Kristen Yeley, wife of NASCAR driver J.J. Yeley won Thursday’s fourth consecutive Better Half Dash, the annual fall event in which NASCAR wives and girlfriends take their turn behind the wheel of a racecar to the quarter-mile frontstretch track of Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway.
The event, originally scheduled for 25 laps was shortened to just eight laps after a rash of cautions failed to materialize a race rhythm. The field also didn’t make it to the competition caution at Lap 15. Instead, the race was a timed-event due to final practice for the NASCAR Nationwide Series.
Yeley, driving the No. 28 made a late charge against Trevor Bayne’s wife, Ashton on a restart to overtake the top spot. From there, Yeley withstood challenges from her competitors, holding on for the victory, claiming the $10,000 race purse. She finished second to Ashley Stremme last October.
Heidi Stoddard, wife of Frank Stoddard finished second, while Melanie Self, representing MRO and racing for current cancer battlers Sherry Pollex and Shawna Robinson claimed third.
Rounding out the top-five finishers were Bayne and Adreinne Pattie.
Yeley was able to donate $5,000 of the purse to her charity of choice, Yantz’s Sun is Back Foundation. The foundation was started for a dear friend of the Yeley family, who lost their son this past May during the Charlotte race weekend after drowning. He was two. The Better Half Dash was the first official fundraiser for the charity.
Of the remaining winnings, $2,500 was donated to the Speedway Children’s Charities and $2,500 to the Motor Racing Outreach.
Amy Reimann, girlfriend of Dale Earnhardt Jr debut in the Better Half Dash ended before it even started. The Ulta Beauty sponsored driver found herself collected in a Lap 1 accident in Turn 3. Her car had to be towed back into the garage. She finished 11th, the same place she started with no laps completed.
Other notables included: Jordan Fish, girlfriend of Denny Hamlin (seventh), Ashley Allgaier, wife of Justin Allgaier (ninth) and Ashley Stremme, wife of David Stremme (10th). Stremme was the defending champion of the event, but was erased from competition after a Lap 2 incident.
The margin of victory was 0.651 seconds with an average speed of 6.946 miles per hour.
Better Half Dash Race Results:
1) Kristen Yeley
2) Heidi Stoddard
3) Melanie Self
4) Ashton Bayne
5) Adreinne Pattie
6) Jenna Robinson
7) Jordan Fish
8) Karlee Hensley
9) Ashley Allgaier
10) Ashley Stremme
11) Amy Reimann
Follow Chris Knight on Twitter @Knighter01.
