Delaware International Speedway
Lathroum rules Delaware for career-high payday
By Charlie Brown
Delaware International SpeedwayDELMAR, Del. (Nov. 2) — Jamie Lathroum entered the Delaware State Championships without a single victory at Delaware International Speedway. But the Mechanicsville, Md., driver was confident enough in pulling off an upset that he took $100 from his own pocket to pay the gambler’s fee that would net him an additional $1,000 if he won.
Lathroum's gamble paid off as he led all 50 laps at the half-mile oval for his biggest career victory. With his gambler’s bonus and lap-leader bonuses, Lathroum netted a career-high $6,025 in outrunning last year's state champion Roy Deese Jr of Laurel, Md. Gary Simpson, making his first start of the season in the season-ender at DIS, was third followed by Devin Friese and Booper Bare.
Lathroum was the quickest of the three heat winnersl putting him on the pole in front of fellow heat winners David Pettyjohn and Deese. Contact at the drop of the green saw David Hill catapulted into the outside wall, bringing out the yellow. On the restart, Richard Jarvis Jr.’s car made a right-hand turn and went head on into the wall. He wasn't injured.
The third try got the first lap in the books with Lathroum setting the pace with Pettyjohn second and Deese third. The yellow was out for a third time on lap seven for a three-car spin in turn three involving Ed Drury, Donald Lingo Jr. and Derrike Hill.
The front three remained the same through lap 12 when the yellow flew as Alan Sagi rolled to a stop. Another five laps clicked off before Drury and Kyle Merkel tangled for yellow No. 5.
David Pettyjohn’s challenge ended as he suddenly slowed coming off the second turn on lap 21, but he was able to get clear and the green stayed out. Rookie Barry Beauchamp spun on the following circuit for the sixth caution.
At the halfway sign, the top five were Lathroum, Deese, Simpson, Freise and Bare. Four more single-car incidents were spaced through the second half of the race which worked in Lathroum’s favor by keeping his 3 Mules Welding-sponsored MasterSbilt Race Car out of traffic.
Delaware State Championship: (1) Jamie Lathroum, (2) Roy Deese Jr., (3) Gary Simpson, (4) Devin Friese, (5) Booper Bare, (6) Ray Kable Jr., (7) Ross Robinson, (8) Ray Davis Jr., (9) Rob Schirmer, (10) Chuck Schutz, (11) Kerry King, (12) Dave Hertz, (13) Hal Browning, (14) Rich Holson, (15) Austin Hubbard, (16) Kyle Merkel, (17) Scott Haus, (18) Staci Warrington, (19) Al Chaney, (20) Barry Beauchamp, (21) Ed Drury, (22) Randy Stoudt, (23) Jere Wierman, (24) David Pettyjohn, (25) Derike Hill, (26) Alan Sagi, (27) Donald Lingo Jr., (28) Norman Short Jr., (29) David Hill, (30) Richard Jarvis Jr. Heat race winners (among 34 cars): Deese, Lathroum, D. Pettyjohn. Consolation winner: Merkel.
