POLE AT SEASON DECIDER FOR RUDOLPH

New South Wales driver, Dane Rudolph, recorded his seventh straight front row start and sixth pole for one of the most important Late Model Season races at Virginia’s Motor Mile Speedway in NASCAR’s Whelen All-American Series.

Radford, Virginia. USA. 12/09/09:

This 150 lap race was to be the decider, for not only the track series, but also the NASCAR National Championship. Points leader Phillip Morris headlined the 31 strong quality field which included all the best drivers from the region, and arguably the best in the country. Pit lane rumours before the race had a number of different scenarios with Morris and his adversary Frank Deiny Jr both calling on team mates and drivers from afar to help them win the track series. Morris had all but won the National Championship but needed a good finish for the National Championship and to finish in front of Deiny to win the track series. The stage was set for a colossal battle.

Qualifying began under a near perfect sky and cooler track conditions. Just prior to Dane’s run, local hot shot Doug Godsey recorded a fantastic time of 15.982. This would be hard to beat but Dane ran an incredible lap in the one at a time two lap runs to record a best of 15.958 seconds for the 4/10ths of a mile track. However finger nails were bitten to the quick as the remaining field ran their laps, but no other driver was fast enough to steal Dane’s thunder.

Dane didn’t want to repeat his start from two events ago and suffer the strong arm of the officials who had judged he had jumped the start, so he played a conservative start. He and Godsey ran side by side for a couple of laps before Dane edged away gaining a strong lead of half the front straight. National Champion Morris then passes Godsey and sets off to catch Dane. The first caution on lap 16 bunched the field decimating Dane’s lead. On the restart Morris puts a huge amount of pressure on Dane, who has had relatively little oval track experience compared to the multiple champion and legendary Late Model driver. However a great move by Morris on lap 30 saw him pass Dane, ending his first laps led for 2009. Morris, Rudolph and Godsey then pulled away from the chasing pack to lead the field by more than a straight, but this game is all about conservation and maximising the restarts on the inevitable caution periods. By lap 60, title protagonist, Deiny was pressuring Godsey and the inevitable incident occurred resulting in a spin for Deiny and a black flag for Godsey. Acrimony between the two continued for a number of laps until Godsey was again black flagged and retired from the race. Another caution on lap 78 again erodes the lead built up by Morris and Rudolph and the restart sees South Boston regular, Wayne Ramsey, dive to the inside of Rudolph relegating him to 3rd. This also allows Davin Scites to attack Dane which he does a few laps latter with a banzai move damaging the rear quarter panel of the unsponsored number 18 ‘Skippy’ car. The hit forced Dane into the save of the night but allows another 4 cars past and relegated him to 9th place. Some of the best racing ensued with multiple position changes and an eventual 8th place finish for Dane. Phillip Morris secured both the track series and National Championship for the third time.

Dane said, “This was the best race I’ve had since being in the States. We really proved tonight that we can run with the best and that our qualifying pace at South Boston was not a single track deal”. Team Owner, H.C. Sellers added, “This goes to show that hard work and dedication can pay off. Dane and the team have achieved a great result tonight and should be proud of their achievement”.

Danes next event is America’s biggest Late Model Stock Car race at the NASCAR Sprint Cup track, Martinsville Speedway, on the 2-4 October where more than 100 drivers will attempt to make the field for the $25,000.00 race.