After a washout Saturday, it was a blistering hot Sunday for the fourth annual Area 51 event paying $5,100 to the winner.
The 604 Late Models would be up first for a 25 lap feature. Jason Welshan would lead us to green with Tyler Price, Brad Seagle, Hayden Cardwell and Rusty Ballenger in chase. The action was intense in the top five as Ballenger tried to work over Cardwell for the fourth position in the opening laps. Trouble for the #11 of Tim Bounds would bring out the caution as he would lose a right rear tire ending his day early. Back under green and Hayden Cardwell was on the move as he tried to work his way into the second spot. The caution would wave again as the #6 of Chandler Hickman and the #11 of Hayden Ownbey tangled on the front stretch. Both drivers would be done for the day with significant damage. The top two began to inch away and on lap 15 Cardwell would get a huge run off turn two and power by Welshan taking over the lead. The leaders found themselves in lap traffic in the second half. Cardwell would pick his way through the slower traffic with precision picking up the win.
1: #07 Hayden Cardwell
2: #8 Jason Welshan
3: #31 Brad Seagle
4: #iG Rusty Ballenger
5: #7T Tyler Price
6: #22 Tucker Anderson
7: #07 Baily Cardwell
8: #30 Taylor Coffman
9: #1 Mitchell Stanley
10: #59 Shaun Sise
11: #23 Tyler Howard
12: #R1 Drew Hickman
13: #7T Tiffany Hensley
14: #10 Dustin Williams
15: #92 Cory Cate
16: #6 Chandler Hickman
17: #11 Hayden Ownbey
18: #10B Bradley Lewelling
19: #11 Tim Bounds
DNS: #14 Cade Brookshire
DNS: #3 Dakota Smith
Brady Lee put his #31 on pole via qualifying earlier in the day. He’d lead the field into turn one with David Clark and Josh Henry your top three on the start. The race would come to an early end for the #13 of Austin Byrd who slowed with mechanical issues on the opening lap. Josh Henry had the third spot ahead of Greg Husky and Sam Burgess. Henry would move himself into the third spot setting his sights on the top two. Coming off turn two he and David Clark would make contact resulting in a flat right front for Clark sending him to the pit area. After some attention from his crew, Clark would return at the back of the field. up front it was all Brady Lee as he would go on to score the victory.
1: #31 Brady Lee
2: #01 Jerry Hux
3: #B01 Josh Driskill
4: #88 Sam Burgess
5: #11 Ryan Watson
6: #8 Brandon Francis
7: #13 David Clark
8: #B00 Josh Henry
9: #23 Greg husky
10: #13 Austin Byrd
11: #12 Chris Coffey
The 51 lap fourth annual Area 51 would be up next. Blake Brown and Cole Falloway would lead us to green. Brown would get into the first turn deep as he and Falloway would get together. They’d both continue as the race would have a complete restart. Back under green and Brown lead ahead of Falloway, Josh Harris, Adam Stricker and Bryan Barber. It was a great battle as two of the former Area 51 winners, Harris and Stricker fought it out for the third position. Brown began to inch away out front and would find himself catching the tail end of the field just nine laps in. The caution would wave on lap 9 as Tyler James would make hard contact with the turn four wall. He’d be okay but was done for the day with a broke right front wheel. Back under green Stricker and Harris continued their battle as they both looked to score their second Area 51 win. The #56 of Chris Wilson would retire short of the finish with problems. The caution would wave for debris on lap 39 slowing the pace. it had all been perfect for Brown as he’d lead every lap but a loose battery cable would stall his #99 machine. Luckily after a few moments he’d be able to fire and rejoin the field in the lead. Nothing would be able to touch him as he’d pull away and become the fourth Area 51 Champion.
