Outlaw Speedway
Robertson repels Davis for $3,000 at Black Rock
By Rich Vleck
Black Rock SpeedwayDUNDEE, N.Y. (Aug. 11) — Wayne Robertson has not always had the best nights at the Black Rock Speedway throughout his racing career, but the feat that he pulled off Saturday may rank the highest.
Robertson, of Corning, N.Y., captured the Inaugural Empire State Classic on the Fastrak Northeast Series in thrilling fashion for his second career victory on the Crate Late Model tour.
His No. 20 started outside the front row and rode in the second spot until lap six when he tried a slide job on polesitter Steve Dixon for the lead. It was unsuccessful that time, but he was undeterred.
After the first caution of the race on lap eight, Robertson drove by Dixon on the ensuing restart and stretched out his lead as the race took on a very green complexion. Robertson was out front by a half-track margin until lap 28 when a caution with two laps remaining threw everything into chaos.
On the restart, it became clear that the tires on each of the Late Models had sealed over as each car was slipping around the track, except for Bryce Davis, who found something on the top of the track.
Davis got a full head of steam coming out of turn two and pulled even with Robertson coming to the white flag.� The duo were set for a photo finish on the final circuit when a spun car in turn one brought out a yellow to reset the field. Robinson chose the inside line against David for the final double-wide restart.
“We’ve been fighting this car pretty tight so I had to run the inside,” Robertson said in victory lane. “I was married to bottom and there was a good strip on the bottom of turn four that worked out pretty good.”
On the final restart, Davis once again got a good run off of turn two, but Robertson held steady through the final set of corners to capture the checkered flags. Not only was the $3,000 payday special for Wayne, it was equally meaningful that it was the closest tour race to his home.
“I don’t get to race in New York much with this car,” Robertson said. “I saw Davis on the outside I never thought he would get around, I was just trying to putt around on the bottom.”
As Robertson and Davis were battling it out for the win, there was a mad scramble on for third, with Mike Pegher Jr. prevailing over fellow tour regular John Over charging up to fourth. Steve Dixon, who was the dominant car early in the night as he was quickest in time trials, won his heat and won the dash, rounded out the top five. Series points leader Max Blair was eighth.
Empire State Classic: (1) Wayne Robertson, (2) Bryce Davis, (3) Mike Pegher Jr., (4) John Over, (5) Steve Dixon, (6) Justin Tatlow, (7) Matt Latta, (8) Max Blair, (9) Dan Angelicchio, (10) Jason Knowles, (11) Paul Grigsby, (12) Junior Peters, (13) Ryan Montgomery, (14) Jamie Brown, (15) Shane Weaver, (16) Lauren Longbrake, (17) Doug Ricotta, (18) Brad Kling, (19) Brad Mesler, (20) Brad Cobb, (21) Justin Kreider, (22) Adam Sixt, (23) Doug Horton, (24) Butch Lambert. Heat race winners (among 32 cars): Dixon, Robertson, Over, Pegher. Consolation winners: Peters, Ricotta. Non-qualifers’ race winner: Craig Dean.
