Friday night, the First Annual World Series of Internet Short Track Racing
opened at Southern National Speedway in Kenly, North Carolina. Three
divisions of racing took to the .450-mile facility as fifty-six cars signed
in and twenty-six turned in times for qualifying.
In the Outlaw Late Models, Chuck Embry III turned fast time, besting a
four***-car field and running a 113.630 mph lap over Kevin Crabtree and Kyle
Finney. However, Crabtree took command by leading every lap on his way to
the win in the 25-lap grind. Eighth-fastest qualifier Bob Coon came from
outside the fourth row to post the runner-up spot, while Embry was third.
Rounding out the top five was Greg Colgan, who travelled from Australia to
make the Series, and John Lackmann.
In the Modified division, it was Robert Mitchell setting fast time with a
116.245 mph, setting the all-time qualfying mark at Southern. Jimmy McKinley
started on the outside pole and got the jump on Mitchell, and led every lap on
his way to the win. Mitchell had a problem with one lap to go, slowing him
and McKinley beat him by less than a half-second. Chas Bornemann was third
and Ryan Turcotte, the Series' youngest competitor, was fourth.
The Late Model Stock Car division saw the tightest field. Jimmy McKinley
ran 90.948 mph over Dave Thayer's 90.558 and Rudi Kusters' 90.502. Thayer
chased McKinley down the backstretch on the first lap and passed him going
into turn three. Thayer wound up leading every lap on his way to the victory
over McKinley, Kusters, Arthur Rymer, and Chas Bornemann. Patrick Howard,
Mike Spinelli, and Gary Kendall all had problems as they finished well back in
the field.
Jim and Lisa
TDC: Mickey's Official NASCAR/IRL Crew Chief
