virginiasprintseries Archives

Dodson makes a splash at RaceSaver Clash by the Creek

By Jim Haines HAGERSTOWN, Md. (Sept. 28, 2024) – IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Cars showed up in a big way Saturday at Hagerstown Speedway with 53 signed in. When it was all over, Doug Dodson stood on top of the event co-sanctioned by the Laurel Highlands Sprint Series, Pennsylvania Sprint Series and Virginia Sprint Series. John Scarborough and Timmy Bittner paced the 28-car field to green with Bittner out first, Scarborough second and Doug Dodson showing the higher line was working while riding in third. Bittner stayed out front as top three closed up with Dodson using his high line to take second and move on Bittner. Five laps in, Dodson went to the lead and started to check out. Scarborough moved to second as Dave Grube was closing up to Bittner, who found a new groove and made his way back to second, bringing Dave Grube along. Laps were running down as Grube made it to second, leaving Bittner in third and with Dodson now in sight. Grube continued to reel in Dodson but it [Read More]

Mountain Blast Off for Moyac Missile

By Jim Haines NATURAL BRIDGE, Va. (Sept. 21, 2024) – Natural Bridge Speedway, located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, saw Moyac Missile Daren Bolac blast off and take the Virginia Sprint Series win Saturday night. This IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car race was a special feature-only event as part of the Tommy Bare Memorial Weekend. After a rain delay held up the feature, Matthew Leach and Bolac paced the field to green with Bolac out first on the lightning-fast track. Bolac was trying to take off but Dylan Shatzer and Jerald Harris broke away first to try to run him down. The trio was flying around, inching away from the rest of the pack until half-way when Shatzer went too high in turn three and four, going over the bank an ending his challenge. On the restart, Bolac and Harris took off with Matt Mullins now in third with the laps running down. Harris had closed a few times trying different lines and with the rear of the field coming up had another chance to make a charge. [Read More]

Smooth sailing for Harris at Hampton

By Jim Haines HAMPTON, Va. (Sept. 14, 2024) – With the large, mighty ships of the Hampton Roads ports all around the area, Jerald Harris showed how to set sail, going to the front and on to win Saturday at Langley Speedway for two in a row. The Virginia Sprint Series feature was paced to green by Aaron Leach and Jimmy Humblet with Leach out first and Humblet behind. Early on, watching Harris working the high line you could see he was coming to the front as he passed a car lap after lap, getting second and chasing down Leach. Caleb Harris was racing with Humblet and Matt Mullins for third with Harris moving to third, leaving Humblet to fight for fourth with Mullins. On lap 16, Harris made another outside move to take the lead and inched away. Traffic was part of the final laps, leaving Jerald Harris his preferred high line and Leach no room to make a final charge as Harris took the win, his IMCA RaceSaver second in a row at [Read More]

Harris saves best for last at Natural Bridge

By Jim Haines NATURAL BRIDGE, Va. (Aug. 17, 2024) – On a very warm, humid summer race night Jerald Harris waited until three laps to go to sweep into the lead for his fourth Virginia Sprint Series win of the season. Saturday’s IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car feature at Natural Bridge Speedway was paced to the green with Chris Humblet and Dylan Shatzer on the front row as the flag waved. Shatzer went to the cushion and it was the quick way around as Harris was racing with Humblet. Harris got by and started to close in, but a quick caution for a stalled car tightened up the field went green. Shatzer stayed fast with Harris behind and Humblet, Daren Bolac and Caleb Harris staying close as the laps clicked off and the back of the field came up to the leaders. With three to go, Jerald Harris got a run on the outside and went to the front going into turn three, then charged the rest of the way to the checkered flag with Shatzer [Read More]

Shenandoah win is pavement first for Bolac

By Jim Haines SHENANDOAH, Va. (July 6, 2024) – Last week at Langley Speedway Daren Bolac had a good run in the CCM Racing Sprinter. This week he had a better run, blasting off the front row, keeping his IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car under him and taking his first-ever pavement win in the Virginia Sprint Series headliner at Shenandoah Speedway. Bolac and Bill Mullis paced the Saturday night field to green with Bolac out first and Mullis in second while on the way were Jerald Harris and Caleb Harris, both intent on closing in. Bolac continued out front as Mullis kept making charges and even pulled alongside a couple laps but Bolac would keep it up front. Jerald Harris and Caleb Harris worked on Mullis and got by now chasing Bolac but they were hard on their tires to get there. Jerald Harris made it to the lead on lap 15 but Bolac kept the pressure on as Mullis stayed right behind Caleb Harris. Tire issues hampered both Caleb Harris and Jerald Harris as Bolac [Read More]

