EWING WINS ON WHELEN POLICE AND FIREFIGHTER APPRECIATION NIGHT AT THE BULLRING AT LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY

LAS VEGAS – Robert Ewing won the 35-lap Super Late Model/Late Model Combo class feature on Whelen Police and Firefighter Appreciation Night at the Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Early-race leader Billy Mitchell was slowed as the first caution flag flew for a crash on lap 2 involving Branden Giannini and Jeff Bargerhuff. Steve Anderson grabbed the lead on the restart and Robert Ewing also passed Mitchell as the caution flag flew again for Joe Deguevara’s spin in Turn 4. Matt Frady caused the third caution period of the race when he spun in Turn 2 on lap 8. Matt Jaskol drove under Anderson on lap 9 to take the lead and Scott Gafforini also made use of the opportunity and grabbed second place. Jaskol and Gafforini led the field until Rich Attisani’s car caught fire in Turn 4 on lap 20. Attisani was not injured and was able to activate his fire suppression system and quickly exit the car.

Billy Mitchell spun in Turn 2 on lap 27 to set up a late-race dash between leader Jaskol, Jeff Connors and Gafforini. On lap 33, Connors drove beneath Jaskol for the lead but the pair made contact in Turn 4 and Jaskol spun. With both cars relegated to the rear of the field, Robert Ewing was the new leader with just two laps remaining. \Gafforini made a last-lap charge on Ewing and the pair raced out of Turn 4 almost side-by-side on the final lap. With the checkered flag waving, Ewing beat Gafforini by a nose to record his second victory of the 2008 season. Anderson finished third, followed by Chris Birdsong (the first Late Model across the finish line) and Dennis Rock Jr.

The 30-lap Modified feature was won by Dennis Lovelady. Wayne Morris Jr. led the first three laps of the main event for the open-wheeled cars until he made contact with second-place Lovelady and spun. New race leader Dow Woerner had his hands full with Doug “Hound Dog” Hamm. With five laps remaining, Hamm made a move to pass Woerner on the back straightaway and the pair made contact and Woerner spun. Lovelady, who was in third place, inherited the lead with a handful of laps to go. Lovelady went on to win the wild event, followed by Richard Streker and Pat Petrie.

Jeremiah Wagner won the 20-lap Legends Cars feature, followed by Dylan Kwasniewski and Karl Forman.

Phil Goodwin won the 25-lap Charger feature, his fifth of the 2008 season. Utah’s Mike Heck led the first 11 laps before Goodwin made the winning pass on the back straightaway. Goodwin held off Heck on a late-race restart and went on to win. Don Sargent finished third. After the race, Heck's car was disqualified when it failed to pass post-race technical inspection.

Patrick O’Hanley won the 12-lap Bandolero Young Guns feature. The race was halted on the first lap for a hard crash in Turn 3 involving Hayley Lager, Amanda Gubler and Kolleen Dresser. Kolleen was transported for evaluation.

Jacob Tilton won the Bandolero Bandits feature. Giles Thornton finished second and Jonathan Eakin was third.

Josh Gross took the lead from Dustin Ash on lap 5 of the Thunder Roadster feature. Justin Johnson moved into second place on the next lap and then passed Gross for the lead in Turn 4. Ash also got past and Gross was dropped back to third. As Johnson pulled away, Gross and Ash put on a show as they battled for second place. Johnson won the 20-lap event, followed by Gross and Ash.

Preliminaries: Jeff Connors won the Budweiser Super Late Model/Late Model Dash. Jeremiah Wagner won the Budweiser Legends Cars Dash. Bandolero heat races were won by Patrick O’Hanley (Young Guns) and Nicholas Thigpen (Bandits). Charger heat races were won by Mario Opipari and Phil Goodwin. The eight-lap Modified heat race was won by Doug “Hound Dog” Hamm. Justin Johnson won the Thunder Roadster heat.

NEXT EVENT: On Saturday, June 14, the Bullring will present the annual Chris Trickle Father’s Day Weekend Doubleheader. Racing action includes the Super Late Model/Late Model Combo class (twin 35-lap features), Legends Cars, Modifieds, Chargers, Bandoleros and Bombers. Spectator gates open at 5 p.m. The Bullring’s concession stand offers a family-friendly dollar menu which includes $1 hot dogs, $1 soda and $1 beer. For more information, please call LVMS at (702) 644-4444 or visit www.LVMS.com.

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