Willie Milliken pumped his fist in the air as his car crossed the finish line Saturday night. The driver known as “Wild Child” had just treated his fans to a dominating performance at Dublin Motor Speedway.
Milliken started from the pole, beat Scott Autry out of the second turn on the opening lap and led the entire race in capturing the 40-lap Super Late Model feature and the $5,000 top prize.
“The car was good tonight,” Milliken, 39, said. “It had real good traction in it. The guys worked real hard to get it where it needed to be. Everything went good. I want to thank God and my family, and all my friends and crew that helped us. The track was just in great shape.”
Milliken’s description Saturday of the 4/10ths mile dirt oval was quite different than after a race in July when he and other drivers complained about there being only one racing line and passing was virtually impossible during the running of the Rattlesnake Showdown.
“The track was awesome,” Milliken said. “The race track actually came back like the old Dublin. I really give them compliments on how they’ve done the race track.”
Autry finished in second, 2.8 seconds behind Milliken with G.R. Smith in third, Anthony Sanders in fourth and Michael Rouse in fifth in the 12-car field.
After one failed attempt at starting the race, Autry, who started on the outside of the front row, got the jump on Milliken at the line, but couldn’t hold the spot coming out of the second turn.
“Scott got the jump, but he went in (to the first turn) a little harder than what I did and I rolled out and let him go,” Milliken said. “So, I got up beside him and went on past him. We never touched. Scott’s a real good guy. I love racing against him. He’s a legend around here and one of the best.”
SUPER STREET
Colby Ashe picked up the checkered flag in a race more like a game of “last man standing.” Six cars started the 20-lap race and there were three different leaders. At the end, however, Ashe won by three laps over Benji Thompson. Those were the only two cars left running.
Thompson has won 12 times at Dublin this season, but left on the fifth lap with a mechanical issue before returning on the eighth lap. Ashe started fourth, had moved into second on lap 6, briefly pulled into the pits during a caution on lap 8, and took over first when leader Derrick Dudney pulled out.
OTHER RACES
Ryan Gilbert won for the 11th time in Pure Stock, beating Elvin Matthews by almost five seconds.
Robbie Turner capture the Open Wheel Modified race, which had only three cars in the field.
Brent Robinson held off Dean Bowen to capture the Late Model division.
Jeremy Sessoms got the checkered flag ahead of Joel Flores in U-Car, but there were protests filed against both cars. Official results are not available at this time.
NEXT RACE
Saturday, Sept. 24, with a regular schedule of Late Model, Open Wheel, Super Street, Pure Stock and U-Cars.
SATURDAY’S RESULTS
SUPER LATE MODEL: 1. Willie Milliken ($5,000); 2. Scott Autry; 3. G.R. Smith; 4. Anthony Sanders; 5. Michael Rouse; 6. Dean Bowen; 7. Brent Robinson; 8. Jeremy Cumbee; 9. Mike Parker; 10. Greg Clark; 11. Zack Cox; 12. Luther Johnson.
LATE MODEL: 1. Brent Robinson ($1,000); 2. Dean Bowen; 3. Wayne Mishue; 4. Luther Johnson; 5. Jeremy Cumbee.
OPEN WHEEL MODIFIED: 1. Robbie Turner ($1,000); 2. Brian Strickland; 3. Bryan Anderson.
SUPER STREET: 1. Colby Ashe ($525); 2. Benji Thompson; 3. Derrick Dudney; 4 Dustin Perritt; 5. Jerry Dove; 6. Johnny Moore.
PURE STOCK: Ryan Gilbert ($300); 2. Elvin Matthews; 3. Jeffrey Batten; 4. Michael Butler; 5. Chase Taylor; 6. William Disher; 7. Tony Williams; 8. Kenny Locklear.
U-CAR: Official results unavailable
About Author
