5/15/2011
Delaware International Speedway
BRAD TRICE GETS 1ST CAREER WIN IN BIG BLOCK THRILLER
BRAD TRICE GETS 1ST CAREER WIN IN DELAWARE BIG BLOCK THRILLER
By Charlie Brown, Delmar, DE (5/14/11) – Second generation driver, Brad Trice of Parsonsburg, Md. put on the drive of his career Saturday night as he captured his first career NAPA Big Block Modified feature. Trice started on the pole but the win was far from being a piece of cake as he had to hold off five time division champion H.J. Bunting throughout the second half of the race.
Trice looked smooth right from the drop of the green but it was Dana Walker, looking for his second straight win that had the attention as he charged from his sixth starting spot into second by lap one. Walker was all over Trice challenging for the lead as Scott Ambruster, Jr. watched patiently from third.
Walker slowed with mechanical woes and pulled into the infield on lap 11. Ambruster was now in second with Bunting lurking in third. Matt Jester was a factor as he charged from 10th to fourth and Dale Hawkins held fifth.
Bunting slipped by Ambruster for second with ten to go and quickly began to close the gap between himself and Trice as Trice started to work traffic. With four to go Bunting had caught Trice just as the yellow flew for Shawn Ward who rolled to a stop. On the restart Trice held off Bunting as Jester worked by Ambruster for third.
It all boiled down to the final turn as Bunting pulled even with Trice as they headed for the flag. With the crowd on its feet, Trice took the checkered by a mere .012 seconds or about a bumper over Bunting. Jester finished a strong third with Ambruster fourth and heat winner Robert Dutton, who started in ninth with the inversion, rounding out the top five. Jester was the other heat winner.
The AC Delco 15-lap feature had a zero inversion and Joseph Tracy, who set fast time, started on the pole. Two time winner this season, Matt Hawkins chased from second with Jordan Watson in third. Watson ended his drive on lap four when he pulled to the infield and John Curtis moved into third.
The race looked like it was going to go the distance but the yellow would come out with two to go for debris in the third turn. That debris would wind up costing Tracy the win because as it turned out it was a piece of weight from his car. Tracy would cross under the checkered first but was too light at the scale and disqualified. Hawkins inherited his third win of the season with Curtis second and Scott Baker third. Ryan Anderson would have been fourth but his car failed the post race shock inspection moving Justin Griffith to fourth and Westley Smith rounded out the top five.
Ray Gulliver started on the pole in the 15-lap Mod Lite feature but it would be Landis Musser rim riding from fifth to lead lap one. Gulliver never gave up the chase as he challenged Musser through several restarts as Alan Passwaters, Jason Musser and Kerry King, Jr. all diced for third.
Gulliver regained the top spot when Landis Musser went high on lap nine. Gulliver would hold off Musser for the remainder of the distance to earn his first career win in the Mod Lite division. Landis Musser finished in second with Curt Miles, Jr. third. Fourth went to King, Jr. and Jason Musser rounded out the top five. Fast time was set by Brandon Dennis who had mechanical problems early in the event.
RESULTS: NAPA Big Block Modified Feature Finish: 1. Brad Trice; 2. HJ Bunting; 3. Matt Jester; 4. Scott Amburster Jr.; 5. Robert Dutton; 6. Dale Hawkins; 7. Joseph Watson; 8. Eric Kormann; 9. Kenny Brightbill; 10. Kyle Fuller; 11. Michael White; 12. George Richardson; 13. Don Hallowell; 14. Shawn Weber; 15. Shawn Ward; 16. Tim Trimble; 17. Dana Walker; 18. Norman Short Jr; 19. Howard ONeal; 20. Beau Wilkins; 21. Steven Downs.
AC Delco TSS Modified Feature Finish: 1. Matt Hawkins; 2. John Curtis; 3. Scott Baker; 4. Justin Griffith; 5. Westley Smith; 6. Scott Hitchens; 7. Greg Taylor; 8. Dwayne Crockett; 9. Trent Willey; 10. Tyler Reed; 11. Brandon Blades; 12. Garrie Bostwick; 13. Herbie Hempel; 14. Bryan Applegate; 15. Jordan Watson; DQ: Joseph Tracy; Ryan Anderson.
Mod Lite Feature Finish: 1. Ray Gulliver; 2. Landis Musser; 3. Curt Miles Jr; 4. Kerry King Jr; 5. Jason Musser; 6. Kirk Miles Sr; 7. Alan Passwaters; 9. Trey Hicks; 10. Chad Passwaters.
Brandon Dennis
Back to News