'Gambler' sees victory at Carolina Clash race

The Carolina Clash Super Late Model series made its first visit to the Peach State Saturday night for a 50-lap event at Gordon Park Speedway.

In the Carolina Motorsports qualifying, it was Skip Arp of Georgetown, TN grabbing the pole with a fast lap of 19.165 in his Charter Communications GRT Machine. Local standout Ed Basey of Augusta took the outside spot of the front row with a lap of 19.522 in his GRT/Cushman Paint and Body Shop/Blair Construction GRT ride.

Twenty-Three cars took the wave of the green for the eighth event of the Carolina Clash 2002 season.

Basey and Arp battled into turn one with Arp getting loose allowing Basey to duck under Arp and take the lead on the green flag lap. Bobby Day of Columbia along with Gerald Mintz of Columbia and Carolina Clash points leader Billy Hicks were all battling for third, fourth and fifth in the rundown.

Basey, known as "The Gambler," did not waste any time in opening a sizable lead on Arp early in the event as his Clements engine was pumping out the horsepower he needed to keep Arp in the second spot as the laps were winding down. Basey never let up as he posted his first career Carolina Clash victory over the veteran Arp. Carolina Clash points leader Billy Hicks of Mt. Airy put his Duncan Logging/Trailco Equipment Company Rocket ride in the third spot as the checkers waved on another night of hot racing action. Gerald Mintz rolled to the stripe fourth in the rundown in his Larry Shaw entry followed by Tommy Snell of Beech Island, SC rounding out the top five finishers.

Bobby Day had his best run of the year with a sixth place finish in his Action Mortgages sponsored ride, Deano Long of Saluda, SC took the seventh spot followed by Scott Autry of Fayetteville in his Master Security/Snows Landscaping/Starrette Trucking/Warrior. Autry lost some ground in the Clash points battle to Hicks entering this weekend's action.

Autry now trails Hicks by 39 points in the season long battle for the Carolina Clash Cup. Frank Williams of Dublin, Ga., rolled up a ninth place finish followed by Jimmy Sharp of Vidalia, Ga., in the Norman Nichols Enterprises machine out of Fayetteville, N.C. The A-1 Hitch & Trailer Sales Hard Charger Award winners for the night was Chris Knight of Sandy Ridge in his Roberts Transport ride and David Browning of Jacksonville, Fla., as both drivers advanced seven spots during the 50 lap showdown.

A happy Basey in the Winner Circle had this comments, "I want to thank Joe Garrison at GRT Race Cars, he has helped me get my car on the right track. It was awesome tonight."

Basey added, "I figured Arp might wash up in turns one and two and he did, but he gave me a battle all night, it was great to win in front of my home crowd."

Basey concluded, "I want to thank my fans along with my sponsors and crewmembers for all there support this season."

Friday night June 21 the Carolina Clash Series makes its first stop of the year at Friendship Speedway in Elkin, N.C., and then moves Saturday June 22 to New 311 Speedway in Madison, N.C., for a pair of 50-lap shows, both paying $3,000 to win.

A race note of interest for car owners and drivers about the June 21 and 22 events, the best points finisher for the June 21 and 22 shows gets a $500 bonus and if any driver can win the June 21 and 22 events that driver will get the High Point Furniture bonus money of $1,000.

This will be the first Friday and Saturday shows for the Clash Series this season and should attract a good field of racecars for both events.

Carolina Clash Super Late Model Sportsmen

50 Laps

1. Edward Basey, Evans, Ga. $3,000

2. Skip Arp, Georgetown, Tn.

3. Billy Hicks, Mt. Airy, N.C.

4. Gerald Mintz, Columbia, S.C.

5. Tommy Snell, Beech Island, S.C.

6. Bobby Day, Columbia, S.C.

7. Deano Long, Saluda, S.C.

8. Scott Autry, Fayetteville, N.C.

9. Frank Williams, Dublin, Ga.

10.Jimmy Sharpe, Vidalia, Ga.

Basey led entire race from outside pole, Arp was polesitter.

Hobby

1. Michael Knight, Keysville, Ga.

2. Dan Lindbom, Harlem, Ga.

3. Bill Chance, Waynesboro, Ga.

4. Glen Evans, Keysville, Ga.

5. Charles Goodhand, Augusta, Ga.

6. Joey May, Hephzibah, Ga.

V-8 Stock

1. Jeff Disch, Augusta, Ga.

2. Mike McTier, Thomson, Ga.

3. Jason Irby, Wrens, Ga.

4. Ronald McCumbers, Augusta, Ga.

5. Don Smith Jr. Augusta, Ga.

6. Jason Burton, Dearing, Ga.