Daniel Hemric wins the Legends Million at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, NC. (HHP/Harold Hinson)

STAFF REPORTS

CONCORD, N.C. – Kannapolis, N.C., native Daniel Hemric won the inaugural Legends Million, the largest grassroots race in history, at Charlotte Motor Speedway, taking home an unprecedented $250,000 with the victory.

Leading the first 89 laps of the 100-lap A-Feature, it looked as if pole-sitter Doug Stevens was going to complete a perfect weekend by winning the Legends Million. Stevens was the fastest qualifier on Thursday, then led all 20 laps of his Friday heat race, securing the pole for Saturday’s main event.

Stevens was able to keep a hard-charging Hemric at bay for 51 laps by staying on the bottom of the race track, but with pressure from Hemric, Stevens’ car slid up the track going into Turn 1 on Lap 89. That small miscue was all Hemric needed to take over the lead with just 11 laps to go.

Stevens wasn’t ready to give up, riding Hemric’s bumper for next few laps, before Hemric’s machine pulled away by several car lengths.
Stevens held on to finish second, followed by Steven Cantrell, David Ragan and Tyler Green.

Hemric knew he had to be in the right place at the right time to make the move for the win.

“I knew the car was good enough to run with the best of them out there,” Hemric said. “He finally made a mistake. I didn’t expect him to. He never does. But he made that one little mistake and that’s all I needed.

“I wasn’t going to drive into him,” Hemric continued. “I tried to respect him and he definitely respected me. When he made that mistake it just opened the door. The car was just so good I was able to pull away.”
Hemric didn’t have immediate plans for the $250,000 he earned with the victory.

“I’m just glad I was able to bring home the win for the locals and glad to keep the money here in Charlotte,” he said.

Heavy rain and thunderstorms moved through the speedway area early in the evening, affecting some of the racing action, but moved out quickly enough for the Legends Million A-Feature drivers to compete on a dry racing surface.

While many drivers struggled to maintain grip on a wet race track, Sean Rayhall, from Winston, Ga., was dominant through the first three-quarters of the Semi-Pro/Young Lions A-Main. Rayhall led the first 37 laps of the race, when a caution came out for a spin by Kason Plott. During the restart, Rayhall spun his tires and second-place Brady Boswell took advantage of the misstep to assume the race lead.

However by Lap 46, Rayhall and Boswell found themselves in lapped traffic and Boswell made contact with one of the slower cars, allowing Rayhall to retake the lead and win the event. Rayhall’s car was fast all weekend, taking the victory in both the Semi-Pro/Young Lions and Legends Million heat races in which he was entered on Friday. By virtue of his victory, the 16-year-old Rayhall earned $25,000.

Dusty Summers finished second, followed by Brady Boswell, Gray Gaulding and Hunter Bledsoe.

Brian Sockwell, of Brown Summit, N.C., took home the victory in the Masters division A-Main with a dominating performance, leading 44 laps of the 50-lap event. Starting in the 11th position, Sockwell quickly made his way through the field, taking over the point position on the sixth lap.

Sockwell never looked back, lapping the majority of field en route to his $30,000-to-win victory.

The most intense battle on the track was between Brian Weimer and Jason Rochelle for the second position. The two traded spots for 17 laps until making contact in Turn 4 while racing to the checkered flag. The encounter sent Rochelle spinning into the infield grass, while Weimer held on to finish in second.

Will Cagle came home in the third spot, followed by Eddie Harwell, Rochelle and Ira Laughy.

Through the “Deal or No Deal” option, Semi-Pro/Young Lions division driver Gray Gaulding and Masters division driver Brian Sockwell gave up a portion of their A-Main winnings to start in the 31st and 32nd spots respectively in the Legends Million A-Feature. The only female driver in the

A-Feature, Kenzie Ruston, and NASCAR Daytona 500 winner, Geoff Bodine, started in the 33rd and 34th spots by virtue of two promoter’s choice provisionals.

