Conley#8217;s win highlights RTR races
Published 12:00 am Tuesday, July 3, 2007
COAL GROVE — Under overcast skies, the third race of the season at Rocky Top was able to get underway on Friday.
A large crowd was on hand in the stands along with 71 cars ready to do battle on a three-groove racing surface.
In the Late Model A-Main, Greg Oliver took the lead at the start as Shawn Holliday tucked in behind him for second. The race stayed this way until about lap nine when Delmas Conley took his No. 71 to the high side from the sixth position and immediately started passing cars.
In the next four laps Conley picked off five cars running up top to move into second when the caution flag flew.
On the restart, Conley put his car back up on the high side and battled side by side with Greg Oliver for the lead. The two battled side by side for the next three laps as Conley took the lead with nine laps to go.
When Conley went to the high side, about half the field followed behind Conley while racing inside the top 10 was incredible with cars racing side by side for nearly every position.
Another caution flag flew with two laps to go to set up a green-white-checkered finish. On the restart, Conley continued with the lead as Shawn Holliday put his No. 1pj on the extreme high side and was making up big ground moving from fourth to second on the white flag lap.
Holliday came up a few car lengths short though as Hall of Fame driver Conley took the checkered flag to win with almost the entire crowd on their feet cheering.
Holliday finished second with Greg Oliver third, Josh Bocook fourth, and D. Jay Miller fifth. Greg Oliver won the dash race while Nick Bocook and Joe Ramey won Carl Grover Motorsports heat races.
In the Modified A-Main, Eddie Harmon took the lead at the start while Todd Robinson settled close behind him in second. Behind them, last weeks winner Doug Adkins put his car nearly against the wall running the high side as he battled side by side with Greg Thompson. The car on the move early on was the No. 20 of Jason Perry.
Perry started 14th and by lap nine had moved himself all the up to fifth.
Meanwhile, the battle for the lead got close as Harmon and Robinson battled side by side. Robinson stayed within a car length of Harmon the whole race as he tried to make a run on the last lap. At the checkered flag Robinson was right on Harmon’s bumper as Harmon took the win.
Robinson finished second with Adkins third, Thompson fourth, and Jason Perry fifth. Harmon won the dash race while Adkins and Dave Kelley won Carl Grover Motorsports heat races.
In the Bomber A-Main, Robbie Lewis took the lead at the start as the field battled two and three wide behind him. The car on the move early on was Brett Carey as he moved from sixth to second in the opening laps.
Carey stayed close behind Lewis the whole race but wouldn’t have enough as Robbie Lewis took his first feature win at Rocky Top. Brett Carey finished second with two time winner this season Jeremie Bretz in third, Jason Rayburn fourth, and Wayne Hughes fifth. Jason Rayburn and Robbie Lewis won Carl Grover Motorsports heat races.
In the Mod Lite A-Main, John Evans took the lead at the start. Evans stayed in front for the first five laps as he spun in the lead on lap six. That would hand the lead to Roger Seitz. However, the car on the move was the No. 5c of Brandon Cossin.
Cossin started around the tenth spot and now with four laps to go was battling side by side with Seitz for the lead. After battling side by side for two laps Brandon Cossin went on to take the lead and win in exciting fashion.
Roger Seitz finished second with opening night winner Mike Weaver in third, David Seitz in fourth, and Kevin Spencer in fifth. Roger Seitz and John Evans won Carl Grover Motorsports heat races.
Racing returns Friday with a full racing program of Late Models, Modifieds, and Bombers. General admission is only $12 with Pit Admission $25.
The Rocky Top Raceway features grandstand seating along with plenty of places to bring lawn chairs and watch races from your vehicle. For more information visit us on the web at www.rockytopraceway.net.