Kelley Defends Home Turf, Wins RC Cola / MoonPie 100 at Lanier
Pendergrass driver grabs second win; Gresham takes point lead
BRASELTON, GA (June 29, 2009) - On paper, Paul Kelley's night at Lanier National Speedway looked like a walk in the park. He started from the pole, led the most laps and won the ASA Southeast Asphalt Tour RC Cola / MoonPie 100 on Saturday, June 27. But despite the nice stat line, Kelley had his hands full in taking his second win of the season.
After battling the heat and Casey Roderick for the first half of the event, Kelley, driver of the No. 23 Hedman Husler Hedders Chevrolet, spent the rest of the 100-lap race fighting Russell Fleeman for the victory.
"It wasn't easy," said Kelley, who opened the season with a win at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Fla. "It was so hot out there and then I had pressure from Casey and Russell all night."
After leading all but one of the first 40 laps, Kelley briefly heeded to Fleeman's pressure, losing the lead on a double-file restart.
"That happens a lot on double-file restarts," said Kelley. "He had the outside, which is the preferred line at Lanier. He got around me, but I started to pressure him back. I wasn't trying to pass him; I'd dive to the inside to let him know I was there. Then I saw him starting to slip a little. I think he burnt his rear tires off."
The slip was the first sign of weakness shown by Fleeman all night.
Fleeman, who started 11th in the 30-car field, methodically worked his way through the pack before taking the lead away from Kelley just before the halfway mark.
"Our car was good," said Fleeman, who led the next 40 laps. "We qualified 11th, which wasn't where we thought we'd qualify. But once the race started, I knew we had a good car. I was able to get by Paul on that restart, but my car started to get free when I'd get on the gas late in the race."
Knowing there was still time to take back the top spot, Kelley didn't force the issue.
"I thought there'd be another caution, so I was just saving my stuff," said Kelley. "If there wasn't another caution, I would've had to lean on him a bit."
Kelley didn't have to use the chrome horn after a caution reset the field for the final double-file restart with 20 laps remaining. This time, Kelley had the preferred, outside line. And he made the most of it.
"We just lined up and got back around him," said Kelley. "It was a special win because I consider Lanier to be my home track. We have a big following and it's always fun to talk to them after the races, especially when you win."
While Kelley accepted congratulations for his home-track win, Fleeman wasn't exactly hanging his head.
"Paul was a just a tick better than us," added Fleeman. "But to start 11th and finish second, it was a good night for us."
Point leader Jason Hogan didn't have such a good night.
After qualifying 13th, Hogan was involved in an early-race accident that put him behind the wall for nearly 20 laps. Hogan returned to the track and was credited with an 18th-place finish.
Behind the leaders, youngsters Roderick and Max Gresham spent the last 10 laps fighting for the final podium position. Roderick held off Gresham for third, but Gresham's fourth-place effort was good enough to push him into the points lead.
"I hate that Jason had his problems, but it still feels good to have the points lead," said Gresham, driver of the No. 7-11 Gresham and Associates Chevy. "At the start of the race, I thought we had a car that could win. But when Jason had his problems, we went real conservative. Winning the points title is a goal of ours."
The series most recent winner, TJ Reaid, completed the top five.
The RC Cola / MoonPie ASA Southeast Asphalt Tour Speedway will have a couple of weeks off before returning to action on Saturday, July 11 at Orange County Speedway in Rougemount, N.C. The 100-lap event will be the second event in the Carolina Clash Region. Gresham won the first Carolina Clash event at Dillon (S.C.) Motor Speedway on April 25th.
For more media inquiries, sponsorship and promotional information regarding ASA SAT, contact John Kee by emailing him at j.kee@charter.net or by visiting www.asasoutheastasphalttour.com for all RC Cola / MoonPie ASA Southeast Asphalt Tour news. For technical and rule information, call Micky Cain at (678) 373-9851.
To learn more of the Daytona Beach, Florida-based Racing Speed Associates or the American Speed Association Racing Member Track program, call (386) 258-2221 or send an e-mail to info@asa-racing.com. For news and information from racetracks and regional tours involved in the American Speed Association, visit www.asa-racing.com.
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RC Cola / MoonPie 100
Lanier National Speedway
June 27, 2009
Unofficial Results
1. Paul Kelley
2. Russell Fleeman
3. Casey Roderick
4. Max Gresham
5. TJ Reaid
6. Chase Elliot
7. Parker Hammons
8. Keeton Hanks
9. Tyler Millwood
10. Tim Russell
11. Stephen Nasse
12. Austin Hill
13. Jerrod Foley
14. Clay Alexander
15. Davey Coble
16. Tyler Miles
17. Kevin Stephens
18. Jason Hogan
19. Terry Horak
20. Shane Chastain
21. Allen Gordan
22. Shane Sawyer
23. Taylor Satterfield
24. Dwayne Buggay
25. Michael Pilla
26. James Nelius
27. Lee Langford
28. Colt James
29. Jeremy Rice
30. Jeff Choquette