The Bandolero Cars participated in the final round of the Bandolero Triple Crown, a three-night event with feature races in each of the three divisions: Bandolero Outlaws, Bandits and Beginner Bandits.
Bandolero Triple Crown champions included, John Holleman, of Winston-Salem, N.C., in the Bandolero Outlaws division; Clayton Weatherman, of Wentzville, Mo., in the Bandolero Bandits division; and Reed Hatchett, of Knoxville, Tenn., in the Bandolero Beginner Bandits division.

Saturday night’s Bandolero feature winners included Myatt Snider, of Charlotte, N.C., in the Bandolero Outlaws division; Clayton Weatherman, of Wentzville, Mo., in the Bandolero Bandits division; and Matt Craig, of Kannapolis, N.C., in the Bandolero Beginner Bandits division.

Legend Car and Bandolero racing continues Tuesday night, July 20, at Charlotte Motor Speedway, with the Kangaroo Express Summer Shootout Series.

Round seven of the 10-week series will be Double Points Night featuring school bus racing. Spectator gates open at 4:30 p.m.
For additional information or tickets to the Kangaroo Express Summer Shootout Series, contact the Charlotte Motor Speedway ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              1-800-455-FANS      end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              1-800-455-FANS begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              1-800-455-FANS      end_of_the_skype_highlighting      end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              1-800-455-FANS begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              1-800-455-FANS      end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              1-800-455-FANS begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              1-800-455-FANS      end_of_the_skype_highlighting      end_of_the_skype_highlighting      end_of_the_skype_highlighting (3267) or visit online at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com.

Unofficial results:

Legends Million A-Feature (100 laps): 1. Daniel Hemric; 2. Doug
Stevens; 3. Steven Cantrell; 4. David Ragan; 5. Tyler Green; 6. Chris
Dilbeck; 7. Justin Lloyd; 8. Nick Carey; 9. Kyle Plott; 10. Travis Braden;
11. John Freeman; 12. Kyle Beattie; 13. David Moyes; 14. Evan Swilling; 15.
Chad Finchum; 16. Zachary Hausler; 17. Jake Crum; 18. Dennis Lambert; 19.
Brian Sockwell; 20. John Sossoman; 21. Darrell Wallace; 22. Kyle Weatherman;
23. Harrison Rhodes; 24. Brady Boswell; 25. Justin Swilling; 26. Adam Gay;
27. Donny St. Ours; 28. Kenzie Ruston; 29. Kory Abbott; 30. Adam Burton; 31.
Gray Gaulding; 32. Geoff Bodine; 33. Sean Rayhall; 34. Samuel McAulay.

Masters A-Main (50 laps): 1. Brian Sockwell; 2. Brian Weimer; 3.
Will Cagle; 4. Eddie Harwell; 5. Jason Rochelle; 6. Ira Laughy; 7. Tom
Pistone; 8. Dennis White; 9. Jan Ingram; 10. David Denham; 11. John
Sossoman; 12. Tim Brockhouse; 13. Dave Gleason; 14. George Whitney; 15. Clay
Hair; 16. Buddy Goudy; 17. Billy Gomez; 18. Jeff Jordan; 19. Steve Pye; 20.
Gene Conley; 21. Kevin Foisy; 22. Scott Anderson; 23. Jamie Laine; 24.
Thomas Gray; 25. Skip Nichols; 26. Scott Moseley; 27. John Barilka; 28.
Jackie Ryan; 29. Hoyt Demis.

Semi-Pro/Young Lions A-Main (50 laps): 1. Sean Rayhall; 2. Dusty
Summers; 3. Brady Boswell; 4. Gray Gaulding; 5. Hunter Bledsoe; 6. Kyle
Hall; 7. Jake Knight; 8. Ryan Flores; 9. Austin Langenstein; 10. Mason
Massey; 11. Austin Leitner; 12. Spencer Boyd; 13. Jake Morris; 14. Luke
Demis; 15. Justin Carroll; 16. Corey Gordon; 17. Gregory Lang; 18. R.S.
Senter; 19. Josh Morris; 20. Mike Weed; 21. Timmy Hill; 22. Sean Shalvoy;
23. Justin Thomas; 24. Tyler Hill; 25. Kason Plott; 26. T.J. Michael; 27.
Brian Kolb; 28. Chase Catania; 29. Alex Pacheco; 30. Andrew Harrah.

