JACKSONVILLE, NC – Rusty Daniels made a statement on Saturday night at Goodyear All American Speedway with a sweep of both Late Model feature races at the Jacksonville track.
The veteran driver from Alliance, North Carolina, and former track champion, started on the pole in the first 40-lap feature and never looked back on his way to victory lane. In the second race, it was a similar story with Daniels leading wire-to-wire, but in that race, Dylan Newsome posed a threat for the win in the closing laps.
“Just an awesome car tonight,” Daniels said in victory lane. “Can’t thank everybody who helps me enough. All the credit goes to Andy [Smith]. We tuned this thing up this weekend and it really shows. I appreciate everybody coming out today. Had a good time today.”
Daniels is pursuing his second track championship at the 4/10-mile track in Jacksonville. He previously won the title in 2009 when the track operated under the Coastal Plains Raceway banner.
“We want the championship,” Daniels stated. “We’re after it.”
Newsome rebounded for a third place finish in the first race and a runner-up finish in the second after an early race skirmish with Brian Thomas. Thomas also rebounded to finish third in the second race. The runner-up position in the first race went to Daniel Vuncannon, a former Late Model winner at Wake County Speedway.
Another former track champion flexed his muscle in the Mini Stock division over the weekend – at two different tracks.
Swansboro’s Brandon Clements picked up a win on Friday night at the quarter-mile Wake County Speedway bullring in Raleigh. On Saturday night, he returned to his home track to compete in the Mini Stock feature and once again picked up a victory – holding off Travis Miller in a thrilling race.
“This is where I started racing so it’s always good to win here,” Clements said. “This is our original home track. This thing, I can’t ask for a better racecar to drive. It’s just been really good the past couple of weeks. I just want to thank my team and sponsors and all the fans.”
Clements said his Late Model will be ready to race again in the next few weeks and should be ready for competition possibly by Memorial Day Weekend when the track’s Late Model division returns to action.
Delaney Gray scored her first career win of any kind in the Bandolero feature, making a mid-race pass on Joshua Culbreth after Phoenyx Kimball fell out of the race early with mechanical problems.
“I’m so excited,” Gray said. “I knew I was going to pass him because I knew I was a little faster. I had a really good car. He had a good car, I was just a little faster.”
Eddie Humphrey was victorious in a thrilling Bomber feature over Wayne Phillips and 3. Joe Lazarczyk. Curtis Lanier picked up the win over his father Joe Lanier in U-CAR, while Gary Rochelle, Jr. won the Street Stock feature.
Goodyear All American Speedway returns to action on Saturday, April 23, with the New River 125 presented by United Rentals featuring the Solid Rock Carriers CARS Tour. Legends, Bandoleros, Bombers, and Champ Karts will also be in action.
Goodyear All American Speedway is Jacksonville’s Action Attraction featuring racing and other events. For more information about Goodyear All American Speedway, check out the speedway’s website, like/follow “Goodyear All American Speedway” on Facebook, or follow the track on Instagram.
