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Davis, Bates Wrap up 2007 Season Titles, Goodman, Hughes, Romine, Stucks, Martin Capture Feature Victories
By John Rittenoure
KELLYVILLE, Ok (October 20, 2007) - The 2007 points season came to a close Saturday at Creek County Speedway with Chad Davis and Brent Bates adding their names to the list of season champions while past winners took first place honors in every division.
Mike Goodman, Mark Hughes, Tommy Romine, Michael Stucks and Phil Martin came on top winning their respective A features over a field of 107 competitors.
It came down to the final race before Bates could wrestle the sprint points lead from Roy Larkin. Larkin was serving the final week of his two-week suspension and Bates only needed to finish 19th or better to capture the crown. Bates logged a safe eighth place finish to was more then enough for the title.
Meanwhile Goodman took advantage of a final lap yellow to steal away the lead from young Nicholas Lucito and win his third 20-lap main of the season. Lucito led from the start as Frank Sudduth gave chase in the early laps. But Goodman was charging through the field passing Kevin Risley for third on lap 10 then took second away from Sudduth on lap 15. Lucito still had the lead to himself until the yellow waved on lap 19 for Dean Drake, Jr. and David Dutton who tangled in turn one. On the restart Goodman shot inside of Lucito in turn one and went on to victory. Sudduth finished third behind Lucito.
Chad Davis wrapped up his first modified title by winning his heat race. But that did not stop points runner-up Mark Hughes from giving it his all. Hughes slipped around a turn four mishap that involved the leaders and raced down the straightaway to win his sixth feature over Rusty Wiseley and Danny Ratcliff.
Jason Redman led the first 10 laps before Wiseley moved out front with Kelby Bowers taking over second. On lap 15 Justin Green climbed into second. On the final turn Bowers, Wiseley and Redman collided and Hughes bolted past. Wiseley recovered quick enough to race back into second. Bowers fell to sixth. Davis finished seventh to close out his title season.
Three yellow flags got the super stock feature off to a slow start but Romine survived to win his second feature. After James Esmond and Daniel Pruitt took turns at leading, Romine roared into the lead after a lap eight restart and went the distance. Jimmy Owen followed in second and Robert Scott edged Johnny Deramus for third.
Michael Stucks picked up his tenth mini stock victory to finish the season second in points. Stucks passed Austin McSperitt on lap 13 and led the final seven laps. McSperitt settled for second after taking the lead away from Jerad Traster on lap six.
The closest race of the night came in the front wheel drive division as Phil Martin and James Gragg battled side-by-side most of the race. Gragg led early till Martin showed up on lap seven. The two ran door handle to door handle with Martin beating Gragg my a few inches at the finish line for his fifth win of the season.
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