West Virginia Motor Speedway
Chris Carpenter captures Hillbilly 50
MINERAL WELLS, W.Va. (Sept. 4) — Winning his second straight Cline Construction Steel Block Bandits race at the 5/8-mile oval, polesitter Chris Carpenter of nearby Parkersburg, W.Va., earned $5,000 at West Virginia Motor Speedway's Hillbilly 50.
Outside front-row starter Kyle Merkel led the first 36 laps, but Carpenter took over on lap 37 and led the rest of the way. His brother Tyler Carpenter was second while Merkel held on to finish third ahead of Dwight Henry and Andy Fries in a race that didn't get started until 1:30 a.m.
Carpenter's payday was the richest in the two-year history of the series.
Notes: Winner Chris Carpenter received a provisional starting spot for the following night's Hillbilly 100 on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series. ... A red flag appeared on the fifth lap when Bruce Kane's car briefly caught fire entering turn one; he wasn't injured. ... During the break, leader Kyle Merkel also had a small fire on his No. 117 machine, but he was able to keep racing. ... Cecil Arthur of Walker Arthur's race team was injured in a fall off a race trailer; he was taken to a Parkersburg hospital for back injuries and a large cut on the back of his head. ... The Steel Block Bandits race Sept. 11-12 at Natural Bridge (Va.) Speedway and Eastside Speedway in Waynesboro, Va.
Hillbilly 50: (1) Chris Carpenter, (2) Tyler Carpenter, (3) Kyle Merkel, (4) Dwight Henry, (5) Andy Fries, (6) Walker Arthur, (7) Ashley Barrett, (8) Kyle Lear, (9) Mick Sansom, (10) Roy Roush, (11) D.J. Troutman, (12) Joey Leavell, (13) Larry Ramsey, (14) Tracy Sampson, (15) Brad Jarrell, (16) Joey Love, (17) Freddie Carpenter, (18) Roy Clower, (19 Kris Southern, (20) George Moreland, (21) Allen Brannon, (22) Chris Harr, (23) Kristian Looney, (24) Bob Crum, (25) Nathan Harrison, (26) Justin Powell, (27) Jesse Wisecarver, (28) Bruce Kane. Fast qualifier (among 43 cars): Trevor Phillips, 21.073 seconds. Heat race winners: Chris Carpenter, Kyle Merkel, Freddie Carpenter, Dwight Henry. Consolation winners: Kristian Looney, Ashley Barrett.
