A big weekend of Holiday racing at Bobby Watson’s Carteret County Speedway came to an exciting close Sunday, September 4 with a dominating performance from Dylan Newsome in the Solid Rock Carriers Big Money Late Model competition plus action in the Mini Stock and Street Stock divisions along with the Junior Mini Cup.
As always it was a party at Carteret County Speedway. The night started with the All Veteran Parachute team making pin point landings on the infield and Moonshiners Bar and Grill hosted a concert featuring The Dirty Blonde Band lending to the Holiday atmosphere.
Racing however was the main attraction and the Late Model Drivers came to compete. Heading into the night, just 8-points separated the top six drivers in the season point standings with $10,000 on the line for the Solid Rock Carriers Big Money season champion to be decided on December 11th the final race of the year at Carteret County Speedway.
Dylan Newsome came into the Holiday weekend as the point’s leader and raced like a champion. Newsome led wire to wire in the first of Twin 40-lap races besting Brandon Clements and 12 year old Tristan McKee who finished second and third respectively.
Race two was inverted meaning Newsome started further back but it didn’t matter. Newsome held off Jody Measamer by less than a second to complete his second Sunday win. Brandon Clements was third for his second podium of the night. For the latest point standings check the website at, cartertspeedway.com and click on divisions.
The Junior Mini Cup drivers, ages 10-13 put on an exciting 15 lap race with Colby Gurganus leading the way the first 14 laps but Michael Bivens never lost sight of the prize.
Bivens in the 97 car closed the gap on the 88 of Gurganus and took the lead with a home stretch pass even as the two were being given the white flag. Bivens extended the lead to complete the win after leading only one lap, the winning lap. An emotional Gurganus would say after the race “I didn’t know Michael was that close.” Anthony Vantresca finished third.
The 50-lap Mini Stock Division race saw a strong field of 12 turn into a four car race in the first 20 laps. Shane Canipe led early but all that changed with a yellow caution on lap 32. The restart saw Robert Strmiska take control and he was never headed. Strmiska topped Chuck Wall and Canipe for your top three finish!
Finally the Street Stocks took to the 4/10 oval and Mike Cooper on in 07-car left no doubt he’d be the driver to beat. Cooper with a great start was helped by no caution flags in the 25-lap race. Tyler Smith eventually closed the gap midway through and was bumper to bumper with Cooper in the turns but Cooper had too much horsepower in the straights increasing the margin to a pair of car lengths each lap. Cooper beat Smith by 0.586 seconds with Dennis Woehrle a distant third 12.511 seconds off the pace.
Great racing, parachute landings, concerts, just another carnival atmosphere at Bobby Watson’s Carteret County Speedway and we’ll do it all again September 24th. For more on that race, check the website at carteretcountyspeedway.com and click on events.
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