Buffalo Motor Speedway
New Union County record-holder takes SAS East victory
BUFFALO, S.C. (May 29) — Fast qualifier and polesitter Casey Roberts of Toccoa, Ga., pulled away in the second half of the 30-lapper at Union County Speedway for a $3,000 victory on the O'Reilly Southern All Star East Series. Roberts withstood challenges from John Pursley of Clover, S.C., in the first half of the race, along with a string of cautions, to dominate the final 17 laps at the 32-year-old quarter-mile oval hosting a rare Super Late Model event.
Pursley finished second in the event that drew a track-record crowd while fifth-starting Larry Blankenship of Mooresville, N.C., ran as high as second before settling for third. Dennis Franklin of Gaffney, S.C., and 10th-starting Ross Bailes of Blacksburg, S.C., rounded out the top five. Brandon Ifft of Lake Wylie, S.C., started outside the front row but spun out of contention while running third in the early laps.
Notes: Roberts drives a Victory Circle Chassis by Moyer with sponsorship from Starrette Trucking, Cushman Paint & Body and PPM. ... Roberts lowered the track record in qualifying. ... Johnny Pursley entered his Crate Late Model. ... Monk Gulledge drew two of several cautions in the first half of the race. ... The series completes the South Carolina topless weekend doubleheader with a $4,000-to-win event Saturday at Cherokee Speedway in Gaffney.
SAS East @ Union County: (1) Casey Roberts, (2) John Pursley, (3) Larry Blankenship, (4) Dennis Franklin, (5) Ross Bailes, (6) Colby Cannon, (7) Zach Cox, (8) David McCoy, (9) Daryl Freeman, (10) B.J. Eubanks, (11) Johnny Pursley, (12) Tony Quarles, (13) Monk Gulledge, (14) Brandon Ifft, (15) Ethan Hunter, (16) Bruce Bullard. Fast qualifier (among 16 cars): Roberts, 13.986 seconds.
