virginiasprintseries Archives

Shenandoah win is pavement first for Bolac

By Jim Haines SHENANDOAH, Va. (July 6, 2024) – Last week at Langley Speedway Daren Bolac had a good run in the CCM Racing Sprinter. This week he had a better run, blasting off the front row, keeping his IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car under him and taking his first-ever pavement win in the Virginia Sprint Series headliner at Shenandoah Speedway. Bolac and Bill Mullis paced the Saturday night field to green with Bolac out first and Mullis in second while on the way were Jerald Harris and Caleb Harris, both intent on closing in. Bolac continued out front as Mullis kept making charges and even pulled alongside a couple laps but Bolac would keep it up front. Jerald Harris and Caleb Harris worked on Mullis and got by now chasing Bolac but they were hard on their tires to get there. Jerald Harris made it to the lead on lap 15 but Bolac kept the pressure on as Mullis stayed right behind Caleb Harris. Tire issues hampered both Caleb Harris and Jerald Harris as Bolac [Read More]

Harris jets to Langley Speedway win

By Jim Haines HAMPTON, Va. (June 29, 2024) – With Langley Air Force base across the street, jets flying above is the norm at Langley Speedway. Jerald Harris showed he had speed to join the pilots as the fastest thing in town, taking the Virginia Sprint Series win Saturday night. Chris Humblet and Matt Mullins paced the IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car field to green with Humblet out first and Mullins and Billy Hubbard in third. Humblet was not getting away as Harris joined the front pack, but it all went wrong for Humblet as he slowed and headed to the pits. Harris got by Hubbard and was working on Mullins as the laps were winding down. With five to go, Harris shot into the lead leaving Mullins and Hubbard to fight over second. Harris saved the best for last as he turned the fastest lap of the day racing under the checkered flag first as Mullins held off Hubbard for second. Next for the Virginia Sprint Series, it’s off to Shenandoah Speedway on Saturday July [Read More]

Bolac sprints to winged win at Dixieland

By Jim Haines ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. (June 21, 2024) – Home track advantage worked out well for Daren Bolac, winner of the Fast Friday Virginia Sprint Series feature at Dixieland Speedway. Jerald Harris and Bolac paced the IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car feature field to green on the hot summer night but the race track was perfect with multiple lanes, smooth and fast. Harris went to the lead and was staying low as Bolac went high and was all over Harris every lap with Matthew Leach staying in touch in third with a fast closing Chris Humblet in fourth. At lap 10, Bolac made the pass stick after many laps of the two swapping the lead every corner. Harris had to deal with Humblet but not for long as with 10 to go, Humblet got by and Bolac was in his sights as the two went at it. Bolac was committed to the high line for the race and Humblet stayed low or midtrack and every corner the lead was in doubt. With five to go, [Read More]

Heffner hoists Hagerstown hardware

By Jim Haines HAGERSTOWN, Md. (June 15, 2024) – The annual Dad’s Night Out Race at Hagerstown Speedway didn’t disappoint from Kenny Heffner’s perspective. Heffner led the distance in winning the Saturday event, contended by 41 IMCA RaceSaver sprinters and co-sanctioned by the Virginia Sprint Series, Laurel Highlands Sprint Series and Pennsylvania Sprint Series. AJ Barton and Heffner paced the feature field to green with Heffner inching out front up top as Barton stayed low and stayed close with Zac Rhodes quickly in third with Tim Iulg and Austin Reed rounding out the early top five. After a quick caution, Heffner showed a smooth, steady pace keeping his lead as the field raced behind to track him down. Austin Reed made it to third with Barton still second as Rhodes and Iulg raced for fourth. As the laps were winding down and traffic came in to play, Reed was chasing down Heffner, but with the track smooth and wide Heffner was keeping a good pace as he came to pass the back end of the [Read More]

Harris brings broom to Natural Bridge

By Jim Haines NATURAL Bridge, Va. (May 25, 2024) – On the first hot humid night of the season, Jerald Harris was on a hot streak sweeping his heat and feature for his second Virginia Sprint Series feature win of the year. Harris and Matthew Leach paced the IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car field at Natural Bridge Speedway to green and Harris was out first with Leach, Chris Humblet and John Scarborough in tow. On lap two, Leach spun in turn two to reload the field and Harris took off again with Humblet and Scarborough racing for second. On lap five, Leach and John Smith got together, ending the night for both. Harris took off with Humblet and Scarborough right with him Dylan Shatzer and Caleb Harris were racing for fourth. Scarborough got by Humblet and was using the low line to close in on Harris that liked the higher line. Shatzer got by Humblet to get to third as the laps were clicking off fast. Traffic came into play as the race was winding down [Read More]

