El Paso, Texas (January 25, 2014) What a difference a week makes. During last week’s Winter Extreme action at Tucson International Raceway John Blankenship seemed to be unable to catch a break. Fast forward a week to El Paso Speedway Park and it seems Blankenship can do no wrong. Blankenship overtook leader Billy Moyer, Jr. on the tenth circuit of the 40 lap Battle at the Border Night #2 and that fought off a fierce challenge from Kent Robinson to take the $5000 victory and his 2nd win in as many nights. “We probably didn’t have the best car tonight but we had some luck and breaks fall our way with the lapped guys. Kent had a really good car, probably the best car here tonight. I think the lap traffic really saved me about halfway. I had seen him under me a few times and I could hear him. But I was able to get around some lap cars just right and I was able to get away from him (Robinson).” Blankenship said after the event.
Ryan Gustin led all drivers in Keyser Manufacturing Time Trials with a 17.414 second lap around El Paso’s 4/10ths mile facility. The El Paso track surface was dramatically different from Friday for Saturday night’s action. Friday saw a very heavy surface that was lightning fast. In fact Friday’s fast time was more than 2 seconds faster than that of Saturday’s fastest laps. The 26 drivers on hand found Saturday’s surface to by smooth and slick from top to bottom. Also fastest in their respective groups were Blankenship and Missouri’s Terry Phillips.
Billy Moyer, Jr. who started from the inside pole grabbed the lead at the outset from outside polesitter Ryan Gustin. Moyer opened up some daylight as Gustin was forced to face the onslaught from Blankenship and Robinson. Blankenship rolled by Gustin on lap 5 and set after the leader. By lap 8 it was a battle for the lead as the frontrunners reached lap traffic. Robinson moved up and joined Moyer and Blankenship in the war for the race lead.
Blankenship overtook Moyer as the field completed the 11th circuit. Robinson made the move for second one lap later and then went after the leader. Robinson reached Blankenship’s rear deck in just 2 laps and began to apply pressure in the heavy traffic. Robinson dove low and could pull alongside but could never clear to make the pass. Robinson was relentless as he kept the pressure on for the lead. But Blankenship was able to use the lapped cars to his advantage by rolling by them on their outside. Robinson who was utilizing the low line kept getting “picked” by the lappers which would allow Blankenship some breathing room.
With only 3 laps remaining, Blankenship made a daring low move and swept by a pair of lapped machines. The move proved to be just what he needed to secure his 2nd win of the weekend as he held off Robinson by just a car length at the checkers. “What a race. Kent was so good and I thought a couple of times he might get by me. It was a lot of fun racing him for the win. He’s a great guy and a really good racer. I am happy to get it done and I hope we can get another one tomorrow. We are looking forward to it.” Blankenship added.
NDRL Battle at the Border – Night Two
El Paso Speedway Park
El Paso, TX
Saturday, January 25, 2014
Feature:
1. (3) 23 John Blankenship Williamson, WV $5,000
2. (6) 7R Kent Robinson Bloomington, IN
3. (1) 21JR Billy Moyer, Jr. Batesville, AR
4. (2) 19R Ryan Gustin Marshaltown, IA
5. (5) 75 Terry Phillips Springfield, MO
6. (7) 28 Jimmy Mars Menomonie, WI
7. (8) 19 Tim Fuller Watertown, NY
8. (14) 21 Billy Moyer Batesville, AR
9. (4) 25Z Mason Zeigler Chalk Hill, PA
10. (9) 43 Garrett Alberson Las Cruces, NM
11. (17) 7K Jason Krohn Slayton, MN
12. (12) 19T William Thomas Phenix City, AL
13. (11) 111 Max Blair Titusville, PA
14. (13) 56 Tony Jackson, Jr. Lebanon, MO
15. (15) 86 Kyle Beard Trumann, AR
16. (19) 98D Dave Deetz Las Cruces, NM
17. (20) 33 David Karst Casper, WY
18. (22) 14 Sean Bray Tucson, AR
19. (23) 24 Rick Ortega Las Cruces, NM
20. (18) 85JR Steve Francis, Jr. Rio Rancho, NM
21. (21) 72 Jeff Whyman Los Lunas, NM
22. (10) 58 A.J. Diemel Elk Mound, WI
23. (16) 27 Nick Bartels El Segundo, CA
24. (24) 911 Cliff Hansen El Paso, TX
DNS. 35 George Lebine
DNS. G17 Fito Gallardo Las Cruces, NM
Heat 1
1. 19R Ryan Gustin
2. 25Z Mason Zeigler
3. 28 Jimmy Mars
4. 58 A.J. Diemel
5. 56 Tony Jackson, Jr
6. 27 Nick Bartels
7. 98D David Deetz
8. 14 Sean Bray
DNS. 35 George Lebine
Heat 2
1. 7R Kent Robinson
2. 23 John Blankenship
3. 19 Tim Fuller
4. 111 Max Blair
5. 21 Billy Moyer
6. 7K Jason Krohn
7. 33 David Karst
8. 24 Rick Ortega
DNS. G17 Fito Gallardo
Heat 3
1. 75 Terry Phillips
2. 21JR Billy Moyer, Jr.
