Coverts Cruises to Super Late Model Victory

Jason Covert, of York Haven, PA, dominated the 35-lap Three State Flyer super late model feature event Saturday night at Natural Bridge Speedway.  Covert, who won earlier in the season at Hagerstown Speedway, became the first repeat winner for the series in 2010.  Piloting the Barry Klinedinst-owned Rocket Chassis, Covert picked up $3,000 for his efforts and extended his lead atop the Three State Flyer standings.  
Twenty-seven super late models signed into the pit area to do battle on the 3/8 mile dirt oval.  Three preliminary heat races took place to set the starting line-up for the feature event.  The top six drivers would qualify for the A-main, while the top two drivers would move into the Dash for Cash. 
Covert started deep in his heat race and used a last lap pass of Natural Bridge’s Timmy Stalnaker to claim the all important second position.  The pass qualified Covert for the Dash for Cash used to set the top six starting spots for the feature event.  The number 43A of Covert started fourth in the Dash and finished second.  The second place finish put Covert on the outside pole for the 35-lap feature.  The preliminary heat race winners were DJ Myers, Bo Feathers, and Gerald Davis.  DJ Myers also won the Dash for Cash.  J.T. Spence was victorious in the B-Main.
Covert jumped to the lead over DJ Myers at the drop of the green flag. Making his first ever visit to Natural Bridge Speedway, Covert looked as if he had raced there all his life.  His only challenge throughout the event would be lapped traffic as he began to encounter back markers after just 10 laps.  Covert masterfully worked lapped traffic to extend his lead lap after lap.  Though Covert was in a league of his own, the action behind him was fierce.

Competitors were two and three wide battling for position throughout the field. DJ Myers held down the second spot until lap 15 when Bo Feathers made his way around Myers.  Three laps later, Walker Arthur took over the third spot and started chasing down Feathers.  Arthur made a daring three wide move off of turn four late in the race and took over the second spot; however, a caution would wave and negate the pass.  Feathers would go on to finish second, and Arthur finished third.  Jimmy Bernhisel, who started ninth, rallied to claim fourth.  DJ Myers rounded out the top five.    

Clifton Mays served notice that he was ready to make a run at the sportsman track championship by winning the sportsman feature event over Eric Groah by the slim margin of 0.486 seconds.  Mays, the current point leader, passed Groah for the lead on lap 7 and looked as if he would go unchallenged the last 13 laps.  However, Mays’ car encountered handling problems late in the race, opening the door for Groah.  Groah was able to pull alongside Mays each lap coming off turn four, but Mays was able to hang on for the win. Groah finished second, followed by 13th place starter Ricky Fox, Timmy Mays, and Robert Steen. 

A stout field of street stocks was on hand to compete in the Don Pugh Invitational.  The fastest qualifier and last week’s winner, Michael Taylor, used a late race pass coming off turn two to claim the $400 winner’s check.  Lester Lyons used his front row starting spot to take the lead heading into turn one. Taylor started fourth and quickly jumped into the second position.  Lap after lap Taylor would challenge Lyons, often making contact, for the lead.  Lyons was able to keep Taylor in the rear view mirror for most of the race.  On lap 23, Taylor made his move coming off turn two and went on to claim his second straight street stock feature event.  Lyons held on for second, followed by Stephen Campbell, Bryan Kerns, and Josh Williams. 

It took just 10 laps for Justin Williams to work his way to the lead from his 7th starting spot in the pure stock feature event.  Williams claimed his second feature event in a row by a margin of 3.243 seconds over Ronnie Martin, Jr. Howard Hall lead the 20-lap feature event from the drop of the green flag with Martin flanking his back bumper lap after lap.  Williams steadily moved his way to the front.  Hall, Martin, and Williams battled for the lead through the middle stages of the event.  Williams took command of the race on lap 10 and never looked back.  Martin finally made his way around Hall for second on lap 17 but it was too little too late.  Hall crossed the line in third, followed by Lee Brooks in fourth, and Todd Garrett in fifth.

The point battles heat up this coming Saturday night at Natural Bridge Speedway.  The speedway will host a regular show for all divisions.  Also on tap this coming weekend will be the first bike races for the all kids 12 and under.  Gates will open at 4:00 p.m. with the driver’s meeting at 6:00 p.m., and hot laps beginning at 6:15 p.m.