Stick Elliot Memorial winner, Chris Ferguson. (George Missita) Ultimate Racing Series: Ferguson's on the Stick at Cherokee Gene Murphy GAFFNEY, S.C. - Oct. 1. On Saturday night, the annual "Stick Elliott Memorial" at Cherokee Speedway celebrated the memory of a great racer, and displayed the skills of another potentially great one. Chris Ferguson, of Mt. Holly, N.C., dominated the race from the drop of the green, leading flag to flag to win the 40-lap Ultimate Late Model Series feature, and picked up $4,000 for his win. Ferguson started on the front row alongside series point leader and pole-winner Chip Brindle. An aggressive move on the first lap by Ferguson earned him the lead, and ultimately, the victory. With the win, Ferguson also took the points lead.
Chris Feguson heads toward Victory Lane in Cherokee Speedway's "Stick Elliot Memorial".(George Missita) "I knew we kinda got a good jump on Chip, I might have had about a nose ahead of him at the flagstand," Ferguson said. "Usually if you can pinch the corner, you can cut off about a car length or two coming off. I pulled up at the last second, just a little, going down the backstretch, and felt my back end pick up just a little bit. Then I knew (Brindle) was there. Then I immediately jerked back down."
From that point on, it was all Ferguson. Brindle closed in to within a car length just past the halfway mark, but on lap 26 suffered a mechanical failure. With Brindle parked in the pits, Ferguson cruised to the win. At the stripe, his lead over second-place finisher Jeff Smith was about a straightaway. Rounding out the top five was Brent Dixon, Spartanburg's Jeff Cooke, and Jay Sessoms. Next on the series schedule is the season-ending "Blue Gray 100" at Cherokee on November 20th. Chris Ferguson leads defending champ Casey Roberts by a mere two points, and Chip Brindle is currently in third place only 4 points. With these three drivers nearly deadlocked for the points lead, this traditional event now has an increase level of tension to add to the mix along with the $10,000 top prize.
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Big Gains for Hubbard, Pearson, Ogle - The A-Team Has Been Updated 05-15-12
Scott James battles #13 Barry Doss in heat race action at Florence (Ky.) Speedway, but in the $2,000-to-win feature, the only thing anyone saw was the tail end of James' #81 car. (Roy Walker)
After plenty of trash-talking via the electronic media between Jeff Matthews and Ivedent Lloyd last week, it was #21 Lloyd who got the final word as he reeled in #33 Matthews to win Friday's LM feature at Oclala, Fla.'s Bubba Raceway Park. (R.E. Wing)
Fans at Markleysburg, Pa.'s Roaring Knob Motorsports Comlex were treated to dual LM features Saturday - one a makeup from a May 5th rainout. (Above) Tim Senic challenges eventual regular feature winner Chuck Harper, while Jared Hawkins (below) claimed the makeup race. (Tommy Micheals)
Henley, Missouri's Jason Russell leads the way to Victory Lane in the ULMS Late Model feature at Lucas Oil Speedway Saturday. (Chris Bork)
Some fierce racing action at Lucas Oil speedway. (Chris Bork)
Dalton, Ga.'s Craig Reece returned to Dixie Speedway Saturday and led all the way to win the Crate LM victory. (Steve Hixson)
Ray Guss Jr. races last week's Quad City Speedway winner, Mike Murphy, Jr. This time, it was advantage Guss. (Chris Damitz)
With a strong motor back into his mount, Veteran Lamar Scoggins claimed last Friday's Crate LM victory at Boyd's Speedway. (Steve Hixson)
Veteran racer Lance Matthees navigates Spring Lake, Minnesota's Deer Creek Speedway before taking Saturday's WISSOTA Late Model checkers. (Jason Durst)
Racing hard at mid-pack, it's the dueling 55s of Cory Mahder (inside) and Greg Nippoldt at Deer Creek. (Jason Durst)
Ryan King (above and below) swept both the Ltd. Late Model and Crate Late Model features Saturday at 411 Motor Speedway in Seymour, Tenn. (Chad Wells)
Still riding his wave in Iowa, Mike Murphy, Jr. in early action before taking the main event win at Davenport last Friday. (Chris Damitz)
Jason Jameson ran a gauntlet to finally capture another win Friday night at Moler
Raceway Park (see main page). (Roy
Walker)
After holding back a charge from Alex Ferree, Chub Frank drove home with a Friday night win at Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, Pa. (John Stivason)
Bobby Pierce, Brett Sievert, and Mike Glynn race in a tight pack in Kankakee (Ill.) Speedway's "Crosstown Cup", but (below) it was ultimately Shawn Toczek (42) here racing the high side of Mike Provenzano, who sailed to the win. (Dan Simpson)
A-Team Leaders from 1997-2011 (Click on link for complete rundown)
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