If there’s someone that has owned Rockingham (N.C.) Speedway since the track reopened in 2008, Clay Rogers is atop of the list. Rogers in his No. 16 USG Sheetrock Products Ford dominated the USARacing Pro Cup Series Carolina 200 presented by Black’s Tire and Auto Service Saturday afternoon surging to his third consecutive victory at the one-mile legendary oval.
Rogers, who reassumed the point’s lead following his 25th career win at the track nicknamed “The Rock” held off Benny Gordon, who seemed for a portion of the second-half of the event looked like he would deny Rogers a third trophy but a caution inside the final 30 laps of the events would send the leaders to pit road for tires. Before the yellow, Rogers and Gordon put on a torrid battle. The two drivers would continue to fight for the top spot for several laps and even at one point rubbed sheet metal as they exited turn four with Roger’s Ford kissing the concrete. During the stops, Gordon overshot his pits which cost him valuable seconds and allowed USARacing Pro Cup Series veteran Matt Lofton to beat Gordon’s No. 66 entry off pit road with Rogers clearly in command.
On the final restart, Rogers checked out, clearing pulling away from the pack – much like he did in first half of the event where he was untouchable. With ease, Rogers would surge to his second win of the season 10.576 seconds ahead of Gordon.
“After that (incident), the motor changed pitches,” said Rogers, who led five times for 153 laps. “I think it cracked the tail pipe or something and, man, it got hot in that race car after that. “You’re in the throttle a long time here and there is a lot of motor compartment heat. When you’ve been inside these cars, the crush panels get bent up and the exhaust gets bent up, it can turn into trouble real quick.”
Matt Lofton in the No. 07 StrutMasters.com Chevrolet crossed the line a career-best third after qualifying eighth but would be later disqualified in post-race technical inspection after officials deemed a problem with his carburetor. The penalty dropped Lofton from would have been his third top-10 finish of the season to a dismal 22nd place finish. Lofton, is the son of USARacing Pro Cup Series partner Chip Lofton, who StrutMasters.com sponsorship accelerates in both the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.
With Lofton’s misfortune, USAR veteran Jeff Agnew finished third in his Team 7 Motorsports entry followed by John Gibson, who posted his third top-five run and fourth straight top-10 finish of the year in the event’s first four races.
A.J. Frank, who didn’t get the call to run in the Carolina 200 till late this week rose to fifth in the No. 56 Heritage Truck Centers / Hess Racing Products Chevrolet. Frank, one of the likable competitors on the tour utilized Saturday’s run to prepare him to make his ARCA Racing Series debut at Toledo (Oh.) Speedway next Sunday in the No. 15 Chevrolet for Venturini Motorsports.
Frank despite not competing in the second race of the season at New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway was able to overcome a deficit with tires and post his second straight top-five finish and 20th of his career in an entry fielded by Mac Hill Motorsports and owner Jack McNelly, another partner in the new USARacing Pro Cup Series.
J.P. Morgan was sixth, followed by Ryan Heaver who overcame a penalty in the middle portion of the race to fight back to seventh. David Wilson, a teammate to Heaver was eighth with ARCA Racing Series standout Bryan Silas in ninth and New York native Brandon Sweet rounding out the top-10.
For Silas, a familiar name at Rockingham, it was his second top-10 finish of the season in four races driving the No. 59 Silas Equipment Ford Fusion for Mark Gibson Racing, who is trying to make a new home in the USAR Series. It also was a second straight top-10 finish for Silas at Rockingham in USAR competition. He will join Frank when the ARCA Racing Series resumes action for the Menards 200 on May 23.
Chase Elliott, son of former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion and previous Rockingham winner Bill Elliott was unable to make it back-to-back victories after sailing to a win in the Sunoco National Tour event on Friday afternoon. An unscheduled stop to pit road for a loose window net early in the race had the teenager playing catch-up the entire race. The No. 9 Aarons / Red Bull / Ford Racing Ford Fusion settled for 11th in his USAR debut.
