Dirt Track at Charlotte
Atkins tops teammate Long for Charlotte win
Ryan Atkins picks up his hardware at Charlotte. (CMS Photo/HHP)
CONCORD, N.C. (May 24) — Ryan Atkins of Mount Airy, N.C., claimed Friday’s NDRA Crate Late Model Series event at The Dirt Track at Charlotte, earning a $2,000 payday in an event that ran on the undercard to the Circle K NOS Energy Outlaw Showdown for the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series. | Slideshow
As the 25-lap race went green, Atkins overtook Clark for the top spot going into turn one and quickly stretched out his lead. Atkins retained the lead, but it wasn’t long before his teammate Matt Long of Concord and Dennis Franklin of Gaffney, S.C., caught him and began a battle for the lead on lap 12.
Atkins, who drives a Circle K-sponsored race car, held off their attempts but Long was determined and almost made the pass going into turn two on lap 18.
In the end, Atkins held off the advances of his teammate to lead every lap and take home the victory. Franklin finished third, followed by Greg Clark of Jonesville, N.C., and Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Ga.
“Circle K puts the race on, and to be able to run one-two with the Circle K cars is a pretty awesome feeling,” Atkins said after his win. “I kind of got worried there and I started pushing the right front when I saw Matt. So when I did, I started blocking a little.”
NDRA @ The Dirt Track: (1) Ryan Atkins, (2) Matt Long, (3) Rambo Franklin, (4) Greg Clark, (5) Jonathan Davenport, (6) Brett Hamm, (7) Chris Cantrell, (8) Steve Banal, (9) Lee Cooper, (10) Ben Watkins, (11) Timbo Mangum, (12) Anthony Sanders, (13) Chris Ferguson, (14) Alex Krohn, (15) Donald Bradsher, (16) Mitchell Coble, (17) Corey Gordon, (18) Billy Thompson, (19) Tim Allen, (20) Donnie Austin, (21) Darrell Gilchrist, (22) Michael Brown, (23) Brian Ligon, (24) Austin Kirkpatrick. Fast qualifier (among 41 cars): Franklin, 17.848 seconds. Consolation winners: Watkins, Bradsher.
