Lemons Comes Out On Top In 300 At Martinsville

Tommy Lemons, Jr. scored the victory after a late wreck took out the leaders in Sunday’s Late Model Stock at Martinsville Speedway. Photo by Matt Weaver

Late-race fireworks set the stage for an improbable finish and Tommy Lemons Jr. seized the moment as he took home the famed grandfather clock in the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300 at Martinsville Speedway.

With two-time NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national champion Lee Pulliam pacing the field on a lap 201 restart, third-place Deac McCaskill took out Pulliam entering turn 1 and set the race on its top.

Also collected were three-time Martinsville 300 winner Philip Morris and CE Falk III, who were restarting third and fifth, respectively.

Lemons, who was running eighth prior to the melee, then moved up to the front row outside Dillon Bassett, who inherited the lead for what would be the second and final green-white-checkered flag finish attempt as darkness settled in.

On the final restart, Bassett didn’t get the jump he needed and Lemons – from Troy, NC – had the lead by turn 1 that would not be relinquished.

“Words can’t express it – this is amazing,” Lemons said of his first Martinsville victory. “This race (tops) everything I’ve done in my Late Model career – my racing career, period.”

Bassett held on for second followed by Dennis Setzer, Blake Stallings and Ryan Stiltner. Wayne Ramsey, Brenden Queen, Hayden Woods, Dennis Holdren and Bruce Anderson brought home the top 10.
Pulliam and Morris finished 15th and 16th in the rundown, respectively.

It was an up-and-down day for Lemons. The Troy, NC, driver started the 200-lap feature on the outside of the front row and jumped out to the lead on the first lap ahead of pole sitter Chad Finchum. Lemons paced the field the first 10 circuits before being overtaken by Morris.

Michael McGuire (7) and Anderson Bowen (29) took this wild ride during their qualifying race on Sunday. Both drivers were uninjured. PHoto by Langley Austin

He ran near the front the remainder of the first half of the race, but had problems coming out of the midway break.

On the restart following the break, Lemons car temporarily stalled and he had to go up high around the other cars once it refired to get back into position. Lemons believed he ran over some type of debris that eventually resulted in a flat tire and wall contact in turn 2 after the race went back green.

Although he didn’t lose a lap, a trip to pit road to replace the flat resulted in a lot of lost real estate on the track.

“It was really hard, my guys kept me positive,” Lemons said of the cut tire. “There with about 20 to go when we were 10th or so, I thought it was over. But luck was on our side, the lord was on our side and we came back victorious.”

The race saw seven lead changes among eight drivers and was slowed by 11 caution periods.

The annual Late Model showcase attracted 87 entries to the historic .526-mile Martinsville oval. The 42-car, 200-lap feature was set earlier Sunday afternoon by four 20-lap qualifying races and a 20-lap last-chance qualifier.

Whelen All-American Series
Martinsville Speedway – Martinsville, VA
Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300 – Oct. 7, 2013

No need to ingest Lovegra if you are suffering through any cialis australia prices of the below techniques, it’s best to speak to your doctor before taking any sort of medication even if it costs them to lose their relations. Abdominal Infection- If the patient is suffering from infection in abdomen that is directly related to reproductive health of the organs. lowest prices on viagra devensec.com The muscles relax a lot when this medicine is used to treat erectile dysfunction in men. levitra online uk If situation persists-it leads purchase cialis online to mental changes as well.