virginiasprintseries

By Jim Haines SHENANDOAH, Va. (April 10) – Billy Hubbard has raced stock cars for many years and after stepping into an IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car last year he has been a quick study, sweeping Saturday’s opening night Virginia Sprint Series show at Shenandoah Speedway. Matt Mullins and Hubbard paced the field to green with Hubbard out front first and Mike Keeton hanging close with Jerald Harris getting to third quickly. Hubbard showed lap after lap the car was working as Keeton kept the pressure on and Harris stayed within striking distance of both as the race wore on.  Keeton gave it a final push as the laps were winding down but it would not be enough as Hubbard flashed under the checkered flag for his first win in a Sprint Car after many wins in other divisions. At the line it was Keeton, Harris, Bill Rice and Mullins making up the top five. Next week it’s the first dirt race of the season at Natural Bridge Speedway on Saturday, April 17.  

By Jim Haines NATURAL BRIDGE, Va. (Sept. 19) – On the first clear, cool night of the year, Jerald Harris had a hot night on track by topping both features for the Virginia Sprint Series at Natural Bridge Speed­way.  The make-up event for the IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car feature rained out in August had Daren Bolac out first at the drop of the green and running smooth out front with Mike Leraas in tow.  The 20-lap feature was going by fast as the track surface was changing and Leraas was closing in with Mike Keeton and Harris catching up fast as well.  Leraas got by for the lead with the back of the field quickly coming into his path. With the white flag out, Leraas and Bolac were still up front on the lower side but Harris moved up and was gain­ing ground fast. Coming off turn four to the checkers, the last car on the lead lap bobbled, causing Leraas and Bolac to lift. Harris seized the moment to go high next to the wall, [Read More]

By Jim Haines  SHENANDOAH, Va. (July 18) – On the hot, humid, summer day, the real heat was on the track as Mike Leraas won his first Virginia Sprint Series race of the season by a few feet. Saturday’s feature-only pavement show for IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Cars at Shenandoah Speed­way had Chris Ware and Leraas pace the field to green with Leraas out first and Jerald Harris on his bumper. Bill Rice raced with Ware to get third as the front two were already hard at it for the top spot lap. Rice got by Ware as Billy Hubbard was all over Rice for third. Lap after lap, Harris got in the turns bet­ter but Leraas was better on the exit and they were never more than a few feet apart. Hubbard got by Rice for third with a few laps to go. Harris edged closer as the white flag waved and set up a dash for the finish. With the checkered flag in the air, Harris moved high to the outside and put on [Read More]

By Jim Haines HAMPTON, Va. (July 4) – Bill Rice showed his heat race win was no fluke as he was a rocket all night en route to his first Virginia Sprint Series win of the year Saturday at Langley Speedway. Rice and Matt Mullins paced the IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car field to green with Rice out first and staying low and fast. After a shuffle at the front, Daren Bolac settled into second with Mike Leraas and Jerald Harris following closely. Harris made the move to work his way to second while Mike Keeton was show­ing speed after a pit stop on the start and was up to fourth.  Rice continued to lead as Harris closed with Leraas and Keeton next. Harris was less than a se­cond off the pace as the white flag waved but could get no closer as Rice flashed under the check­ered flag first. On Saturday, July 11, the series is at Natural Bridge Speedway for the first visit of the season.  Feature results – 1. Bill Rice; 2. Jerald Harris; 3. Mike [Read More]

By Jim Haines HAGERSTOWN, Md. (June 20) – There was threatening weather in the skies overhead but the real thunder was on track as Dylan Shatzer sped to his second Virginia Sprint Series win of the year Saturday at Hagerstown Speedway. Tom Humphries and Scott Lutz paced the IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car field to green with Lutz going straight to the bottom and the front.  Shatzer, winner of the June 5 series lidlifter at Dixieland Speedway, had shown he liked the top and went straight to it for the lead on lap one. Lutz, Tom Humphries and Jerald Harris were on the chase until Humphries broke and coasted to the pits. On the restart, Harris took the high line to second and chased Shatzer with Lutz and Donny Hendershot racing for third. The laps clicked by but Harris could only get close as Shatzer went under the waving checkered flag for the popular home Feature results – 1. Dylan Shatzer; 2. Jerald Harris; 3. Scott Lutz; 4. Donny Hendershot; 5. Brad Mellott; 6. Daren Bolac; 7. [Read More]

By Jim Haines  ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. (June 5) – Dylan Shatzer’s first trip to the tidewater area ended up being smooth sailing but much faster all the way to the Friday night Virginia Sprint Series win at Dixie­land Speedway.  The IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car season-opening feature was lined up with Jake McLain and Shatzer on the front row. With the green flag waving Shatzer was out first with McLain and Bron­zie Lawson fighting for second right away.  The track was fast with Shatzer showing smooth was the way to go as he kept pulling away lap after lap with Lawson getting to second and setting his sights on the front. Tom Humphries made his way to third by lap 15.  After a quick yellow to push a stalled car from the track, Shatzer took off and the laps ran out, leaving Lawson in second and Humphries third.  The next Virginia Sprint Series race will be June 13 at Natural Bridge in Virginia or June 20 at Hagerstown Speedway.  Feature results – 1. Dylan Shatzer; 2. Bronzie Lawson; 3. [Read More]