GEORGETOWN, Del. – With late models taking center stage Thursday at Georgetown Speedway, Ross Robinson and Kyle Hardy shared the spotlight.
Robinson, a Georgetown native, picked up an emotional victory in the Stockley Materials-presented Mark ‘Coot’ Williams Memorial for super late models, leading all 26 laps in memory of the popular Delmarva competitor who passed away in October of 2018.
Robinson earned $3,026 from the purse, $676 in lap money from Atlantic Prime Mortgage and $150 as the Collins Landscaping Halfway Leader.
Hardy, meanwhile, was the best of a 48-car RUSH Late Model field, topping the Battle of the Bay 30-lap main for a $3,000 payday after a back-and-forth tussle mid-race with Max Blair.
Robinson started the 26-lap super late model main from the outside pole. He completed a cross-over pass of Blair in the first turn and took a lead he would never relinquish.
Hardy arrived in second position and saw his opportunity to challenge for victory on a lap-19, double-file restart.
Robinson, however, fired off the outside lane and paced the remaining seven circuits to collect the $3,852 top prize.
“’Coot’ was family,” Robinson told announcer Jeff Ahlum during the post-race interview. “I really wanted to win this one for him. It’s nice to win right here at home.”
Robinson credited his early season traveling, including a month in Florida during Speedweeks, for his success.
“I have to thank everyone who allows me to do this,” Robinson said. “They stayed behind me and didn’t let me get down on the bad nights. When you are in a position like I was in Florida with the best drivers in the country, it’s ‘sink or swim’ and you have to make it happen.”
Virginian Hardy settled for a second-place effort. Blair, who lost ground early after slipping wide in turn three, placed third, ahead of Jason Covert and Logan Zarin.
The $250 Adkins Law Firm Hard Charger Award was claimed by Zarin, while $50 Adkins Law Firm heat winners were Blair and Hardy.
Blair received $100 from Adkins Law Firm as the fast timer with a lap of 17.571 seconds.
After his runner-up finish in the super late model event, Hardy did one better in the RUSH Late Model 30-lap nightcap. But Hardy’s triumph did not come without a challenge.
Hardy led the event from the outset, but a hard-charging Blair emerged as a victory contender around the race’s mid-point. As Hardy’s pace slowed in lapped traffic, Blair pounced, sweeping to the lead on lap 19.
Moments after taking the top spot, the right-front corner of the nose piece on Blair’s No. 111 dug into the track and bent downward. Blair’s pace slowed and Hardy regained command on the 20th tour of the half-mile track.
Hardy powered away from the ailing Blair but had to survive one final scare when a caution set up a double-file restart on lap 29.
Hardy held on to win over Blair, who nursed his No. 111 home second. Kyle Lukon emerged in third after a final-lap scramble entering turn three. Donald Lingo Jr. and defending track champion Trevor Collins filled out the top five.
Heat winners for the 48 RUSH Late Models were Robinson, Blair, Hardy, John Waters, Lingo and Devin Brannon. The B-Mains were taken by Darrell Bossard, Derek Magee and Brandon Sturgis.
John Waters won the six-lap dash and the eight-lap non-qualifiers’ event to conclude the evening went to Cody Dawson.
Jamie Eicholz won a down-to-the-wire 12-lap Southern Delaware Vintage Modified main event and received a $120 cash bonus courtesy of Key Advisors Group. Kerry King, Harold Sylvester, C.J. Schirmer and John Burton trailed.
Robert Blann blasted through traffic to annex the 12-lap Southern Delaware Vintage Sportsman main. Blann received $120 extra from Residential Mortgage Service.
Terry Chaney, L.J. Walbert, Dave Schamp and Glen Lyons finished second through fifth, respectively.
Shane Clogg won a $500 cash prize in the 12-lap Delaware Super Truck headliner thanks to Benson Concrete. Nate Benson, Ryan Efford, Dick Beauchamp and Danny Cropper trailed.
Joe Waters dominated the Delmarva Charger 12-lap event and received $500 thanks to Benson Concrete. Kevin Taylor, Ashley Merritt, Chris Carroll and Jay Lowman filled out the front five.
The finishes:
Super Late Models: Ross Robinson, Kyle Hardy, Max Blair, Jason Covert, Logan Zarin, Amanda Robinson, David Dill, Rob Schirmer, Donald Lingo Jr., Danny Snyder, David Smith.
RUSH Late Models: Kyle Hardy, Max Blair, Kyle Lukon, Donald Lingo Jr., Trevor Collins, Logan Roberson, Austin Hubbard, Levi Crowl, Matt Glanden, Walker Arthur, Joe Martin, Derek Magee, Devin Brannon, Amanda Robinson, Nick Davis, Michael Duritsky, Jr., Joe Warren, Darrell Bossard, Brandon Sturgis, Jeremy Wonderling, Logan Zarin, Ben Scott, Ross Robinson, Cory Sines, John Waters.