2021 – Page 4 – Missed Gear

SMART Modifieds at Franklin County

May 10, 2021January 20, 2026 Missed Gear

The folks behind Moonshine Capital Promotions have been busy at Franklin County Speedway. Circumstances allowed some profile events slide into the Callaway hills in 2020 and pushed some momentum into 2021.

The SMART Modified Tour ran the little 3/8 mile oval on Saturday, May 8. This little place has survived controversy and, at times, a bit of ridicule. However, history is being put in the mirrors with successful and popular events being hosted. Following the Modified race returns and the popular CARS Tour in 2020, The SMART Tour came in with a lot of promise.

Fan response seems to show real support for the efforts at Franklin County. Modifieds on small tracks ia always a fun watch. The SMART Tour also has NASCAR Hall of Fame and Cup Champion, Bobby Labonte, as a series regular. Current NASCAR Cup driver, (JTG Racing #37) Ryan Preece is also on for most, if not all, including Franklin County.

Popular regulars from Eastern and Southern Modifieds are also on the tour to make a great show on their short track schedule. For added fun, Franklin County ran Stock-4, Mini Stocks and an “Any Car” race.

The main event, the Kenny Minter Classic presented by Hannabass & Rowe Collision Center and Smart Chevrolet, went off as expected. There were lead changes, some spins, some hits and broken attrition. In other words… Good racing “Modified” style!

Brian Lofton and Burt Myers were on the front row at the start, followed by Bobby Labonte and Jason Myers with Chuck Hossfeld and Ryan Prece in row 3. Six more rows of drivers ready to challenge for 110 laps were also throttled up for the green.

As the Minter Classic approached the last 20 laps the intensity began taking its toll. The #2 with Preece and the #07 with Dennis Holden spun or touched or clashed or did something in, or around turn 3 (we were in turns 1 and 2… so not sure… but…) and both were brought to the pits with front wheels missing or badly bent into grotesque artwork.

The last 10 laps had two…? Three…? Restarts… To cover, let’s just say “multiple”…

Labonte, Burt Myers and James Civali were racing hard up front and pushed or touched which resulted in Labonte going from contention to several cars back. Myers and Civali also battled on the restarts which allowed John Smith in the #24 to take the lead on the final lap and across the checkers.

Top Five: John Smith, James Civali, Jason Myers, Frank Fleming, Chris Fleming

Labonte finished 7th, Burt Myers in 8th and Ryan Preece finished 12th with a broken car that was actually a loaner from Joey Coulter. (We can only imagine that phone call… “Joey… It’s Ryan… Uh… You’re car is broken… I’m off to Darlington… Love ya – Thanks!!”

*Ryan Preece is actually a pleasant fellow and likely left a lovely note with the broken #2 in the hauler with a signed blank check…

The first Stock4 race of the evening was taken by Chris Amos. The Mini Stock race was won by Robert Strmiska. The second Stock4 race, following the Modified main, was also won by Chris Amos (We think. We were having a hot dog and fries…) The “Any Car” race was run away with by what appeared to be a 5th gen Camaro that had a front end collision on it’s record…

End of the day…? Franklin County Speedway and Moonshine Capital are raising the bar on the events at this little track back in the hills of Callaway, VA.

Also on a positive note… Thank you for bringing the infield restrooms at least to the point of being rebuilt by the 1990’s fixtures from the Habitat ReStore to replace the trough that had been there since 1968…

2021 Race Day Showcase

Moonshine Momentum

May 6, 2021January 20, 2026 Missed Gear

The hills of Franklin County are roaring out for fast laps and big name racing at the Hannabass & Rowe Collision Center – Kenny Minter Classic 110. But first… A little background…

Things seem to be a little brighter for a place that had fallen back and was laps down. Newer facilities were keeping up with changes but Franklin County Speedway was barely holding on. Folks in the area know the stories and some might even know the real story. The facility had made a hole and seemed ready to fall into it… (That’s one of the stories…)

There was a fellow who could see beyond what was there and remembered times of what used to be. Crowds, racing and a bit of a reputation were a part of the history. Langley Austin took it all in with a plan to put things in motion. Like a driver with a banged up race car in the garage, he began to fix, paint, hammer and build. He needed a little time, a little luck and more than a little money…

As it turned out, luck gave him some time. 2020 came in with some events in the works and was quickly put back off track. Covid-19 came in and shut things down everywhere. This, however, gave Austin some time to do some basic work around that track that took more muscle than money. Without events to plan and work around, he was able to make a good push on fixing some things instead of just throwing duct tape on it. He put the time to good use and was even able to get some events on.

Some of those events had some real impact. Late Model drivers were drawn in as larger tracks with larger footprints were dark. He brought Modified drivers in from around the region with good racing and publicity. The Solid Rock Carriers CARS Tour ran there in 2020. All of it was done with CV19 restrictions in place and limited capacity. As luck would have it, the small track was making some waves with events that, realistically, would not have been there at all if not for the circumstances of a pandemic.

