HARRINGTON, DE

Honda rider Perry "Ace" Phillips (18, above) of Coatesville, Pennsylvania, earned a trio of wins at the Delaware Dirt Track Association's Harrington, Delaware, one-fifth-mile clay oval. Phillips produced wins in the Pro and 450 A classes and the event's finale, the Cash Dash. In all three, he fought off challenges from National number-88 Raun Wood the whole ride.

In the 450 A contest, Phillips rocketed into the early lead, with Wood getting beside him down the straights. Phillips went low in the turns to hold off Wood's challenges. Wood looked high and low but couldn't get by Phillips' Honda.

"I just tried to be smooth; I knew it was slippery," Phillips said. "I knew I had to get a good start, be cool and keep smooth and not let him [Wood] get by me. The Honda bike handled good. The track got a little slick and I had to be easier with the throttle than in the heats and practice. I want to thank #21 Racing and my girlfriend Kim, No Fear, Super Trapp and Saddleman."

Perry Phillips (18, above) finished off the day by winning the 10-lap Cash Dash, against such opponents as Tom McGrane (99), Mike Poe (16), Nick Henderson (29), Dalton Winkler (35), Travis Diem (49), and Raun Wood (88). For his efforts, Phillips pocketed $100. After Phillips fought off Wood for four laps, Wood went down, giving Phillips an easy win.

"I just had to be smooth again," Perry noted. "I didn't get a chance to change anything, so I knew what to expect."

Steve Lerch led the 450 B riders across the stripe, with his brother Greg Lerch challenging him. Gary Jenkins was third across the finish line, with Samantha Bergman and Rebecca Zafia completing the top five.

As for Samantha Bergman, the Suzuki rider from Phoenix, Maryland, captured the event's first checkered flag, winning the 100cc class, over Matt Langsher.

"You just have to watch where everybody else was going and pick the right lines and make sure they don't get in front of you," said the 20-year-old winner. "The bike handled great, but the sun was a little bit in the way."

Honda-mounted Mike Poe (16S, above, ahead of Roy Jenkins, 25, and Scott Mullen, 21) led 10 Sportsman riders across the finish line, with Rotax rider Thomas McGrane trailing close behind. A very talented field of veterans trailed McGrane across the stripe. Ken Yoder took third, followed by Steve Lerch in fourth, with Travis Diem rounding out the top five.

"Tommy McGrane runs a good race," Poe said. "It's just that I got the holeshot and took advantage of that and won that one. The Honda bike was handling good. I want to thank John Zafia for letting me ride their new '09 450. It works real well, and I appreciate it a lot."

Rebecca Zafia ruled the 250 B class. The 16-year-old Kawasaki rider from Baltimore, Maryland, grabbed the holeshot and never looked back. Honda rider Greg Lerch and Kawasaki-mounted Ron Mercer offered her challenges early in the race, but after a couple of laps, Zafia stretched out her lead for the final laps.

"I got a perfect start and I just stayed focused rode smooth and led from start to finish," Rebecca said. "The Kawasaki bike handled perfectly. My trainer/mechanic Raun Wood set it up perfect for me."

The Delaware Dirt Track Association will be racing through November. Check the Association website at www.delawaredirttrackassociation.com or call the track hotline at 302/242-6016.

Results

50: 1. Jacob Humphrey; 2. Logan McGrane (Yam); 3. Shelby Crabbe.

65: 1. Billy Boram.

85: 1. Kyle McGrane (Rot).

100: 1. Samantha Bergman (Suz); 2. Matt Langsher; 3. Mark Tsiregos.

125 B: 1. Kyle McGrane (Rot).

250 B: 1. Rebecca Zafia (Kaw); 2.Greg Lerch (Hon); 3. Ron Mercer (Kaw); 4. Kade Keily (Yam); 5. Matt Langsher.

250 SPTSMN: 1. Roy Miller; 2. Nick Henderson (Hon); 3. Ron Mercer (Hon).

450 A: 1. Perry Phillips (Hon); 2. Ronnie Wood (Hon); 3. Ken Yoder (Suz); 4. Tom McGrane (Rot); 5. Mike Poe (Hon).

450 B: 1. Steve Lerch (Hon); 2. Greg Lerch (Suz); 3. Gary Jenkins (Hon); 4. Samantha Bergman (Suz); 5. Rebecca Zafia (Hon).

PRO: 1. Perry Phillips (Hon); 2. Ron Wood (Hon).

SPTSMN: 1. Mike Poe (Hon); 2. Thomas McGrane (Rot); 3. Ken Yoder (Suz); 4. Steve Lerch (Hon); 5. Travis Diem (Suz).

VET A: 1 Ray Jenkins (Hon); 2. Scott Mullen (Hon); 3. Ken Halderman; 4. Dan Mullen (Hon); 5. Aaron Humphrey.

VET B: 1. Anthony Barndt; 2. Ron Hipple (Kaw); 3. Wayne Dill; 4. Dan Daugherty (Yam); 5. Jerry Evans.

'70s SGL: 1. Bill Boram (Hon).