NEESES, SC

With Daytona in the rearview mirror, a very good turnout of top-level competitors assembled, ready to get down to business on this fast quarter-mile southern short track. Unseasonably warm temperatures and a steady breeze all day long, coupled with the early start time, made track preparation a little more difficult than normal. In the Open Pro class, it would take four heat races and a last-chance qualifier/semi to narrow the field down to 18 riders for the main event.

In heat one, Georgia's Greg Tysor put his PBW Racing Honda out front early and took the win, with his teammate Tadpole Pulliam placing second. Rob Pearson took care of business in heat two, with Mike Rush second. The third heat went to New York's Matt Weidman, while Jimmy Wood was second. In the fourth heat, Garth Brow took the checkers first, just a head of Australia's Luke Gough.

In the last-chance qualifier, National number four, Chris Carr, earned himself the win - and a third-row main-event starting position. Now the field was set for the main event.

When the light flashed green for the main event, Greg Tysor (47) absconded with the holeshot, leading Luke Gough (62), Mike Rush (54), Garth Brow (7C), Rob Pearson (27), Matt Weidman (20), Tyler Treadaway (49C), Sammy Halbert (20X), Chris Carr (4) and the rest of the field into turn one. Tysor's lead seemed to grow a little each lap; only one rider, Gough, was able to keep him close.

As the laps wound down, the lead riders began to encounter lapped traffic. With the white flag displayed signaling one lap to go, Gough made a nice move on veteran rider Tysor for the lead and took the win. Brow took the final podium position. Carr came through the pack from his third-row start to take fourth. Rush finished fifth.

In the Pro Am class, it took five heat races and two semis to set the stage for the 18-rider final. Rob Pearson won heat one, with Rush finishing second. Brow made a good move in heat two, passing early leader Jerry Steele for the win. In heat three, Carr got by Weidman for the win and a front-row starting position in the final. Sammy Halbert (43) did what he needed to win heat four, with fellow West Coast rider Rush in second. In the fifth and final heat, Darren Carter grabbed the top spot, and Haden Avery was second.

In the first semi, Justin Hittle was the first to qualify with the win. In the second semi, Wood took the checkered flag first.

Once again, 18 riders were now set to go at it in the main event. At the start, Halbert took the early lead, with Pearson in hot pursuit in second. Brow was third, with Rush all over his rear fender. At the finish, Pearson took the top spot away for the win. Halbert was second and Rush was third.

Results

50 2-STRK: 1. Joshua Goins; 2. Tucker Williams.

50 4-STRK: 1. Joshua Goins; 2. Drayton Lucas; 3. Dillion Vandy.

65: 1. Al Thomas Hughes; 2. Joshua Smith.

70/80 4-STRK: 1. Al Thomas Hughes; 2. Lloyd McCoy; 3. Donnie Driggers.

85: 1. Tristan Avery; 2. Dalton Gauthier; 3. Jonathan Smith; 4. Al Thomas Hughes.

125: 1. Tristan Avery; 2. Ryan Rutland; 3. Staton Lomas; 4. Dalton Gauthier.

250: 1. Ryan Rutland; 2. Rex Trent; 3. Steve Kinser.

OPEN AM: 1. Ryan Rutland; 2. Staton Lomas.

PRO AM: 1. Rob Pearson; 2. Sammy Halbert; 3. Mike Rush; 4. Garth Brow; 5. Jimmy Wood.

OPEN PRO: 1. Luke Gough; 2. Greg Tysor; 3. Garth Brow; 4. Chris Carr; 5. Mike Rush.

40+: 1. Steve Kinser.

50+: 1. Roger Lineberger; 2. Ken Steele; 3. Rex Trent.

VINT OPEN: 1. Tommy Sisson; 2. Rex Trent; 3. Crash Adams.