Beckley Motor Speedway
Meadows tops Parker in Fastrak thriller
Chris Meadows tunes up before his $2,000 Beckley victory. (peepingdragonphotography.com)
BECKLEY, Va. (May 24) — The first leg of the eight annual Fastrak Triple Crown weekend was a race that people will be talking about for a while.
Chris Meadows of Crab Orchard, W.Va., used a thrilling final-lap pass Friday night at Beckley Motorsports Park to edge Ron Parker of Lawndale, N.C., in a photo finish for a $2,000 victory in the first race of the Fastrak Racing Series’ tripleheader weekend. Parker settled for second in the 40-lap race, followed by hometown driver Mike Faykus Jr., Jensen Ford of Piney Flats, Tenn., and Tyler Cox of Beckley, W.Va. | Slideshow
The race’s initial start was slowed by a major pileup at the exit of turn two that collected six cars after Ford got sideways. All cars were able to continue racing and retained their starting spots for the complete restart.
Ford kept his car in line on the second start and held the lead through the race’s first few laps. But Ron Parker of Lawndale, N.C., quickly asserted himself in the lead mix, taking the top position from Ford on lap three.
The race’s second caution appeared on lap 14 when Tim Dohm of Cross Lanes, W.Va., got into the wall exiting turn three after suffering front-end suspension problems.
The third caution waved on lap 21 just after halfway as Parker was still setting a blistering pace. Contact between Nathan Harrision and Brandon Umberger on the ensuing restart spurred another caution.
The racing continued Parker leading the way, but slowly as the race was coming to an end, Ford and Meadows began to make a late rally before the race’s final caution appeared when Teddy Tate cut down on lap 30, setting up an intense 10-lap run to the finish.
Parker held Meadows at bay for nine of the finale 10 laps, but Meadows erased Parker’s two-car length on the final lap and pulled alongside the leader exiting the final corner before edging ahead to claim the victory in a photo finish with the margin of victory just 0.018 seconds.
Action moves to Wythe Raceway in Rural Retreat, Va., Saturday and Princeton (W.Va.) Speedway Sunday.
Mike Faykus Sr. Memorial: (1) Chris Meadows, (2) Ron Parker, (3) Mike Faykus Jr., (4) Jensen Ford, (5) Tyler Cox, (6) Tim Byrd, (7) Aaron Barley, (8) David Smith, (9) Nathan Harrison, (10) Jordan Dill, (11) Michael Smith, (12) Eddie Hambrick, (13) Brandon Umberger, (14) Taylor Hicks, (15) Ted Johnson, (16) Henry Hornsby III, (17) Drew Smith, (18) Ashley Brewster, (19) Joe Cox, (20) Teddy Tate, (21) Rick Williams, (22) Shane Greco, (23) Tim Dohm, (24) Rick Lucas. Fast qualifier (among 26 cars): Parker, 14.418 seconds. Consolation winners: Williams, Byrd.
