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Photos by Brian Ivey, GWC Photography
Martin Sweatt spun his car around twice on the frontstretch of Dublin Motor Speedway on Saturday night after winning the Pure Stock feature race. He had plenty to celebrate after collecting the $600 top prize and winning at the 4/10th-mile track for the third time in the past four races.
In other races Saturday, Daulton Wilson won in Late Model, Shawn Beasley in Open-Wheel Modified, Greg Bass in Super Street and Frank Medina in U-Cars. There were only 28 cars at Dublin on Saturday because of other tracks along the East Coast holding major races.
Sweatt was the fastest qualifier and led the entire 15-lap race in earning a payoff twice the normal purse for the Pure Stock division.
“This one means a lot,” Sweatt said. “I’ve got a lot of family and friends here supporting me.”
Sweatt held such a comfortable lead from the start that he was able to back off the throttle a bit in the latter stages.
“The car got a little loose about the middle of the run,” Sweatt said. “It was because the tires started heating up a little bit. I was given a sign that I was a little ahead, so I decided to back it down a little bit and save the tires as much as I could.
“The car was hooked up. We had a lot of trouble last year. I think we only won a few races after having such a great year two years ago. We just went back to a setup that we knew that was good. These guys have had the car on a rail all year.”
LATE MODEL
Wilson dominated from the beginning of the 25-lap race in capturing his third win at Dublin this season. He was a half-lap ahead after only 10 laps, and was closing on lapping the field before a caution came out on lap 18. But Wilson got a good restart and breezed to victory.
“You always worry on a restart because anything can happen,” Wilson said. “This car is so good. Corky has got it figured out. It’s a pleasure to drive. It will about drive itself it’s so good.”
OPEN-WHEEL MODIFIED
Beasley’s car had to be pushed to Victory Lane after overheating as he crossed the finish line in the 20-lap event in holding off Chris Arnold down the stretch.
“We had a 20 lap motor,” Beasley said. “I’m glad we didn’t have another caution because it was laying down about halfway. We just tried to nurse it home and it blowed up right when it crossed the checkered flag. I knew it was bad about halfway. I was contemplating on stopping and pulling it in, but I figured we’re here now (and we’ll worry about that later.”
Arnold pulled inside of Beasley on lap 14 going into the first turn, but couldn’t get by.
“When I got to his quarterpanel, I knew if I drove it in harder I was going to get to him, but when he slipped up, I checked up because I didn’t want to hit him,” Arnold said. “I don’t race like that. I don’t like beating and banging people. If I’m going to pass somebody I’m going to pass somebody clean. I wish I had been a little bit more patient because I slipped up down here in 3 and 4, and I think if I wouldn’t have slipped up, I might have had a shot to catch him.”
SUPER STREET
Bass took advantage of Dustin Perritt getting loose coming out of turn 3 on the ninth lap of the 15-lap race and went on to his first win at Dublin.
“I thought all I had was second (place). I was going as hard as I could,” Bass said. “It looked like (Perritt) hit a spot in the track a couple of times and that really messed him up. After that, I’m not sure if the car went away or if I just timed it right. I got up under him and I had the bottom line and that got the race.”
U-CAR
Medina made it a perfect 2-for-2 at Dublin this season. He won his first race at the track two weeks ago. Saturday, he was an easy winner, making up for a rough start to his season when his car ended upside down during a race at Fayetteville Motor Speedway.
“I think we’re going to stay (at Dublin) for awhile,” Medina said. “It seems like we got a pretty good group now. We’re on the right track.”
Here are the final results from races held Saturday, June 4.
PURE STOCK: 1. Martin Swett; 2. Jimmy Capps; 3. Ryan Gilbert; 4. Elvin Matthews: 5. Robbie Williams; 6. Ricky Bledsoe; 7. Tony Williams.
LATE MODEL: 1. Daulton Wilson; 2. Travis Hair; 3. Brian Strickland; 4. Jeremy Cumbee; 5. Ashe Colby.
OPEN-WHEEL MODIFIED: 1. Shawn Beasley; 2. Chris Arnold; 3. Gary Long; 4. Steve Strickland; 5. Robbie Turner; 6. John Marshall.
SUPER STREET: 1. Greg Bass; 2. Dustin Perritt; 3. Michael Freeman; 4. Jerry Dove; 5. Lance West.
U-CARS: 1. Frank Medina; 2. Chris Bron; 3. Car 88; 4. Greg Strickland; 5. Sarah Benson
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