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Bagwell and Hobgood Get Wins in Dillon Twins

Topics:  Charles Ray III Diabetes Foundation Twin 75’s

Bagwell and Hobgood Get Wins in Dillon Twins

ISCARS/ASA Public Relations
September 28, 2008

Geoff Bodine tries to outdo the Stuntman.

DILLON, SC - ISCARS DASH Touring, Sanctioned by American Speed Association (ASA) visited Dillon Motor Speedway events on Saturday, September 27th with Danny Bagwell and Jake Hobgood scoring wins in the Dillon DASH Twin 75’s.

Bagwell started from the pole and led every lap in the first 75 lap feature, giving the 2007 ISCARS DASH Touring Champion his fifth victory of the year. In the second feature, Hobgood drove through the field from the 10th starting position to pick up his first victory of the 2008 ISCARS DASH season.

As the green flag fell on the first race all eyes turned to the Mona Vie sponsored car of 1986 Daytona 500 Champion, Geoff Bodine. Bodine qualified third for his first career DASH race. However, the race would be red flagged only three laps in to cleanup debris from a crash involving rookie driver Tom Beckman. As Beckman came off of turn four, the rear end locked up on his www.wakeupintheusa.com Sunfire, causing him to lose control and crash head on into the outside retaining wall. Beckman walked away from the crash, but his car had to be towed away into the pits.

The field restarted on lap 6 with Bagwell leading, followed by Hobgood, Bodine, Brad Queen, and Gary Young Jr. in the top five. As the field entered turn three on lap 8, the Lab Rescue of North Carolina Mercury driven by Queen nudged the rear bumper of the Bodine. The contact resulted in five cars spinning. The incident also involved Kevin Calkins, Chelsea Schillig, Ned Combs, and Ben Walker. Fortunately everyone was able to continue in the race.

The restart came on lap 12. Bagwell, Hobgood, and Queen were the top three, followed by Young Jr. and Joey Jones. Bagwell continued to lead but was pressured heavily by Hobgood.

However, on lap 35, Hobgood was forced to the pits as the exhaust pipe on the right side of his machine came lose and began to drag on the racetrack. The damage forced Hobgood to retire from the first race.

By lap 40, Bodine had raced his way back up to the fourth position. As he exited turn four on lap 44 he tried to pass Queen for the third spot. As the two battled for the same piece of real estate, Bodine’s right front wheel climbed up over the left rear wheel of Queen. The two stayed locked together past the start finish line on the front stretch, with Bodine on two wheels. “I did not know what was happening,” said Queen after the race, “It was on the straightaway, so I thought we might have broke the transmission or something, then I looked back and I had an orange car stuck to me.” Bodine had this to say, “It was just close racing. My right front climbed up on his left rear. That was exciting.” As this was unfolding on the front stretch, Kevin Calkins spun in turn two bringing out the yellow flag.

Under the yellow flag, Bodine came down pit road to the attention of his crew while Queen maintained his position on the track. This set up a restart with 25 laps to go. Bagwell led followed by Young Jr., Queen, Schillig, and Jones. With five laps to go Bodine had caught Schillig and was racing for the fourth position. As the two entered turn three with two laps remaining Schillig spun her Toyota. Bodine spun as well In an attempt to avoid her, This set the stage for a green-white-checkered restart.

On the restart Danny Bagwell pulled away from Gary Young Jr. to grab his fifth victory of the season. “We have a really good car.” said Bagwell in victory lane, “It is probably as good as it has ever been.” Queen held on for third followed by Jones, Combs, Bodine, Schillig, Walker, Calkins, Hobgood, and Beckman.

Bagwell drew a number 8 inverting the finishing order to set the field for the second race. This place Calkins and Schillig on the front row, with Bagwell starting in 8th position. Jake Hobgood, who had completed repairs on his car, started the race in 10th. At the green flag Bodine jumped out to the lead over Schillig. By lap three Bagwell had raced his way into third.

By lap four, Hobgood was in fourth. By lap 13 Bagwell and Hobgood had reached the rear bumper of Bodine. The two DASH veterans pursued the Bodine for three laps until they were finally able to get by him for first and second respectively. As Hobgood chased Bagwell into turn one on lap 28, Bagwell spun his Mercury. “I kept trying to get a little more rear brake in it to help it turn,” said Bagwell after the race, “I got a little too much rear brake in it and got on the brakes too hard and turned it around.”

On the restart at lap 30, Hobgood led over Bodine, Gary Young Jr., Chelsea Schillig, and Brad Queen. On lap 40, Young passed Bodine for second. On lap 43 Bodine raced past Young back into second place. As the two exited the second turn on lap 45, Young and Bodine touched causing Bodine to spin. This brought out the yellow flag and erased the half straightaway lead Hobgood had over the field. The field restarted with Hobgood leading over Young, Bagwell, Queen, and Schillig. Two laps after the restart, Bagwell passed Young for second. One lap later, Bodine had passed Schillig and Queen for fourth. On lap 60, Young saw his chances for another solid top five finish go out the window as he headed down pit road with a broken oil pump belt. With two laps left, rookie driver Kevin Calkins spun out in turn four setting up the second green-white-checkered finish of the evening.

Hobgood was leading at the restart with Bagwell and Bodine pushing hard for the win. Queen and Schillig restarted fourth and fifth respectively. As the green flag waved, Bagwell gave Hobgood a shot in the rear bumper, but was never able to get by. Hobgood picked up his first victory of the season with Bagwell in second. “We had some good tight racing there,” said Hobgood in victory lane, “Danny really made me dig deep there at the end, but it was fun racing.” Bodine came home in third followed by Queen, Schillig, Jones, Combs, Calkins, Young, Walker.

The International Sport Compact Auto Racing Series (ISCARS) sanctioned by American Speed Association (ASA) returns to action for its final event of 2008 on Saturday October 25th at the legendary Hickory Motor Speedway in Hickory, North Carolina.