Fayetteville Motor Speedway
Ferguson grabs Clash victory at Fayetteville
Chris Ferguson races to victory. (butlerracingphotos.com)
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (Oct. 3) — Chris Ferguson of Mount Holly, N.C., started outside the front row and led all 50 laps at Fayetteville Motor Speedway for his second Carolina Clash Super Late Model Series victory of the season. Ferguson earned $5,000 in the Countdown to the Cup event, part of the playoff-style finish to the series season. | Slideshow
"I was trying to drive in there straight and save the right rear (tire)," Ferguson said following his victory. "There's just a certain amount where you can't drive in there too slow or you'll get passed, and if you drive in too hard, burn (the right-rear tire) up even faster. I was hoping that race was going to get over faster than it did."
Series and track points leader Jeff Smith of Dallas, N.C., finished second ahead of five-time and reigning champion Ricky Weeks of Rutherfordton, N.C. Hometown driver Scott Autry rallied from 15th to finish fourth and Benji Cole of Canon, Ga., rounded out the top five. Polesitter Justin Labonte of Trinity, N.C., faded to an 11th-place finish at the 4/10-mile oval.
Dennis "Rambo" Franklin of Gaffney, S.C., was running fourth when his car's broken rear end forced him out, dropping him from second in the points chase down to fourth.
Notes: Among Ferguson's sponsors are Carver and Sons Roofing, Firestone Building Products, Hal’s Plumbing, Max Baxter Roofing and Clements Race Engines. ... Ferguson's only other career series victory came March 20 at Carolina Speedway near Gastonia, N.C. ... Shawn Beasley of Raeford, N.C., rallied from 21st to finish ninth. ... Scott Shirey had a 22nd-to-10th run. ... Besides his pursuit of the Carolina Clash crown, Jeff Smith will gun to maintain his Fayetteville Super Late Model points lead in the final two races of the season on Oct. 31 ($2,500 to win) and Nov. 27-28 ($5,000 to win). ... Shaun Harrell dominated the track's Limited Late Model feature. ... Cars failing to make the Carolina Clash feature: Zach Cox, Chris Blackwell, Ronnie Poole, Dale Hammond, David Taylor, Michael Mason, Steven Blanton and Travis Hair. ... Next up for the Carolina Clash is an Oct. 10 event at Lancaster (S.C.) Motor Speedway.
Carolina Clash @ Fayetteville: 1. Chris Ferguson, 2. Jeff Smith, 3. Ricky Weeks, 4. Scott Autry, 5. Benji Cole, 6. Tim Allen, 7. Noel Tucker, 8. Timmy Blackwell, 9. Shawn Beasley, 10. Scott Shirey, 11. Justin Labonte, 12. Dean Bowen, 13. G.R. Smith, 14. Brent Robinson, 15. Luke Roffers, 16. Dennis Franklin, 17. Doug Sanders, 18. Jay Sessoms, 19. Scott Neighbors, 20. D.J. Tyndall, 21. Dan Breuer, 22. Jonathan Gunther, 23. Craig Shuffield, 24. Ray Tucker, 25. Ronnie Hoover. Fast qualifier (among 33 cars): Labonte, 17.397 seconds. Consolation race winners: Hoover, Blackwell.
