Returns not only to the winner’s circle, but to top three podium finishes, elicited the usual, and some unusual responses in post-race remarks in the USG Night at the Races on the high-banked, 0.4-mile asphalt oval.

Topping the usual remarks were those of Wilson’s Greg Whitley as he captured the Four Cylinders 25-lap feature and Fayetteville’s Sherman Davis Jr.

Davis placed third and second, respectively, in the program’s headline event, the Twin 40s in Late Model Stock.

The more unusual remarks came from Bushwood Md.’s Kyle Hall, who captured the second twin 40, while Raleigh’s Andy Carter couldn’t find the words to express his joy in winning the 35-lap Street Stock feature.

Others visiting Victory Lane were Wilson’s Michael Rouse in the opening Late Model Stock twin, while Greenville’s Albert Lamm claimed the 25-lap V6/UCARS feature.

Four-Cylinders
Whitley took advantage of the mechanical problems of race-leader Josh Lamm, roaring by when Lamm washed up into the fourth turn of lap 22 during a three-car battle for the lead.

Lamm, who had held the point since motoring by pole sitter and initial race leader Kenny Johnson on the second lap’s second turn, said everything was working well until his mishap.

“The car felt good,” Lamm said. “Other than that last caution, we ran pretty well. The accelerator spring broke on that last caution, and that hurt us.”

Whitley had been on Lamm’s bumper from the outset of the race, and had dropped to the inside groove alongside Lamm as they, along with Lee Kozikowski entered the third turn of lap 22.

“He’s my buddy [Lamm],” Whitley said. “We got that last caution, and the tires cooled down. Then we got one little turn where he got caught up.

“But it sure feels good to be back here in Victory Lane.”

Lamm tried to battle back from his mishap, but could not keep pace with Whitley, or race runner-up Kozikowski of Clayton, who charged back from a second-lap caution.

That accident, which saw Kozikowski turn sideways coming out of the turn and knock Travis Green into the pit road water barrels, prompted track officials to send Kozikowski to the rear of the field.

Kozikowski surged through the field and following the caution on lap 20 pulled on the bumpers of Whitley and Lamm.

Divisional points leader Kenny Pierce placed fourth, while Jeremy Bohne took fifth.

Late Model Stock Twins
Strickland, the division’s points leader, roared by race-leader Michael Rouse on the 13th lap, then held on to pick up his sixth win of the season in the Late Model Stock class, which has been combined with the remnants of the Limited Late Model division.

Strickland, running in second from the drop of the green flag, moved within the rear bumper of Rouse on the third turn of the 13th cycle, raced by a fender at the start/finish line, and took command on lap 14.

“I had a good car tonight,” Strickland said. “It got real tight near the end for some reason, but everyone was real fast. I didn’t think we had the car to win.”

Rouse said a change to the set-up helped him out.

“We went with a little trackbar and hoped for the best,” Rouse said. “We’ll find out if that was it in the next race — we got mighty tight at the end.”

Davis finished third, followed by Scott Wise and Hall in the top five positions.

“I had a decent car but got a bad call I think,” Davis said, referring to a seventh lap caution that forced him to the rear of the field.

But Davis charged back and earned his third place finish, elevating hopes for the second feature.

“If I can get a clutch back on,” Davis said, “We might be all right in the next race. We didn’t have a clutch for the second half of this race.”

The field was inverted for the top five finishers for the start of the second event, and Hall used the inverted pole position to roar flag-to-flag for the win.

Davis and Strickland overcame Rouse on the tenth lap to take second and third place, finishing in those positions.

“I don’t agree with inverting the field,” Hall said. “I guess people want to see a lot of wrecked cars.”

Davis was pleased with his efforts on the evening, particularly the runner-up effort. The results left him thinking of better days to come.

“It’s been a long time (since winning),” Davis said. “ I certainly hope I can win again. I can use all the support I can get - hopefully, next time I can get the top spot.”

Scott Wise placed fourth and Michael Hardin was fifth.

Street Stock
Carter picked up his first win in seven years, and in the process, celebrated his first major appearance in Victory Lane since capturing the Street Stock points championship in 2002.

“I don’t know what to say right now,” Carter said. “I’m speechless.”

The elusive victory almost slipped from Carter’s hands -- twice -- in the final eight laps as he dueled with Kevin Benton.

Benton, whose car spewed traces of smoke throughout the feature, steadily cut into the lead of a half-straight established by Carter in the early stages of the race, taking over the point on lap 28.

But Carter would not give up, as he looked to the high side, then the low groove in attempting to re-take the point.

Twice Carter pulled alongside Benton, but cautions halted his advance.

Finally, following a caution on lap 33 when the car of Joe Gates Jr. stalled on the back straight before turn three, Carter made his winning move.

Carter got a strong restart, pulled alongside Benton in the first two turns, then pulled away to a one-length lead on the back straight.

Benton tried to recover, but blew his engine in the third turn, belching smoke over the final lap and finishing seventh.

Carter then held off a final lap charge by Sonny Jay Fisher to pick up the win, with Tyler LaMont third, Patrick Monterone fourth and Jonas Howard fifth.

“The only thing I did to the car in the last month,” Carter said, “was replace a shock, and I didn’t do that until tonight. It’s been about seven years since my last win.”

V-6 U-Cars
Greenville’s Albert LaMont pass of Paul Ledford on the third turn of lap four made him the third leader in four laps of the four-car combined feature.

It also made him the last, as he held off Ledford over the remaining 25 laps to claim the checkered flag.

Clayton’s Robert Arch took the initial lead, only to be reeled in by Ledford on the high side of lap two.

LaMont built his lead to one-half straight over Ledford, but saw his lead dwindle in the final laps until Ledford pulled alongside with two laps remaining.

Ledford’s challenge came to a halt in the first turn of lap 24, when they went three abreast with the lapped car of eventual fourth-place finisher Davey Lamont.

Davey LaMont forced Ledford out of the racing groove, while Albert LaMont drove to the victory.