in 2nd, Walker Arthur in 3rd, Jason Cardwell up high for the 4th spot. Collins picking up where he left off just a few short months ago now as Stone Fuller and Ryan King make contact off 2, but caution flies as Shepard is around in 1.

 

Collins again with the lead into 1, but several cars are together into 1, Varner, Helton, and Shepard all are around in evasive actions.

 

Green flag back in the air, looks like all cars continue except Cardwell who pulled off under this caution. Collins again with the lead off 2, Adam Beeler under fire from Arthur, King inside Rusty Ballenger for 4th, takes it into 1 next lap. Collins out front, Beeler in 2nd, Arthur in 3rd, King 4th as Danny Yoder spins in 2. Caution here on lap 5.

 

Green flag back in the air, Arthur quickly goes to work on Adam Beeler, King closing in on both now as Yoder, Phil Helton, Jason Varner, and Shepard around in 2. Caution on lap 6.

Green flag back in the air, looking for some green flag racing in the Hangover! Collins the leader, Arthur challenges Adam Beeler, now has King looking to his inside, Adam Beeler pulls away, King falls in line and rolls up his sleeves to try again. Collins still showing the way as he has this track figured out, he’s opened it up over Adam Beeler. Arthur still holding off King for the 3rd spot with Ballenger behind them. Collins not far from catching up to the rear of the field as he’s setting a blistering pace. Collins now has caught lap traffic as Justin Beeler spins in turn 2, caution flies here on lap 16.

 

Green flag back in the air, Arthur inside Adam Beeler, muscles his way into 2, he brings King in tow! Now Adam Beeler stalls in 4, caution on lap 17.

Green flag back in the air, King inside Arthur into 3 for the 2nd spot, still side by side, Arthur hanging tough as Collins pulls away. King not giving up the bottom as we’re halfway. Collins in his own zip code as Arthur has cleared King, now King powers inside once more, they go to battle again with 23 laps complete. All competitors have gotten single file except for the 2nd place battle, now caution flies as Shepard is around in 2. 25 laps complete.

 

We may still be 15 laps from the finish, but that’s still a long way, green flag back in the air. Collins picks up where he left off before the caution flew as he blasts off 4. King and Arthur are side by side with King down low, they are still side by side, now Arthur with the advantage. King still stalking the rear spoiler of Arthur, waiting on a small hiccup, but he may be waiting a while as Arthur begins to pull away. 30 laps in the books. Collins your leader, Arthur, King, Ballenger, and Fuller your next three, Fuller with some right side damage from a brush with the turn 2 wall 2 laps ago, trying to hold off Justin for position. Caution flies here on lap 32 as debris is on the frontstretch.

 

Single file is the restart type, ready to roll, green flag back in the air. Collins powers away from the field again now as Justin Beeler gets sideways, collects Yoder in 2. Caution quickly flies.

 

Green flag in the air, Arthur makes a power move to try to steal the lead into 1, King goes high on Arthur as Collins checks out, King runs out of room, he’ll bounce into Ballenger off 2, looks like both cars will continue as caution flies.

 

Green flag in the air, King pulls in off 2, looks like a shock was broken on that machine, tough break for up. Up front, Arthur powers into turn 3 to try to make ground, there’s that bobble, goes way high, he’ll lose a ton of ground to Collins, but Ballenger can’t close up to challenge for the position. All competitors are single file now and they’ll run the final 5 laps single file with Collins taking the win over Arthur, Ballenger, Fuller, Yoder, and Shepard.

 

Cautions: 11
Leaders: 63-Collins (1-40)

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