Bittner wins after Reed dominates at Hagerstown

By Jim Haines HAGERSTOWN, Md. (May 18, 2024) – Timmy Bittner was in the right place at the right time. Austin Reed was not, in the Saturday feature race at Hagerstown Speedway co-sanctioned by the Virginia Sprint Series and the Laurel Highlands Sprint Series. With rain outs in the area everywhere, 35 IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Cars signed in to the smooth fast oval and the feature line up was led by Ken Duke and Kenny Heffner. As the field went green, out front like a rocket was Reed, who started to pull away lap after lap, leaving Duke, Heffner and Bittner to fight over the runner-up spot. Reed was not going to be caught as the laps were winding down, with Bittner making his way to second, Heffner in third and Josh Spicer and Duke acing for fourth. But coming to two to go in turn three, it all went wrong with the leader getting together with a lapped car and going out of the park. Emergency personnel quickly made their way to help Reed. He [Read More]

Shatzer gets to lead late in Winchester RaceSaver win

WINCHESTER, Va. (April 27, 2024) – He didn’t lead the most laps, just the most important one. Dylan Shatzer raced in the top three for the whole feature and was finally able to swoop around the leader in traffic after taking the white flag in second and go on to win in the Saturday IMCA RaceSaver event co-sanctioned by the Virginia Sprint Series and Laurel Highlands Sprint Series at Winchester Speedway. Matt Klien and Ryan Lynn started on the front row of the feature but Klien stopped in turn two with a broken rear axle, which could have been a disaster at speed. After clearing the car, Croix Beasom and Lynn paced the field to green with Beasom out first, Lynn second and Shatzer third. Action would continue after a red flag for three cars bicycling and stopping or flipped in turn one with Beasom out again with Lynn and Shatzer on the really fast clay oval. Lap after lap they chased each other as the pack behind them were changing every circuit. As they [Read More]

Harris hustles to Hagerstown IMCA RaceSaver win

By Jim Haines HAGERSTOWN, Md. (April 20, 2024) – Jerald Harris finished the race right where he started it: At the front. Harris led the distance of Saturday’s IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car main event at Hagerstown Speedway, in the first of five races at the Maryland oval co-sanctioned by the Virginia Sprint Series and Laurel Highland Sprint Series. After running second in his heat, Harris and Jay Fry paced the 25-car field to green with Harris out first before Fry got too high in the loose stuff and spun to a stop. On the second start, Harris was out again with Dylan Shatzer now in second followed by Caleb Harris, John Scarborough and Ben Miklos. Following another caution, Harris and Shatzer were joined by Scarborough and Caleb Harris. The leader was stretching it out with Shatzer and Scarborough battling for second and behind them it was sprinters swapping every spot every lap. A stalled car slowed the field bunching it up as the end was near but Harris took off and left second place up [Read More]

Hendershot takes opener at Natural Bridge

By Jim Haines NATURAL BRIDGE, Va. (April 13, 2024) – On a windy and sunny day, Donnie Hendershot flew like the to finish first in the season opening race for the Virginia Sprint Series at Natural Bridge Speedway. Hendershot and Jerald Harris paced the Saturday night IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car field to green. Hendershot used the low line to gain the lead with Harris staying high while John Scarborough used the low line and was on Harris quickly. Scarborough made it to second as Hendershot continued out front and with the laps winding down, traffic was coming up and that allowed Scarborough to close in. With the white flag waving, Scarborough was within striking distance as he made the final push but Hendershot stayed strong streaking under the waving checkered flag. At the line it was Scarborough, Jerald Harris, Caleb Harris and Matthew Leach completing the top five behind Hendershot. On Saturday, April 20, the Virginia Sprint Series and Laurel Highlands Sprint Series will join up at Hagerstown Speedway for the second race of the [Read More]

Mullis roars to IMCA Sprint win at the Mountain

By Jim Haines SHENANDOAH, Va. (Sept. 30, 2023) – Shenandoah Speedway’s slogan is “Where The Mountain Roars” and Bill Mullis roared all the way to the Virginia Sprint Series win, leading every lap of the Saturday night IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car main event. The special feature-only event had Mullis and Matthew Leach on the front row with Mullis out first and bringing Matt Mullins with him. Billy Hubbard started to challenge Mullins for second and finally got by, leaving Leach to go after Mullins as Mullis continued out front. Hubbard tried to run down Mullis but he was smooth and steady out front all the way to his first checkered flag. At the line it was Hubbard, Mullins, Leach, Chris Ware and French Grimes next across the stripe. The final race of the year will be a special event at Langley Speedway on Saturday, Oct. 28.