Harris jets to Langley Speedway win

By Jim Haines HAMPTON, Va. (June 29, 2024) – With Langley Air Force base across the street, jets flying above is the norm at Langley Speedway. Jerald Harris showed he had speed to join the pilots as the fastest thing in town, taking the Virginia Sprint Series win Saturday night. Chris Humblet and Matt Mullins paced the IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car field to green with Humblet out first and Mullins and Billy Hubbard in third. Humblet was not getting away as Harris joined the front pack, but it all went wrong for Humblet as he slowed and headed to the pits. Harris got by Hubbard and was working on Mullins as the laps were winding down. With five to go, Harris shot into the lead leaving Mullins and Hubbard to fight over second. Harris saved the best for last as he turned the fastest lap of the day racing under the checkered flag first as Mullins held off Hubbard for second. Next for the Virginia Sprint Series, it’s off to Shenandoah Speedway on Saturday July [Read More]

Bolac sprints to winged win at Dixieland

By Jim Haines ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. (June 21, 2024) – Home track advantage worked out well for Daren Bolac, winner of the Fast Friday Virginia Sprint Series feature at Dixieland Speedway. Jerald Harris and Bolac paced the IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car feature field to green on the hot summer night but the race track was perfect with multiple lanes, smooth and fast. Harris went to the lead and was staying low as Bolac went high and was all over Harris every lap with Matthew Leach staying in touch in third with a fast closing Chris Humblet in fourth. At lap 10, Bolac made the pass stick after many laps of the two swapping the lead every corner. Harris had to deal with Humblet but not for long as with 10 to go, Humblet got by and Bolac was in his sights as the two went at it. Bolac was committed to the high line for the race and Humblet stayed low or midtrack and every corner the lead was in doubt. With five to go, [Read More]

Heffner hoists Hagerstown hardware

By Jim Haines HAGERSTOWN, Md. (June 15, 2024) – The annual Dad’s Night Out Race at Hagerstown Speedway didn’t disappoint from Kenny Heffner’s perspective. Heffner led the distance in winning the Saturday event, contended by 41 IMCA RaceSaver sprinters and co-sanctioned by the Virginia Sprint Series, Laurel Highlands Sprint Series and Pennsylvania Sprint Series. AJ Barton and Heffner paced the feature field to green with Heffner inching out front up top as Barton stayed low and stayed close with Zac Rhodes quickly in third with Tim Iulg and Austin Reed rounding out the early top five. After a quick caution, Heffner showed a smooth, steady pace keeping his lead as the field raced behind to track him down. Austin Reed made it to third with Barton still second as Rhodes and Iulg raced for fourth. As the laps were winding down and traffic came in to play, Reed was chasing down Heffner, but with the track smooth and wide Heffner was keeping a good pace as he came to pass the back end of the [Read More]

Harris brings broom to Natural Bridge

By Jim Haines NATURAL Bridge, Va. (May 25, 2024) – On the first hot humid night of the season, Jerald Harris was on a hot streak sweeping his heat and feature for his second Virginia Sprint Series feature win of the year. Harris and Matthew Leach paced the IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car field at Natural Bridge Speedway to green and Harris was out first with Leach, Chris Humblet and John Scarborough in tow. On lap two, Leach spun in turn two to reload the field and Harris took off again with Humblet and Scarborough racing for second. On lap five, Leach and John Smith got together, ending the night for both. Harris took off with Humblet and Scarborough right with him Dylan Shatzer and Caleb Harris were racing for fourth. Scarborough got by Humblet and was using the low line to close in on Harris that liked the higher line. Shatzer got by Humblet to get to third as the laps were clicking off fast. Traffic came into play as the race was winding down [Read More]

Bittner wins after Reed dominates at Hagerstown

By Jim Haines HAGERSTOWN, Md. (May 18, 2024) – Timmy Bittner was in the right place at the right time. Austin Reed was not, in the Saturday feature race at Hagerstown Speedway co-sanctioned by the Virginia Sprint Series and the Laurel Highlands Sprint Series. With rain outs in the area everywhere, 35 IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Cars signed in to the smooth fast oval and the feature line up was led by Ken Duke and Kenny Heffner. As the field went green, out front like a rocket was Reed, who started to pull away lap after lap, leaving Duke, Heffner and Bittner to fight over the runner-up spot. Reed was not going to be caught as the laps were winding down, with Bittner making his way to second, Heffner in third and Josh Spicer and Duke acing for fourth. But coming to two to go in turn three, it all went wrong with the leader getting together with a lapped car and going out of the park. Emergency personnel quickly made their way to help Reed. He [Read More]