FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 25, 2013
RALEIGH – The New Wake County Speedway is racing into the 2013 season with new leadership, a total facilities overhaul and a mission to become the best Friday night track on the East coast.

The storied speedway, open for half a century, is unveiling its massive makeover at Media Day from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m this Friday, March 29. New ownership will be available for interviews and cars will be on track for photo.

The 2013 season is scheduled to begin on Friday, April 5 with close to 20 weeks of racing scheduled and fanfare anew.
New owner Adam Resnick has leased the 50-year-old facility from the Simpkins family and joined forces with speedway veteran Charlie Hansen to bring big time racing back to the Triangle area.

Resnick, acting as President of Racing Operations, and Hansen, working as Promoter and General Manager, have already received a flood of support from car owners, drivers, fans, sponsors and advertisers on the heels of historic improvements.

The speedway facility has been completely remodeled from the bleachers to the lighting to the track surface, and every space in between. Along with renovations and additions has come a fresh face for the track including, among other things, a mascot, new marketing and a rebirth as “The New Wake County Speedway: America’s Favorite Bullring.”

The New Wake County Speedway is located at 2109 Simpkins Road in Raleigh, right off 401 South heading out of Raleigh. The track is located online at wakecountyspeedway.com.

Media Day is scheduled from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. this Friday, March 29.
For more information contact Adam Resnick at 919-478-0877 or adamwcs@yahoo.com.

Alex Fleming has won the bulk of races at Wake County Speedway this season, but they haven’t come easy. Friday night Fleming looked to all but cement his track championship hopes, looking for his sixth win in seven events.

Fleming would put his Dunn-Benson Ford Super Late Model on the pole, with Joe Heigl starting to his outside. Early on it appeared as though Heigl had something for the Raleigh driver, with Heigl making a handful of attempts to get by. Fleming would fight off Heigl lap after lap, and eventually stretch his lead out to .3 seconds.

Behind the leaders, last race’s winner Charlie Stephenson found himself racing hard with a fresh face in Kevin Harvick Inc. driver Gray Gaulding. The 13 year old PASS South driver qualified just ahead of Stephenson, but it was Stephenson’s experience that would prevail, making it by Gaulding and allowing him to set his sights on Heigl and Fleming.

Fleming would pull away late, leaving Heigl to fend for himself against Stephenson. The final 10 laps saw a duel between two veterans, with Stephenson waiting until the final lap to try a bump-and-run move that would come up short. Alex Fleming would take his sixth win of the season, Joe Heigl would fight off Charlie Stephenson for second, while Stephenson, Keith Oliver and Gray Gaulding would round out the Dunn Benson Ford Super Late Model top five.

Justin Jones has dominated the Pro Modified this season, winning all but one event. Dennis Capps looked to end that streak on a night where the Garner driver looked back to his championship form. Jones would take the lead from the start, but Capps would give chase, never letting Jones’s black and yellow machine more than a second out of sight. Late slower traffic would give Capps one last good shot at Jones, but Jones would prove too strong, taking the checkered flag and all but clinching a track championship in the process. Capps would hold onto second, with Todd Langdon holding off Matthew Denton for third.

The Harper’s Grafix Limited Late Model division has been Will Roland’s sandbox all season, and Friday night proved no differently. Roland would place his Chevy on the pole, and while division rookie Robert Arch would give chase, he proved no match for the Limited Late Model veteran. Roland would lead all 25 laps, all but clinching a 2011 track championship. Arch would finish second, with Curtis Simpkins crossing the line third.

Jeremy Ottaway won the season opener in Citgo Mini-Mart Four Cylinders, but since then it’s been the Jesse Duke show. Duke has piloted his Ford to victory lane in every race since the early-season upset. Friday night proved to be no different, with Duke being the class of the competition. Ottaway would hold off Wilbur Duke for second, with the elder Duke finishing third.

