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RACING
NEWS
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| Tuesday, September 16, 2008 |
| Youth beats Experience in Super Cup Thriller | 
by Skip Wall
It was another bizarre night at Franklin County Speedway in Callaway VA, as so many Super Cup Stock Car Series races have been this season.
And after 100 laps of madness and youth versus experience, Saturday nights Olde Virginia Barbeque 100 proved that young Ryan Miller can beat experience by holding off veteran Jim Crabtree.
Miller of South Charleston Ohio, had to battle his way back to the front after a lap 27 spin with Jody "Hurricane" Harrison in picking up his first official career win in the Super Cup Stock Car Series. Miller had won an exhibition race late last year at Tri-County Speedway.
Miller driving for RJ Corman Railroad Group/ Rush Enterprises became the sixth first time winner out of eight races in the first Super Cup season.
Megan Reitenour would finish third, followed by Rob Jones and Mike Williams.
"We made a run for the lead and got it and Jimmie (Crabtree) is an awesome driver and drove me clean, in fact no contact" says a jubilant Miller. "This win is just awesome."
Miller also encountered big problems with only two laps left in the race when he made it three wide going into turn one with Crabtree on his bumper. Miller would tangle with Rob Jones.
"We were coming up on lapped traffic and he (Jones) came up on me and I got into him or just kinda bumped him out of the way" said Miller. "But it also brought Jimmie with me so I had to hold him off."
That bump also cost Jones his third position as Reitenour slipped by.
For Crabtree, there was no disappointment in this race.
"The result is he (Miller) had a better car than we did" says Crabtree who went on to say "we were just too tight in the turns and he just go by me."
Getting by Crabtree was harder than it looked when Miller slipped by the veteran driver on the outside at the small tight 1/3 mile racetrack.
Miller also turned heads earlier in the afternoon when he picked up the pole position. However in the redraw, as does the series at each race, Reitenour would actually start from the pole and get the jump on Rob Jones at the start of the race.
Reitenour who has won two races this year, and became ill during the day, declined comment after the race.
For Jones, he couldn't have been happier.
"We were a little loose at the beginning and then had to pit to tighten it up" he said. "I saw Megan smoking her tires there at the end and I got by her however I got a love tap from Ryan and that cost me third place. We will take it since its my best finish to date."
For Jones, who is the series' first afro american driver, he brought along his wife and family who had never seen him race before. They were thrilled but nervous watching the airline pilot drive a race car.
With the win, Miller trimmed Reitenours points lead down to 23 points with only two races remaining on schedule.
There were only five cautions in the race, with most of those minor spins.
Lonnie Rush a development team owner for Miller, had nothing but praise for the youthful driver.
"This kid has had a phenomenal year. He has had his ups and down but has come a long ways. The last two races he has shown us how he has progressed with a third at Ona and now with this win."
The series now moves to a October 4th date at Newport Speedway where Crabtree and Daniel Johnson has already won at this year.
And if memory serves itself again, it will be yet another Saturday night bizarre race under a full moon.
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