Logan Ruffin after shining through with an impressive performance at Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway two weeks ago tackled diversity in his Rockingham debut as several unscheduled pit stops forced the Turner Motorsports development driver to hang on for 12th. Turner Motorsports also competes in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series where drivers James Buescher and Ricky Carmichael finished second and fourth respectively in the Dover 200 at Dover (Del.) International Speedway on Friday afternoon.
Female sensation Johanna Long’s USAR debut did not turned out like she had hoped as mechanical woes forced her to take her No. 10 Panhandle Grading & Paving machine to the garage on lap 83. She claimed 14th.
Two-time 2010 USAR winner Caleb Holman entered Rockingham looking for three-straight victories but following the first pit stop of the day, the engine seized underneath the No. 75 Food Country USA Chevrolet which abruptly ended the Henderson Motorsports day with a sour 15th place finish. The mechanical gremlin allowed Rogers to surge ahead of the Virginia native and retake the point’s lead.
The only major accident of the day occurred when the No. 51 of Stephen Nasse blew a tire in turn one near lap 45 ending what appeared to be a promising top-five run. Nasse was checked and released from the infield care center and loaded up with a 16th place run.
Rogers’ triumph netted him the $4,000 WIX Challenge bonus for earning the pole and winning the race. It was the first time the bonus had been claimed this season. Rogers, who averaged 110.235 miles per hour in the race that was slowed by four caution flags for 26 laps.
Next up for the USARacing Pro Cup Series is a stop in Langley, Virginia for a one-day show at Langley Speedway on Saturday May 29.
The USARacing Pro Cup Series, formerly Hooters Pro Cup, is owned by Interstate Investment Group and is based in Concord, N.C. IIG is comprised of Jack McNelly, Gary Kale, Carl Hubbard, Chip Lofton and Larry Camp, who serves as the managing partner. For more information on the USARacing Pro Cup Series, go to usarprocup.com.
CAUGHT IN THE CATCHFENCE:
– During his post-race press conference, Matt Lofton who originally finished third announced that he will attempt to compete in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series later this season. The events were not announced but the team has purchased some trucks from HT Motorsports. Lofton would also not rule out a few ARCA Racing Series races in-between.
– Clay Rogers, one of the premier names on the USAR tour also announced during his post race conference that he will compete in the Racing for Wildlife 200 at Michigan International Speedway on June 11. Rogers will be in an entry fielded by Michigan businessman Mark Beard in the No. 42 Beard Oil Chevrolet. Rogers was also hoping to convince Beard to allow him to race the ARCA event at Rockingham.
McReynolds Makes Statement In UARA Competition
Saturday morning, Brandon McReynolds, son of NASCAR analyst Larry McReynolds hoisted his fifth career UARA win by winning the UARA 75. McReynolds, who recently is making a name for himself in the ARCA Racing Series with Eddie Sharp Racing held off pole sitter Paddy Rodenbeck for his first win at Rockingham. Rodenbeck finished second with Lee Tissot rounding out the podium finishers.
McReynolds pending sponsorship is planning on continuing a partial ARCA schedule with ESR with hopes of competing at tracks like Michigan International Speedway, Pocono Raceway and the season-finale at Rockingham. Rodenbeck, meanwhile will shift his focus back to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series where he hopes to make his debut at Iowa Speedway later this year.
Coleman Pressley, son of former NASCAR driver Robert Pressley finished fifth in the UARA event while Kyle Grissom, son of former NASCAR Nationwide Series champion Steve Grissom finished eighth.
Julia Dawson, a late entry into the Carolina 200 was the only driver to participate in both races on Saturday but she was plagued with hiccups and finished 20th in both events.
Rockingham Speedway won’t host another event until October when the ARCA Racing Series caps off their 2010 season on October 9. Legends and Bandolero action hits the “Little Rock” June 13, 20 and 27, July 11 and 25 and August 1 and 8 for the Firecracker Challenge.
– Chris Knight, CATCHFENCE.com Senior Editor / Assistant News Director