Langley Austin is no stranger to racing. His RACE22 website is a regional racing staple of track news around the southeast region and beyond. He knows Franklin County Speedway as well as anyone having grown up in the area, attending races as a kid and later working there. Austin has the gears in motion with Moonshine Capital Promotions taking the momentum of what was 2020 and pushing it forward. He’s not alone in his efforts. His wife, Kimberly, is just as involved as he is. It’s possible she is the real brain power in the deal and he is there for the lifting…

Luck and time. A bit of cash flow in the mix has made for some more improvements and basic fixes. All of which leads to this weekend and the SMART Modified Tour.

The SMART Tour is bringing NASCAR Hall Of Fame driver Bobby Labonte. Current NASCAR Cup driver Ryan Preece is racing. Well known Modified drivers like Burt and Jason Myers, Jeremy Gerstner, Brian Lofton and more will be on track. Matt Hirschman and rookie Caleb Heady have won this season. Ryan Preece raced and won at South Boston last month. Local champion Dennis Holden is getting behind the wheel.

Getting Franklin County on the SMART schedule is a big deal. Langley Austin has been busy turning the luck and hard work of some profile events in 2020 into some real traction for the 2021 season.

If it’s been a while since you’ve made the trip to Franklin County Speedway, this is a good weekend for it. You might be a little surprised by some of the changes. You will see some NASCAR stars and some good racing.

NOTE!! There are still mandates in place. Face masks are still a thing. Distancing in the stands is still a thing. Respect of everyone and staying safe is always a thing. Race with care!

2021 Race Day Showcase

Team Penske Wild Ride at Talladega

April 29, 2021January 20, 2026 Missed Gear

Penske team mates Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano both had wild rides at the Geico 500.

Logano was caught up in the touch and spin pinball that happens at Talladega with the speed and thin margin for error collide. The #22 got around and caught air after a touch from a loose Denny Hamlin in the #11 and Ricky Stenhouse in the #47. Several other cars took damage but it was Logano in the air. The car tumbled and rolled and came to a stop wheels down in the grass.

Logano was OK but a bit outspoken on cars still able to spin and fly. He mentioned spoiler height as a possibility to keep cars on the ground and later interviews looking forward to the new car for 2022.

Brad Keselowski was in the mix but it was the final lap when it came into play with the #2. Keselowski led just one lap, the one that really counts, and took the checkered flag. 27 drivers were noted in the lead throughout the race but it was Keselowski at the end.

Next up, NASCAR rolls into Kansas.

2021 Race Day Showcase

Richmond Run – Go Local This Weekend

April 23, 2021January 20, 2026 Missed Gear

Denny Hamlin seemed to be on the verge of taking a 2021 season win at Richmond. He bagged stage 1 and stage 2 and led for most of the race. It came apart on a restart with 10 laps left.

Alex Bowman managed to get by Hamlin to put the #48 in Victory Lane. Hamlin came in the second slot and Joey Logano, who also had a good late race run, came in third. Denny and the FedEx team still top the points with rather consistent Top 5 runs into 2021. Racing takes NASCAR south to Talladega this weekend.

For local Virginia tracks, the options for race fans to catch some hot laps is still wide open. Motor Mile Speedway hosts the Southern Ground Pounders this weekend. They ran South Boston last week. Motor Mile will also run Late Models, Super Stock, Mod-4 and U-Car.

Wythe Raceway is on the dirt with Wythe Eye Pro Modifieds and several support races. Virginia Motor Speedway is also running the dirt with Late Models, Sportsman and Modifieds. Dominion Raceway hosts Late Models, Dominion Stock and other series. Natural Bridge is running their show this weekend, as well.

Local track action across Virginia continues to show green flags. Attendance may still be limited with some restrictions still in place but the vaccine pace is up with warmer weather on the way. Check your track and put some racing on your schedule!

2021 Race Day Showcase

Virginia Tracks Race Into Spring

April 15, 2021January 20, 2026 Missed Gear

Virginia gets a double shot of NASCAR Cup racing with Richmond this weekend following Martinsville last weekend. A bit of a switch up continues as Xfinity ran at Martinsville and the Camping World Trucks will run at Richmond. The TOYOTACARE 250 truck race is on Saturday and the Cup Toyota Owners 400 is on Sunday (April 17-18)

The weekly short tracks continue their races as the season heats up. South Boston is running their Southern Ground Pounders event with Vintage Sportsman and Open Wheel Mods. The SGP Tour hits Virginia tracks several times through 2021. Following South Boston they run at Motor Mile just a week later. Dominion and Langley are also on the schedule.

