10/6/2013
Delaware International Speedway
THE “WILD CHILD� AMANDA WHALEY TRILLS DELMARVA FANS WITH FIRST SUPER LATE MODEL WIN
It was only a matter of time before Amanda Whaley would be able to combine her hard charging on the throttle style of racing and a car that would stay under her for the distance to allow her to pick up a win. Saturday night in the Delaware International 20-lap Super Late Model feature Whaley had the crowd on its feet as she held off defending point champion Donald Lingo, Jr. and headed a solid field of 15 cars for her first career win.
Andrew Mullins and Lingo, Jr. would capture the heats but an eight car inversion draw would put Kerry King on the pole with Whaley and five time champion, Lou Johnson in the second row of the Delaware Start. Whaley took the lead from King coming off turn four for lap one. The yellow was quickly out as Johnson got around while Bob Geiger and Rob Massey tangled.
Whaley set the pace on the restart with Nick Davis running a strong second. By lap six Lingo, Jr. had worked by King for third with Ricky Elliott following into fourth. Elliott’s bid for a 17th win would end on lap seven when something broke on the rear on the car bringing out the yellow and ending Elliott’s night.
Whaley again set sail with Lingo, Jr. climbing into second just before halfway. With five to go Lingo had caught the leader and was working the bottom groove getting a nose under Whaley in the turns. Coming off turn two on the final lap Lingo got a little loose and that was all the Whaley needed to drive to her first win.
“It’s been way too long, way too long. I’m so happy I don’t even know what to say,� said Whaley. “I can’t believe it actually happened. I actually didn’t even know if we were going to able to make it because we had oil pressure problems but luckily it cleared up and here we are�!
Lingo, Jr. finished just .7 seconds behind in second with Davis ending a great run in third. Fourth went to David Pettyjohn who start in 12th and King, Sr. rounded out the top five. Despite not finishing, Elliott's dominance throughout the season earned him his first Super Late Model Championship at the track.
Super Late Model Finish: 1. Amanda Whaley; 2. Donald Lingo Jr; 3. Nick Davis; 4. David Pettyjohn; 5. Kerry King; 6. Kerry King Jr; 7. Ross Robinson; 8. Lou Johnson; 9. Andrew Mullins; 10. Bob Geiger; 11. Paul McGinley; 12. Ricky Elliott; 13. Rob Massey; 14. Staci Warrington; 15. Brandon Dennis. 