Legends Million First B-Feature (25 laps): 1. Kyle Plott; 2. Travis
Braden; 3. Nick Pistone; 4. Ben Stancill; 5. Chad Hackenbracht; 6. Chase
Pistone; 7. Josh Williams; 8. Andrew Smith; 9. Josh Morris; 10. Brandon
McKenzie; 11. Sean Shalvoy; 12. Jeremy Wood; 13. Kyle Goodwin; 14. Donovan
Ponder; 15. Brandon Kent; 16. Ronny Freeland; 17. John Turnbull; 18. Bryce
Dulabhan; 19. Christopher Davis; 20. Jake Knight; 21 Warren Ropp.

Legends Million Second B-Feature (25 laps): 1. Jake Crum; 2. John
Freeman; 3. Christian Pahud; 4. Jake Morris 5. Kyle Rescoe; 6. Chance Rice;
7. Matthew Stover; 8. Davin Scites; 9. Cole Powell; 10. Josh Gilbert; 11.
Thomas Hartenveld Jr.; 12. Steven Abbey; 13. Donald McIntosh; 14. Derek
Shumaker; 15. Christopher Freeland; 16. Steven Keesee; 17. Geoff Bodine; 18.
Taylor Hull; 19. Michael Gervais Jr.; 20. Mike Alcaro; 21. Jerry Evans.
Did not start: Dave Riopelle; Zach Knowels; Eddie Harwell.

Legends Million Third B-Feature (25 laps): 1. Harrison Rhodes; 2.
Justin Lloyd; 3. Kenzie Ruston; 4. Beau Slocumb; 5. Duncan Molesworth; 6.
Kevin Henry; 7. Beau Hutchinson; 8. Scott Hensley; 9. Adam Welch; 10.
Stanley Yee Jr.; 11. Jimmy Hansen; 12. Jake Cole; 13. Clay Hair; 14. Dace
Johnson; 15. Brian Ouimette; 16. Brian McArdle; 17. Cody Logan; 18. Cole
Miktuk; 19. Mason Massey; 20. Aaron Moyer; 21. Billy Beachler; 22. James
Gilliland; 23. Drew Brown; 24. Kodi Sunley; 25. Marshall Beck.

Legends Million Fourth B-Feature (25 laps): 1. Kory Abbott; 2. John
Sossoman; 3. Brandon Thomson; 4. Michael Van Wingerden; 5. John Gottsacker;
6. Trevor Alspach; 7. Timmy Hill; 8. Will Prance; 9. Dennis Harry; 10. Tony
Flannery; 11. Jimmy Henderson; 12. Jason Palmer; 13. Eric Gunderson; 14.
Cody Haskins; 15. Gerald White; 16. James Dent; 17. Michael Kipp; 18.Thomas
Barton;19. Bayley Currey; 20. Ryan Gandee; 21. Tommy Pistone III; 22. Casey
Roderick; 23. Shaun Buffington; 24. Loren Short; 25. William Elmore.

Legends Million Fifth B-Feature (25 laps): 1. Adam Gay; 2. Donny St.
Ours; 3. Casey Smith; 4. Tyler Lester; 5. Jimmy Heavlow; 6. Jason
Richardson; 7. Steven Ross; 8. Brian Sockwell; 9. JC Umscheid; 10. Austin
Hill; 11. Michael Dabney Jr.; 12. Zac Kittle; 13. John Hilliker; 14. Ryan
Paul; 15. Gray Gaulding; 16. Zach Weaver; 17. Chrissy Wallace; 18. Chris
Reid; 19. Rick Wells; 20. Scott Moseley; 21. Kyle Lovejoy; 22. Eric King;
23. Sean Glennon.
Did not start: Michael Kelley; Jordan Anderson.

Masters First B-Feature (25 laps): 1. Jamie Lane; 2. Jan Ingram; 3.
Chris Freeland; 4. John Barilka; 5. Dave Gleason; 6. Thomas Gray; 7. Rick
Wetmore; 8. Bert De Heus; 9. Doug Dugger; 10. Darrell Holmes; 11. Darrell
Buckingham; 12. Grant McDonald; 13. Spike Schultze; 14. Ronnie Poley; 15.
Marty Griffin; 16. Jamie Smith; 17. Ronald Mander; 18. Lynn Wiles; 19. Gene
Traxler.

