LAKE VIEW, S.C. – Jeff Robinson dominated Saturday night’s Rick Hendrick City Chevrolet Coastal Region 20-lapper to claim his first Sheetz Mid-East Modified Tour win at Lake View Motor Speedway.
The 40th Anniversary season at Lake View began under unusual circumstances with no fans in attendance due to South Carolina social distancing rules in the fight against the COVID-19 virus.
Robinson swept the quick qualifying time and a win in heat race one to start from the pole, while Landen Lewis took the win in heat race two to start second in the feature event.
When the green flag waved for the main event, Robinson took the lead over Lewis, while the rest of the 17 starters jockeyed for position behind them. After a caution for a spin, Case Daniels spun from fourth position on the restart in turn one, collecting Jeremy Steele, Kris Callahan, and Greg Cain.
On the next restart, Lewis was able to get the advantage over Robinson entering turn one to take the lead. Following a spin on lap four by Albert Brayfield and David Yehl in turn one, Lewis held the lead on the restart, but would spin and collect Jason Floyd. Robinson led the rest of the way to take the $1,000 win over Chris Stowe, A.J. Belanger, Dylan Lacey, and Lewis.
Jacob Owens made the tow from Tennessee count, dominating to claim the $750 win in the U.S. Legend car division.
The first caution of the night would wave over the 26-car field when Casey Traxler went for a spin in turn three. The first of two major cautions waved on lap 11, when Tristan Stephenson and Billy Gomez Jr. got into the front stretch wall, resulting in a brief fire on Stephenson’s car.
Then on lap 17, Kris East slowed on the front stretch and was tagged by Daniel Adam, sending both cars into the inside guardrail. Owens led every lap to score the win over Tim Neighbors, Ryan Shabram, Billy Workman Jr. and Eddie Daniels.
Thanks to several local sponsors, the winner’s purse for the SCDRA Sport Compacts was boosted to $700 to win and Derek Kemper was the benefactor as he would go on to claim the victory.
Polesitter Jerry Johnson Jr. led early, but his car lost power, handing the lead to Kemper. Racing hard for second, Ronnie Perritt and John Whisnant made contact while racing for second, sending Perritt down the track and into the path of Robert Pfouts exiting turn two. Pfouts car collided with Perritt, sending Pfouts hard into the pit entrance along with several other cars. Fortunately all the drivers were able to walk away.
Then contact between Bradley Cooper and Gary Dore turned Dore’s machine hard into the outside wall. Following Kemper at the finish were Richard Seals, Andrew Rabon, Calvin Miller, and Julio Cifuentes Jr.
Tom Lovett started from the pole and led every lap for the win in the Crate Racin’ USA Street Stock division. Ron Pope looked to have a strong mount, challenging Lovett for the lead on several occasions, but would fall from contention due to mechanical problems with four laps to go. Behind Lovett at the finish were Michael Butler, Joey Wilkes, Anthony Spivey, and defending track champion, Donald Williams.
Outside polesitter Morgan Johnson got the advantage on fast qualifier Donavan Jackson and led flag-to-flag for the Mod-Lite win. Unofficially, Johnson is only the second female to win at Lake View and the first since Josie Bullock won at the track in the 1980s.
Steve Dunn had a wild night running off the backstretch on lap eight, the going up on his roof in an accident in turn two on the restart. Following Johnson at the finish line were Jackson, Bo Bass, Teddy Williams, and Bladen Core.