May 30, 2009 12:33 AM EDT

Donnie Lawson Scores Black Rock/ Woodhull Sportsman Challenge Win

When Donnie Lawson ended up with the pole for the Sportsman Feature, he was an easy pick to win. While he would score his fifth win of the year at Black Rock, it would be one of his toughest to score.


Lawson, of Woodhull, led all but one lap of the 25-lap Black Rock/ Woodhull Sportsman Challenge to pick up a big win in front of a big crowd on a beautiful night for racing.



“The track was weird for the feature, it sort of sealed over and made it tough to run up top,” commented Lawson in Victory Lane. “Lapped traffic was real tough tonight, I kept asking (Head Starter) Scott Hixson to move them to the top, but they were on the inside and it made it really tough to pull away.”



Brady Fultz, of Dundee, stalked Lawson from the onset of the green flag, eventually making a move to the inside of the No. 11 Teo he owned last year, but it was short lived. Fultz hit a “turtle” on the inside of turn three and wheel-hopped into Lawson. While they both slowed the battle continued on.



After a lap 11 caution, Fultz closed in on Lawson but it was the point leader who would pull away. With just two laps remaining, the caution flew for a final time and set up a great battle to the finish.



Fultz was setting up a big run on the final lap but would come up just short and allow Lawson to score the win.



Behind the top two were Loren Lincoln, Casey Pavlick and Ray Bliss Jr. to complete the top-five.



Dale Welty scored the 70th win of his career at Black Rock and his second of the year in the Late Model Division. Welty, closed in on the points lead by taking his Steve Kent Owned No. 92x straight to the front and not looking back after lap six.



Half-way through the event, Welty came together with two-time Champion Jeremy Wonderling. The contact would end with Wonderling crashing with the No. 012 of Dave DuBois. Wonderling was not pleased with the Welty, and the veteran would apologize as soon as he was in Victory Lane.



Welty held a healthy advantage over the rest of the field over the second half of the event, including Dan Cobb who picked was the runner-up in his first stop at BRS this year. Brandon Smith would run up to third while Dave DuBois would rally to fourth. Wally Wade completed the top-five.



Frank Guererri ran the top of the track to his third win of the year in the street stock division, but after race he couldn’t figure out how the guys he beat could give him such a challenge on the inside.



Jared Hill had the lead for just one lap in the feature but that was only at the line as the No. 113 took it back the next time around. A lap after that the caution flag was out and Guererri would lead the field on a single-file restart as the point man.



A final caution with three laps remaining set up a scramble with the top-three in points. As Guererri ran the top, Hill dove to the inside of him, using the middle of the track, while defending Champion Chris Fisher used the very inside of the track. Guererri would hold them off to pick up the win, with Fisher moving around Hill for second.



Behind the top-three, early leader Rob Parker would spin coming to the finish line and hand over the final spots inside the top-five to Carl Cleveland and Rich McIntyre.



Terry Povoski was in heavy traffic to start the Signs Plus 4-Cylinder Feature, but he bided his time and found his way towards the front for the second half of the event. On lap 15, Povoski made a clean slide-job on Dave Matwiejow in turn four and would hold off Matwiejow and Rich Sharpsteen II back to the line for a thrilling finish.


Matwiejow would tie his career best in second while Sharpsteen would hang on to third. Joe Povoski and Ray Speicher would round out the top-five.



Dylan Cecce picked up his fifth win of the year in the Bandit Division, leading the final five laps in his “Flyin’ X”. Cecce had trouble getting around Josh Wallenbeck in the early laps but stayed poised and found a new line to take the lead for good.

Wallenbeck would hang on to second as Jamie Eldredge Jr. rounded out the top-three.


Nicole Knickerbocker dominated the Ladies 4-Cylinder Event while the Coach’s Enduro was won by Shelby Timmons.



Next week, the monster trucks invade for two nights of action. For more information, visit www.BlackRockSpeedway.com.


Black Rock Speedway Results: 5/29/2009-


Hoselton Auto Mall Crate Sportsman Black Rock/ Woodhull Challenge Feature (25 Laps)- DONNIE LAWSON, Brady Fultz, Loren Lincoln, Casey Pavlick, Ray Bliss Jr., Kenny Peoples Jr., Fran Hilton, Don Knowles, Craig Gardner, Nate DeLong, Chuck Winslow, Bill VanEtten, Ross Vleck, Randy McCulloch, Mike Buchanan, Greg Crooker, Josh Butler, Larry Keegan, Kreg Crooker, Todd Henderson, Brandon Butler, Rob Lerch, Bill McKelvey, Chris Mangiarelli, Larry Stell (DNS).



Lap Leader- Lawson 1-9, Fultz 10, Lawson 11-25.

Heat Winners- Fultz, Laswson, Gardner.



Freedom Village USA Late Model Feature (20 Laps)- DALE WELTY, Dan Cobb, Brandon Smith, Dave DuBois, Wally Wade, Chris Peacock, Mikey Wonderling, Jeremy Wonderling, Nate Daggett, Rich Karlnoski, Bob Buono (DNS).


Lap Leaders- Peacock 1-2, Daggett 3-5, Welty 6-20.

Heat Winners- Welty, DuBois.



Labatt Blue Street Stock Feature (20 Laps)- FRANK GUERERRI JR., Chris Fisher, Jared Hill, Carl Cleveland, Rich McIntyre, Jason White, Kevin Morrison, Mike Schultz, Jeremy Perkins, Chuck Pruden, Bruce Kinner, Gene Parker, Scott Sebring, Mike Schroeder, Rob Parker, Josh Parker, Jarod Brown, Jayme Gilbert, George Parker.


Lap Leaders- R. Parker 1-8, Guererri 9-11, Hill 12, Guererri 13-20.

Heat Winners- Hill, Guererri, R. Parker.



Signs Plus of Kanona 4-Cylinder Feature (20 Laps)- TERRY POVOSKI, Dave Matwiejow, Rich Sharpsteeen II, Joe Povoski, Ray Speicher, Del Cummings, Chad Ayers, Scott Bradley, Harry Ayers, David Ahouse, Russ Wassner, Andrew Wolfe, Phil Yaw, Brent Ayers, C.J. Winslow, Jason Barrett, Brett Crawford, Brad Rathbun, Brian Thompson, Cody Moorehouse, Erica Bell, Joe Cron Jr.



Lap Leaders- Wolfe 1-2, Matwiejow 3-14, T. Povoski 15-20.

Heat Winners- Rathbun, Sharpsteen II, J. Povoski.



Ladies 4-Cylinder Feature (10 Laps)- NICOLE KNICKERBOCKER, Paula Wallenbeck, Kailey Wassner, Amanda Scholtsick, Sarah Potter, Jamie Schuyler.


Lap Leaders- Knickerbocker 1-10.



Home Necessities Bandits (10 Laps)- DYLAN CECCE, Josh Wallenbeck, Jamie Eldredge Jr., Zach Teed, David DuBois, Cody Clemens, Noah Herington, Lisa Cornish.



Lap Leaders- Wallenbeck 1-5, Cecce 6-10.



Spring Coaches Enduro Winner- Shelby Timmons