Jason York Wins Thriller at Ace
By: Drew Hierwarter
Beating, banging, racing, and even a “big one” with cars climbing up on the crash wall!
Former UARA champion Jason York decided to return to the series again, and was strong enough to take the win in a four car fight to the checkered flag. But that was just part of the story.
As the field took the green, with Richard Boswell II on the pole, everyone wondered what the rookie Garrett Campbell was going to do from the outside pole. Was he going to fall behind Boswell and ride? Would he get shuffled back into the field never to be heard of? How about instead he raced extremely hard and took the lead? After running on the outside of Boswell for the first 8 laps Campbell made his move and gained that first place spot. He held it for three laps when Boswell took it back. Then Jason York claimed the lead on lap 20.
By the halfway point in the 150 lap event, B.J. Mackey was in the lead. Mackey was followed by Darrell Wallace, Jr., Boswell, York, Alex Yontz, Rodney Cook, Campbell, Ryan Robertson, Jamie Yelton and Curtis Truex Jr. Mackey remained in the lead for quite a while and appeared to be the man to beat.
But then the “big one” happened with only three laps to go and the red flag stopped the action so the safety crews could clear the track. Roger Lee Newton and Scott Turlington made contact coming off of turn 4. Newton’s car climbed the wall at the flag stand, nearly going over it and actually touching the grass between the wall and the fence! Newton’s car left tire marks on the windshield post of the Turlington car as he went up and over. He came to a rest with half the car on the track and half still up on the wall. Both drivers were fine but their race was over.
This resulted in a green-white-checkered finish and as the green flew, York dove to the inside of Mackey. They came off turn 4 and made contact coming to the white flag, sideways and still side by side. Behind them going down the backstretch, Alex Yontz slipped just a little while racing with Rodney Cook, Garrett Campbell and Ryan Robertson and went from 5th to 10th in half a lap. As the leaders entered turn 4 coming to the checkers, York ran Mackey high; Boswell dove to the inside and used the apron. And as they came to the line it was York beating Boswell by a fender with another fender length back to Mackey. Wallace was right there on the back bumper of Boswell. Rounding out the top ten was Rodney Cook, Garrett Campbell, Jamie Yelton, Ryan Robertson, Stacy Puryear, and Alex Yontz.
It was an amazing finish to a superb night of racing and I know the fans who were there will be talking about that one for a long time.