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Cooper Shines in Durrence Layne Late Model Domination at TNR
(Hohenwald, TN) – McKenzie, Tennessee driver Matt Cooper completed a dominating Friday night performance to pick up the $2,000 payday September 20th at Tennessee National Raceway in Hohenwald, TN. Cooper beat Cruise with the Champions Rookie of the Year Point Leader, and currently second in Touring Points, Cruz Skinner of Oxford, AL by just a tick over one second at the finish line. Winchester, TN driver Christian Hanger followed Skinner to round out the podium finishers. Josh Putnam drove his familiar 212 machine to a fourth-place finish in his appearance with the series, and Jadon Frame would round out the top 5 in the Poultry Electric and Pro Hardware sponsored mount.
Cooper got off to a great start on the night by picking up the $100 BoydBilt Fabrication Fast Time Award by clocking in a lap time of 13.678 seconds around the ¼ mile red clay oval located just on the edge of town in Hohenwald, TN. Qualifying would place the top 8 fastest times directly into the night’s Feature event with two, ten lap KRC Power Steering Heat Races to determine the rest of the feature starting field. KRC Power Steering Heat Race 1 would go to Crossville, Tennessee’s Brandon Williams who edged Rookie of the Year contender Wil Herrington to take the Heat Race win. KRC Power Steering Heat Race 2 got off to a wild start with another Cooper Racing prepared car, that of Ronnie Cooper, making contact and collecting the outside retaining wall at the track entrance/exit and inflicting heavy damage ending his night early. Current Advanced Laser and Machine National Points Leader Jake Knowles went on to pick up the win in Heat 2 to put himself in the 10th starting spot for the night’s feature.
The field would assemble and after paying tribute to the great fans that turned out for the Series’ first stop since 2013 at TNR, the green flag waved, and business picked up. However, the yellow flag quickly followed as the 22H of Chad Harrah made significant contact with the infield uke tires and suffered heavy left front damage causing his car to stop in turn 2 before completing the first circuit. The skirmish before completing lap 1 was not done with Harrah as the caution waved and the 17R of Chapel Hill, TN driver Brad Skinner, Mark Fields’ F26, and the 95 of Williams were also involved in contact in turn 4. Unfortunately, Brad Skinner’s Lazy Hog BBQ Brucebilt suffered too much damage to continue and he was forced to retire from the event, thus picking up the Keyser Manufacturing Hard Luck Award.
The second attempt to get the race underway was a success with Cooper jumping out to the lead with Skinner in hot pursuit. The pace would quickly slow once again with TJ Brittain slowing in his Josh Roberts Trucking/Brittain Hauling Warrior at the top of turn 2 with mechanical issues relegating him to visit the infield hot pit for repairs. The lap 3 restart allowed the field to sort out and get settled with Cooper setting a torrid pace and getting a near straightaway lead before the yellow lights would flash again on lap 12 for the spinning car of Scott Spurgeon at the exit of turn 4. This would setup a restart with Cooper out front and the young guns of Cruz Skinner and Christian Hanger looking to make something happen to take over the top spot.
The restart would once again see Cooper establish a sizable lead, but lapped traffic would soon come into view for the leader. With the back of the field racing for position in front of him, and an ever-narrowing racing groove to maneuver, Skinner and Hanger began to catch the leader who had to slow his pace and make the calculated moves to navigate lapped traffic. With Skinner and Hanger waiting for each other to possibly make a mistake and battling hard for position Cooper was able to put several cars a lap down but a harrowing lap 33 scrape with the 65 car of Spurgeon nearly unraveled Cooper’s flawless night as just after clearing the 65 he looped the car entering turn 1. This caution setup a single file restart with everyone nose-to-tail and trying to capitalize on any mistakes or missed marks that the driver ahead of them might have made. Even though Skinner and the remainder of the field were able to restart right on the back bumper of Cooper’s 18 machine, Cooper would not look back as he cruised his Cooper Trucking Rocket Chassis across the finish line ahead of Skinner and Hanger to pick up his first Durrence Layne Dirt Late Model Series Touring Series feature win.
For more information about the Durrence Layne Dirt Late Model Series, please visit the official website at www.durrencelayneracing.com.
