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2006 Rookie of the Year Proves He is Now a Veteran

Topics: Joey Jones

2006 Rookie of the Year Proves He is Now a Veteran

ISCARS/ASA Public Relations
August 10, 2008

Winner Joey Jones collects ISCARS' trophy

Joey Jones Grabs Back to Back Wins

Senoia, GA - Joey Jones Captures ISCARS DASH Touring Double-Header

SENOIA, GA (August 11, 2008) – International Sport Compact Auto Racing Series (ISCARS) DASH Touring, Sanctioned by American Speed Association (ASA)held Twin 60 Lap races at the New Senoia Raceway last Saturday. 2006 ISCARS DASH Touring Rookie of the Year Joey Jones swept the Metro Tech Mortgage Double-Header. The two victories were the first of Jones’ DASH career. The Virginia native won the first race over Gary Young Jr. by a car length after a late race caution set up a green-white-checker finish. In the second race, Jones passed Young with only 14 laps remaining to pull off the sweep. By advancing the most positions in both races, Joey Jones also won the GoFastBeSafe.com Hard Charger of the race award.

Qualifying for the Metro Tech Mortgage Twin 60’s saw a rookie score her first career ISCARS DASH Touring Hottest Lap Award, as young Chelsea Schillig of Apopka, FL outran 2007 ISCARS DASH Touring Champion Danny Bagwell by .001 seconds. The pole made Schillig only the second female driver (Shawna Robinson -1989) to ever win a DASH pole. After spinning out coming to take the green flag on her time trial run, Schillig rebounded by posting the fastest lap of the session. “Its amazing,” said Schillig after qualifying, “I could not have done it without my hard working crew.”

As the green flag waved to start the first 60 lap feature, Danny Bagwell quickly got the jump at the front of the field. By lap 4, pole sitter Schillig found herself in the fifth position. Schillig had fought a loose condition in practice and was struggling early in the race until her tires reached the proper temperature. Gary Young Jr. settled in behind Bagwell for second, with rookie Brad Queen in third. Eventual race winner Jones was fifth, followed by DASH Series newcomer Kevin Calkins.

On lap 23 Joey Jones began to show his strength. The fifth place qualifier passed Queen for third and set his sights on Bagwell and Young at the front of the field. The first caution flag of the evening for debris set up a restart with 23 laps to go. One lap after the restart, Danny Bagwell, who was leading the race, slowed as he entered turn one. Gary Young Jr. darted by on the inside in his Pipeliner Chassis Sunfire to take over the lead. The 5 Bros. Produce/Torbert Trucking Mercury of Bagwell headed into the pits with engine failure. This cost Bagwell a chance at winning his 5th consecutive DASH race. With Bagwell in the pits, the battle was on for the lead. At lap 40, Young was shown as the leader, followed by Queen, Schillig, and Jones. At lap 42 Jones passed Schillig for third. On lap 45 Queen nudged Young on the exit of turn 4. This caused the Lab Rescue of NC/Rau Automotive Mercury of Queen to lose momentum, allowing Jones by for second. By lap 53 Jones had worked his way around Young for the lead. A spin by fourth place Schillig brought out the yellow flag with only 3 laps left in the race. This set up a green-white-checker finish.

On the restart Gary Young got a run on the inside of Joey Jones. However, Jones was able to hold the momentum up off of the high banked corners, at New Senoia Raceway, to maintain the lead. The two cars were virtually glued together the last two laps. Both drivers rubbed each other, but never took the other out. Coming out of turn four on the last lap, Young broke loose and came up a car length short of his first career victory. The rest of the finishing order was Queen, Schillig, first time DASH competitor Kevin Calkins, and Bagwell. “Gary got a good restart and he dove down to the inside,” stated an ecstatic Jones in victory lane, “We were able to beat and bang for 2 laps. I got a good run up off 4 to take the checkered, so it was a good race.” Runner up Young raced Jones hard, but he also raced him clean, “I came up a car length short just because I was not going to take him out off 4.” Brad Queen undoubtedly had the best seat in the house for the two lap shootout, “I figured they might be a little bit too anxious to get their first win, so I ran a little conservative. That was a good race between them.”

The night cap of the Metro Tech Mortgage Twin 60’s once again saw Schillig start from the pole. Joey Jones drew a number four, which inverted the first four finishers of the first race. As the race went green, third place starter Gary Young Jr. wasted no time charging to the lead. By lap 15 Schillig was beginning to reel in Young at the front of the field. By lap 19 the 2008 ISCARS DASH Rookie leader was hounding him for the lead. However, on lap 32 as Schillig tried to pass Young on the inside exiting turn 4, her Yadkin Valley Generators Celica lost traction and spun. This caution flag allowed the rest of the field to bunch up behind Young.

At the restart on lap 36 it was Young, Jones, Danny Bagwell in a Brad Queen backup car, Queen, Schillig, and Kevin Calkins. Ten laps after the restart, Jones finally cleared Young. With Jones and Young leading at the front of the field, the battle was on for third behind them. Bagwell, Schillig, and Queen all battled side by side for the third spot. At the checkered flag it was Jones collecting his second victory of the evening followed by Young, Bagwell, Schillig, Queen, and Calkins. “Gary and Chelsea got out front a good ways and I did not have anything for them,” exclaimed Jones from victory lane, “I needed a caution, it was the only way I could get back to them. When the caution came out I told my guys on the radio that this was my chance to get them.”

Other Notes: Gary Young Jr. finished second twice in the Metro Tech Mortgage Twin 60’s at New Senoia Raceway and had this to say after the second race, “Chelsea ran me pretty hard. She ran me clean. There were several times she should have got up under me and moved me. All in all it was a good race.” Danny Bagwell drove a Brad Queen car, originally intended for team mate Kevin Calkins to start. The rear end broke during practice. Calkins was then placed in Gary Young, Jr’s backup by owner Joe Moss. After Bagwell’s engine failed, Queen proposed that Bagwell’s team swap rear ends from Bagwell’s disable primary car so that he wouldn’t lose the start. Bagwell drove the car to a third place finish in the second 60 lapper. “I just want to thank Brad because if he had not let me start this car then he would probably be leading the points right now.” Chelsea Schillig proved that she was a front runner in the ISCARS DASH Series by running up front, but spun while racing for the lead, “The Yadkin Valley Generators Toyota really worked well tonight. I cannot thank the crew enough.”

First time winner Joey Jones, and the rest of the ISCARS DASH Series drivers return to action on Saturday September 27th at Dillon Motor Speedway in Dillon, SC. ISCARS DASH Touring raced at the 4/10 mile oval in July and Danny Bagwell captured victory. The format will be twin 75’s this time at Dillon, and Bagwell is looking to get back to his winning ways.