JEFF AGNEW’S LUCK TURNS AROUND AT CONCORD SPEEDWAY

CONCORD, N.C. (August 29, 2010)—Former 1998 Series Champion, Jeff Agnew, becomes just the third winner of the 2010 USARacing Pro Cup Season in the Cabarrus Boys & Girls Club 250 championship opener at Concord (N.C.) Speedway.

Agnew, driver of the No. 73 Team 7 Motorsports Ford Fusion, scored his first win since the 2007 USAR Season at the half-mile, high-banked tri-oval Saturday night. The Floyd, Va. native, took the lead from reigning Series Champion, Clay Rogers, on Lap 204 and set sail on the field. When the checkered flag fell, Agnew led the field by 3.078 seconds over second-place finisher, Caleb Holman.

“Well I think its well deserved for the team, they’ve worked really hard,” said Agnew.  “We’ve had a really good car all year, we just missed it a little bit.  I don’t know if I could have done anything with Caleb [Holman] if he had got by Clay [Rogers] up here.”

The driver of the No. 75 Food Country USA Chevrolet, Caleb Holman, started the Cabarrus Boys & Girls Club 250 from the pole for the second time this season. Holman, of Abingdon, Va., dominated the first half of the race, leading 127 of 250 laps.

Holman gave up the lead under the second caution of the night on Lap 128 when his fuel stop put him back to the fourth position. By Lap 200, Holman was back to the second position where he pulled door-to-door with leader Clay Rogers until Jeff Agnew made the battle three wide. Agnew pulled ahead of Rogers on Lap 203 and Holman followed suit to claim the second spot. 

“It all came down to getting by Clay down there,” said Holman. “I figured he would be really good when I got to him.  I could get under him. I just couldn’t quite make the pass. I got down here and got on the rumble strip and the car took off. I had to let off and both him and I ran up the track.”

A.J. Frank, driver of the No. 56 Speedco/Lucas Oil Chevrolet, started eighth in Saturday night’s Cabarrus Boys & Girls Club 250. Frank, of Bluffton, S.C., spent the second half of the race battling back from a pit road penalty under the second caution of the night for leaving the pits with the gas catch can still attached to his race car.

Within 20 laps of caution number two Frank moved back into contention, when the third caution of the night was shown on Lap 143 for debris in Turn 1. Frank entered the pits in the sixth position, just one spot ahead of teammate Brandon Ward.

After working on the car, Frank made his charge into the fifth position on Lap 170, getting around the No. 23 J & R Racing Chevrolet of J.P. Morgan. Frank made one last charge around the No. 16 of Clay Rogers in Turn 1 on Lap 209 to take the third spot, where he would finish the race.

“I tell you what man, Concord Speedway is a handful,” said Frank. “We adjusted all night. We came in every chance we got and made adjustments. I had fun, it was good to race with Clay [Rogers] and beat him. It shows that we are making gains on him.”

Defending Series Champion Clay Rogers had an uncharacteristic night at his home track of Concord (N.C.) Speedway Saturday night. Rogers, of Mooresville, N.C., started seventh in the Cabarrus Boys & Girls Club 250, only his third time starting from a position other than the pole this season. Rogers and the No. 16 USG Sheetrock team battled to the front on Lap 151 where he led 53 laps, the fewest he’s led of any race all season.

Rounding out the top five, J.P. Morgan and the No. 23 J & R Racing team took home a consecutive fifth-place finish. Morgan, of Charlotte, N.C., led 10 laps after gaining the lead under the second caution where he made a fuel-only stop which put him out ahead of the field. Saturday night’s race is only the second time Morgan led laps in the 2010 season. Before Concord, Morgan led a total of 44 laps all of which were at New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway in April.

After an action packed night at Concord (N.C.) Speedway, the USARacing Pro Cup Series moves on to the second race of the Championship Series at Bristol Motor Speedway on September 11. As USARacing returns to Bristol for the first time since August 2008, local driver Caleb Holman is more than ready to take the track.

“We had a heck of a race there last time,” said Holman. He looks to defend his win and continue his campaign for the 2010 USARacing Pro Cup Series Championship at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Unofficial Results=

By USAR Media=

Saturday=

Concord Speedway=

Concord, N.C.=

Lap length: 0.5 miles=

(Start position in parentheses)=

1. (2) Jeff Agnew, Ford, 250.

2. (1) Caleb Holman, Chevrolet, 250.

3. (8) A.J. Frank, Chevrolet, 250.

4. (7) Clay Rogers, Ford, 250.

5. (5) J.P. Morgan, Chevrolet, 250.

6. (9) John Gibson, Ford, 249.

7. (6) Chase Elliott, Ford, 248.

8. (13) Stephen Nasse, Chevrolet, 248.

9. (10) Tyler Young, Chevrolet, 247.

10. (12) Michael Mohelski, Chevrolet, 244.

11. (4) Brandon Ward, Chevrolet, 244.

12. (3) Logan Ruffin, Chevrolet, 239, mechanical.

13. (14) Larry Barrett, Chevrolet, 237.

14. (11) Ryan Heavner, Chevrolet, 190, accident.

15. (18) Ronnie Souders, Chevrolet, 122, mechanical.

16. (15) Rick Watson, Chevrolet, 4, mechanical.

17. (19) Megan Reitenour, Ford, 1, mechanical.

18. (17) Danny Abold, Chevrolet, mechanical.