By Jeff Bartlett
Prior to the race Saturday night, Peyton Sellers talked about his early season struggles at Dominion, but got things turned around getting the victory in both twin 60 lap feature races.
Peyton Sellers (26) Wins both Twins LMSC at Dominion Raceway
Dominion saw one of the largest and strongest fields this season with 22 drivers taking the green flag in feature one for the Geico of Fredericksburg Late Models. Sellers qualified and rolled off fourth in the first feature, but it only took 18 laps for him to assume the lead and he would not relinquish it. The field was bunched up twice after he took the lead thanks to cautions, but the driver from Danville, Virginia drove away each time leaving no question who the car to beat would be. Rounding out the top three were Sergio Pena and current points leader, Doug Barnes.
Doug Barnes (88), Landon Pembelton (0), Davey Callihan (41) and Sergio Pena (01) battle in the second LMSC race of the night at Dominion Raceway.
The second feature saw Sellers start eighth due to the mandatory eight car invert, but just like many times before, he meticulously picked his way through traffic and was back in the lead less than halfway through. Just like the first feature, cautions bunched up the field several times, but Sellers pulled away each time for his second checkered of the night. “It was definitely a blessing tonight. We struggled here a couple weeks ago”. Sellers said. “Tonight, everything just clicked off. We were very competitive in qualifying, didn’t get the invert, but we drove up and took the win in the first race, and to be able to get inverted back to eighth and come back to win tonight was amazing”. Rounding out the top three were Mason Bailey and Davey Callihan.
Richard Powers (57) races with Dan Rogers (33) in Dominion Stock action.
The Alcova Mortgage Dominion Stocks also had twin races Saturday night and Dan Rogers was going for his third and fourth consecutive victories of the season. Coming into Saturday night he has won every feature of the season and that trend continued in the first feature. Rogers qualified first but started fourth following the convert. He took over the lead from Gary Burke with four laps to go and won his third consecutive feature. Richard Powers was second, Carson Higgs third and Burke finished fourth.
In the second feature, Rogers had his work cut out for him following the mandatory invert. Todd Ruggles and Powers were on the point most of the race but a late caution, leading to a green, white, checkered finish shook things up. Following the restart with only two laps left, the lead pack came together on the back stretch taking out the top four cars and Burke was able to pick his way through the carnage and come across the stripe for his first win of the year. Barry Beebe and Rogers rounded out the top three.
Other classes in action Saturday night were the Alcova Mortgage UCAR division where Cameron Ruggles picked up his first win of the year with Mike Chapman and Michael Frayser rounding out the top three. In the Mini Cup division Tyler Warriner and Johnny Shonk ran side by side for 16 laps before making contact putting Shonk in the wall coming out of four on the last lap. Warriner took the win, Shonk second and John Hager third.
Saturday the 15th will have twin races for the Alcova Mortgage Modifieds, Truckin Thunder Virginia Racers and INEX Legend divisions, as well as features for the Alcova Mortgage UCARS and INEX Bandos. Gates open at five and green flag drops at seven.
