Natural Bridge Speedway finale was about fun
Natural Bridge Speedway
NATURAL BRIDGE – The curtain fell on the 2014 dirt track racing season Saturday night at Natural Bridge Speedway.
Heading into the final night, the champions in each division had already been determined. Few positions in the final standings could change no matter the outcome. The finale was all about fun and the love of racing.
Street Stock
The father-son team of Lee and Keith Herring started on the front row, with the elder Herring taking the lead on the opening lap. David Brogan, the 2014 champion, suffered a suspension failure on lap 3 and retired from the event. Brogan's points lead was 57 heading into the final feature, so his championship was secure.
Lee Herring led flag to flag to score his third win of the season. Keith Herring edged Troy Fitzgerald by a nose at the line for second.
Only five drivers took the green flag. The 2014 track champion, Josh Lilly, started on the outside of the front row and took the lead over Mike Bryant on the opening lap. Michael Taylor, fresh off his win in the Sunoco Fall Classic, quickly moved into the second spot and started closing on Lilly.
Lilly led the first six laps before Taylor moved past him off turn 4 on lap 7. Taylor stretched his lead over the course of the 25-lap feature for his ninth win of the season. Taylor is also the points leader at the Eastside Speedway with just one race remaining. Lilly finished 2.993 seconds behind Taylor and Bryant came home third.
Pure Stock
Derek Wright took the lead over Lee Brooks on the opening lap. Wright, Brooks, Howard Hall, Frankie Drewry and Ben Hamilton raced nose to tail most of the 25 laps.
Brooks started to fade on lap 5, first giving up a spot to Hall and then to Drewry. Wright held the lead over Hall and Drewry at the halfway point. Hall closed to the back bumper of Wright on lap 15 and started looking to make a move. Hall pulled alongside Wright on several laps, but each time Wright held him off. Wright secured his eighth win of the season. Hall finished second and Drewry third. Brooks finished sixth and picked up the division.
Late Model
All Joe Leavell had to do was start the feature to claim to the championship.
Fred Bryant and Joey Coleman brought the field to the green flag. Bryant took the lead as the field raced into turn 1. Philip Woods, who was second in the points standings, retired on lap 2 with a broken rear suspension. Woods still had tallied enough points to clinch second in the standings.
Justin Williams, the night's fastest qualifier, was on a rail and overtook Leavell on lap 5 to grab second. Bryant slipped high on lap 12, slamming the outside guardrail and rolling to a stop. On the same lap, Leavell moved back past Williams. With Bryant out of the race, Leavell inherited the lead. Once back in front, Leavell pulled away from Williams and the rest of the field. Leavell capped off his championship season with the checkered flag. The teammates of Williams and Mark Parks finished second and third, respectively.
Brandon Link, who had wrapped up the championship a few weeks ago, started on the front row. Link jumped to the early lead over Mason Rhodes and Lloyd Wright. Link led flag to flag for his seventh win of the season. Glen Almond moved past Rhodes on lap 13, but could not catch Link. Rhodes held on to finish third.
Natural Bridge Speedway's banquet of champions is tentatively set for early January. The 2015 racing season kicks off in March with two open practice sessions. For more information, visit www.nbspeedway.com.