10/6/2013
Delaware International Speedway
MILLS WINS BATTLE, JESTER WINS WAR IN DELAWARE BIG BLOCKS
By CHARLIE BROWN, DELMAR, DE – Jamie Mills did everything he could do to try to close the 88 point deficit he had coming into Saturday night’s final point show at the Delaware International Speedway. Mills finished second to Beau Wilkins in the heat but point leader, Matt Jester upped the bar by winning the second qualifier in the NAPA Big Block Modifieds.
In the 25-lap feature a ten car inversion draw would put Michael White on the pole. White would lead the first lap of the feature but a carry-over from the heat would find White and H.J. Bunting making contact coming down the front straight for lap two. Bunting bounced hard off the outside will but was able to continue while the yellow came out for White who spun to a stop on the edge of the track.
Bunting would lead on the restart but a damaged front suspension and a tire that was going flat from the contact with the wall would force him to pull into the infield before the completion of lap three. Mills had shot through the top five and was the new leader with Brad Trice running in second.
Matt Jester came from ninth starting spot to take the runner-up spot by lap seven. By halfway the top five were Mills, Jester, Trice, Dale Hawkins and Howard O’Neal. The race would remain caution free from lap one on and Mills was able to ride the high groove to his sixth win of the season.
“We’ve done it all year long with a small motor,� said Mills. “We got behind there in September when Charlie added some new clay to the track. We just got behind in point but we fourth back but we make him (Jester) earn it tonight. We weren’t going down without a fight�.
Jester finished in the second spot to earn his second point championship in the division with Trice taking third. Fourth went to O’Neal and heat winner, Beau Wilkins fought his way back from the rear after a tangle on the initial start to round out the top five.
NAPA Big Block Modified Finish: 1. Jamie Mills; 2. Matt Jester; 3. Brad Trice; 4. Howard ONeal; 5. Beau Wilkins; 6. Dale Hawkins; 7. Donnie Radd; 8. Dave Dissinger; 9. Shawn Ward; 10. Robert Dutton; 11. Neil Huber; 12. HJ Bunting; 13. Michael White; 14. Matt Hawkins; 15. Drew Simmons; 16. Dana Walker; 17. Scott VanGorder. 