Catchfence

Stanley, NC 7/17/11- Sometimes in racing the best car doesn’t always win, and Saturday night in the PASS South Racing Radios 100 at the Gresham Motorsports Park in Jefferson, Georgia that was exactly the case. Andy Loden lead ninety-seven of 100 laps before having to settle for a fifth place finish in the final two laps of the 100 lap event. The fifth place finish was Loden’s fifth top five in nine PASS South series starts so far in 2011.

After qualifying second to eventual race winner Bubba Pollard, Loden redrew pill number two which allowed him to keep his second place starting position after the series redraw of the ten fastest qualifiers during time trials. As soon as the green flag dropped Loden and his #29 Monroe Roadways/Red Mango Chevy Impala made its way to the lead. Over the ninety-six laps Andy dominated the twenty-six car field lapping all the way up the fifth place competitor. Some of his victims whom he lapped along the way included current PASS South points leader Jay Fogleman, Ryan Blaney, Donnie Wilson, and Justin Wakefield, the 2010 World Crown 300 winner.

On lap ninety-six the yellow flag would wave for just the second time for a spin by Steve Legendre bringing second place driver Augie Grill, who was over a straightaway behind, along with the rest of the field back together for a restart to decide the winner. On the first restart Loden slipped to second as the yellow waived once again. A final restart with two laps remaining decided the race as Loden and Grill raced side-by-side through the first two turns, and down the back stretch until Loden’s Monroe Roadways Chevy Impala would push up into the marbles with the tight side-by-side racing. The transition up the track allowed the top four positions to get by and forced Loden to cross the finish line in fifth.

“I’m beyond frustrated right now; to have that good of a car that dominated this entire field here tonight and have to settle for fifth sucks,” vented a dejected Loden after the race. “My car never really fell off like the other guys did and we just sliced through the field. I guess this is one of those races where the best car didn’t win because there was no doubt by anyone at the race tonight that we had the best car.”

“I guess we’ll have to take it as a good race that gained points on Blaney and Fogleman and plan on repeating our win at South Boston in August. Right now I’m just frustrated and don’t have much to say about this one,” added Loden.

For more information on driver Andy Loden and his R & L Motorsports including news, results, and merchandise visit his all new website at www.andyloden.net.

- Tex Motorsports Press Release