Virginia Motor Speedway
Madden leads 50 laps for USA 100 win at VMS
From track reports
JAMAICA, Va. (Aug. 9) — Chris Madden of Gaffney, S.C., led all 50 laps of the 29th Annual Miss Utility USA 100 at Virginia Motor Speedway to earn $10,000 in the clash between the Mid-Atlantic Championship Series and Carolina Clash Super Late Model Series. Madden set fast time, won a semi-feature and then rolled to victory in the main event of Rick Eckert of York, Pa. Jamie Lathroum of Mechanicsville, Md., the other semi-feature winner and front-row starter alongside Madden, was third followed by Tim Fuller of Watertown, N.Y., and ninth-starting Doug Horton of Bruceton Mills, W.Va.
“Man we worked hard to come up here. We heard that the American Racer tires were wearing them out up here, we worked real hard on a good program to put on a good show and win the race for Hoosier Tires," Madden said in victory lane. “This is my kind of track — a big fast track. That’s when (Bloomquist Race Cars) work the best."
Last year's race winner and MACS points leader Jason Covert of York Haven, Pa., finished sixth after falling out of the top five and Carolina Clash points leader Ricky Weeks of Rutherfordton, N.C., was 12th in a race slowed by six cautions.
Notes: Madden's Bloomquist Race Car is powered by a Cornett-built Ford engine with sponsorship from Hamrick's of Gaffney, Henderson Amusement, Century Plastics and Swiftco. ... Madden's total earnings at VMS were nearly $12,000. ... Madden missed the Shane Clanton's VMS time-trial record by .002 of a second. ... Coleby Frye spun on the first lap to draw the first caution. ... Tim Fuller ran as high as third before Lathroum regained the spot. ... Runner-up Rick Eckert never got close enough to make a serious bid for the lead. ... Among drivers failing to make the main event: Matt Lux, Austin Hubbard, Craig Shuffield, Brent Robinson, Chuck Clise and Ron Delano Jr. ... Every starter in the 50-lap main event earned at least $1,000. ...� The race drew 46 drivers from nine states. ... Fans bringing a four non-perishable food items to the Aug. 16 event at VMS receive a free ticket. The track's weekly Limited Late Model division will be among those in action. ... Next up for MACS competitors is an Aug. 29-30 weekend at Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, Pa., and Hesston (Pa.) Speedway. ... Carolina Clash drivers begin their Chase-style Countdown to the Cup Championship Series with an Aug. 30 event at Fayetteville (N.C.) Motor Speedway.
MACS-Carolina Clash @ Virginia Motor Speedway: (1) Chris Madden, (2) Rick Eckert, (3) Jamie Lathroum, (4) Tim Fuller, (5) Doug Horton, (6) Jason Covert, (7) David Williams, (8) Chuck Harper, (9) Jim Bernheisel, (10) Booper Bare, (11) Darryl Hills, (12) Ricky Weeks, (13) Nick Dickson, (14) Doug Sanders, (15) Walker Arthur, (16) Jack Pencil, (17) Steve Blackburn, (18) Dennis Franklin, (19) Greg Fetters, (20) D.J. Myers, (21) Kenny Pettyjohn, (22) Russell King, (23) Scott Neighbors, (24) Ricky Elliott, (25) Coleby Frye, (26) Jeremy Miller. Fast qualifier (among 46 cars): Madden, 17.099 seconds. Semi-feature winners: Madden, Lathroum.
