ISCARS Drivers Battle Over Twins At Lonesome Pine Raceway

ISCARS Drivers Battle Over Twins At Lonesome Pine Raceway

ISCARS Drivers Battle Over Twins At Lonesome Pine Raceway

Timmy Hutson/ISCARS PR
August 9, 2010

Dan Henley, Tiffeny Lamborne, Dennis Huth (ASA President) and Randy Claypoole (ISCARS President) congratulate race winner Danny Bagwell. (Photo Dale Roberts)

COEBURN, VA - Saturday evening the stars of ISCARS DASH Touring, Sanctioned by the American Speed Association (ASA) visited the historic Lonesome Pine Raceway in Coeburn, VA, for exciting twin 50 lap races on the half mile asphalt oval. Leading the charge in the battle was ISCARS two-champion and current point leader in the 2010 points, Danny Bagwell, enjoyed a night of which dreams are made, sweeping both ISCARS feature races. But Bagwell admits neither win came easy.

“It was fun, says Bagwell. “You know winning never gets old, but the competition has really stepped up this year, and it’s making winning much tougher. With the new car design, and the new racers that we have, you never know who is going to win, until the checkered flag falls.”

Setting the trend for the evening, Bagwell captured the pole for the first race, in his #10 Five Brothers Produce/Torbert Trucking Ford Focus. But the competition from the likes of 2010 ISCARS Rookie of the Year contender Todd Hawkes, whose first career win came in the previous event at Hickory Motor Speedway. Hawkes race consistent laps in both events and was the one driver able to stay within a short distance of Bagwell.

Another thorn for Bagwell is the ever determined Joey Jones. Jones muscled a win at Dillon earlier in the year and continues to figure out how to get his car into contention for the win.

The first and only caution flag for the race flew late in the race when Charlie Barham, sporting a new Chevrolet Cobalt spun in turn two, setting up for a green white checkered finish. At the checkered flag, Bagwell nosed out Hawkes who was side by side with Jones right on the bumper of Bagwell.

“The car really came to us near the end of the race,” said Jones. “It ran really great, and I’m ready for another 50 lap battle.” Eric Gerchak, and Charlie Barham, rounded out the top five.

ISCARS format calls for the winner of the first race to draw for inversion. Bagwell drew a 4 putting Eric Gerchak on the point. Gerchak pulled away from the field while Hawkes, Barham, Bagwell and Tom Beckman battled for position. Bagwell Gerchak complaining of a push in the car wasn’t able to hold onto the lead once Bagwell and Hawkes caught up to him. Bagwell made the pass working lap 12 and Hawkes freight training directly behind. The trio battled for 36 laps, until the only caution flag waved, as debris was spotted and removed to ensure the safety of the competitors and fans.

Coming back to the green flag, the top trio continued to battle until the checkered flag, with Bagwell, Hawkes, Gercheck, Barham, and Jones rounded out the top five for the event.

Podium Quotes: “In between the two races the crew lowered the air pressure, since we knew that the temperature was going to drop to make sure that the car would handle,” said Bagwell.

“We are right there with Bagwell, but until we consistently manage to beat the 10 (Bagwell) we are going to change everything that we know how.”

Hawkes referenced that he and his #8 team managed to lower the track bar “a ton” to help the handling of his machine.

The next stop for ISCARS DASH Touring will be August 28th, at Concord Motorsport Park, in Concord, NC. ISCARS will be running in conjunction with the USAR Pro Cup Series and Allison Legacy Series.