Local street stock driver Keith Herring picked up his second consecutive win in Saturday night’s 30-lap, double points to win the division’s race at Natural Bridge Speedway, as he continues his pursuit of the track’s street stock points crown. Lexington’s Brandon Ramsey dominated the 25-lap feature’s first 12 laps. Herring got the jump on Ramsey between turns one and two after a strong restart. Lexington’s Scottie Hostetter ran a strong third.
Lexington sportsman pilot Ronnie Martin Jr. jumped from his second-row starting position and cruised into the lead, which he stretched out as the laps counted down. A yellow flag, however, fluttered in the breeze on lap 16 of the 30-lap feature, bringing Martin back to the field for the lone restart of the night. Fairfield’s Aaron Bryant chased down Roger Robertson Jr and grabbed the runner-up slot, passing Robertson Jr. at the flag stand ending lap 17. Fairfield’s Samuel Bryant ran fourth.
Pure stock wheelman Mark Whitten, who fought back from being sent to the rear of the field for jumping the green flag to start the race became the second back-to-back winner of the night Brandon Link led over a dozen laps before fading to a fourth-place finish. James Newton then seized the point. On the lap after a lap 19 restart, Whitten swept low out of turn four and took the lead by scant inches as the cars whizzed past the flag stand. A lap-23 caution gave Newton one last shot at the front-running Newton. But it was not to be, as Whitten rolled to a near perfect restart, allowing him to open his lead until taking the checkers.
David Watts of Buchanan patiently worked his way from his fourth position on the 15-car late model starting grid, and surged to Victory Lane in the caution-free 30-lap feature at NBS. Watts moved into second behind leader Phillip Woods by the second lap and continued to measure Woods’ strong machine. Watts seized the lead on out of turn four on lap 13 and roared away to win going away. Woods finished second, followed to the checkers by Carder Miller, Mike Ayers and Tim Stalnaker.
Jonathan Burnette grabbed the lead on lap 9 of a caution-filled All-American 20-lapper and survived a white-flag lap caution to grab the checkers.
Racing action continues at NBS Saturday night with a special appearance by the Virginia Sprint Car Series, giving fans a look at open-wheel racing. The first green flag should fall at 7:30 p.m. Admission is $15.
CORRECTION: In last week’s issue, the last names of two Fairfield sportsman drivers at Natural Bridge Speedway were not correct. A reporting error resulted in race winner Samuel Bryant and his brother Aaron being given an incorrect last name.
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The All-American rides took to the 3/8-mile clay banked oval for the 20-lap evening’s finale. Multiple cautions, created as the drivers aggressively attacked the track, early on slowed the first 10 laps of the event. Jonathan Burnette worked his acr to the front of the pack on lap 6. With Burnette running away from runner-up Dillon Ferguson and third-place Mac Ayers, a spin on the race’s penultimate circuit, left Burnette facing a restart on the white flag lap.
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