PRP Press Release

For many area dirt racers, winning just one race would be a dream come true. That’s why the overall body of work by Wheelersburg’s Delmas Conley demands nothing by the utmost respect.
Now in his 52nd year of racing, the 75-year-old Late Model racer picked up his 555th career victory Saturday night at Portsmouth Raceway Park.
Nathan Loney drove his Modified to victory in the Third Annual “Cletus Classic.” Dustin Smith captured the Wingless Sprint Car Feature.  Mike Meyers returned to winner’s circle in the Limited Lates.  And, Brian Sammons, Sr. got the win in the Sport Mods.
Conley started on the pole of the Giovanni’s Pizza Late Model A-Main but Audie Swartz came from third to first to lead the first five laps.
Conley would get by Swartz for the lead on Lap 6 and would not look back, although the Team Conley patriarch did have to maneuver his way through quite a bit of lapped traffic and hit his marks on a couple of late restarts in order to fend off Ben Adkins.
Placing behind Adkins was Shannon Thornsberry. Swartz faded to fourth.  Brandon Fouts charged from 17th to fifth.  Kenny Christy, Josh Bocook, Robbie Lewis, Kenny Howell, and Larry Martin, Jr. rounded out the top 10.  Bocook set the Impact Race Gear Fast Time.
Danville’s Nathan Loney made it two-for-two in the R.W. Rental and Supply Modifieds to start the 2017 PRP season.
Just as he did a week ago, Loney got past Jeremy Rayburn to take the victory.  However, this time Loney made the move much earlier in the race.
Rayburn, who set quick time in the Dynamic Shock Service Modified Time Trials, started on the pole of the Annual “Cletus Classic” and led the first couple of laps before Loney captured the lead.
Jimmy Lennex, Justin Jacobs, Rayburn, and Brian Skaggs closed out the top five with Eddie Harmon, Jody Puckett, Tony Dehart, Justin Cooper, and Brian Whiteman rounded out the top 10.
Austin Francis climbed from 19th to 11th to earn The Markwest Ranger Pipeline Hard Charger Award.
The Buckeye Outlaw Sprint Series returned to Portsmouth Raceway Park for the second straight year. Russiaville, Indiana’s Dustin Smith claimed the checkers. Smith took the lead from Kingsbury, CA’s Kody Swanson on lap 10.
Smith held off several furious challenges from Swanson over the duration of the race. Harrison, OH’s Justin Owen got past Swanson in the closing laps to take second.
Fayetteville’s Mike Meyers grabbed the win in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Limited Late A-Main, as he led every single lap of the feature. John Melvin, Cameron Logan, Jacob Curnutte, Joe Whitt, Ronnie Whitt, Evyian Terry, Chis Lockhart, Billy Staker, and Charlie Mullett made up the rest of the top 10.
Olive Hill, Ky. driver Brian Sammons was credited with the victory in the M & M Inflatables Sport Mod A-Main with Luke Jordan, Jason Spillman, Sam Hobbs, Derek Spencer, B.J. Branham, Alan Gulley, Ricke Neace, Dallas Pickelheimer and Mitchell Fields rounding out the top 10.
In total, 127 race teams were on hand at PRP Saturday for the second race of the 2017 season.  There were 27 Late Models, 32 Modifieds, 14 Limited Lates, 33 Sport Mods, and 21 Wingless Sprint Cars.
PRP will host the Annual Boone Coleman Memorial “Gator 50” this coming Saturday. The Late Model Feature will pay $5,000 to win, plus the victor will also receive a provisional starting spot in this October’s Dirt Track World Championship.
Also on this coming weekend’s card will be Modifieds, Limited Lates, and Sport Mods.
For more information, visit www.portsraceway.com.