3. 43 Garrett Alberson
4. 19T William Thomas
5. 86 Kyle Beard
6. 85JR Steve Francis, Jr.
7. 72 Jeff Whyman
8. 911 Cliff Hansen
Late Model time trials
First group: Ryan Gustin (19r), Marshalltown, Iowa, 17.414 Jimmy Mars (28), Menomonie, Wis., 17.468 A.J. Diemel (58), Elk Mound, Wis., 17.687 Tony Jackson Jr. (56), Lebanon, Mo., 17.798 Dave Deetz (98D), Las Cruces, N.M., 18.014 Mason Zeigler (25z), Chalk Hill, Pa., 18.116 Nick Bartels (27), El Segundo, Calif., 18.321 Sean Bray (14), Tucson, Ariz., 18.737 George Ledine (35), Britt, Minn., no time
Second group: John Blankenship (23), Williamson, W.Va., 17.569 Kent Robinson (7r), Bloomington, Ind., 17.641 Billy Moyer (21), Batesville, Ark., 17.724 Tim Fuller (19), Watertown, N.Y., 17.740 Jason Krohn (7k), Slayton, Minn., 17.972 Max Blair (111), Titusville, Pa., 18.001 Rick Ortega (24), Las Cruces, N.M., 18.847 David Karst (33), Casper, Wyo., 18.972 Fito Gallardo (G17), Las Cruces, N.M., no time
Third group: Terry Phillips (75), Springfield, Mo., 17.560 William Thomas (19), Phenix City, Ala., 17.844 Billy Moyer Jr. (21jr), Batesville, Ark., 17.944 Garrett Alberson (43), Las Cruces, N.M., 18.195 Kyle Beard (86), Trumann, Ark., 18.414 Steven Francis Jr. (85jr), Rio Rancho, N.M., 19.010 Jeff Whyman (72), Los Lunas, N.M., 19.339 Cliff Hansen (911), El Paso, Texas, 20.519
For more information on the National Dirt Racing League including a complete 2014 schedule point your web browsers over to www.thendrl.com You can also keep up with all the latest up-to-the-minute news by following the NDRL on Twitter at @The_NDRL and you can also find us on Facebook located at https://www.facebook.com/nationaldirtracingleague If you have further questions or needs you can also contact NDRL Series Director Kelley Carlton at kcarlton@thendrl.com or call (864) 871-1442.
Official NDRL 2014 Sponsors:
Hoosier Racing Tires, VP Race Fuels, Arizona Sport Shirts, Keyser Manufacturing, Schaeffer’s Racing Oil and Lubricants, Capital Race Cars, Rocket Chassis, AR Bodies, C&R Racing Inc., DirtonDirt.com, Bell, DirtWrap, Genesis Shocks, CV Products, Jason Dietsch Trailer Sales, JRi Shocks, and JNJ Motorsports Media.
The list of 2014 partners continues to grow, if you have questions or comments or if you are interested in becoming a sponsor of the NDRL contact Series Director Kelley Carlton at (864) 871-1442 / kcarlton@thendrl.com or NDRL Marketing Director Jason Babyak at (602) 647-0649 / jbabyak@thendrl.com.