Wythe Raceway is also running Vintage Sportsman and Mods on the dirt track. Lonesome Pine is running at night this weekend. Langley has drifting. Natural Bridge is running practically every weekend. Franklin County is also back in action this weekend.

Virginia Motorsports Park has the VP ET Bracket Series heating up the straight line racing. Eastside up in Waynseboro also has their drag strip on tap.

There is a lot of action on track this weekend from NASCAR Cup laps to local hero straight line speed. Pick a track and support some racing. NASCAR at Richmond, with their recent infield improvements for fans, raised the bar for Virginia racing. The open garage walkway is a great way for fans to see the national drivers up close.

However, Richmond Raceway may not be an option for every race fan. The local tracks and drivers put on great shows and deserve some of that praise from the stands. If you can’t make Richmond… There are some really good tracks with exciting racing running close to home. Tickets are family friendly, the racing is fast and the tracks and drivers truly appreciate your support.

As the year opens up and vaccines are more available and restrictions continue to be relaxed perhaps now is the time to go racing!

2021 Race Day Showcase

Rain Throws Martinsville

April 13, 2021January 20, 2026 Missed Gear

Cup weekend at Martinsville Speedway just has this reputation lately. It almost is a “given” that there will be some kind of weather thing that hangs over the events like Lucy promising to hold the football…

The Whelen Modifieds, Xfinity and Cup races had high fan interest as Virginia was opening up a bit more for entertainment and race venues to have more folks attend. The weather, however, went “all in” to keep things capped.

The Modifieds went by OK but the Friday Xfinity series was halted at lap 91. Saturday night’s Cup race was also attempted but rain ultimately pushed it all to Sunday.

Whelen Modified Virginia Is For Racing Lovers 200 winner: Eric Goodale

Xfinity Series Cook Out 250 winner: Josh Berry

Cup Series Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500 winner: Martin Truex Jr

2021 Race Day Showcase

Motor Mile Races The Rain

April 11, 2021January 20, 2026 Missed Gear

Local track racing is making the move to get started with Spring on the calendar, vaccines on the roll out and events starting to draw people out of their shutters.

We’re trying. Everyone is trying to get back to doing some things that involve not being stuck at home. 2021 is offering some hope on that front but many variables are still playing out. We have some control over some of these variables. Weather… Not so much.

Motor Mile Speedway joined the fray with their season opener on April 10. The deck was stacked already with NASCAR Cup racing set for the same weekend at Martinsville. Weather forecasts did not help either facility. Martinsville had the TV schedules to adhere to, at least for getting started. The folks at Motor Mile had more flexibility and made a decision to move the Saturday schedule up by several hours.

They almost pulled it off. As if taking a dare on the schedule change, the rain came earlier than expected. Six races were scheduled and they got four completed and the fifth was interrupted by a quick shower that put the red flag out.

A mad dash to dry the track had drivers ready to roll back out just as the rain came back. It was evident that the time to get that water cleared again would only stall the inevitable. These bouts with rain were just the opening round for the larger front that was definitely coming.

Pack it in. Call it done for the “Super Street” race that was in progress and set the final Late Model as a make up later in the season.

The weather made a dent for fans, as well. The opening had fans ready but the forecast could not be ignored. Even with that and the schedule change, many diehard race fans in the New River Valley area did come out.
Drivers and teams arrived as the early morning looked promising. Practice sessions were under way by 9:00am. Fans arrived and the green flag was ready to wave for the first event at 12:30pm. Racing was underway with Mod-4 opener.

These races go by quickly. For the Mod-4 group, there were 25 laps to make it happen and that’s just what Brittany Cockram did. She started in the fifth spot and managed to drive the #16 to the front and take the checkers. Scott Foley ran second followed Tony Sarver in third.

The first of the scheduled “Twin 60” Late Models hit the track with Kres Van Dyke on the pole. Van Dyke in the #15 held the spot for the first half with Ryan Wilson in the #2 and Kyle Dudley in the #4 racing hard to catch. The #2 fell back as Dudley kept the #4 in the second slot. The last half of the 60 laps brought Mike Looney’s #87 into the fray and up to the front. At the finish, Looney took the win with Dudley keeping the second spot and Van Dyke taking third. Karl Budzevski drove from sixth to finish fourth and Bryan Reedy made his way to fifth after starting ninth.

The 20 lapper Blue Ridge Church UCar race scrambled out with Joe Vaught on the pole. Vaught’s #21 car fell off the pace and the second place starter, Peyton Howell took the lead and the win. Jamie Lafon came from the back to finish second and Cary Thomason finished were he started in third.

With clouds thickening, the Collision Plus Sportsman went out for their 40 lap run. Cory Dunn in the #75 made moves from starting third to the front and held it for most of the race to the finish. Brian Sutphin, starting first, fell back and chased Dunn but lost a bit more late in the race. Kyle Barnes in the #00 and Drew Bond in the #84 drove in to finish second and third.

