Elkins Raceway
Dalton pockets $6,000 in Armstrong Memorial
Gary Dalton picked up $6,000. (Frank Wilson)
KERENS, W.Va. (Aug. 8) — Taking the point from Charlie George with the last of nine lead changes, Gary Dalton of Morgantown, W.Va., led the final 12 laps of the 51-lap R.H. Armstrong Memorial at Elkins Speedway. The seventh-starting Dalton earned $6,000 for his first career Unified Race Force Championship victory. | Slideshow
Matt Lux of Franklin, Pa., was second followed by 20th-starting Billy Holbert of Fairmont, W.Va. Zack Dohm of Cross Lanes, W.Va., led on four occasions for a total of 25 laps but was knocked from contention for good by a lap-37 flat tire. UFO points leader Alex Ferree of Saxonburg, Pa., had a tough start with two early spins but salvaged a seventh-place finish. George, who took the lead from Dohm on the 11th lap and 15 laps in all, ended up fourth.
Dohm's flat was caused when hometown driver Tim Senic made contact as the field slowed for a lap-36 caution after a Keith Barbara-Jared Miley tangle triggered a pileup. Dohm headed for the pits while Senic inherited the lead, but on the restart, second-running Tim Dohm — Zack Dohm's father — made contact with Senic, flattening Senic's right-rear tire while a crossed-up Tim Dohm triggered another wreck involving several cars.
Notes: Dalton's Rocket Chassis is sponsored by Jack's Recycling, Appalachian Timber, Grainger Engineering and Wilson Works. ... The front row of the main event featured a pair of 18-year-olds, Chris Carpenter and Zack Dohm; a lap-six flat tire knocked Carpenter from contention. ... John Mollick of Toronto, Ohio, who recently fell out of the UFO points lead, broke a rocker arm in hot laps. He started the feature in David Scott's Crate Late Model so he'd at least get points for starting the main event. ... Among drivers failing to make the feature: Chuck Harper (broke engine in hot laps), Kris Southern, Danny Mitchell and Jared Hawkins (oil pump). ... Next up for UFO competitors is twin 31-lappers at Pittsburgh's Pennsylvania Motor Speedway on Aug. 15. The event is co-sanctioned by the Northern Tier ULMS tour and weekly UMP DIRTcar competitors are welcomed, too.
R.H. Armstrong Memorial: (1) Gary Dalton, (2) Matt Lux, (3) Billy Holbert, (4) Charlie George, (5) Butch McGill, (6) Chris Meadows, (7) Alex Ferree, (8) Zack Dohm, (9) Tim Senic, (10) Jared Miley, (11) Steve Wilmoth, (12) Bob Gordon, (13) Steve Booth, (14) Tim Dohm, (15) L.C. Powers, (16) Keith Barbara, (17) Rod Evans, (18) Mike Benedum, (19) Shawn Poling, (20) Chris Carpenter, (21) Skip Hare, (22) Rick Williams, (23) Jimmy McCloud, (24) John Mollick. Heat race winners: Dalton, T. Dohm, Williams, Z. Dohm. Consolation winners: Wilmoth, Booth.
