MILLS BACK IN VICTORY LANE IN BIG BLOCK – MULLINS WINS LATE MODEL THILLER IN DELAWARE
By CHARLIE BROWN, DELMAR, DE – Jamie Mills looked strong in winning his second NAPA Big Block
Modified feature and Andrew Mullins regained the lead on the final turn of the 20-lap Super Late Model
for a thriller that had the fans on their feet in Saturday night’s Military Appreciation Night at the
Delaware International Speedway.
Shawn Ward continued to show speed as he jumped out to the early lead from his pole starting position
in the 25-lap NAPA Big Block Modified feature. Matt Hawkins held the second spot until Matt Jester
appeared from sixth to take second on lap five. The only yellow was out two laps later as Drew Simmons
slowed to a stop on the front straight.
Mills was up from the seventh starting spot and tucked into second on the restart. Mills immediately
went to work on Ward taking the lead one lap later. Jester followed into the second spot but by halfway
Mills was opening the gap. Jester would keep Mills in his sight but would not get close enough to mount
a challenge. It was the second win this season for Mills. Jester finished in second with Beau Wilkins, who
started in eighth, finishing third. Fourth went to Jordan Watson and H.J. Bunting rounded out the top
five. Heats were won by Scott VanGorder and Mills.
The 20-lap Super Late Model feature alone was worth the price of admission. What the field lacked in
quantity it made up with quality. Last week’s winner Staci Warrington led the first four circuits before
Andrew Mullins came from fifth to the front.
Defending point champion, Ricky Elliott had started in the sixth spot and follow Mullins into second.
Mullins protected the bottom groove while Elliott was trying to build enough momentum to make the
pass. That opportunity came with five to go in lapped traffic as Elliott made the right move to take the
lead.
Mullins dropped back for a moment but quickly regrouped to pull back to the back spoiler of Elliott with
one lap to go. His “never give up” attitude prevailed on the final turn when Mullins shot to the bottom
on the final turn then out-raced Elliott back to the stipe for a very popular win – his second of the
season. Donald Lingo, Jr. held down third for the final five laps with Warrington and Davis rounding out
the top five. Heats were won by Lingo and Davis.
Mike Wilson looked strong at the start of the 15-lap Crate Model feature. Steven Baker was first to give
him chase with Robbie Walls, Jr. running in third. Sparky White got a good restart after a lap six caution
to take over the third spot and then moved into second.
With five laps to go White worked by Wilson for the lead. Matt Hill was on a charge after starting in the
back of the pack and was up to fourth. With two laps to go Hill shot by both Mike Wharton and Wilson
for second. The race went down to the final turn where Hill squeezed to the inside of White and beat
him back to the line for the win. Wharton nipped Wilson for third and Tyler Reed rounded out the top
five. Heats were won by Wilson and White.
In the 15-lap AC Delco PSC Modified feature pole sitter, Bryan Brasure took full advantage of his starting
spot jumping out to the early lead. Tim Trimble locked into a battle with Kyle Fuller who was riding in
second. Scott Hitchens settled into the fourth spot and Dwayne Crockett held fifth.
Brasure was turning in a flawless performance but with one lap to go, Chad Clark lost a driveshaft and
rolled to a stop in the first turn, bringing out the yellow. Brasure kept his cool on the restart and made
no mistakes on the final lap to post his first career win in the division. Fuller finished in second with
Trimble third. Greg Humlhanz made a late race charge to finish in fourth and Scott Hitchens rounded out
the top five. Heats were won by Humlhanz, Brasure and Hitchens.
Jake Nelson led the first four laps of the 15-lap Mod Lite feature before James Hill shot to the top with
Mike Stratton following into second and Tim White into third. Jimmy Wills was charging from the rear of
the field on the outside and was up to fourth but he then got loose coming off the second turn and slid
down across the track collecting Aaron VanVorst who flipped. Both drivers were okay but done for the
night.
