Former driver Junior Miller was among the inductees for Caraway Speedway’s Wall of Fame during the weekend. (Photo courtesy of Caraway Speedway)
SOPHIA – Even on a night to engage in history, there was a sense of newness Saturday at Caraway Speedway.
After a Wall of Fame induction that added five to the speedway’s most-honored list, there were relative newcomers to victory lane.
The Wall of Fame inductees were ex-drivers John Paul Linville, Donald Tucker and Junior Miller, former race official Lance Childress and Riggs Racing.
Jamie York won the 58-lap Late Models feature – the length of the race paying tribute to the track’s 58 years of operation. His father, Jason York, was the fast qualifier, but he ended up third. Jason York is the track’s points leader.
Jeff Sparks contended for stretches and finished as the runner-up. Jamie York’s margin of victory was 2.446 seconds. Dean Ward was fourth, followed by Chase Murphy, Camden Thomas and Mike Bledsoe.
In 602 Modifieds, fast qualifier Josh Lowder was the winner, crossing the line ahead of Billy Gregg in the 50-lap event.
Third place went to Jaxson Casper with the next two spots going to Mitchell Wright and Levi Holt.
In the 35-lap Challengers race, Matthew Smith moved to the front on the 20th lap and went on to win for the first time in 2023. Nicolas Graham’s runner-up spot was also his best finish of the year, while Tommy Raino, Lucas Crim and DJ Dean secured the next three positions.
Fast qualifier Allen Vance didn’t finish the race after his car overheated.
In Mini Stocks, A.J. Sanders was the winner in the scheduled 40-lapper, which was cut to 21 laps because of rain. Luke Smith was second, followed by Bryson Pickard and Rudy Hartley. Chuck Wall led for several laps before contact with Jeffry Burrow’s car sent him out of the race.
For Legends cars, Kaden Ballos was ahead of London McKenzie at the finish.
James Monolo captured the 15-lap Bandoleros race.
UCARs were rained out.
The speedway takes Labor Day weekend off before the Sept. 9 card. That will include two UCAR races to make up for the rainout along with 602 Modifieds, Challengers, Legends and Bandoleros.