You can also follow Durrence Layne Racing on all your favorite social media outlets as well:
Facebook – Durrence Layne Racing
Twitter - @DurrenceLayneLM
Instagram – durrencelaynedirt
OFFICIAL RACE RESULTS FROM TENNESSEE NATIONAL RACEWAY 9/20/19
1. 18 – Matt Cooper
2. 11 – Cruz Skinner
3. 29 – Christian Hanger
4. 212 – Josh Putnam
5. J8 – Jadon Frame
6. C6 – Oakley Johns
7. 66 – Jake Knowles
8. 95 – Brandon Williams
9. 17JR – Tyler Wood
10. 11 – Spencer Hughes
11. 14 – Wil Herrington
12. K37 – Drew Kennedy
13. 98 – Eric Hickerson
14. 87 – Jake Rainey
15. H17 – Steven Holcomb
16. 05 – TJ Brittain
17. 85 – Mitch Thornton
18. 19 – Marcus Minga
19. 65 – Scott Spurgeon
20. C66 – Donald Johns
21. F26 – Mark Fields
22. F44 – Justin McRee
23. 22H – Chad Harrah
24. 17R – Brad Skinner
BoydBilt Fabrication Qualifying Results
1. 18 – Matt Cooper 13.678
2. C6 – Oakley Johns 13.855
3. 11 – Cruz Skinner 13.891
4. 29 – Christian Hanger 13.912
5. 17R – Brad Skinner 14.029
6. 212 – Josh Putnam 14.087
7. J8 – Jadon Frame 14.094
8. 87 – Jake Rainey 14.121
9. F44 – Justin McRee 14.187
10. 98 – Eric Hickerson 14.230
11. 95 – Brandon Williams 14.261
12. 10 – Ronnie Cooper 14.272
13. 14 – Wil Herrington 14.318
14. 66 – Jake Knowles 14.375
15. H17 – Steven Holcomb 14.406
16. 19 – Marcus Minga 14.483
17. K37 – Drew Kennedy 14.495
18. F26 – Mark Fields 14.521
19. 22H – Chad Harrah 14.609
20. 17Jr – Tyler Wood 14.666
21. 65 – Scott Spurgeon 14.689
22. 11 – Spencer Hughes 14.739
23. 78 – Matt Brocato 14.764
24. 05 – TJ Brittain 14.766
25. 63 – Jeremy Greenway 14.777
26. C66 – Donald Johns 14.790
27. 85 – Mitch Thornton 15.064
28. 86 – Dan White 15.622
KRC Power Steering Heat Race #1 Finish (Top 7 Transfer) – 1. 95 – Williams, 2. 14 – Herrington, 3. F44 – McRee, 4. K37 – Kennedy, 5. 22H – Harrah, 6. H17 – Holcomb, 7. 65 -Spurgeon, 8. 85 – Thornton, 9. 78 – Brocato, 10. 63 - Greenway
KRC Power Steering Heat Race #2 Finish (Top 7 Transfer) – 1. 66 – Knowles, 2. F26 – Fields, 3. 11 – Hughes, 4. 17Jr – Wood, 5. 98 – Hickerson, 6. 19 – Minga, 7. C66 – Johns, 8. 05 – Brittain, 9. 10 – Cooper
Entries: 28
BoydBilt Fabrication Fast Time: Matt Cooper – 13.678
Provisionals: TJ Brittain and Mitch Thornton
Lead Changes: 0
Lap Leaders: Cooper – 1-40
Cautions: 3
Margin of Victory: 1.001 seconds
Time of Race: 22 minutes, 27 seconds
Knowles Race Parts and Bodies Hard Charger: Grant Garrison (Started 16th finished 9th)
Cruise With the Champions Rookie of the Race: Cruz Skinner
FullMoon Graphics 7th Place Award: Jake Knowles
TireSkinz 8th Place Award: Brandon Williams
Keyser Manufacturing Hard Luck Award: Brad Skinner
Jake Knowles Claims Victory at Camden Speedway, Remains atop Point Standings
(Camden, TN) – Durrence Layne Dirt Late Model Series National Touring Points Leader Jake Knowles lead just 3 laps, but they included the one that counted which is the final lap, in route to a $2,500 payday at Camden Speedway in Camden, TN. Knowles was able to get by race long leader Brandon Williams of Crossville, TN after a lap 47 restart where Williams experienced trouble from a earlier incident. Hohenwald Gang member Oakley Johns brought his C6 machine along with Knowles to take the runner-up spot, followed by Spencer Hughes from Meridian, MS in his Team 33 sponsored race car. Justin McRee of Woodstock, AL raced among the top 5 all race long to finish in fourth, and Cruise with the Champions Rookie of the Year point leader Cruz Skinner rounded out the top 5.
