Photo Credit: Ashley McCubbin
The 2014 season for the Super Stocks has been dominated by three drivers – Randy Rusnell, Lane Zardo and Cayden Lapcevich. With two of the three suffering motor issues, it’d open the door for a new winner to reach victory lane. Matt Bentley would answer the call as he held off Paul Geniole Jr. on multiple green-white-checekereds to score his first victory of 2014 in his new chassis that he debuted this year.
The night started off with Dan Archibald winning the first heat ahead of Mike Weeda, Johnny Morrison, Lapcevich, Bentley, Chris Howse, Nick Tooley, Steve Cashmore and Adam Martin.
Rusnell would win the second heat ahead of Paul Geniole Jr., Dennis Cybalski, Tyler Liscum, Brandon Chamberlain and Coltin Everingham. Unfortunately, this heat didn’t go as Zardo would’ve hoped, as he’d blow the motor up on the opening lap. As his No. 46 Royal Purple/Holmes Foundation Chevrolet was taken to the pits, the crew immediately got to work in changing the motor to have him out for the feature later that night.
Rusnell would go for the daily double in winning the Dash for Cash ahead of Archibald, Weeda, Geniole Jr., Lapcevich, Morrison, Cybalski, Liscum, Howse and Everingham.
Come feature time, Nick Tooley would get the pole in his No. 82 X-Copper, The Playdium Store, Davidson Tailers, Simcoe Mobile Wash Ford in the Frisbee re-draw. Zardo would draw second and his Zardo Racing team worked hard, getting him out on track as the field was under their pace laps. Morrison would draw third, followed by Rusnell, Everingham, Archibald, Weeda, Howse, Geniole Jr., Cashmore, Bentley, Chamberlain, Martin, Lapcevich, Cybalski and Liscum.
Zardo would get a decent start alongside Tooley, though slowed up and drifted up the track, bringing his Monte Carlo to the infield. Though at the same time, Chamberlain would spin, drawing the caution. Under caution, Rusnell would come down pit road with mechanical issues under the hood. While the two-defending-champion team worked at fixing their problem, Zardo returned to the track, believing that his problem was fixed.
The second attempt at starting the race would go good for everyone – except Zardo – who was focused to pull off as a result of more problems at lap four. It was discovered that while changing the motor, the team had left the fuel line clamped.
On track, though, Tooley would lead for a bit, though Morriw would pass by him to take over the lead shortly thereafter in his No. 83 Freddie’s Damn Good Fries, Northern Sons, Radical Rods & Rides, Hot Spot Auto Parts UCA Branding Super Stock. Morrison continued to lead as behind him, Tooley drifted back some spots with Archibald and Bentley finding their way through the field. They’d be brought to Morrison’s bumper at lap 12 when Martin would send Liscum for a spin. With 38 laps to go, Morrison led Archibald, Bentley, Geniole Jr., Lapcevich, Cashmore, Howse, Cybalski, Tooley, Weeda, Everingham, Martin and Liscum. Rusnell would use the caution as an opportunity to return to the track, 12 laps down. Zardo then also returned, though eight laps down.
Morrison would get a good restart to stay ahead as Archibald tried to get by, but was unable to. Instead, Archibald would slip back to third as Bentley was able to find his way by. Lapcevich and Geniole Jr. battled for the final spots within the top five as the caution flew at lap 16 for Chamberlain spinning once again. With 34 laps to go, Morrison led Bentley, Archibald, Lapcevich, Geniole Jr., Howse, Cashmore, Cybalski, Tooley, Everingham, Liscum, Chamberlain, Zardo and Rusnell.
Bentley would use the restart to his advantage as he’d grab the lead in his No. 21 ride before the caution flew at lap 18 for Everingham spinning. So now with 32 laps to go, Bentley led Morrison, Lapcevich, Archibald, Geniole Jr., Howse, Cashmore, Cybalski, Tooley, Liscum, Chamberlain, Everingham, Zardo and Rusnell.
Bentley would get a good restart, keeping his advantage ahead of Morrison while Lapcevich and Archibald would come together off of corner four. This would allow Geniole Jr., Howse and Cashmore to get by. Though at the front, Morrison would get back alongside Bentley, drawing barely ahead to be scored as the leader as the fifth caution would fly at lap 21 for Chamberlain spinning, again. Chamberlain would then be sent packing for the night under the three strikes rule. So with 19 laps to go, Morrison led once again ahead of Bentley, Geniole Jr., Howse, Lapcevich, Cashmore, Archibald, Cybalski, Tooley, Liscum, Everingham, Chamberlain, Martin (-2), Zardo (-8) and Rusnell (-12).
The restart brought forth a continued battle for the lead as Bentley grabbed the advantage once again ahead of Morrison. Morrison would then fall back, first being passed by Geniole Jr. for second, as the handling began to go away. Lapcevich and Archibald began work their way back up to where they were before. The pair would get back to third and fourth, respectively, with a couple laps to go, continuing to shuffle back Morrison. Bentley, meanwhile, was focused on winning. He’d see the white flag and come around for the checkered – only to find a caution as Howse and Martin got together in turn four, with Howse going for the spin. With two laps to go, Bentley led Geniole Jr., Lapcevich, Archibald, Morrison, Cashmore, Liscum, Cybalski, Tooley, Everingham, Howse, Martin, Chamberlain, Zardo and Rusnell.
The first attempt at a restart would result in a debris caution as Tooley’s hood broke, with 3/.4 of it flying towards the frontstretch/turn one fence. No worries, though, as it did not go over the fence.
The second attempt at a restart – no better – as it’d be time for the eighth caution. Howse would get sideways down the frontstretch going into turn one, spinning around. In the process behind him, Everingham and Martin would get collected and damaged, with Martin done for the night with heavy front end damage.
The third attempt – officials went for the single-file restart, just wanting to get the final two laps in the books and the feature finished. The approach worked as Matt Bentley would hold off Paul Geniole Jr.’s final charge to pick up the victory. Cayden Lapcevich gained valuable points in finishing third, followed by Dan Archibald, Johnny Morrison, Steve Cashmore, Tyler Liscum, Nick Tooley, Dennis Cybalski, Paul Howse, Coltin Everingham, Adam Martin, Lane Zardo, Brandon Chamberlain and Randy Rusnell.
