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Cline Construction Co. Steel Block Bandits September 12, 2010 Eastside Speedway Waynesboro, VA

The second event of a Shenandoah Valley doubleheader was run Sunday afternoon at the Eastside Speedway in Waynesboro, VA. 27 cars signed in and all would start the feature as the team at Eastside Speedway put up the funds to allow all cars to start the main event. Tim Brown, Madhouse reality show star and NASCAR Modified competitor at the Bowman Gray Stadium would attempt to run this event as well after having his night end early the prior night at Natural Bridge.

Bo Feathers would set quick time in time trials at 19.928 seconds around the 4/10 mile oval. Three D&D Auto Recycling heats would be run with Bo Feathers, Gerald Davis, and JT Spence taking the qualifying wins. Kyle Merkel who had won the night before at Natural Bridge faced a tough day as in warmups he would slam hard into the third turn wall, much damage was done but Merkel was able to continue and run the rest of the afternoon.

On a very warm, sunny afternoon the 27 car field would take the green and as the field hit the backstretch a huge wreck would ensue as in a plume of dust most drivers were unable to avoid the incident that started near the front and would block the entire backstretch bringing out the red flag as half the field set on the backstretch. Chris Barger would be disqualified from the event when under red flag conditions his crew would work on his car on the frontstretch. The field would again take the green but this time the field would have no problem getting underway as Gerald Davis of Delray, WV would battle on the high side taking the lead from polesitter Bo Feathers of Winchester, VA. The race would be slowed a few laps later when on lap five when Romney, WV driver Roy Clower would get into Waynesboro, VA driver R.E. Cubbage on the frontstretch sending Cubbage hard into the guardrail.

At the green Davis again took the lead over Feathers, with JT Spence running third. Gerald Davis would spend much of the early part of the event holding off Bo Feathers, before Winchester, VA driver JT Spence began to reel in the Feathers machine. Spence would eventually work himself past Feathers who began to fade off of the lead duo. Behind Feathers Daniel Brown, Jr. and Walker Arthur would rage a war of their own as the two drivers battle back and forth for fourth position. As the track turned dark black with rubber , Gerald Davis was able to use the middle lane to his advantage as Spence could draw up to but never overtake the Davis machine. The race seemed over though when Kenneth Geer slowed and pulled into the pits at a crawl in front of the leaders, Spence with nowhere to go had to get up on the binders and Gerald would sail away to a bigger lead.

Spence, whose car was slightly faster than the Davis machine began to whittle back into his lead as the field entered lapped traffic. With just a few laps to go Spence was all over the Davis machine and Davis' engine was faltering with a blown head gasket. As the field took the white flag it was Davis edging Spence the two locked together side by side as they approached the lapped machine of Tim Brown. Spence ducked his car to the low side, Davis in his middle line and it was Spence finally securing the lead as the checkered flag waved edging Gerald Davis and taking his first Steel Block Bandits win as he would steer his Doug Timmons owned macine, which Pete Weaver regularly drivers at the Hagerstown Speedway in MD, to Ernie D's Victory Lane. Gerald Davis who dominated the entire race would fall just short but secure a season's best second place. Bo Feathers who challenged early would finish third, while Daniel Brown, Jr. would pip Bandits points leader Walker Arthur for fourth. Allen Brannon, Joey Leavell, Greg Roberson, Andy Fries, and Trever Feathers would round out the top ten.

The Steel Block Bandits will return to action October 15th and 16th at The Rock /Allegany County Speedway in Cumberland, MD for the Western Maryland Nationals. On October 23rd the Bandits will end a succesful second season at Roaring Knob Speedway and crown their second champion.

OFFICIAL RESULTS(40 laps):
1. 16 J.T. Spence
2. 28 Gerald Davis
3. 83 Bo Feathers
4. 10JR Daniel Brown, Jr.
5. 87 Walker Arthur
6. 30 Allen Brannon
7. 8L Joey Leavell
8. 116 Greg Roberson
9. 82 Andy Fries
10. 27 Trever Feathers
11. 5 Glenn Elliott
12. 07 C.S. Fitzgerald
13. 9Q Kristian Looney
14. 1K Bruce Kane
15. 12 R.E. Cubbage
16. 30M Scott Merryman
17. 01 Tim Brown
18. 95 Mitch Miller
19. 00C Jeremy Coffey
20. 117 Kyle Merkel
21. 45 Roy Clower
22. 12GE Kenneth Geer
23. 11 Tim Stallnaker
24. 10 Danny Brown
25. 22 Junior Humphries
26. 71 Davis Lipscombe
DSQ: Chris Barger

D&D Auto Recycling Heats
Heat Race 1: Bo Feathers, Daniel Brown, Jr., Kristian Looney, Andy Fries, Bruce Kane, Danny Brown, Chris Barger, R. E. Cubbage, Trever Feathers

Heat Race 2: Gerald Davis, Walker Arthur, Allen Brannon, Jeremy Coffey, Glenn Elliott, Junior Humphries, Davis Lipscombe, Roy Clower, Tim Brown

Heat Race 3: J. T. Spence, Greg Roberson, Joey Leavell, C.S. Fitzgerald, Tim Stallnaker, Kyle Merkel, Kenneth Geer, Scott Merryman, Mitch Miller

Time Trials:
1. 83 Bo Feathers 19.928
2. 87 Walker Arthur 19.992
3. 8L Joey Leavell 20.001
4. 9Q Kristian Looney 20.003
5. 28 Gerald Davis 20.013
6. 16 J.T. Spence 20.205
7. 1K Bruce Kane 20.342
8. 22 Junior Humphries 20.356
9. 07 C.S. Fitzgerald 20.428
10. 27 Trever Feathers 20.495
11. 30 Allen Brannon 20.543
12. 116 Greg Roberson 20.572
13. 10JR Daniel Brown, Jr. 20.640
14. 45 Roy Clower 20.660
15. 11 Tim Stallnaker 20.743
16. 1 Chris Barger 20.790
17. 00C Jeremy Coffey 20.831
18. 30M Scott Merryman 20.893
19. 82 Andy Fries 20.918
20. 71 Davis Lipscombe 21.001
21. 117 Kyle Merkel 21.110
22. 10 Danny Brown 21.119
23. 01 Tim Brown 21.165
24. 12GE Kenneth Geer 21.194
25. 12 R.E. Cubbage 21.307
26. 5 Glenn Elliott 21.523
95 Mitch Miller 21.883

Special thanks to the following: Steel Block Mafia, Cline Construction, Ernie D's Enterprises, Glory Days Grill, D&D Auto Recycling, Revolution Band, Muddslinger Web Services, Walrus Signs & Embroidery & Dehaven Well Drilling.

Steel Block Bandits: "The REAL men of STEEL"