Todd Hall
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DuQuoin, IL (8/24/08)-Canton, Michigan's Paul Hahn scored his first ever one mile dirt track win as did Charleston, Missouri's Todd Hall as each won auto racing features Sunday, August 24 on the "Magic Mile" of the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds. Hahn's win came in a thrilling Best Western-DuQuoin 50 for the Automobile Racing Club of America Lincoln Welders Truck Series while Hall had to fend off a challenge the last two laps to win the Best Western Challenge for the United Midwestern Promoters Pro Late Models.
A fast track greeted drivers and fans and when qualifications got underway for the ARCA trucks no less than six drivers eclipsed the old track record with veteran Norm Weaver of Clarksburg, West Virginia setting a new standard of 36.043 (99.881 MPH). ARCA rules allow for an invert of a portion of the field by a roll of the dice, however Weaver chose to take the ARCA challenge and started last in the field looking for a $500 bonus if he could win the event. 2006 winner Nick Gullatta took the lead from the front row and led the first 4 circuits before he and Steve Christman of Fort Wayne, Indiana began a spirited battle exchanging the lead several times before Gullatta took the top slot for several circuits. Christman retook the lead before half way as Weaver worked his way from the back to fourth. A caution on lap 28 for a minor accident involving Michelle Bischoff slowed the field and on the restart Gullatta, Christman, Hahn and Weaver ran nose to tail for several laps. Hahn took the lead when Gullatta faltered late in the race and lapped traffic allowed Weaver to briefly grab the lead with less than five laps to go which sent the DuQuoin crowd into frenzy. Hahn, however, caught Weaver in traffic on the next lap and held the lead until the end.
Weaver finished second with Christman third.
In the companion UMP Pro Late Model event Centralia, Illinois' Nick Lyons smashed Ken Schrader's two-year-old track record in qualifications with a 31.852 (113.023 MPH). Benton, Illinois driver Shane Cockrum won the first heat race with DuQuoin's Ray Emling, Jr. setting a new five-lap record winning the second heat race. The top six were inverted for the 20-mile main event and Hall took the lead at the start until Lyons passed him on the fourth circuit. Lyons had been experiencing problems and surrendered the lead before crashing in turn two on lap 7. Hall led the rest of the way and held off a spirited challenge from Cockrum over the last two laps to win by a car length. Bobby Melvin finished third, with Scott Britton fourth and Emling fifth.
