Delaware International Speedway
Warrington, 17, first female winner at DIS
By Charlie Brown
Delaware International Speedway
Staci Warrington (redbud69racing.com)
DELMAR, Del. (June 7) — Staci Warrington of Milton, Del., made history at Delaware International Speedway by becoming the first-ever female winner in the track's Super Late Model division. The 17-year-old, a recent graduate from Cape Henlopen High School, led flag-to-flag in holding off former champion Richard Jarvis Jr.
Warrington, at 5 feet tall and less than 100 pounds, moved into the Super Late Models this season after a single year in the Crate Late Model division in 2007. “We just weren’t doing too well in the Crate class," Warrington said. "I like the Crate class, but I just wanted to do something different and it was a chance of a lifetime.”
Warrington started on the pole in the 20-lap feature and immediately found the upper groove to her liking. Defending division champion Donald Lingo Jr. challenged from second with Rob Massey running strong in third. Ross Robinson worked his way into the third spot just as the yellow flew when Lingo rolled to a stop on lap four. On the restart Jarvis, who had started in eighth, went to work on Robinson for second, taking the spot on lap eight. At the halfway sign the top five were Warrington, Jarvis, Robinson, Jon Callaway and David Hill.
Once in second, Jarvis was able to close the comfortable lead that Warrington had built and was running on her back spoiler by lap 14. The caution was out on the next circuit when Bob Geiger and Derrike Hill came to a stop. Warrington controlled the restart but the yellow was quickly out again for debris.
Warrington’s patience would be tested one final time when the caution came out with just two laps to go. Under the yellow, Robinson pulled from the top five with mechanical problems. Warrington would never falter as Jarvis pulled to her inside in turn four. She had the better line coming off the turn and drove to her first career checked before the cheering crowd in her Warrington’s Construction-sponsored Rocket Chassis. Jarvis settled for second with David Hill coming on strong for his best finish of the season in third.
Warrington wasn't the only teen winner Saturday. Tyler Reed, a 15-year-old also from Milton, won the 15-lap Crate feature, outrunning Jack Mullins.
Delaware International Speedway (June 7): (1) Staci Warrington, (2) Richard Jarvis Jr., (3) David Hill, (4) Jon Callaway, (5) David Pettyjohn, (6) Bobby Dryden, (7) Trent Collins, (8) Ray Davis Jr., (9) Derrike Hill, (10) Bob Geiger, (11) Ross Robinson, (12) Hal Browning, (13) Kerry King, (14) Bryan Driver, (15) Rob Massey, (16) Rick Whaley, (17) Kevin Scott, Jr), (18) Donald Lingo Jr., (19) Norman Short Jr.