In Dirt Cheap Sand Rock & Mulch UCARs, Darrell Haynie continued his late-season domination of the division. Having missed a few early-season races, Haynie is out of the track championship chase, but has put on a solid showing throughout the second half of the season. Haynie would lead wire to wire ahead of Chris Gault and Josh Taylor. Gault’s runner-up finish, coupled with late race trouble for point leader Kristin Gault moves Chris Gault within 18 points of sister Kristin.

Lawson Flood dominated the Noles Cabinets Mini Cup race, holding off a hard-charging Nick Robinson late, while in Southern Ground Pounders action, Rodney Dye made a late-race pass on Cory Agee to win his first of the season.

Racing returns to Raleigh’s bullring in two weeks for the next to last race of the season. In action will be the Dunn Benson Ford Super Late Models, Harper’s Grafix Limited Late Models, Modified 4 Cylinders, Citgo Mini-Mart Four Cylinders, Dirt Cheap Sand Rock & Mulch UCARs and the INEX Legends series. Tickets are just $10 for adults, with kids 6-11 just $5, and children 5 and under free. Surf to www.wakecountyspeedway.com for more information.    

Fleming Continues Streak, Leads Wire to Wire at WCS

Alex Fleming came into Friday night’s event at Wake County Speedway as the only Dunn Benson Ford Super Late Model winner in 2011. He looked to keep it that way despite hard charges from Charlie Stephenson and Joe Heigl.

Fleming would take his first pole of 2011, edging out Stephenson by a mere hundredth of a second and Heigl by three hundredths of a second.  Early on it was clear Fleming would not be able to cruise to victory as he done in previous races, with Stephenson trailing in his tire tracks the majority of the race. 

Mid-way through the 50 lap event, it appeared as though Fleming would pull away from Stephenson, but slower traffic allowed the former track champion to put his machine to the bumper of Fleming’s machine. Stephenson would make one final drive for the lead, but Fleming was too strong late, winning his fourth consecutive race at the .23 mile bullring. Stephenson would settle for second, with Joe Heigl, Kevin Floars and Kevin Jefferys rounding out the top five.

With his win, Alex Fleming adds to his point lead, staying perfect on the season.  Charlie Stephenson and Joe Heigl flip-flop positions, with Stephenson now second and Heigl third.

Modified Four Cylinder driver Justin Jones has not only won every race in 2011, but he has done so convincingly, with the only challenge coming from WCS newcomer Ryan Robinson.  Friday night, however, Robinson would fade early, leaving Jones unchallenged for the lead.  Robinson would charge back, getting as close as third.  An incident between himself and second place Todd Langdon would set up on a green-white-checkered sprint to the finish.  Justin Jones would again flex his muscle, leading wire to wire to win the 30 lap event.  Todd Langdon would fend off Ryan Robinson for second, with Robinson finishing third.

Justin Jones stays perfect on the season and continues to lead in Modified Four Cylinder points. Dennis Capps finishes last Friday night, dropping him to third in points, while Todd Langdon leapfrogs him to second place.

Will Roland has been the class of the field in Haper’s Graphix Limited Late Models, and showed no signs of letting up Friday night.  Despite beating and banging that led to six cautions, Roland was able to keep his Chevy scuff-free, leading wire to wire to take his third win of 2011.  Robert Arch overcomes an early spin to finish a career-best second, holding off Josh Van Winkle for third.

In Citgo Mini-Mart Four Cylinder action, Jesse Duke cruised to victory, beating out Jeremy Ottaway and Lee Hicks, while in Dirt Cheap Sand Rock & Mulch UCARs, Darrel Haynie won his first race of 2011, beating out Bill Pearce and point leader Kristin Gault.  Billy Gomez Jr. led 24 of 25 laps in a caution-plagued Legends event, holding off Dillon Spain and John Sofield to continue his win streak.

