Dennis "Rambo" Franklin of Gaffney, South Carolina took his 24th all-time Carolina Clash victory with his second win at the Skyler Trull Memorial Race at the Carolina Speedway in Gastonia, NC on Saturday night, March 9, 2013. Franklin, who finished third at the Cherokee Speedway March Madness the week before, started from the inside front row, after pole sitter Tim Allen chose to start the race on the outside. Typically, the outside line on the initial start of the race is the preferred lane. However, the racing surface was super fast on the inside lane and did not allow for Allen to get the momentum he needed from the outside groove on the opening start. Rambo bolted into the lead off turn two and set the cruise control en route to a $5,000 payday. Franklin led the first six laps of the race unchallenged from any competitor in the 22 car field.
The first caution of the race was thrown with three cars tangled near the end of the field in turn four. After the restart was waived off, the second attempt resulted in a four-car pile up in turns one and two, taking out Randy Harmon in the #51 racecar. Robbie Bailey was also taken out in the accident. Kyle Pierce and Joe Krelich from Pennsylvania were also involved and retired from the event. The race resumed in a single-file row with Dennis Franklin leading Tim Allen and Luke Roffers, Ross Bailes and Casey Roberts. From that point forward, the top five would keep the same order over the remainder of the event. Franklin would never miss his line and each lap he would maintain a similar margin over second.
Franklin would contend with the tail-end of the field around the half-way point of the race, but was able to maneuver through unscathed. Caution would fly again on lap 21 when Brian Ledbetter spun around in turn four. The one car spin did not claim any other casualties and the race resumed as the field neared halfway.
On lap 32, David Yandle spun around just as the leader was entering turn three. Yandle was able to continue in the race and eventually claimed the Safety-Kleen "Hard Charger of the Race" award for finishing 13th from his 21st place starting spot. For that award, Yandle, who mainly races in the steel head late model divisions at Carolina Speedway, was presented with four new American Racer racing tires. The Trull family presented the tires in memory of Mr. Dave Mateer, who recently passed away. Mateer was an integral member of the American Racer Tire Company.
Over the off-season, the Carolina Clash merged with the Battle of the Eastern All Stars Tour (BEAST) series, which utilized the Hoosier racing tire. The Skyler Trull Memorial also secured sponsorship for four new Hoosier racing tires, two for the 13th place qualifier and the 13th place finisher, in honor of the 13th annual running of the event. Doug Sanders picked up the first two tires for qualifying 13th. Yandle also cashed in the Hoosier tires for his 13th place finish, resulting in him winning six new racing tires for the event. Congratulations go out to David Yandle, the former track champion at Carolina Speedway and Lancaster Speedway in Limited Late Model.
After the restart on lap 32, it was business as usual for Rambo, picking up where he left off before the yellow was displayed. Ross Bailes did make one attempt at a pass on Luke Roffers, but quickly fell back into fourth, holding off Casey Roberts. Chip Brindle of Chatsworth, Georgia was making his first start with Carolina Clash in 2013 and was running sixth over most of the remainder of the event.
Two-time race winner Chris Ferguson was fielding a new car for the event, the #21 racer, and had trouble just after halfway and retired from the event. Another two-time winner Ricky Weeks managed an eighth-place finish. Carolina Clash rookie Damon Kotke scratched out a ninth place finish. Kotke, from Louisburg, NC, who normally runs steel-head late models in and around eastern North Carolina tracks, expressed that he would be a semi-regular on the tour in 2013.
On lap 48, as the leaders were coming off turn two, 10th place finisher Doug Sanders spun in the fourth corner and put the field under caution one final time, setting up a green-white-checkered finish. After the final two flags, Rambo captured his second Skyler Trull Memorial victory and an emotional victory lane interview capped off a very successful event for the AES Racing #2 team.
Prior to the event, Mike Alvarez of Roush Yates Performance Products and JE Pistons announced a new incentive for teams racing with the Carolina Clash. If any race team spends $2500 at Roush Yates, then they will be entered for a chance to win a $5,000 shopping spree at the 122 Knob Hill Rd. Mooresville, NC facility.
The series will move to Fayetteville Motor Speedway on March 23, 2013 for the second race of the season. This will be the annual Ed Gibbons Memorial Race, where the series and FMS will honor the memory of a former series and track champion.
The Carolina Clash Series is sponsored by:
JE Pistons, NCPR, sormance, Union eastern Nroth t Cup Martinsville weekend. community of Madison, just off US Highway 311 to Roush Yates Performance Products, Stock Car Steel & Aluminum/SRI, American Racer, Hoosier, VP Racing Fuels, Safety Kleen, Lincoln Electric, Collins Signs & Trophies, XS Power Racing Batteries, Heintz Brothers Performance, Performance Tees, Thomas Clarke Performance Web Designs, The Carolina Auto Racing Show (CARS), NASCAR Technical Institute, Racing Electronics, Lee Furniture Company, Rock Auto.com
Carolina Clash Race #1 - Skyler Trull Memorial - Carolina Speedway, Gastonia, NC
March 9, 2013
- 1. #2 - Dennis "Rambo" Franklin Gaffney, SC
- 2. #17A - Tim Allen Kannapolis, NC
- 3. #21 - Luke Roffers Concord, NC
- 4. #B4 - Ross Bailes Clover, SC
- 5. #101 - Casey Roberts Toccoa, GA
- 6. #5 - Chip Brindle Chatsworth, GA
- 7. #09 - Johnny Pursley Clover, SC
- 8. #1W - Ricky Weeks Rutherfordton, NC
- 9. #02 - Damon Kotke Louisburg, NC
- 10. #42 - Doug Sanders Springwood, NC
- 11. #08 - Michael Marlowe Nichols, SC
- 12. #07 - Brian Ledbetter Dallas, NC
- 13. #34 - David Yandle Monroe, NC
- 14. #17G - Mike Gault Gaffney, SC
- 15. #51 - Dustin Mitchell Wilson, NC
- 16. #21 - Chris Ferguson Mt. Holly, NC
- 17. #1H - Wayne Hughes Flat Top, WV
- 18. #9 - John Pursley Clover, SC
- 19. #281 - Kyle Pierce Statesville, NC
- 20. #75K - Joe Krelich Carmichaels, PA
- 21. #72 - Robbie Bailey Gastonia, NC
- 22. #51H - Randy Harmon Galax, VA
Did Not Start - #F5 Richard Clew
Heintz Performance Fastest Qualifier: Tim Allen - Lap Time: 15.750
Lap leader: Dennis Franklin 1 - 50
Cautions: 6 |
Dennis Franklin Wins Second Skyler Trull Memorial Race at Carolina Clash 2013 Season Opener 
