Carolina Speedway
Gault's last-lap scrape lifts Pursley at Carolina
By Gene Murphy
DirtonDirt.com correspondent
Johnny Pursley won his fifth Carolina Clash victory. (Gene Murphy)
GASTONIA, N.C. (May 3) — Sometimes being in the right place at the right time is what matters most. That’s how it worked out for Johnny Pursley of Clover, S.C., on Friday at Carolina Speedway in picking up his first victory of 2013 in thrilling style. | Slideshow
Pursley was running second on the final lap of the 40-lap Carolina Clash Super Late Model Series main event when leader Mike Gault, of Gaffney, S.C., tangled with the lapped car of Ross Bailes in turn three.
Pursley avoided both spinning cars with an evasive maneuver to the outside, leaving the turmoil behind him as he straightened his No. 09 and exited the turn four to head for the checkered flag and his fifth career Carolina Clash victory. The last-lap drama capped off an action-packed event slowed by multiple caution flags.
“I figured if I could be patient, I would get the chance (to regain the lead), but it was looking like it was not going to happen,” said Pursley, who pocketed $4,000 for his first 2013 victory. “But when I saw (Gault) turned sideways, I knew I had him then.”
Five-time series champion Ricky Weeks of Rutherforton, N.C., ended up second while fast qualifier and pole-sitter Chip Brindle of Chatsworth, Ga., ended up third. Reigning series champion Luke Roffers of Concord, N.C., was fourth and series rookie Damon Kotke of Louisburg, N.C., rounded out the top five.
Gault had taken the point from Pursley on the 21st lap after contact from Gault nearly turned Pursley around. Gault said that he lost his brakes shortly before that incident.
“It’s kinda hard to maneuver around without any brakes”, Gault said. “I was up top and it looked like Pursley dove to the bottom. But, I didn’t have any brakes so I didn’t have anywhere to go. I didn’t mean to get into him.”
Despite Gault’s brake issues, he was able to maintain a blistering pace during his time up front. The action on the track, and Gault’s strong performance kept a huge turnout of fans in the grandstand on their feet for the majority of the feature.
Chris Ferguson of Mount Holly, N.C., lost a top-five run when a blown right-rear tire ended his night.
“Being a one-car, one engine team I try to be careful and take care of the car.” Ferguson said. “There was a time there when (Pursley) and Gault were really running hard through the holes, harder then I wanted to. I was content with running third there for the moment, but it didn’t wind up mattering anyway. We blew that right rear and it just exploded. It popped and knocked the rear decking out of the car, tore the quarter off of it.”
Tim Allen of Kannapolis, N.C., led the first three laps before a broken torque arm forced him out of the race. Brindle then took a turn up front before Pursley took over.
Notes: Pursley’s No. 09 is sponsored by Twin Oaks Racing, Eagle Manufacturing, Freeman Plumbing and Pursley Grading. ... Dennis “Rambo” Franklin, leading the Carolina Clash points heading into the event, broke an engine in hot laps and scratched for the night. ... Although he was caught up in the last-lap skirmish, Ross Bailes was the Safety-Kleen Hard Charger in eighth. ... The series continues action next Saturday at Cherokee Speedway in Gaffney, S.C., for the first series trip to the track since 2004.
Carolina Clash @ Carolina: (1) Johnny Pursley, (2) Ricky Weeks, (3) Chip Brindle, (4) Luke Roffers, (5) Damon Kotke, (6) Michael Marlowe, (7) Mike Gault, (8) Ross Bailes, (9) Doug Sanders, (10) Scott Neighbors, (11) Frank Coates, (12) Chuck Smith, (13) John Pursley, (14) Chris Ferguson, (15) Brian Ledbetter, (16) David Yandle, (17) Jay Sessoms, (18) Kyle Pierce, (19) Tim Allen, (20) Zack Mitchell. Scratched: Dennis Franklin. Fast qualifier (among 21 cars): Brindle, 15.607 seconds.