Racing returns to Raleigh’s bullring this Friday night with a full night of racing at Wake County Speedway with the Colton Ayscue Memorial Race.  In action will be the Dunn Benson Ford Super Late Models, Harper’s Graphix Limited Late Models, Modified Four Cylinders, Citgo Mini-Mart Four Cylinders, Dirt Cheap Sand Rock & Mulch UCARs and Noles Cabinets Mini Cups.  Tickets are just $10 for adults, $5 for kids 6-11 and free for all children 5 and under.  Go to www.wakecountyspeedway.com for more information and details.

Fleming Edges Heigl, Keeps Winning Streak Alive at WCS

Alex Fleming is the only driver to win in Dunn Benson Ford Super Late Models at Wake County Speedway, and Friday night he would look to keep it that way.  Perennial contender Joe Heigl would set the fast qualifying time, with a speed of 62.25 miles per hour around the .23 bullring, but would have point leader Fleming on his outside.

Early on, Heigl pulled away from Fleming and Kevin Floars, who were battling for second.  Floars kept the pressure on Fleming for the better part of 26 laps, with both drivers slowly closing back in on Heigl.  A Lap 26 caution for a Charlie Stephenson spin would close the gap back up for good.

A lap 27 restart would see Fleming make a pass around Heigl on the outside, taking the lead for good. The big race would be for second place, where Stephenson and Heigl would beat and bang for position, with Keith Oliver getting in the mix as well. Heigl would be the big winner of that, taking second in the 50 lap event, with Oliver finishing third, Floars fourth and Curtis Simpkins fifth.

The Harper’s Grafix Limited Late Model division has had more beating and banging than any other division in the Carolinas this season, and Friday night was no exception.  Will Roland would sit on the pole and lead convincingly early, while Cory Walker and Robert Arch battled for second behind him.  As a result of the side by side racing for second, Walker and Arch would touch, sending Walker around on the front stretch, collecting Adam Resnick in the process.  Resnick’s night would end early, but Walker would continue on.

Walker would continue the hard racing with Arch for another nine laps, with both drivers leaning on one another throughout the run. Arch would lose his traction at the exit of Turn 4, bringing out the caution and ending his night, leaving Walker and Roland to battle it out.  Roland couldn’t shake Walker, with both drivers giving the bump-and-run to each other late in the race. At the end, Will Roland would take his second win of 2011, with Walker finishing a season-best second. Arch would receive credit for third, with Resnick rounding out the top four.

In Pro Modified action, Justin Jones continued his season of dominance, leading from wire to wire.  Unlike in times past, he would have a car in his mirror the whole time in Ryan Robeson.  Robeson would never fall further back than two seconds, but never could get to the bumper of Jones’ machine, and would settle for second.  Dennis Capps would finish third, despite starting shotgun on the field, with Todd Langdon and Matthew Denton finishing fifth.

Jesse Duke and Lee Hicks took the front-row honors for the Citgo Mini-Mart Four Cylinders, with Duke dominating the race.  Hicks and Jeremy Ottaway would run side by side behind Duke, with Ottaway eventually taking second from Hicks.  Hicks would hold off Richard Aliff for third, with Aliff finishing fourth and Greg Compton fifth.

In INEX Legends racing, Billy Gomez Jr. would lead wire to wire, with Kyle Resco finishing second and Max Smith third.  Will Bristle held off Nick Robinson and Holden Haddock in Mini Cup action, with Bill Pierce passing Matt Grimes on the final lap of the 50 lap UCAR event, with track regular Chris Gault finishing third.

Wake County Speedway returns Friday, June 17^, with a full night of racing.  In action will be the Dunn Benson Ford Super Late Models, Harper’s Grafix Limited Late Models, Pro Modifieds, Citgo Mini-Mart 4 Cylinders, Dirt Cheap Sand Rock & Mulch UCARs and INEX Legends.  Tickets are just $10, with kids 6-11 $5, and children 5 and under free.  For more information surf to

http://www.wakecountyspeedway.com.

Contact:
Ken Childs
Wake County Speedway
ken@kenchilds.com
(919) 641-6122