Stratton continued to challenge Hill from the low groove. The final yellow flew with three to go
tightening up the field for one final time. Hill never abandoned the high line and held off Stratton to the
checkered. Tim White held on to the third spot with Ray Gulliver fourth and Jake Nelson posting a
personal best in fifth. Heats were won by Gulliver and Stratton.
The 10-lap Super Truck feature provided lots of action. Bobby Reed led the first two laps before “Pac
Man” Robert Paczkowski took the point. By halfway Matt Long had climbed from 12th to second and
started to challenge for the lead. The front pair made contact coming off the fourth turn with three to
go resulting in Long getting around and bringing out the yellow.
Paczkowski held off Reed on the restart and led the field to the checkered. Billy Cropper, who started in
14th came on strong in the closing laps to finish in second with Joe Pete taking third. Fourth went to
Shane Clogg and Reed rounded out the top five.
The five lap Red Neck Slide, where drivers race while driving in reverse gear on a wet slick track, was
won by Josh Hudson over Brock Williams.
NAPA Big Block Modified Finish: 1. Jamie Mills; 2. Matt Jester; 3. Beau Wilkins; 4. Jordan Watson; 5. HJ
Bunting; 6. Shawn Ward; 7. Matt Hawkins; 8. Scott VanGorder; 9. Michael White; 10. Dave Dissinger; 11.
Dale Hawkins; 12. Brad Trice; 13. Dave Simmons; 14. Dana Walker; 15. Drew Simmons.
Super Late Model Finish: 1. Andrew Mullins; 2. Ricky Elliott; 3. Donald Lingo Jr; 4. Staci Warrington; 5.
Nick Davis; 6. Joe Warren; 7. Bob Geiger; 8. Bobby Ballentine.
Crate Model Finish: 1. Matt Hill; 2. Sparky White; 3. Mike Wharton; 4. Mike Wilson; 5. Tyler Reed; 6.
Dylan Evans; 7. Steven Baker; 8. Robbie Walls Jr; 9. Kevin White; 10. Alessa Young; 11. Randy Given; 12.
Mike Parsons; 13. Kellie Lewis.
AC Delco PSC Modified Finish: 1. Bryan Breasure; 2. Kyle Fuller; 3. Tim Trimble; 4. Greg Humlhanz; 5.
Scott Hitchens; 6. Dwayne Crockett; 7. Westley Smith; 8. Joseph Tracy; 9. Kevin Sockriter; 10. Jordn
Justice; 11. Rodney Cordrey; 12. Brandon Watkins; 13. Kenneth Peek; 14. Danny Smack; 15. Carson
Wright; 16. Brandon Gallo; 17. Connor King; 18. Matt Smith; 19. Nick Alberti; 20. Adam Weber; 21.
Wesley Smack; 22. Robert Riley; 23. Patrick Galloway; 24. Brian Hitz; 25. Chad Clark; 26. Jeremy
Harrington.
Mod Lite Finish: 1. James Hill; 2. Mike Stratton; 3. Tim White; 4. Ray Gulliver; 5. Jake Nelson; 6. Alan
Passwaters; 7. Ryan Dryden; 8. Kirk Miles Sr; 9. Harry Mears; 10. Jason Musser; 11. James Wood; 12.
Jimmy Wills; 13. Aaron VanVorst; 14. Richard Rexrode; 15. Curt Miles Jr.
Super Truck Finish: 1. Robert Paczkowski; 2. Billy Cropper; 3. Joe Pete; 4. Shane Clogg; 5. Bobby Reed; 6.
Brian Meisenholder; 7. David Smith; 8. Matt Long; 9. Billy Lockwood; 10. Luke Wiedmann; 11. Brooks
Fleetwood; 12. Michelle Jackson; 13. Gene Hicks; 14. Mike Lewis.
Red Neck Slide Finish: 1. Josh Hudson; 2. Brock Williams; 3. Sam Green; 4. Sam Ellis; 5. Tina Nelson; 6.
Mark Williams.