The Super Street got started with rain just minutes away. They made it to lap 17 and the rain came in. Wayne Corprew led them out from the green flag. By lap 9 Matt Gusler had come up front. By the time the rain came across the track, Ray Sowers had taken the lead with Scooter Hollandsworth in second and Gusler in third.

The final 8 laps of the Super Street and the final 60 lap Late Model race could not beat the radar. The rain came in and even with a big effort to get back under way, rain came again and the day of racing was parked and put in the trailers.

April 24th marks the next event on the Motor Mile schedule. NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Late Models with four support series are on tap.

Full Photo Gallery Below from April 10 at Motor Mile Speedway

Roanoke Drifting In Jappalachia

It is a fine thing when conditions lead to continuity. This particular continuity is also an automotive conundrum in several ways considering the current condition of the existence of the automobile. What….?? The trend that has taken hold, especially here in these United States, is the popularity of the SUV, the crossover variations of five door hatches, the automatic transmission and front wheel drive. All of these would point to a humorless and drab driving culture of A to B with a soccer game or a grocery store on the agenda. The days of fun behind the wheel are drying up. Or are they…? There are a handful of new rear drives out there. Of those, fewer still have a manual transmission. This leads to the continuity of cars of the past being rebuilt and re-born by people who seek the slides and the sideways. Yes, America, drifting may be the saving grace of the manual, rear wheel drive car. On a warm Wednesday tucked in the back corner of an industrial park I was there to bear witness to a mixture of car cultures. The recipe was a good mix of classic British “Top Gear”, American Motor Trend “Roadkill” and a heavy helping of the Japanese origins of drifting. The cars were budget sourced from the pre-owned market and rapidly made “drivable” over the past several days. Now they were here in this slightly barren environment to be compared on a mapped rally / drifting course by (can you guess…?) the same “tame” racing driver. For the sake of a little background… This group of guys have a mission which is building on their combination of talents. What is the mission…? Loosely defined it is a mixture of Japan’s origin culture of drifting and the extreme styling of it with the back roads mountain attitude of American muscle cars. They call it “Jappalachia”. There have been trips to Japan with driving study in the origins of the legendary Daigo Saito drifting style. Japan is distinguished as the genesis of drifting even as the sport has expanded worlwide. The “Jappalachia” handle has been vetted during these visits with positive approvals. The drift is no stranger to these men. A recent visit to NASA Haltech Hyperfest at Virginia International Raceway had a Nissan going tandem on the drift pad competition. On this Wednesday, they have two cars ready to take on the course. These are not their “pro builds” but side projects for the practice and fun of it. One is a late ’80s Corvette and the other is a Nissan 240sx (’89…? ’90…? give or take…) Both of them had less than “garage kept” history. Both put up sideways and dusty shows. I think the Corvette took the time even with bottom scrapes, fuel delivery issues and a lost ass bumper. It was also driven after the 240 so one could say the previous lap in the Nissan gave a nudge of “practice” to the ‘Vette. The “real” cars involved…? These guys are looking ahead to extreme builds in their shop. They are working up another C4 series Corvette and a 3rd generation Ford Mustang. The cars are being treated as homage to the extreme Kaido or Bosozoku style of Japanese drift builds. Big fenders, shovel forward in front of the wheels and wide body wings over the back. These are American muscle cars treated with anime angles. Engines are being built. Chassis and suspensions are being tuned and going into place. A rough timeline has turns on the calendar for the newly re-opened Southampton Speedway later this year as that track is running a drift schedule. This is Jappalachia. Connections…? Roanoke, Charlottesville, Japan, backgrounds in design, mechanics, fabrication, travel… They have formed a friendship from chance encounters, childhood history and love of fun in cars. The “tame” racing driver…? 2016 F4 Champion / 2021 EFO F3 Champion – Cameron Das, visiting from the UK with friends connected through common and crossed paths. His 2016 F4 is in the Jappalachia shop. 2016 USA F4 Champion, Cameron Das, with the season winning car in the Jappalachia shop Das is currently doing a social media series of video showcases of kart racing and tracks. Cameron Das: YouTube InstagramTay Whiteside – Lift Arc StudiosGresh Chapman (Instagram): Jackson WalkerConnor Shupe Visit the Jappalachia Website Photos – A visit to Jappalachia – Industrial Drifting *The dog is “Pickles” – an Alaskan Malamute. He’s a sweetheart in a sweet spot.
Movie Truck Throwback

Hanging out with long time friend from stage and screen who happened to be in a famous truck movie by Stephen King
RoVA-Drive Showcase: Benoit Pigeon

Elite commercial photographer has a fast eye for drag racing
RoVA-Drive Showcase: Bryan Reedy

Late Model Driver (#17) based in Roanoke

Category: 2021