Ramsey Surprises Field With Bailey's 300 Pole Victory

MARTINSVILLE, VA - Wayne Ramsey came into Martinsville Speedway Saturday a virtual unknown. He left with the top starting position for today's Bailey's 300, the biggest NASCAR Late Model Stock car race in the country.

Ramsey turned in a speed of 91.218 mph around the tight Martinsville half-mile to capture the pole for today's Bailey's 300, beating 100 other competitors in the process.

The Amherst driver was one of four drivers to break the event record set by Jamey Caudill a year ago. Ramsey's lap time of 20.759 seconds eclipsed the mark of 20.806 second set by Caudill.

"I really can't believe it ż to come down here with over 100 of the best cars from up and down the east coast and out-qualifying all of them ż that's just huge for me," said Ramsey, who drives a Ford sponsored by a lumber company owned by his family.

Ramsey runs regularly at South Boston Speedway, but did not win a race at the weekly track this season. It is just his fourth season of asphalt racing after making the move from dirt-track competition.

Brad Brinkley of Sanford, NC, nailed down the second spot with a speed of 91.100 mph (20.786 seconds), followed by Jon Denning of Springfield, NJ, at 91.087 mph (20.789 seconds) and Travis Swaim of High Point, NC, at 91.030 mph (20.802 seconds). Brinkley, Denning and Swaim joined Ramsey in breaking Caudill's old mark.

"Starting third with every known late model in the southeast ż the biggest names in the sport ż that's kind of a shock, to start third," said Denning, who moved to Danville from Springfield, NJ, during the off season to concentrate on Late Model Stock racing. "But we were good enough in practice all week to start third. We never struggled in a major way, we were never out of the game. I think we have good enough of a car to stay up front."

Caudill, whose record from a year ago took a beating, wound up with the fifth best time of the day, just a tad off his old record.

Rounding out the top 10 qualifiers are Phillip Morris in sixth, followed by Andy Johnson of Mt. Juliet, TN, Craig Moore of Rougemont, NC, Richard Landreth of Pine Hall, NC and Adam Barker of Hurt, VA.

The qualifying session was incredibly close, just .185 seconds between first and 22nd.

Only the top 22 drivers nailed down starting positions in time trials. The remaining 20 spots will be filled in four 25-lap heat races that begin at 12:30 today. The 200-lap feature event will begin after the final of the four heat races.

Admission is $20 for adults with children 6 to 12 admitted for $5. Children under 6 will be admitted free.

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