HAGERSTOWN, Md. – Greg Moore came from outside the top five within the closing laps to score his first Late Model Sportsman win at Hagerstown Speedway Saturday on Accent Imaging/The Trophy Shop Night.
The former Pure Stock driver from Defiance, Pa., started ninth, and only led the final two laps of 20 including the most important one.
Shawn Shoemaker took the lead from Paul Cursey at the start, while Cody Kershner put himself into position to challenge for the lead passing Cursey on lap four. A caution waved a lap later, moving Kershner alongside Shoemaker on the restart.
A few laps later, Kershner moved low under Shoemaker to take the lead, and stretched it into a four second advantage while navigating through traffic by lap 13. With just a few laps remaining, another caution was waved for Cursey, erasing Kershner’s lead.
Kershner picked the outside line on the restart, and held the lead over Shoemaker while Moore blasted around James Lichliter and Rodney Walls, then Shoemaker to move into the runner up spot.
Moore set his sights on Kershner, and then pulled alongside to just nip past the leader by inches at the white flag. Kershner made a last ditch effort to regain the lead with a slide job, but Moore was able to crossover and keep to lead to take the victory.
“I don’t know what to say, honestly. I knew going into the final turn, he (Kershner) was going to try that and I kind of had it planned to do a crossover on him, and man I can’t say enough about this car,” said an elated Moore after the race.
Kershner was followed by Shoemaker, Lichliter, and Walls.
Joey Zambotti is undefeated in Pure Stock competition at Hagerstown Speedway as he picked up his third checkered flag of the season.
The former motocross racer from Kitanning, Pa., started third, and powered underneath Travis Calhoun and Danny Atherton off of turn two to take the lead at the start of the 15 lap event.
Zambotti charged forward and never looked back as he stretched his lead, until a late caution gave the field shot to take the lead.
In the final three laps, defending track champion Doug Hoffman made a move from seventh to third in his bid to win, but fell short as Zambotti and Atherton led the way.
Following Zambotti, Atherton, and Hoffman to complete the top five were Calhoun and Wayne Hawbaker.
Kevin Thomas also repeated his win from last week in the 15 lap Hobby Stock feature event. Thomas took the lead away after a side-by-side battle with Billy Ecton Sr. at the halfway point, and survived a late race restart to drive away toward his second win of the year.
Ecton held on to second over his son, Billy Ecton Jr., in third, Jamie Mills in fourth, and Sam Caravello finishing fifth.
Chris Cogan made a late race pass of last week’s winner Jimmy Iser, and survived a one lap shootout to take the 15 lap feature win in LaSalle Sportsman Modified action.
Cameron Campbell snared second away from Iser at the finish. Matt Wallace and Andy Swope completed the top five.
Travis Brown became the third different U-Car winner in three events, taking the 12 lap feature win after a tight battle with Tim Raup, and last week’s winner Matt Worley in the top three positions. Opening night winner Robbie Carroll, and Matt Chronister rounded out the top five.