Summer Thunder Delivers Exciting Racing at Carteret Speedway

Miss Mary celebrating her 102nd birthday at Carteret Speedway Photo Credit- Kimi Lynn Smith Photography

A beautiful summer evening, a refreshing breeze, and a tremendous crowd set the stage for Summer Thunder at Carteret Speedway on Saturday night. Fans were treated to exciting side-by-side racing while also celebrating two very special birthdays—Miss Mary, who turned an incredible 102 years young, and Deanna Stancill, who celebrated her 17th birthday in unforgettable fashion. The evening began with a stirring rendition of the National Anthem performed by Donnie Lane.

The Champ Karts kicked off the night’s racing action. Chris Byrd of Burlington held off strong challenges from Keith Webb and Roger Barrington to capture the victory in an entertaining feature race.

Whenever the VRL Vintage Lites roll into Carteret Speedway, fans know they’re in for a show, and Saturday night was no exception. Tony Arnold drove the No. 18 machine to victory over Greg Farley and Daniel Dean. The race was slowed by an incident involving Bobby Arthur and Tom Hutson. Fortunately, neither driver was injured, although both were understandably disappointed their nights ended early.

The Mini Stocks produced one of the most exciting races of the evening with an intense four-car battle for the lead. Zac Reimer narrowly edged out his wife, Abby Jolly, in a thrilling finish, while Travis Miller completed the podium in third.

During intermission, the youngest racers took center stage as the Juiceboxes hit the track. The smiles on the faces of both the kids and their parents made it clear that these little race cars continue to be one of the most enjoyable traditions at Carteret Speedway.

Following the break, the Street Stocks put on another outstanding performance. Pole sitter Jesse Council continued his impressive return to racing by leading every lap on his way to a dominant victory. Tyler Smith finished second, with Jonathan Belfiore crossing the line in third.

The night concluded with the always-competitive Bomber division, where birthday girl Deanna Stancill put an exclamation point on her special day by driving to another feature victory. Friends, family, and fans celebrated as the talented young driver continued to showcase the maturity, poise, and skill that have made her one of the division’s rising stars.

Newcomer Gabe Purcella of Bear Grass made an outstanding first appearance at Carteret Speedway, crossing the finish line in second after a strong performance throughout the race. Harry Artemisio continued his consistent season with a third-place finish.

Following post-race technical inspection, the following Bomber competitors were disqualified:

• #99 Gabe Purcella

• #3 Tyler Roberson

• #46 Jordan Stroud

Official Bomber results were adjusted accordingly following the completion of technical inspection.

Official Race Results are available at https://www.myracepass.com/events/635955/races

Carteret Speedway would like to thank all of our sponsors, competitors, officials, volunteers, and especially our incredible fans for making Summer Thunder another memorable night of racing.

The action returns on Saturday, August 1, for the Davey Allison Memorial featuring the Allison Legacy Series with the Street Stocks, UCAR’s Bombers, JR Mini Cups & Legends also hitting the track.

For the latest news, schedules, tickets, and event information, visit CarteretSpeedway.com and follow Carteret Speedway on Facebook. We can’t wait to see everyone back at the track!