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Mid-Atlantic Speedway Championship Hammer Down Raceway (Leftl-'tew York's Craig Estelle found the Carolinas to his liking. taking the Division One A main at the Inaugural Mid·Atlantic Speedway Championship. (RIght) Californian Scott Brant made the transcontinental drive and turned In an Impressive string of heat wins to finish second overall at Hammer Down Raceway. By IAN C. (Left) Ale" Heath (right) takes the low line while Dave Clark (center) and Joe Grey bang handlebars In Support-class action in Red Springs. North Carolina. (Below) Brant (Ieftl. Estelle (center) and David Oakden gave the crowd a taste of speedway the way It ought to be In the Division One A main. BLAIR PHOTOS BY TREY VINSON AND IAN C. BLAIR RED SPRINGS, NC, SEPT. 1 A s NASCAR staged a rumble of its f"'\nwn a few miles down the road at Darlington, motorcycle-racing history was being made at Hammer Down Raceway in Red Springs, North Carolina. The inaugural Mid-Atlantic Speedway Championship on Labor Day weekend brought speedway racing to the Carolinas for the first time ever. Sponsorship, purse money and organizational support from Cape Fear Harley-Davidson, Dennis Thurlow Racing and HOG attracted riders from New York, Indiana and California to Hammer Down, a one-fifth-mile jewel south of Fayetteville. Event organizer Ronny Kemp brought in Fast Fridays referee John Grant to oversee the proceedings, while Gary Densford handled the announcer's chores. Early heat action included a number of crashes as the riders worked to dial in the sand-and-c1ay mix of Hammer Down's slightly banked strip. The track was very fair, however, with plenty of traction all the way from the pole to the far outside, and multiple racing lines. Standout performers included Jerry Harman Jr. (whose "master of disaster" style kept the crowd on its feet), Californian Scott Brant, and New Yorkers Craig Estelle and Chris Strong. The early heats also made it clear that New York's "Smokin'" David Oakden had brought his A game to the Tarheel State. A four-man support class comprised of Alex Heath, Dave Clark, Joe Grey and Dave Sharpe provided some of the most entertaining racing of the evening, with each member of the quartet winning, crashing spectacularly, and making a hair-raising 50 SEPTEMBER 26. 200 1 • cue pass at least once during the night. Clark in particular won over the locals with his gutsy racing. Heath, this writer's choice for the Most Improved Rider on the East Coast this year, is ready to step up to the Division II ranks and shed his moniker of "The Hazard." As the main events approached, Strong, Oakden, Estelle and Brant emerged as the top Division One contenders. Estelle and Brant had both tallied perfect scores leading up to a later heat race that turned out to be the show-stopper of the evening. With Estelle in gate one, Brant next to him in two, and Ted Fey and Indiana's Tommy Hensler rounding out the field, Estelle nailed the holeshot. Brant stayed right on Estelle's rear wheel and made a beautiful low pass to take the lead on lap two. However, Brant found too much traction on the back straightaway, hooked up and wheelied, allowing Estelle to briefly reclaim the lead. Estelle went a bit wide on the next turn as Brant surged to the lead once again and held off Estelle for the win. Division One riders qualified for the.program's four main events based on their overall points, with the lowest scorers going into a D main, the nexthighest group of scorers into the C main, and so forth. Veteran speedway campaigner Joe Greene was plagued by crashes all night, and the bad mojo put a hurt on him once again in the D main. Despite taking the early lead, Greene I e n e VII" S reclaim first place. Harman won, and after Hensler crashed in turn four heading for the checkered flag, Josh Carr was second and Monell third. The Support main was a fairly straightforward affair. Heath took the lead early and held it, followed by suffered a low-side wipeout on the second lap, allowing Brian Hollenbeck to take the win, with Jim Fey second. Bruce "The Mongoose" Nelson poured on the steam when it counted in the C main. Nelson faced off against Russ Cornell, Ted Fey and Lee Bailey, and smoked 'em all at the gate. He rode a smooth, defensive line to take the win, with Ted second, Cornell third and Bailey fourth after crashing on lap two. Harman's night came to a fitting climax in the B main, where he was joined by Joel Monell, Josh Carr and Hensler. Harman took the lead, but a momentary brain fade allowed Hensler to surge to the front. Harman kept Hensler in his gunsights and with one lap to go made a crowd-pleasing pass on the front straightaway to Gray, Clark and Sharpe. The Division One A main was the evening's grand finale, and the four riders who qualified - Estelle, Brant, Strong and Oakden - didn't disappoint. A gate ma Ifunction brought back the field for a restart, which found Estelle in gate one, Oakden in two, Strong in three and Brant in four. Estelle took the holes hot by a whisker; Brant followed in second. Brant tried everything to pass and may have been compromised by what appeared to be an engine or battery-box malfunction on lap three. Ultimately, Estelle had' the winning line, with Brant a hard-earned second, Oakden third and Strong fourth. Competitive racing, perfect track conditions and a well-organized program: Motorcycle racing fans in the Carolinas hit the trifecta on Labor Day weekend. CIIII HIID_ Down 1Illce••y Red Springs, North carDlina Reauhs:Sepbnnberl,2DDl D~ 1 A: 1. Craig Estelle; 2. Scott Brant; 3. David Oakden; 4. Chris Strong. 0-1 B: 1. Jerry Harmem Jr.; 2. Josh Carr; 3. Joel Monell; 4. Tommy Hensler. 0-1 C: 1. Bruce Nelson; 2. Ted Fey; 3. Russ Cornell; 4. Lee Bailey. 0-1 0: 1. Brian Hollenbeck; 2. Jim Fey; 3. Joe Greene. SUP: 1. AleJl: Heeth; Joe Grey: 3. Deve Clark; 4. OlIVe Sherpe. SUP DFC: 1. Joe Grey; 2. Dave Sharpe; 3. Dave Clark; 4. Alex Heath.