Photo Courtesy PRP Media Relations

The 17 car operated by Shannon Thornsberry loses its rear end during Saturday’s action at Portsmouth Raceway Park.

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PRP Release

A sensational night of Modified racing highlighted another fun-filled evening at Portsmouth Raceway Park Saturday night.

Over 100 drivers were in attendance and they provided PRP’s fans with plenty of action. Dominating performances were delivered by R.J. Conley in the Late Models and Mike Meyers in the Limited Lates.

Conard Newman won his first Bomber feature of the season and took over the points lead in doing so. In the Modified A-Main, Jim Barnett came from third to first in the final two laps.

Barnett charged to the front throughout the night. Despite starting seventh, Barnett won his heat race.

He began the feature on the outside poll alongside Doug Adkins. Adkins led the first two laps of the 20-lap A-Main before Barnett took the lead on lap three.

Barnett remained at the point until Adkins reclaimed the top spot on lap 12. Barnett fell to third, but on a restart with two to go, Adkins and Keith Smith made some contact and Barnett wound up passing them both en route to the win.

Smith finished second, Adkins placed third, Rick Hensley and Jeremy Rayburn rounded out the top five. Hensley was the race’s best mover as he advanced seven positions. The Modifieds raced two, three, and even four-wide on multiple occasions throughout the evening.

The Late Model A-Main had its dramatic moments but they were all from second on back because Conley started on the poll and led every lap. The Wheelersburg driver was never seriously challenged at any point, as he easily hung on to win his third PRP race of 2012.

South Shore’s Butch Dowdy had a scary accident in the Late Model feature as he and Josh Bocook got together on the front stretch and Dowdy wound up hitting the wall in front of the flag stand and getting airborne. He thankfully landed back on all four wheels and did not roll.

One of the more entertaining moments of the Late A-Main was produced by West Portsmouth’s Ben Adkins. After running in the top three early in the event, his car stalled and stopped which forced him to the rear of the field.

He came from 13th to second in 11 laps while running a groove much higher on the track than most. Unfortunately for Adkins, he wound up pulling into the infield with seven to go.

Bocook finished second, three-time track champ Kenny Christy advanced 11 spots to finish third. Kevin Wagner and Lee Logan made up the rest of the top five.

The Limited Late Model feature was dominated by Fayetteville’s Mike Meyers. He led all 15 laps to record his second-straight PRP win.

Robbie Lewis charged from eighth to finish second. Matt Melvin, Evyian Terry and Kenny Atkins finished third through fifth respectively.

In the Bomber A-Main, Newman took the checkers. He has finished in the top five every race this season and has posted multiple second-place finishes.

By winning Saturday night, Newman took a five-point lead over Jeremie Bretz in the season standings. Bretz finished second, teammate Shane Pendleton was third, Brett Carey placed fourth and Jason Spillman crossed the line in fifth.

Portsmouth Raceway Park will be in action this coming Saturday featuring Late Models, Modifieds, Limited Lates and Bombers.