Williams got off to a great start on the night by picking up the $100 BoydBilt Fabrication Fast Time Award with a lap time of 15.104 seconds. The top 8 qualifiers were locked into the Main Event with two KRC Power Steering Heat Races to contend and fill the remaining starting grid for the night’s 50 lap feature event. Oakley Johns would pilot his Stewart Farms/Johns Timber sponsored machine to the win in Heat Race 1, while Friday night’s winner Matt Cooper of McKenzie, TN just edged Chase Walls in a thriller for the win in Heat Race 2.
Williams and fellow outside front row starter Jadon Frame would lead the field to green in front of the enthusiastic crowd that roared with “thunder” as the Touring Stars embarked on the 50-lap affair. The caution lights would light up soon for the C66 car of Donald Johns whose evasive action while racing hard would bring him to a stop in the turn 4 infield. The ensuing “Dixie style” double file restart would put Williams out front with a determined Hanger on his back bumper. As the field began to sort out and search for racing room, Spencer Hughes and Matt Cooper were working feverishly back in the pack trying to work the top lane of the racetrack in and make their moves around the outside. With Williams setting a blistering pace he was able to establish a several car length lead on Hanger, but that would soon be erased as they would quickly be entering lapped traffic who were battling a race amongst themselves for position.
This setup what would be a showdown and chess match as Williams began to have to pick a lane to clear the tail end of the field, all while holding Hanger at bay. Hanger was able to pull alongside Williams and eclipse the leader to officially lead lap 10, but contact entering turn 1 and ultimately contact with an infield uke tire would inflict heavy damage on Hanger’s CVR Race Car brining the caution out and ending his night, which unfortunately handed him the Keyser Manufacturing Hard Luck Award.
On the ensuing restart, the buzz began to be that Williams had sustained some cosmetic damage in the hard racing and it appeared that his left front Hoosier Racing Tire might be going down. The field restarted and Williams did not let the possible tire issue hamper as he once again set a fast pace until the 1 machine of Jason Markewitz slowed and exited the speedway. During the caution period for Markewitz there was no longer a question as to if Williams left front was down, as it was obvious under yellow conditions that the tire was flat, but could it hold out to make it to lap 50?
Williams once again set his pace and didn’t appear to allow the left front to slow him from heading to victory lane. The yellow once again flew for the 05 of TJ Brittain as he slowed with trouble in turn 2 on lap 41. The cautions were not what Williams was wanting to see as he had clearly been the fastest car despite the left front damage, and caution periods only further damaged what was already done.
With 41 laps complete the field restarted single file with Williams remaining out front and still not looking as though anything would slow his chances at picking up the win. The caution lights lit for the final time on lap 47 for the 212 of Putnam in turn 4 setting up a three-lap dash to the finish. When the green flag dropped on the restart with Williams entering turn one, the left front damage appeared to rear its head after all the laps completed. Williams entered the corner and the tire had broken from the bead causing Williams to push way out of the groove allowing Knowles, who had worked his way into the second position from his seventh starting spot, to capitalize and take over the lead down the back straightaway. Johns and a host of others were able to take over Williams as he was fledgling and would finally limp home sixth at the checkered flag.
Knowles victory is his fourth of the year with the Durrence Layne Dirt Late Model Series and helped him regain the 10 points back that Cruz Skinner was able to make up on Friday night at Tennessee National Raceway. Knowles remains the point leader with a 54 point advantage over Skinner who is currently second and atop the Rookie of the Year standings with 7 events tentatively remaining on the 2019 Touring schedule.
The next event slated for the Durrence Layne Dirt Late Model Tour is the King of Crate Weekend at North Alabama Speedway in Tuscumbia, AL on October 3-5th. More information will be released regarding the event and it will be one you will not want to miss.
For more information about the Durrence Layne Dirt Late Model Series, please visit the official website at www.durrencelayneracing.com.
