Anthony White at Wartburg Speedway. (Thomas Hendrickson)

Volunteer Racing Series: All White in Series Wartburg Debut

Michael Moats

WARTBURG, Tenn. - May 28. The STARS Volunteer Racing Series made its first trip to Wartburg Speedway for a 40-lap, $3,000 to win race, and while of the drivers were hometown racers, it was no surprise that one local favorite, Anthony White, came away with the win.

With 16 cars on hand for the race, White led the cars in qualifying with a time of 12.7 seconds, then held off Chris Combs to win the first heat race.

#0 Ross White was able to prevail for second over #11 Stacy Boles at Wartburg. (Thomas Hendrickson)

Ross White won the second heat race and got the pole position via the pill draw, but it was Anthony White who got the lead and never looked back, despite numerous cautions.

The first three spots went unchallenged most of the way as both Whites and Stacy Boles ran 1-2-3. The hotly contested battles were from fourth on back.

The first of six cautions waved on lap eight for a flat for Perry Delaney, then as Hunter Best, Skylar Marlar, and Brian Hooks were locked in a tight battle for fifth, that battle would come to an end as Marlar spun on lap 11. Several other cars also spun to avoid Marlar.

Dustin Linville passes around the outside of Doug Smith on his way to fourth place at Wartburg. (Thomas Hendrickson)

The big gainer was Dustin Linville, who advanced from 11th to eighth. Linville used that to his advantage as he moved past Dan Tipton on the outside to take seventh before another caution came out on lap 15.

Linville continued his move forward by eventually passing Best for fifth. A lap later, Linville kept the outside working by passing Chris Combs for fourth. Shortly after that pass, Best was taken out by Hooks on lap 22. Race director Chris Tilley deemed the move intentional and gave Best his spot back to sixth. Hooks was sent to the rear.

Jason Welshan and #12 Dan Tipton battle for position before Tipton got away and posted sixth place at Wartburg. (Thomas Hendrickson)

In the closing laps, White has smooth sailing over Ross White. Linville caught Boles and pressured him for third. The two were side-by-side with three laps to go. But Boles used the momentum of the outside to hold the position. Anthony White easily took the win, Ross White scored his best career super late model finish in second, and Boles held off Linville for third. Combs came home in fifth.

Skylar Marlar, Brian Hooks, and Jason Welshan get stacked up at Wartburg. (Thomas Hendrickson)

May 28 - Wartburg Speedway Volunteer Racing Series 1) Anthony White, 2) Ross White, 3) Stacy Boles, 4) Dustin Linville, 5) Chris Combs, 6) Dan Tipton, 7) Hunter Best, 8) Jason Manley, 9) Jason Welshan, 10) Brian Hooks, 11) Doug Smith, 12) Skylar Marlar, 13) Tim Kyle, 14) Perry Delaney, 15) J. Allan, 16) Glenn Vanover
Thomas Hendrickson photo