EASLEY, S.C. - After seeing his finishes in the season opening twin Late Model Stock features at Greenville-Pickens Speedway lost in post race tech, Trey Gibson came back to the historic Easley, S.C. half-mile looking for redemption.
Mission accomplished.
Gibson scored the win in both 75-lap features on Saturday night, making twin trips to victory lane as a result.
The Late Model Stocks opened up the evening’s action, with 19 cars taking the green flag behind pole sitter Rodney Howard and outside pole starter Ryan Walker.
Fourth fastest qualifier RD Smith had a motor issue prior to the start and had to come to the pits, but not before leaking oil on the track, bringing out the caution to allow for cleanup.
Back under green, Walker moved to the lead, holding the top spot for the next 55 laps. Behind him, Howard ran second for the first 33 laps before a sway bar broke on his mount, eventually sending him to the garage. That allowed Chase Purdy and Dylan Hall to move to second and third.
Slower traffic ended up playing a significant role in the outcome, as Purdy used it to his advantage to pass Walker on lap 56. One lap later, Hall tried to make it four-wide with a daring move into turn one going between three other cars, but the move wasn’t successful as he spun out, bringing out the only yellow flag of the event.
That yellow was exactly what Gibson needed, as he rolled to the outside of leader Purdy and took the lead for good on lap 58. Purdy couldn’t stay with Gibson and had to settle for second. Walker finished third, with Anthony Alfredo fourth in his first late model start at the speedway. Hall rallied from the rear of the field to fifth.
In the second 75-lap Late Model Stock feature, the field was set according to the finish of the first race, putting Gibson and Purdy on the front row, with Walker and Alfredo making up row two
On the drop of the green, the cars made it through turns one and two but then much of the back half of the field came together on the back straightaway.
Among the cars with damage were Ralph Carnes, Lance Gatlin, Tasha Kummer, Rodney Howard, Will Burns, R.D. Smith, Tyler English, Neil Meredith, David Roberts and Don Morgan. All of those cars pitted. Greg Tinsley was also involved but restarted without pitting with minor front end damage.
No one was injured in the melee. Howard, Morgan English and Gatlin rejoined the race without losing a lap, as did Kummer. Carnes took over driving duties for Richard Starkey, who was not feeling well.
Gibson sped away on the restart and kept distance between himself and the field for the first 22 laps. He was his lead go away with the second caution of the race, when Don Morgan’s car shed some body parts on the front straightaway, drawing the yellow flag.
On the restart Gibson again pulled away, leaving the field to battle behind him. They swapped spots back and forth until lap 30 when Purdy moved solidly into second.
Gibson had an easy time of it until lap 62 when the caution flew for debris on the backstretch. But it mattered little as he would scamper away from the field over the final laps to sweep the night.
Howard, Landon Huffman, Anthony Alfredo and Hall rounded out the top five.
In other action, Bobby Emory brought the Renegade feature to green, and would lead wire-to-wire to score the victory. Larry Nabors finished in second, with Daniel Jameson in third, Parker Jameson in fourth and Brandon Ellison in fifth.
Freddy Hale and Ashley Granata led the Pure Stock feature from the front row, with Hale leading all the way to score the win in a race that went caution free. Granata held off Buck Simmons to take second, with Charlie Meinders in fourth and Spencer Morgan in fifth.
Ricky Stephens jumped out to the early lead in the Super Stock feature, but it was Tim Sams taking the lead near the halfway point. Sams would go on to score his second straight victory of the young season, with Travis Cox taking second, Stephens in third, Stanley Pressley in fourth and Adam Rogers in fifth.
Dannon Esco led from start to finish to score the 4-Cylinder victory, holding off Tommy Davis for the win. Chad Redding finished in third, with Travis Shelton in fourth and Don Tavernia in fifth.
Greenville-Pickens Speedway will hold the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East on Saturday, March 26, with the Renegades and 4-Cylinders also on the bill.
For more info, visit GreenvillePickens.com.
Greenville-Pickens Speedway – Easley, SC
Race Results – March 19, 2016
Late Model Stocks Race One
1. Trey Gibson
2. Chase Purdy
3. Ryan Walker
4. Anthony Alfredo
5. Dylan Hall
6. Landon Huffman
7. Randy Gentry
8. Lance Gatlin
9. Tyler English
10. Neil Meredith
11. Will Burns
12. David Roberts
13. Ralph Carnes
14. Tasha Kummer
15. Don Morgan
16. R.D. Smith
17. Rodney Howard
18. Richard Starkey
19. Greg Tinsley
Late Model Stocks Race Two
1. Trey Gibson
2. Rodney Howard
3. Landon Huffman
4. Anthony Alfredo
5. Dylan Hall
6. Chase Purdy
7. Ralph Carnes
8. Ryan Walker
9. Greg Tinsley
10. Lance Gatlin
11. Randy Gentry
12. Don Morgan
13. Tasha Kummer
14. Tyler English
15. Neil Meredith
16. David Roberts
17. R.D. Smith
18. Richard Starkey
19. Will Burns
4-Cylinders
1. Dannon Esco
2. Tommy Davis
3. Chad Redding
4. Travis Shelton
5. Don Tavernia
6. Scott Parker
7. Ray Mullinax
8. Chad Tavernia
9. Michael Cross
10. Derek Fowler
11. Manual Molleda
12. Neil Meeks
13. Tommy Davis, Sr.
14. Casey Finley
15. Travis Barbare
16. James Coggins
17. Brian Messer
18. Dennis Parham
19. Sandra Tavernia
20. Hunter Evans
Renegades
1. Bobby Emory
2. Larry Nabors
3. Daniel Jameson
4. Parker Jameson
5. Joe Allen
6. Brandon Ellison
Pure Stock
1. Freddie Hale
2. Ashley Granata
3. Buck Simmons
4. Charlie Meinders
5. Spencer Morgan
6. Hank Hutto
7. A.J. Davis
8. Dannon Esco
9. Zach Meinders
Super Stock
1. Tim Sams
2. Travis Cox
3. Ricky Stephens
4. Stanley Pressley
5. Adam Rogers
