MYRTLE BEACH -- Clay Rogers knows how to get around Myrtle Beach Speedway, winning twice here in the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series.

And Rogers may have the Late Model stock car to beat today in the Seneca 250. Rogers edged out Jamey Caudill by .003 of a second to win the pole for today's 250-lap event.

"I knew the car was good, but didn't know it was that good," said Rogers, the two-time Pro Cup Series champion. "That really surprised me. I was really happy the way it drove in race trim, but didn't think we'd qualify like that."

Rogers, who swept the Pro Cup races at Myrtle Beach in 2006, believes he can use the same strategy today that he relied on for his Pro Cup success here.

"We just need to stay in the top four or five all day long," Rogers said. "We just want to ride and save our tires and be there at the end. That's how it played out in the Hooters races for us here. We'll just take care of our equipment and see what happens."

The remainder of the 42-car field will be filled in three heat races beginning at 12:30 p.m. today. The main event starts at 3 p.m.

Caudill had the top spot until Rogers' late run. His time of 20.215 was just short of Rogers' time of 20.212.

"I didn't think we could run that quick," Caudill said. "We had a quick number this morning. I was just hoping the driver didn't let the guys down. They've worked hard all weekend to get it to where it is."

Caudill said he could use the $10,000 top prize with the holidays coming. Caudill was one of several employees at JR Motorsports who were laid off about three weeks ago, he said.

"It would help a lot," Caudill said.

NASCAR Sprint Cup and Craftsman Truck Series driver Chad McCumbee struggled on his qualifying lap and will have to race his way into the field today.

"I don't know what was wrong with the motor," McCumbee said. "I'm just hoping it was cold. It just wouldn't run."

Jeremy Donley of Winston-Salem, N.C., Ronald Hill of Rougemont, N.C. and Brandon Dean of Lancaster rounded out the top five.

Other notables who made the field on time were Coleman Pressley in eighth (son of former Craftsman Truck Series driver Robert Pressley), four-time race winner Frank Deiny Jr. in 15th, and Austin Dillon in 20th (grandson of NASCAR team owner Richard Childress).

Super Trucks

Stuart Ricks of Myrtle Beach won the pole for today's Don Brewer Memorial 100. The Late Model standout is in a Super Truck for the first time this weekend.

"It's a lot like the car," Ricks said. "The only difference is how you sit in it."

Ricks is driving the No. 5 truck, which Clay Thomas drove in 2008 at Myrtle Beach Speedway. Thomas is in the No. 16 truck today.

"He left the truck in pretty good shape, I have to say," Ricks said with a smile. "We haven't had to do much to it."

Justin Hicks of Marston, N.C., will start second and be followed by track champion Jamie Weatherford of Darlington, Jimmy Herrington of Mullins and Hal Goodson of Darlington.

Limited Late Model

Michael Elliott of Nichols took the lead with 19 laps to go and won the 50-lap race. Tony Powell of Johnsonville was second.

Former NBA and University of North Carolina basketball star Brad Daugherty finished third. Daugherty started third, but was involved in a five-car crash on the first lap of the race and was forced to the back of the field before moving back up the leaderboard.

John Brown of Marion was taken by ambulance to a local hospital after he was knocked unconscious when he was involved in a four-car crash during the 11th lap. Brown had to be cut from the car.

Team officials said Brown was conscious when he was transported from the scene.

Mini-stock

Brian Powell Sr. of Starr passed Lucas Williams with two laps to go and held on to win the 50-lap event.

A.J. Sander of Mocksville was second followed by Williams of Myrtle Beach, Chad Campbell of Williamston and track champion Dub Fulford of Shallotte, N.C.

Street stocks

Clay Gossett of Supply, N.C., won his first career race when Steve Jones was disqualified after missing postrace inspections.

Jones edged Gossett at the finish line to win the 20-lap event.

Track champion Tommy Poole of Shallotte, N.C., finished last in the six-car field after being involved in two crashes, the first on lap 9 when he was bumped by Davey Hatchell of Conway.

As posted in the Sun News by Kurt Knapek

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