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Benji Thompson didn’t start on the front row, damaged his car in a collision, cut a tire and was the second car to cross the finish line.
However, he left Dublin Motor Speedway on Saturday night with the $1,000 winner’s check in the Super Street featured race when the car of Cameron Norris IV was disqualified for being higher than 54 inches.
“We were running second, just holding our line and somebody got into us, then went into one of the corners and somebody spun out in front of us and we kind of collected them and cut a left rear tire,” said Thompson, who won for the 10th time this season at Dublin. “We were able to come back from the rear and get back to second and looked at the leader and he was wrong.”
Norris’ car dominated the 20-lap race after taking over the lead on the third lap from Dustin Perritt. He easily pulled away from the field on a pair of restarts and finished 2.9 seconds ahead of Thompson at the finish line.
“The car just came to me,” Norris said immediately after the race and before being disqualified. “I was just trying to be smooth with it. I start driving easier and I start pulling away further. When your car drives good you can really start getting away from them.”
However, soon after the race, a protest was lodged against Norris’ car on its height and suspension. It appeared that Norris’ car was going to be impounded for an inspection, but track officials measured the height of the car and found it to be above the maximum of 54 inches.
As for Thompson, he was in sixth after his run-in with Perritt as the two were battling for second and made contact going into the first turn on the sixth lap. Thompson was able to work his way to fourth by the ninth lap and was in second by the 15th lap, trailing Norris by 2.6 seconds.
“The track got a little skatey and we could keep the car on the bottom and the other cars were sliding up,” Thompson said about his comeback.
Jerry Dove finished second and Johnny Moore was third in the Super Street race.
In the other races,
** Late Model: Dean Bowen qualified on the pole and led all 25 laps. Zack Blackwell was second and Chris Blackwell finished third. It was Bowen’s fourth win of the season at Dublin.
** Open Wheel Modified: Andy Boahn started on the outside of the front row, grabbed the lead going into the first turn at the start and won by 3.4 seconds over Timmy Blackwell and Eric Bentley. It was Boahn’s fourth win at Dublin.
** Pure Stock: Ryan Gilbert notched his ninth win of the season, beating Cameron Norris III by 2 seconds with Elvin Matthews in third.
** U-Car: Frank Medina led the entire 15 laps in picking up his fourth win at Dublin this season. Dillon Thompson was second and Glenn Register placed third.
** Bell & Bell Vintage series: Jason Floyd, Sonny Ritter, Sherman Garris, Jeremy Cumbee and Michael Fullwood were division winners in the two races run.
Saturday’s results
LATE MODEL: 1. Dean Bowen ($1,000); 2. Zack Blackwell; 3. Chris Blackwell; 4. Jeremy Cumbee; 5. Colby Ashe; 6. Zack Cox.
OPEN WHEEL MODIFIED: 1. Andy Boahn ($1,000); 2. Timmy Blackwell; 3. Eric Bentley; 4. Wayne Gray; 5. Macke Coxe; 6. Clay Parker; 7. Steve Strickland; 8. Robbie Turner.
SUPER STREET: 1. Benji Thompson ($1,000); 2. Jerry Dove; 3. Johnny Moore; 4. Dustin Perritt; 5. Greg Bass; 6. John Dyson; 7. Jerry Johnson; 8. Cameron Norris IV (disqualified)
PURE STOCK: 1. Ryan Gilbert ($300); 2. Cameron Norris III; 3. Elvin Matthews: 4. Tony Williams; 5. Ed Mason; 6. Robbie Williams; 7. Chase Taylor.
U-CAR: 1. Frank Medina; 2. Dillon Thompson; 3. Glenn Register; 4. Derek Kemper; 5. David Kelly; 6. Larry Eldridge; 7. Rick Barringer; 8. Chris Reeve; 9. Ethan Hope; 10. Sarah Benson; 11. Greg Strickland; 12. Chris Bron.
VINTAGE SPORTSMAN: 1. Jason Floyd; 2. Sherman Garris; 3. Sonny Ritter; 4. Kyle Bell; 5. Dan Bryant; 6. Bill Cole; 7. W.C. Bell.
VINTAGE PRO MODIFIED: 1. Jeremy Cumbee; 2. Michael Fullwood; 3. Michael Lanier; 4. Wes Horrell; 5. Michael Elliott; 6. Lee Ward; 7. Cameron Norris IV; 8. Joey Babson.
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