Mike Darne had been close, but had just missed victory lane repeatedly over the 2014 Southern National Motorsports Park season. Saturdaynight, Darne’s luck had changed as he found his way into victory lane on both sides of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model Stock Twin-50 lap races.
In Race 1, Darne set the fast time in qualifying and quickly made his way to the lead. Darne paced the field, while Ryan Wilson, Tommy Lemons Jr. and Myatt Snider all battled for position behind him. A Lap 30 caution stacked the field back up, giving Snider a shot at the lead, but Darne was strong on the restart, pulling away again for his first win anywhere since August of 2012. Snider held on for second, while Wilson, Michael Fose and Lemons Jr. rounded out the top five.
Race 2 saw a nine car invert, putting Melvin Langley on the pole, with Jonathan Findley to his outside. Findley took the early advantage, leading the first 15 laps until Ryan Wilson took over. Wilson led while Mike Darne worked his way toward the front from his starting position of ninth. A late caution let Darne get right to Wilson’s bumper, and after a quick battle for the lead, Darne came out on top, coming away with the sweep. Wilson would settle for second, while point leader Tommy Lemons Jr finished third, Myatt Snider fourth and Findley fifth.
Andrew Grady set a personal first in Limited Late Models. The Knightdale, NC driver had 49 previous starts in all forms of racing, and had not ever led the field to the green flag to start a race. That changed Saturday night, as Grady not only set the fast time in qualifying, but swept the twin-35 lap races.
In Race 1, Chris Chapman led the first lap, but Grady took the lead back and didn’t look back. Behind him, Dillon Spain, Haley Moody, Ross Dalton and Chapman all battled for position. When the checkered flag flew, Grady had dominated, while Rusty Daniels and Chris Chapman took second and third.
In the second race, Dillon Spain, Haley Moody, Ross Dalton and Rusty Daniels led each of the first four laps, respectively, until Daniels could take charge. Daniels led the next 16 laps until a hard-charging Andrew Grady caught his bumper. A few laps of hard racing later and it was Grady pulling away for good. Daniels then fought Moody, the current point leader, until Moody made a last-lap pass for second. Daniels would settle for third.
In Ultimate Body Shop UCARs, James Stroud won, extending his point lead over second place Tyler Horne. Travis Miller finished third after hard-fought racing with Mickey Connor, who finished fourth. Chet Christman won in Street Stocks, beating Mack Parker, Marc Jones and Greg Barnette. Alex Pacheco took the checkered for the second time on the season in Legends, upending Billy Hall in the process, while Blaise Brinkley found his way back into Victory Lane in Bandoleros.
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