Brasfield Gets Controversial Win At Talladega!
It was a gorgeous, sunny late November afternoon in Lincoln Alabama as fans migrated through the turnstiles to see The JD Reyes Havoc Racing Motor Massacre 125. As the fans were being seated, they were being greeted by Count Chocula, Boo Berry and Franken Berry who were busy entertaining the children. The exited crowd began quieting down as Avenged Sevenfold’s “Hail To The King” began playing over the tracks sound system. It then kicked into high gear as P.A. Announcer Jim Whaley Jr delivered a hauntingly high octane set of Driver introductions. The drivers began to strap in and bring their cars to life one at a time. Once all the Festivities were done, the cars began rolling. The pace car ducked off into the pit as David Anderson in his Oakley Sunglasses sponsored Ford Mustang brought them to the line for the green flag.
{At this time, we regretfully inform you that due to technical difficulties beyond our control, the first 49 laps were lost in the broadcast and review. Again we apologize for any inconveniences!)
The field retakes the green on lap 50. The yellow waves again just as the field begins lap53. The #1 JEGS Toyota Camry of Robert Underwood in the high line comes down on the #77 Raybestos Mustang of Justin Anderson in the middle lane above the #5 of Ryan Campbell. Apparently Underwood’s spotter had a Stevie Wonder or Ray Charles moment, as they never saw Anderson, and Cleared Underwood to come down. There is no way Underwood would have made this move unless cleared by the spotter which we have been informed has just been slashed and replaced. This wreck also collected the #3 of Tim Fortner. Fortner would not be able to continue on. Anderson and Underwood would be able to continue, albeit completely mangled. Underwood would only manage a couple laps more.
Disaster struck as the 2nd “Big One” happened on the backstretch on lap 63. A few cars wiggled and contact sent cars flying everywhere. There was nowhere to hide for anyone other than the front 8. There were 14 cars collected in the carnage, many of who were done for the night. The green waved on lap 65 and the race resumed. The field was weaving back and forth from the turbulence, but the #38 Rigid Tools Chevrolet Camaro of Dennis Brasfield would continue to lead them. Out of turn 4 on lap 70, Dean Viney in the #071 G.A.C. sponsored Camaro decided he wanted a taste of the lead. Viney went from the 2nd lane and slid in front of the #38 of Brasfield. This only lasted until turn 1 when David Anderson powered the outside lane dragging the #025 of Gary Shenk with him into the lead.
The #68 of Teddy Wykle in his No Pants Racing Ford Mustang would slowly tow the outside line up to David Anderson. The race was pretty much uneventful until lap 74 when the field came upon the lapped car of Billy Rodenbarger. Terry Belanger in the #29 Belanger Signs & Graphics Camaro went high to get a hint of the draft. But in doing so, allowed James Tyler and Shane Gross to go low. Belanger tried to get back in front and came down into Tyler causing another massive pileup. At this point, the race was living up to Motor Massacre name. It was beginning to be a “Motor Mangled Cemetery.” The green flew on lap 80 with the #28 Havoline Mustang of Jason Allison leading the way. On lap 84 the #44 of David Anderson suffered an electrical outage leading. He managed to pull off without any harm and allowing Brasfield to once again take the lead.
At this point Wykle decided it was in his best interest to just stay tucked up behind Brasfield. The two would stay paired up. On lap 91 the lapped Vehicle of Terry Walters would get into the wall trying to stay out of the leader’s way. In doing so he would wind up collecting Tyler and the #88 of Jeff Dotson. On lap 96 Brasfield left Wykle hanging by dropping down to the inside. He later realized his mistake and moved back up to grab him and hook back up. Lap 99 sees the #84 Crown Royal Camaro of Len McNeese clip the apron and get loose. Viney has to react and in doing so gets into Shane Gross and Steven Mattocks.
The field led by Dennis Brasfield once again takes the green on lap 104. With only 21 laps to go it’s about to get dicey! Deciding it was time to try something different, Wykle goes to the high side and picks up Campbell. The two hook up and get by Brasfield to take the lead. Brasfield attempts to move up and try to grab the tandem. But in doing so misjudges the rate and gets freight trained on the bottom. Now stuck in the middle, he must wait to grab on to one of the lines. But which one? He waits for Wykle and Campbell to go by and grab their coat tails to try and alleviate some of the mistake. Two rows of 3 cars battle nose to tail. McNeese is towing the low line while Wykle pulls the outer line. For whatever reason Campbell pulls outside of Wykle making it 3-wide entering turn 1. Brasfield sees a hole and maneuvers inside tucking up to Wykle.
On lap 110, Viney bails on the low line and makes it a 4 car train on the high side. This just leaves McNeese and Allison alone on the bottom. Viney then drops back down and gives a major push to Allison and McNeese. This propels the low line forward. As the laps wind down, Wykle and Brasfield get a major surge and pull ahead of McNeese heading into turn 1. Entering turn 3 on lap 113, Campbell jumps out. McNeese, Viney and Allison jump out with him leaving Brasfield and Wykle all alone on the low side. Brasfield keeps looking to go in the middle to pass Wykle. But in doing so slows up the duo, allowing the outside line to pull ahead. With 9 to go Campbell drops low to pick up Wykle and Brasfield entering turn 3. In a bizarre move, Wykle jumps out going into turn 3 the following lap while coming to 7 to go. The move seems to have been made way too early.
Exiting turn 2 with 6 to go, Brasfield makes his move. He jumps up to the highline to hook back up with Wykle. With less than 5 to go Brasfield and Wykle drop down to the bottom entering 1. With 4 to go, Viney, McNeese and Allison make a concerted effort for one last run on the high side. Coming through the tri-oval Campbell sees Viney’s run. He goes up to hook up and catch them, but Viney has other ideas. Viney pulls low and leaves Campbell out to dry. McNeese gets loose allowing Viney to pull Campbell and Allison along the top for their last shot. Allison bails and drops low and falls in behind Wykle. With now 4 laps left Viney and Campbell will not go away. They methodically inch ever closer to the front. The Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles spotter syndrome rears its ugly head once again, which seemed to be a reoccurring theme this race, strikes one last time. With 3 laps left Brasfield sees the run Viney and Campbell have. In seeing that, Brasfield throws the block which anyone would expect or do in this situation. There’s only one problem. Brasfield wasn’t clear. In throwing the block he clips Viney’s frontend slowing him up. With nowhere to go or nothing he could do, Campbell gets into Viney who then gets turned into Allison and Wykle.
With being the only vehicle unscathed in the incident, Brasfield leads the ravaged field to the checkers under caution. Race event coordinator Terry Walters was not pleased with the ending saying “I don’t like how the race ended. But that is a by-product of plate racing!” R-n-J Motorsports owner Jim Whaley Jr who owns the #38 of Brasfield had this to say “I hate like hell that it ended how it did. That finish will taint his win. It’s a shame because he drove a hell of a race. But sometimes that’s how the checkers fall!” Well folks that will conclude the JD Reyes Havoc Racing Motor Massacre 125. We would like to thank G.A.C. Racing, as well as Early Bird Racing, and Sure Fire Racing! Also Terry Walters for putting this event on as well as Tim Fortner, Robert Underwood, Dean Viney and Jim Whaley Jr for moderating this event. Thank you all and Good night every bodyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!