Masters Second B-Feature (25 laps): 1. Ira Laughy; 2. George
Whitney; 3. Jackie Ryan; 4. Scott Anderson; 5. Steve Pye; 6. Jimmy Gurley;
7. Randy Gunton; 8. Bruce Silver; 9. Cees Visser; 10. Robert Merino; 11.
Warren Ropp; 12. Brian Tinker; 13. Phillip Young; 14. Richard Vredenburg;
15. Eric Hipkins; 16. Terry Myers; 17. Tony Miller; 18. Jeff Haynie; 19.
Greg Erhardt; 20. Brad Green.

Semi-Pro/Young Lions First B-Feature (15 laps): 1. Hunter Bledsoe;
2. Austin Langenstein; 3. Gray Gaulding; 4. Josh Morris; 5. Jake Morris; 6.
Robert Kuczmarski; 7. Brandon Brakeleer; 8. Andrew Sciranko; 9. Joe Pike;
10. Austen Duncan; 11. Sean Sheehan; 12. Trent Miley; 13. Zach Knowles; 14.
Franklin Furtrell; 15. CJ Hulsey; 16. Cody Logan; 17. James Bergdahl; 18.
Chandler Levan; 19. Benjamin Rhoades; 20. Brett Semeniuk; 21. Kenny
VanWinckle; 22. Raven Schrantz; 23. Loren Short; 24. David Hudson; 25. John
Cain; 26. Cory Krasel; 27. Dace Johnson; 28. Trent Norris; 29. Antonio
Cardenas; 30. Kevin Donhaue; 31. Zach Alspach; 32. Daniel Ivaska.

Semi-Pro/Young Lions Second B-Feature (20 laps): 1. Luke Demis; 2.
Dusty Summers; 3. Corey Gordon; 4. Brian Kolb; 5. Justin Thomas; 6. Anderson
Bowen; 7. Ryan Luza; 8. David Garbo; 9. Chris Young; 10. Jake Perkins; 11.
Jordan Coker; 12. Matthew Cardenas; 13. Chris Lishamer; 14. J Alston; 15.
Brandon Kent; 16. Jake Spiller; 17. Derek Marquardt; 18. Tyler Goodwin; 19.
Ralph Bergdahl; 20. William Cunningham; 21. Tyler Castle; 22. Allen
Fuesting; 23. Angela Donahue; 24. Chris Coker; 25. Shon Johnson; 26. Dustin
Sword; 27. Anna Lisa Smith; 28. Matt Evans; 29. Jeffrey Goodale; 30. Andrea
Hans; 31. Hayden Woods.

Bandolero Outlaws Feature (15 laps): 1. Myatt Snider; 2. Clayton
Green; 3. Ben Klatt; 4. John Holleman; 5. Parker Barnes; 6. Joshua Plummer;
7. Ryan Shattuck; 8. Craig Biryla; 9. Jeffrey Stanton; 10. Walker Yates; 11.
Tyler Janocha; 12. Reid Wilson; 13. Riley Halverson; 14. Coty Hartson; 15.
Matthew Linker; 16. Ryan Mackintosh; 17. Dillon Brown.

Bandolero Bandits Feature (15 laps): 1. Clayton Weatherman; 2. Derek
Sobel; 3. Carson Ferguson; 4. Trevor Collins; 5. Garrett Biggers; 6. Kaz
Grala; 7. Jeffrey Abbey; 8. Kyle Donahue; 9. Chase Hawkins; 10. Max Evans;
11. Reese Chase; 12. Kodie Conner; 13. Joe Wilder; 14. Payton Ryan.

Bandolero Beginner Bandits Feature (15 laps): 1. Matt Craig; 2. Tate
Fogleman; 3. Reed Hatchett; 4. Stefan Parsons; 5. Banks Johnson; 6. John
Kuczmarski; 7. Trevor Hawkins; 8. Dawson Cram; 9. Dalton Brown; 10. John
Counsell; 11. Sprout Royal; 12. Jacob Hefner; 13. Scott Joy.