©2009 NPT PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVID & KAREN AUSTIN

Chad Pressley in the cockpit before winning the Front Wheel Drive feature Saturday night at Newport Speedway.

CRUM SHINES IN ARCA OPENER

It was a big weekend for Newport native Jake Crum. The17-year-old driver made his debut in the ARCA Re/Max Series a good one at theTim Richmond Memorial ARCA 200 at Mansifield Motorsports Park on Saturdaynight.

Crum, driving the Venturini Motorsports Chevrolet, had tobattle through several unsheculed pitstops to repair heavy rear-end damage, tofinish sixth in his ARCA debut. We're watching 'The Snake' very carefully inhis rise through the ranks.

OWENS UP & DOWN

It was an up and down weekend for 'The NewportNightmare,' Jimmy Owens, as the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series wrapped up the2009 Summer Sizzler Tour with six different winners in six races.

On Saturday night, the Series visited Fayetteville MotorSpeedway in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and Owens came away with an 8th placefinish. Ray Cook of Brasstown, North Carolina took top honors, his first Serieswin since 2006.

On Friday night, Owens finished third at storied CherokeeSpeedway in Gaffney, South Carolina behind winner Chris Madden and DaleMcDowell.

And last Thursday night at Swainsboro Raceway inSwainsboro, Georgia, Owens finished 13th. Casey Roberts got his first Lucas OilSeries win in dramatic fashion, passing Dale McDowell on the final lap afterMcDowell suffered a flat tire.

Owens and Earl Pearson, Jr. are tied for second in theLucas Oil Series' standings, 215 points behind leader Scott Bloomquist.

Owens will take a break from the Lucas Oil Series thisweekend when he hooks up with the World of Outlaws Late Model Series for atwo-day even at Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, Pennsylvania. Qualifying willbe held this Friday, June 26, with the feature events on Saturday, June 27. Thewinner will pocket $30,000.

LEATHERWOOD TOPS AT NEWPORT SPEEDWAY

Two-time defending track champion Sonny Leatherwood hasbeen playing second fiddle so far this season to Wayne 'Spider' Webb in theLimited Late Model Division at Newport Speedway. But Saturday night,Leatherwood served notice that he's not only still around, he also rememberswhere victory lane is.

Leatherwood held off a hard-charging Darrell Williams towin his second feature of the season, while point's leader Webb finished fourthbehind third-place finisher Eric Green. Zack Franks, Dakota Slagle, JasonGrant, Gary Goddard and Sheflon Clay rounded out the field.

Webb (695) still holds an 85-point lead over Grant (610)in the point standings, followed by Williams (450), Leatherwood (420), Slagle(385), Green (380, Joey Mull (375), Goddard (360), Scottie Thomas (340), MikeLee and Mark McIntosh (both on 295), Clay (285), Brandon Rogers (270) and GaryAllison (170).

Martin Nesbitt has quickly become a force in the SuperLate Model division, cranking out a feature victory Saturday night, and movingatop the division point standings. Lee Tissot finished second, followed byDennis Queen, Jeff Myers, David Flynn, Jason Grant, Keith Carter and MichaelVellines.

Nesbitt (535) now leads Myers (525) by ten points in thestandings, followed by Grant (350), Tissot (300, Darrell Williams (295), Flynn(260), Junior Franks (195), Mike Miller (160), Wayne Webb and Blake Smith (bothon 140), Queen (135), Vellines (120), Russell Smith (115) and Carter (100).

Steve Akers is back in front in the Street Stock pointstandings after holding off last week's feature winner Ricky Brown, Jr. JesseClark finished third, followed by Melody Chandler, Ray Jarnigan, Rickey Ford,Charlie Loyd and Emily Tracy.

Akers (695) now leads Brown (685) by a mere 10 pointsatop the Street Stock standings, followed by defending track champion EmilyTracy (495), Chandler (450), Jarnigan (415), Ford (385), Clark (240), GeneGriffey (230), Zack Franks (220), Loyd (215), Marvin Green (190), T.J. Williams(170), Greg Messer (155), Brian Dodd (145), Scott Robinson (135), RonnieBuckner (125) and Dakota Slagle (105).

After so many runner-up finishes this season in Legends,Chris McKinney finally found victory lane on Saturday night, beating BlakeJones to the checkers. Tyler Mullins finished third, followed by Sammy Jasper,Brandon Lynn, Taylor Coffman, Carl Stanley, Jim Brown and Dean Davison.

McKinney's (520) consistency this season has him with acomfortable 85-point lead over Coffman (435) atop the Legend's point standings,followed by Davison (415), Brown (325), Blake Jones (315), Mullins (260),Stanley (240), Chad Finchum (235), Brandon Lynn and Greg Turner (both on 130)and Jasper (105).

Cameron Gunter took the checkers first in the Front WheelDrive feature with Chade Pressley a close second. However, Gunter wasdisqualified because of a fuel issue, giving Pressley the victory. Adam Pruittfinished second, followed by Rick Webb, Terry King, Wayne Pressley, EveretteCraine, William Busler, Josh Ramsey, Mitchell Fox and Mike Pruitt.

Gunter (730) still leads the way in the FWD pointstandings, followed by Webb (657), Wayne Pressley (660), King (645), Craine(600), Chad Pressley (595), Donny Holland (400), David Nesbitt (395), Fox(380), Josh Ramsey (280), Paul Pressley (255), Jesse Slagle (230), Adam Pruitt(155) and Scott Mantooth (100).

And, Robert 'Opie' Barndt was back at it Saturday night,winning the Slammers feature.

Late Model Stocks return to Newport Speedway thisSaturday night, June 27, along with Limited late Models, Super stocks, ModFours, Front Wheel Drives and Slammers. Gates open at 1 p.m. with racingunderway at 7:30 p.m.

DRISKILL RUNNER-UP AT 411

Newport's Josh Driskill finished runner-up to RickHouston in the Crate-Modified feature at 411 Motor Speedway in Seymour thispast Friday night.

Driskill's consistency this season finds him still atopthe Crate-Modified point standings at 2,240, followed by Luke Fox (2,195) andJeff Adkard (2,110).

HENRY THIRD AT THE MOUNTAIN

Newport's Josh Henry continues to impress inthe Nesmith Late Model division at Mountain Raceway Park. Henry finished thirdin this past Friday night's feature. Henry is still tops in the Nesmith LateModel point standings.