1: #99 Blake Brown
2: #66 Cole Falloway
3: #22 Josh Harris
4: #68 Adam Stricker
5: #10 Bryan Barber
6: #18 Brandon Kinzer
7: #13 Charlie Medford
8: #43 Jacob Hall
9: #155 Peyton Harlow
10: #8 Jimmy Lennex
11: #1H Ben Harmon
12: #J3 Jody Puckett
13: #16 Jamie Mosley
14: #50 Amos Bunch
15: #99 Cole Hilton
16: #1W Brian Wilburn
17: #11 Reese Ogle
18: #J4 Wayne James
19: #26 Adam Ogle
20: #26 Robbie Branham
21: #56 Chris Wilson
22: #11 Jesse Rupe
23: #21 Taylor Cook
24: #17 Tyler James
The Sportsman class have had some of the best races of 2023 and today would be no different. Terry Poore would set fast time in qualifying. The green waved and the field screamed into turn one with Michael Courtney, Dustin Ward, David Singleton and Seth Jolley in his tire tracks. Ward would turn the pressure up on Courtney for the second spot in the opening laps. The field was setting a blistering pace as they quickly found the back of the pack. The caution would wave on lap 12 as Larry James, Aaron McCarter and Logan Amy would tangle in turn two. After a lengthy cleanup it was back to racing with Courtney throwing a couple sliders and Terry Poore masterfully executing a crossover and taking the lead back. Some tempers would flair as the #76 of Joe Bray and the #10 of James Parrott would have a disagreement. Bray would eventually have to retire from the event with heavy left side damage. Courtney would mount another charge but would have to settle for second.
1: #2 Terry Poore
2: #19 Michael Courtney
3: #22 Dustin Ward
4: #1 David Singleton
5: #5 Curtis Thomas
6: #87 Zane Littleton
7: #10 James Parrott
8: #07 Devin Cardwell
9: #32 Cody Gloyne
10: #01 Eric Hux
11: #8G Logan Amy
12: #865 Brian Byrge
13: #76 Joe Bray
14: #14 Lee Merritt
15: #16 Seth Jolley
16: #82 Aaron McCarter
17: #J2 Larry James
18: #19 Sam Oakley
19: #69 Jeremy Longworth
DNS: #27 Pierson Davidson
Next up would be the 20 lap Front Wheel Drive feature. Dustin Duncan would lead us to green with Austin Maples, Jacob Sharp, former track Champion James Burnett and Bryan Williams your initial top five on the start. The race would come to an early end for the #5 of Bradley Owens as he slammed the turn three wall. He was okay but the day was over for him. Trouble would also find the #65 of Robert Holstrom who slowed. It was an intense battle as Sharp and the #21 of Travis Taylor fought it out for third. However the battle would be short lived as Sharp would pull off track with mechanical problems. Maples had now closed in on Duncan as the battled it out for the lead. Duncan would hold on to pick up the win in a great race.
1: #21 Dustin Duncan
2: #23 Austin Maples
3: #18 James Burnette
4: #21 Travis Taylor
5: #72 Daryl Teefeteller
6: #24 Ricky Ritenour
7: #10 Dan Sandiford
8: #38 Bryan Williams
9: #08 Jacob Sharp
10: #25 Allen Vaughn
11: #44 Scott Valez
12: #65 Robert Holstrom
13: #57 Shal Ritenour
14: #5 Bradley Owens
The 20 lap Classic Car feature was up next. It’s been the year of the Sises’ as they are on a winning streak at the 4-1-1. Shaun Sise would take the lead on the start ahead of Mark Sise, Travis Ward, Bryson Phillips and Merrill Frazer the top five. Shaun Sise would lose the nose in turn three pushing up the track. This would allow Mark Sise to sneak by and into the lead. Trouble for the #74 of Nicholas Baker who would go for two spins ending his day early. Ward would make a run taking over the second spot but would slow with issues. He’d be able to continue on but lost his track position. It was all Mark Sise who would score another win in an already impressive season.
1: #35 Shaun Sise
2: #J16 Shaun Sise
3: #56 Bryson Phillips
4: #4 Travis Ward
5: #57 Merrill Frazier
6: #74 Nicholas Baker
DNS: #15 Chris Griffin
Charlie Davenport, Austin Atkins, Steve Owens, Joseph McGill and Larry Hickman were your top five on the start of the 20 lap Crown Vic feature. The #20 of Anthony Brown would go for several spins as he seemed to have trouble with the setup on his machine. Davenport begin to inch away until a caution as Atkins would loop his machine in turn two collecting the #1 of Hickman. Both would continue on with just minor damage.
1: #2 Charlie Davenport
2: #J1 Joseph McGill
3: #R1 Bryson Hickman
4: #414 Austin Atkins
5: #59 Larry Hickman
6: #20 Anthony Brown
7: #44 Steve Owens