Wythe Raceway
Grand Nat'ls title pays Buckingham $30,000
RURAL RETREAT, Va. (Oct. 24) — Shanon Buckingham of Morristown, Tenn., captured the $30,000 Fastrak Grand Nationals crown with a victory in the Grand Nationals finale Saturday at Wythe Raceway. Buckingham led all 50 laps for the victory in the Crate Late Model event.
Hometown racer Kenny Peeples Jr. finished second in the race and second in Grand Nationals point while A.J. Diemel of Navarino, Wis., was third in the race and the points.
Mike Pegher Jr. of Wexford, Pa., who entered the event with a three-point lead over Buckingham in the Grand Nationals points, crossed the finish line fourth but was disqualified in postrace technical inspection. Pegher's fourth-place finish would've tied Buckingham for the Grand Nationals title.
Pegher's disqualification moved Lee Cooper of Woodruff, S.C., up to fourth and Jerry Broyles of Jonesborough, Tenn., into fifth.
Fastrak Grand Nationals: (1) Shanon Buckingham, (2) Kenny Peeples Jr., (3) A.J. Diemel, (4) Lee Cooper, (5) Jerry Broyles, (6) Bobby Mays, (7) Ron Parker, (8) Max Blair, (9) Billy James, (10) Blake Bentley, (11) David Smith, (12) Mike Blose, (13) Matt Long, (14) Dan Angelicchio, (15) Owen Osteen, (16) Joe Martin, (17) Joel Prosser, (18) Bryan Force, (19) Chris Steele, (20) Dennis Lunger, (21) Justin Hirt, (22) David Scott, (23) Dave Feiber, (24) Jensen Ford. Disqualified: Mike Pegher Jr. Fast qualifier (among 40 cars): Ford, 18.619 seconds. Heat race winners: Buckingham, Cooper, Peeples, Pegher. Consolation winners: Blair, Steele.
