Tyler County Speedway
Shaver collects $4,000 at Tyler's Topless 50
Steve Shaver tunes up at Tyler County. (Todd Battin)
MIDDLEBOURNE, W.Va. (April 25) — Steve Shaver of Vienna, W.Va., swept around Robbie Blair of Titusville, Pa., on the 20th lap and led the remainder of the 15th annual Topless 50 at Tyler County Speedway. The fifth-starting Shaver pocketed $4,000 in the unsanctioned special event for Super Late Models. | Slideshow
Blair, who started outside the front row and grabbed the early lead, settled for second at the high-banked quarter-mile oval. Jared Hawkins of Fairmont, W.Va., was third with Eddie Carrier Jr. of Salt Rock, W.Va., and Tim Dohm of Cross Lanes, W.Va., rounding out the top five.
Shaver was running fourth when the race's lone caution appeared on the 11th lap, but he zipped around Butch McGill of West Union, W.Va., on the 14th lap and then dispatched of the second-running Hawkins with a lap-18 slide job. Two laps later Shaver went around Blair, who tried to fight back in the low groove but could never regain the lead.
Notes: Shaver's Rocket Chassis has sponsorship from Drywall Systems and Lakeview Estates. ... Third-finishing Jared Hawkins received a $500 bonus for having the best combined finishes from the Topless 50 and the Topless 40 the previous night at Midway Speedway in Crooksville, Ohio. Hawkins finished fourth at Midway. ... Tyler County Speedway's Super Late Model division is sponsored by Midcap Land & Timber. ... Mike Pegher Jr. won the night's Crate Late Model event, the season opener on the Fastrak Northeast tour. ... The next Super Late Model special at Tyler County is May 31 for the World of Outlaws Late Model Series. The first WoO event at Tyler County pays $7,000 to the winner.
Topless 50: (1) Steve Shaver, (2) Robbie Blair, (3) Jared Hawkins, (4) Eddie Carrier Jr., (5) Tim Dohm, (6) Doug Horton, (7) Butch McGill, (8) Chris Garnes, (9) Paul Wilmoth Jr., (10) Chuck Harper, (11) Greg Baumberger, (12) Scott Irvin, (13) Scott Peltz, (14) Steve Wilmoth, (15) Gregg Oliver, (16) Donnie Dotson, (17) Ricky Williams, (18) Joe Loudin. Fast qualifier: Irvin, 12.96 seconds. Heat race winners: Hawkins, Blair, McGill, Garnes. Consolation winner: Oliver.
