By Gerald Harris
Photo by Keith Anderson
The SEST Limited Late Models made the trek up into Southwestern Virginia, in the hills of the coal mining town of Coeburn. Lonesome Pine Raceway, which was covered up with dirt and lasted only a short stint. The dirt was scraped up and cleaned off, new asphalt laid down in the turns. The series had three practice rounds, and in the first round it was the 2017 Southeast Super Stock Champion (which is now the Limited Late Model division) Ashton Higgins who laid down the fastest time of 16.533. Justin Southerlin, DJ Canipe rounded out the top three. The second practice round it was Zack Franks son of Junior Franks who set the fast time of 16.509, Higgins and Josh Goble rounded out the top three. The final round of practice it was Mart Nesbitt who was the fastest, Mart who was piloting his daughters car for the first time this year.
Mart Nesbitt claimed the Renegade Race Fuels Pole Award, Justin rolled a five on the invert dice for the feature race. Which now set Higgins starting the race in the top spot. As the City Chevrolet pace truck dove onto pit road, the field came to the green flag. Higgins and Goble paced the field side by side for the first lap, but it was Goble who led the first lap of the race by a nose. Goble pulled out in front of Higgins for four laps, until Higgins retook the lead. Ten laps into the race, Southerlin worked his way past Goble, bringing Canipe with him. The first caution flew as Nesbitt and Goble got together coming out of turn four, Goble spun around from the contact. Alan Rich and Mark Goin tried to avoid the stopped car and collided with the #65 Toyota Supra, this ended the race for all three drivers. After a lengthy red flag for the clean up, the field rolled off again.
Higgins took off once again when the green flag flew, the battle for fourth began to heat up as Franks pulled to the inside of Chris Phipps. The pair raced door to door for several laps until Franks was able to capitalize on it. The second caution flew on lap 44 as John Gallman went up in smoke, ending his night. Higgins led the field back to the green flag, Southerlin seemed to have missed a shift on the restart. Franks made his way past the #47 machine. Franks pulled to the inside of Higgins and they raced side by side, Franks was able to pull away and out front and into the lead. This brought a freight train of cars with him as Southerlin and Nesbitt worked their way past Higgins. Southerlin now set his sights on the #1 of Franks and they battled it out. Justin now found himself back out in front of the field just before the halfway mark of the race.
The third caution flew on lap 42 as Franks spun in turn four, Southerlin led the field back to the green flag. The fourth cation flew with just 9 laps remaining as smoke began to fly from the #92 machine of Mart Nesbitt ending his night. Southerlin once again paced the field back to the green flag for a nine lap shoot out. Ashton Higgins went on to capture the victory followed by Phipps, Canipe, Marvin Miller, and Nesbitt.
The series will make the trip back down to Anderson Motor Speedway this Saturday night. For more information you can visit our website www.southeastsupertrucks.com or our Social Media outlets. And don’t forget you can always watch every lap LIVE or On-Demand at www.sest.tv
Results
1. 9 Ashton Higgins
2. 37 Chris Phipps
3. 29 DJ Canipe
4. 41 Marvin Miller
5. 92 Mart Nesbitt
6. 54 Greg Bohanon
7. 1 Zack Franks
8. 81 John Gallman
9. 65 Josh Goble
10. 03 Alan Rich
11. 77 Mark Goin
12. 13 Richard Caldwell
13. 47 Justin Southerlin
Photo by Keith Anderson
The SEST Limited Late Models made the trek up into Southwestern Virginia, in the hills of the coal mining town of Coeburn. Lonesome Pine Raceway, which was covered up with dirt and lasted only a short stint. The dirt was scraped up and cleaned off, new asphalt laid down in the turns. The series had three practice rounds, and in the first round it was the 2017 Southeast Super Stock Champion (which is now the Limited Late Model division) Ashton Higgins who laid down the fastest time of 16.533. Justin Southerlin, DJ Canipe rounded out the top three. The second practice round it was Zack Franks son of Junior Franks who set the fast time of 16.509, Higgins and Josh Goble rounded out the top three. The final round of practice it was Mart Nesbitt who was the fastest, Mart who was piloting his daughters car for the first time this year.
Mart Nesbitt claimed the Renegade Race Fuels Pole Award, Justin rolled a five on the invert dice for the feature race. Which now set Higgins starting the race in the top spot. As the City Chevrolet pace truck dove onto pit road, the field came to the green flag. Higgins and Goble paced the field side by side for the first lap, but it was Goble who led the first lap of the race by a nose. Goble pulled out in front of Higgins for four laps, until Higgins retook the lead. Ten laps into the race, Southerlin worked his way past Goble, bringing Canipe with him. The first caution flew as Nesbitt and Goble got together coming out of turn four, Goble spun around from the contact. Alan Rich and Mark Goin tried to avoid the stopped car and collided with the #65 Toyota Supra, this ended the race for all three drivers. After a lengthy red flag for the clean up, the field rolled off again.
Higgins took off once again when the green flag flew, the battle for fourth began to heat up as Franks pulled to the inside of Chris Phipps. The pair raced door to door for several laps until Franks was able to capitalize on it. The second caution flew on lap 44 as John Gallman went up in smoke, ending his night. Higgins led the field back to the green flag, Southerlin seemed to have missed a shift on the restart. Franks made his way past the #47 machine. Franks pulled to the inside of Higgins and they raced side by side, Franks was able to pull away and out front and into the lead. This brought a freight train of cars with him as Southerlin and Nesbitt worked their way past Higgins. Southerlin now set his sights on the #1 of Franks and they battled it out. Justin now found himself back out in front of the field just before the halfway mark of the race.
The third caution flew on lap 42 as Franks spun in turn four, Southerlin led the field back to the green flag. The fourth cation flew with just 9 laps remaining as smoke began to fly from the #92 machine of Mart Nesbitt ending his night. Southerlin once again paced the field back to the green flag for a nine lap shoot out. Ashton Higgins went on to capture the victory followed by Phipps, Canipe, Marvin Miller, and Nesbitt.
The series will make the trip back down to Anderson Motor Speedway this Saturday night. For more information you can visit our website www.southeastsupertrucks.com or our Social Media outlets. And don’t forget you can always watch every lap LIVE or On-Demand at www.sest.tv
Results
1. 9 Ashton Higgins
2. 37 Chris Phipps
3. 29 DJ Canipe
4. 41 Marvin Miller
5. 92 Mart Nesbitt
6. 54 Greg Bohanon
7. 1 Zack Franks
8. 81 John Gallman
9. 65 Josh Goble
10. 03 Alan Rich
11. 77 Mark Goin
12. 13 Richard Caldwell
13. 47 Justin Southerlin