Bristol Motor Speedway
Crate notes: $50,000 on line for Grand Nationals
From series reports
The four winners of the prelims lead the top Fastrak Racing Series teams into this week's $50,000-to-win Grand Nationals in North Carolina and Virginia. Craig Bartz of Shawano, Wis., Ed Dixon of Washington, Mo., Max Blair of Centerville, Pa., and Shanon Buckingham of Morristown, Tenn., were Crate Late Model feature winners in Fastrak events heading toward the lucrative season-ending week.
Friendship Motor Speedway in Elkin, N.C., hosts action on Oct. 15-16 with the event moving to Wythe Raceway in Rural Retreat, Va., on Oct. 17-18. Time trials and heat races are scheduled for the opening nights at each track with features on the second night.
More than 100 Fastrak teams are eligible for competition with the top 30 drivers earning from the points fund. Bartz, Dixon, Blair and Buckingham enter the week with 35 points apiece. Other drivers in contention include Billy James of Sikeston, Mo., Dick Barton of Ashville, N.Y., Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Ga., Royce Bray of Hull, Ga., and Jay Watson of Conneaut, Ohio. William Thomas of Phenix City, Ala., won last year's $50,000 windfall.
For fans who can't attend the Grand Nationals events, Fastrak is offering audio netcasts free of charge. Visit Audio Sports Line for the links to listen. — From series reports
BLAIR WINS FASTRAK WEEKLY TITLE: Max Blair of Centerville, Pa., picked up $10,000 for winning the Fastrak Racing Series weekly crown in 2008 as he outdueled fellow Fastrak Northeast Region competitor Bobby Powell, then held off a September charge from Wisconsin driver Craig Bartz. Blair topped Bartz by a mere two points earning 738 out of a maximum 750 points for his best 15 finishes. Finishing third in the weekly standings was Bobby Powell followed by Dick Barton, Noel Tucker, Billy James, David Smith, Royce Bray, Brian Kinnersley and Keith Holder. — Mike Leone
McDUFFIE WRAPS UP NESMITH'S WEST REGION: Jim McDuffie of Meridian, Miss., drove to victory in Oct. 10's double-points event at Columbus (Miss.) Speedway to clinch the 2008 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series West Region Championship. McDuffie defeated the two-time West Region Champion Lucky Keeton of Toomsuba, Miss. McDuffie went into the race with a one-point advantage over Keeton. McDuffie was able to net 28 points to bring his season total to 778 points based on his best 16 finishes in 21 starts with nine wins on the season. Keeton finished 11th and didn't earn any points. Keeton ended up with 749 points based on his best 16 finishes in 30 starts with eight wins on the season. McDuffie will receive $3,000 in point fund money, a new GM Performance 604 Crate Engine, and a new race car chassis at the Dec. 10 banquet in Tampa, Fla. Third was Mark Clifton of Brewton, Ala., followed by Ben McCreary of Baldwyn, Miss., and Shannon Lee of Lumberton, Miss. — Roby Helm
