The Rappahannock YMCA Family Night at the Races featured twin showings for the Virginia Racers, Ucars, and Modifieds on July 23.
Clear skies were overhead all day at Dominion Raceway, and the green flag waved promptly at 7 pm for the first race of the Truckin Thunder Virginia Racer’s. Mike Ganoe started on the front row and lead the first 23 laps of the 35 lap event.
The #9 of Alex Brock held down the second position, but uncharacteristically did not have the same speed that had vaulted him to seven wins this season. Brock struggled with exit speed, which allowed Ganoe to pull away and the #21 of Reid Murphy to pass him 15 laps into the Race.
Murphy was the fastest in qualifying, but the invert saw him start further back in the field. Once he passed Brock, he set sights on Ganoe. The #21 hounded the leader for multiple laps including a side-by-side drag race down the back stretch before clearing Ganoe with twelve to Go. Murphy would pace those 12 green-flag laps, to earn his second win of the year at the high-banked ring of fire.
“[The car] felt really good, and super smooth,” said Murphy. “It was hooked up and helped me get by Brock and Ganoe clean.”
The unofficial top-5 for race 1 included:
1.) #21 Reid Murphy
2.) #82 Mike Ganoe
3.) #9 Alex Brock
4.) #1 Christian Kesterman
5.) #07 Richard Storm
The Modifieds and Virginia Modifieds took to the track together next. Kayla Surles and Mike Carte made up the field for the modifieds, while Shannon Marano, Josh Fowler, and Bubba Farmer raced for the Virginia Modifieds.
Surles rocketed out to the lead and never looked back; however Farmer lead the first five laps for his group before getting loose in turn 4 allowing Fowler and Marano to pass. The speed of Marano saw him give a bump to Fowler, and the #5 would give Marano a lane the next go-around. Marano would seize the opportunity with 15 to-go and take the checkered flag.
Surles would climb out of her car in victory lane, with a foam finger before her signature “Kayla Curtsy,” while Marano would use his victory lane interview to thank his new sponsor, Marion Brothers Logging.
The Jabs Construction Mini Cups took to the track for the second time this season and it was the #12 of Tyler Warriner who took the checkered flag. The race saw some 3-wide racing from Bryan Hager, Harley Hattan, and Tyler Roach, as well as a pass into the top-5 for Nate Thomas.
The unofficial top-5 for the mini cups included:
1.) #12 Tyler Warriner
2.) #11 Noah Matthews
3.) #33 Harley Hattan
4.) #00 Tyler Roach
5.) #7 Nate Thomas
After Warriner’s trip to victory lane, the Eagle Towing and Recovery Ucars took to the track for back-to-back 20 lap races. The first race started with #24 Stuart Walsh taking the green flag, and while he jumped out to the lead, contact from #18 Mike Chapman saw #1 Michael Frayser take them 3-wide across the stripe for an exciting first lap.
A lap later, the #55 of EJ Kenny would spin out bringing out the yellow. Another caution would fall on lap 4 when Ryleigh Frayser and Michelle Price got together collecting Kris Kurtz and Cameron Ruggles.Chapman and Jimmy Parker would start on the front row on the restart. The #1 of Frayser and #97 of James Garrett would pass Parker’s #28. Frayser would work his way back to the lead at the halfway point before another caution on lap 11. Chapman and Garrett would again assume the front row, while Frayser and Cameron Ruggles would make up row 2. Chapman would take the lead again, while Frayser would clear Garrett for second.
The #5 of Tanner Griffith, and Ruggles would pass Parker for 3rd, 4th, and 5th
place. Griffith and Ruggles would then clear Frayser in the late stages of the race, but the two were unable to work their way to the top spot. Chapman held off Griffith after battling hard in the final laps.
“That was the hardest I’ve worked behind the wheel in my life,” said Chapman. “ I blocked so many times in the last 15 laps. Everyone else was doing it, so I did it too.”
The unofficial top-5 finishers were:
1.) #18 Mike Chapman
2.) #5 Tanner Griffith
3.) #2 Cameron Ruggles
4.) #1 Michael Frayser
5.) #28 Jimmy Parker
After a 10-minute period for adjustments, the Ucar’s were back on track with an invert that reshuffled the first 11 positions. Junior Cardwell would start on the pole next to Ryleigh Frayser, who would assume the lead. The #97 of James Garrett, who finished 8th in the first race, would pass Kenny and Walsh for 2nd and 3rd on lap 7. Garrett would clear the #02 of Frayser at the halfway point.
A caution came out on lap 13 when the #55’s roof came up and the car stopped on track. The final restart saw Garrett line up to the point leader of Michael Frayser, but the #97 was able to hold off the #1 and a hard-charging #5 to earn the win in race two of the night. The victory was his second of the season.
The unofficial top-5 in race two included:
1.) #97 James Garrett
2.) #5 Tanner Griffith
3.) #1 Michael Frayser
4.) #18 Mike Chapman
5.) #2 Cameron Ruggles
The sixth race of the night was the second 35-lap contest for the Virginia Racers. Austin Dettor and Peyton Lee would start on the front row, and Dettor would pull away and lead the first 22 laps. Alex Brock would pass Lee for 4th and Richard Storm for 3rd, and then with 18 to-go he would clear Jason Pittman for 2nd.
Brock would pass Dettor on lap 22 for the lead and take home the win. Dettor would lose second place to Murphy, but he would hold off Ganoe for a third place finish.
“We had to work our butts off all day,” said Brock. “We came in today and were not where we needed to be. We used the first race as a test session, and we worked to get it right for this One.”
The win was Brock’s eighth of the campaign.
The Modifieds and Virginia Modifieds would wrap up the night’s action and it would see another dominant performance out of Kayla Surles and Shannon Marano.
Surles’ victory curtsy included a second foam finger, as she celebrated her sixth victory in six
tries this year. Marano’s win was his fifth.
Action returns to Dominion Raceway on Saturday July 29th for the Blake Morris Memorial Twin 72’s for the late models. Dominion Stocks, Legends, and Bandos will also race.