You can also follow Durrence Layne Racing on all your favorite social media outlets as well:
Facebook – Durrence Layne Racing
Twitter - @DurrenceLayneLM
Instagram – durrencelaynedirt
OFFICIAL RACE RESULTS FROM CAMDEN SPEEDWAY 9/21/19:
1. 66 – Jake Knowles
2. C6 – Oakley Johns
3. 11 – Spencer Hughes
4. F44 – Justin McRee
5. 11 – Cruz Skinner
6. 95 – Brandon Williams
7. 17Jr – Tyler Wood
8. K37 – Drew Kennedy
9. 14 – Wil Herrington
10. 17R – Brad Skinner
11. C66 – Donald Johns
12. 00 – Ben Garner
13. 05 – TJ Brittain
14. 19 – Marcus Minga
15. H17 – Steven Holcomb
16. 6H – Jimmy Halford
17. 4 – Joe Mike
18. 73 – Ashley Newman
19. 212 – Josh Putnam
20. 18 – Matt Cooper
21. 87 – Jake Rainey
22. 1 – Jason Markewitz
23. J8 – Jadon Frame
24. 25 – Chase Walls
25. 29 – Christian Hanger
BoydBilt Fabrication Qualifying Results
1. 95 – Brandon Williams 15.104
2. J8 – Jadon Frame 15.125
3. F44 – Justin McRee 15.128
4. 05 – TJ Brittain 15.153
5. 29 – Christian Hanger 15.173
6. 11 – Spencer Hughes 15.240
7. 66 – Jake Knowles 15.245
8. 11 – Cruz Skinner 15.299
9. 17Jr – Tyler Wood 15.303
10. 25 – Chase Walls 15.304
11. C6 – Oakley Johns 15.321
12. 18 – Matt Cooper 15.323
13. 87 – Jake Rainey 15.352
14. 212 – Josh Putnam 15.419
15. 73 – Ashley Newman 15.460
16. K37 – Drew Kennedy 15.470
17. 6H – Jimmy Halford 15.585
18. 17R – Brad Skinner 15.614
19. 1A – Levi Ashby 15.617
20. 00 – Ben Garner 15.654
21. 19 – Marcus Minga 15.724
22. 1 – Jason Markewitz 15.820
23. C66 – Donald Johns 15.836
24. 4 – Joe Mike 15.933
25. H17 – Steven Holcomb 15.953
26. 63W – Dennis Bush 16.283
27. 63 – Jeremy Greenway 16.334
28. 14 – Wil Herrington NT
KRC Power Steering Heat Race #1 Finish (Top 7 Transfer) – 1. C6 – Johns, 2. 87 – Rainey, 3. 17Jr – Wood, 4. 6H – Halford, 5. 19 – Minga, 6. 73 – Newman, 7. C66 – Johns, 8. H17 – Holcomb, 9. 63 – Greenway, 10. 1A - Ashby
KRC Power Steering Heat Race #2 Finish (Top 7 Transfer) – 1. 18 – Cooper, 2. 25 – Walls, 3. K37 – Kennedy, 4. 212 – Putnam, 5. 1 – Markewitz, 6. 14 – Herrington, 7. 00 – Garner, 8. 17R – Skinner, 9. 4 – Mike, 10. 63W – Bush
BoydBilt Fabrication Fast Time: Brandon Williams – 15.104
Provisionals: Holcomb and B. Skinner
Lead Changes: 2
Lap Leaders: Williams – 1-9; Hanger – 10; Williams – 11-47; Knowles 48-50
Cautions: 5
Margin of Victory: 0.092 seconds
Time of Race: 39 minutes, 27 seconds
Knowles Race Parts and Bodies Hard Charger: Brad Skinner (Started 24th finished 10th)
Cruise With the Champions Rookie of the Race: Cruz Skinner
FullMoon Graphics 7th Place Award: Tyler Wood
TireSkinz 8th Place Award: Drew Kennedy
Keyser Manufacturing Hard Luck Award: Christian Hanger
Top 10 in Durrence Layne DLMS National Points:
1. Jake Knowles – 1124
2. Cruz Skinner – 1070
3. Wil Herrington – 986
4. Oakley Johns – 970
5. Tyler Wood – 950
6. TJ Brittain – 936
7. Marcus Minga – 882
8. Jake Rainey – 866
9. Jadon Frame – 642
10. Donald Johns – 612
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