10/5/2014
Delaware International Speedway
JOE WARREN GETS 1ST WIN IN SUPER LATES - MULLINS CHAMP - DAVID PETTYJOHN & BOB GEIGER SURVIVE VICIOUS CRASH
The point championship in the Super Late Models came down to the final race. Andrew Mullins held a 20 point advantage over Ricky Elliott at the start of the race and started behind Elliott deep in the field. Bob Geiger won his heat race and started on the pole with Joe Warren, who had won the second heat starting in second by virtue of their point averages.
Geiger lead the first four laps before a heart stopping accident occurred on the back straight. Geiger’s left rear went flat causing him to spin in front of the pack. The cars immediately behind him shot to the bottom and made it by but a pack of cars were racing hard at the back. David Pettyjohn T-boned Geiger’s sideways car with both cars exploding into pieces. A shocked crowd watched as Pettyjohn’s car ended up atop the inside barrier with the throttle stuck open and it burst into flames. Meanwhile Geiger sat slumped in his car that had be cut totally in half.
Rescue and wrecker crews rushed to the scene and while they were not able to extinguish the flames they were able to keep them away enough to help get Pettyjohn from the car. Workers attending Geiger feared the worst but he slowly regained consciousness and climbed from the car that was completely gone from his driver’s seat on back. Delmar Volunteer Fire Dept. arrived but it still took them several minutes to extinguish the flames that were fueled by a broken fuel line and oil running from the engine. Pettyjohn was taken to the hospital where he was treated for a bad laceration of his leg and an ankle that was broken in two places. Geiger refused to be transported and remained with his wife Debbie at the track.
After a lengthy cleanup the race was restarted with Warren out front in the experimental Ford small block. Mullins got by Staci Warrington for second on the restart and Elliott climbed to third one lap later. The final 14 laps were all under the green with Warren taking his first win in the division. Warren had very mixed emotions in victory lane and was obviously shaken from the earlier incident. Mullins crossed the line in second with his fist pumping out the window of the car as he realized he had won the overall championship. Elliott would finished just 25 points back in third with Donald Lingo, Jr. fourth and Herb Tunis fifth.
Super Late Model Finish: 1. Joe Warren; 2. Andrew Mullins; 3. Ricky Elliott; 4. Donald Lingo Jr.; 5. Herb Tunis; 6. Staci Warrington; 7. Chuck Schutz; 8. Amanda Whaley; 9. Lou Johnson; 10. Kerry King Sr.; 11. Nick Davis; 12. Bob Geiger; 13. David Pettyjohn; 14. Rob Schirmer. 