Berry Grabs Victory For JR Motorsports & Danny Edwards Jr. Returns To Victory Lane At Langley Speedway
Hampton, VA – While the Hampton Heat 200 is still six weeks away, the on-track action at Langley Speedway can’t get much hotter — and the drivers proved it again on Saturday night.
Preparations for the $10,000 to win Late Model Stock race brought talent from as far as California to the four-tenths mile bullring, all with hopes to get dialed in for the big race at the end of July. JR Motorsports drivers Josh Berry and William Byron made debuts at Langley along with Rev Racing’s Natalie Decker and Collin Cabre, as well as Lee Pulliam Performance pilot Dalton Sargeant.
Tyler Hughes grabbed the pole after leading the way in one of the practice sessions. With track temperatures reaching 130 degrees, the track was tough to grasp during practice and qualifying. On top of that, isolated downpours washed out the rubber on the track, meaning that as the sun went down, tempers quickly began to flare.
On lap three of the first late model stock main, points leader and five-time 2015 winner Greg Edwards was spun into the wall, hurting both the car (badly) and driver. While the team was preparing the backup, Edwards was being treated for a hurting wrist.
On the other side of the incident was Brenden “Butterbean” Queen, the track’s 2013 Rookie of the Year.
“I saw him come down into [Connor Hall] and [Connor Hall] moved him and when I got beside him it’s like he thought he was clear but I was inside of him,” Queen explained. “[I] hate it happened but I just held my line.”
Following the early caution, Josh Berry worked his way to the front and didn’t look back. Two cautions toward the end of the race caused Berry to fight hard on restarts, but the JRM driver ultimately led the rest of the way to win his first race at Langley in his first start.
“I hate to see [Greg] get caught up in a wreck,” said Berry in victory lane. “[Greg] is really good here. It’s great to get a win here at Langley; I had a lot of fun in that one.”
Meanwhile, the two leading track Rookie of the Year contenders, Cameron Bowen and Macy Causey, got together on track. While pitting to make adjustments, Bowen dropped his window net and showed his displeasure with Causey’s team.
“I tried to let [Causey] go around and she just gave me a bump. I don’t know what’s up with that,” Bowen explained. “It is what it is.”
Despite the loose racecar, Bowen only lost two points to Causey in the RoY battle during the first race
Causey elected not to comment on the altercation.
While 20 cars started the first race, only 16 would start the second of the twins. The No. 97 of Greg Edwards was forced into his backup, which was driven as a start and park by Justin Carroll in the first race. Carroll did not bring his Late Model last night, putting his efforts towards next week’s K&N Pro Series race.
The No. 08 of Mike Weddell and No. 77 of Bruce Livingston did not start the second race, nor did the No. 4 of Natalie Decker, who suffered from heat stroke following the first race.
Berry was on pole for the second race by virtue of winning the first, but was passed by Danny Edwards early. The second race didn’t have as much drama until Casey Wyatt and Queen got together exiting turn four.
“[Casey] washed up into me and thinks it’s my fault,” Queen explained.
Edwards held on following the final restart and grabbed the checkered flag ahead of Berry, a reversal of the first race earlier in the night.. Starting from the back in his backup, Danny’s brother Greg finished third.
“Rev. Potter has been holding this water bottle for three years for me! It’s great to be back!” Danny said enthusiastically.
All but one of the sixteen drivers who took the green in the second race finished on the lead lap. Matt Waltz pulled off on lap 44 as a result of rear end issues.
Next Saturday, the K&N Pro Series East comes to Langley Speedway for the Visit Hampton 175, which will feature five drivers from Saturday night’s Late Model action (Collin Cabre, William Byron, Dalton Sargeant, Justin Carroll and Tyler Hughes).
RESULTS: NASCAR Whelen All-American Series; Langley Speedway; June 13, 2015
Late Model Stock Car Race One
- Josh Berry
- Danny Edwards Jr.
- Tyler Hughes
- Matt Waltz
- Mark Wertz
- Connor Hall
- Brenden Queen
- William Byron
- Dalton Sargeant
- Collin Cabre
- Natalie Decker
- Michael Hardin
- Terry Carroll
- Macy Causey
- Bruce Livington
- Cameron Bowen
- Casey Wyatt
- Mike Weddell
- Greg Edwards
- Justin Carroll
Late Model Stock Car Race Two
- Danny Edwards Jr.
- Josh Berry
- Greg Edwards
- Brenden Queen
- Mark Wertz
- Tyler Hughes
- Connor Hall
- Dalton Sargeant
- Collin Cabre
- Casey Wyatt
- Terry Carroll
- Michael Hardin
- Cameron Bowen
- Macy Causey
- William Byron
- Matt Waltz
By: Charlie Alexander
King Charles Photography
