WEST PORTSMOUTH — Portsmouth Raceway Park officially wrapped up its 33rd season this past Saturday night with “Meet The Drivers Night” — presented by On The Esplanade Laser Center & Medical Spa.
Brandon Fouts, Ervin Vance, Robbie Lewis and Joshua Harrington picked up wins in their respective divisions, while Kirk Phillips, Vance, Evyian Terry and Jeromy Brady all captured track championships in their classes.
Besides enjoying an evening of racing and crowning the 2023 track champs, PRP also said goodbye to longtime friend and flagman Randy Campbell, who retired at the end of the night after 45 years of flagging — with nearly 30 seasons spent at Portsmouth Raceway Park.
Phillips captured the Giovanni’s Pizza Wholesale Late Model Track Championship — the first PRP title for the 27-year-old Ashland (Ky.) driver.
In seven races, he posted six top-10 finishes and five top-5s.
Vance of Beaver (Ky.) recorded his second PRP Track Championship in The Gampp’s Power Equipment Modified Division.
Vance won four of the eight races he ran, and finished in the top-10 of every race — and in the top-5 of every race but one.
Vance wound up claiming his title driving two different cars — his own #P20 and Jody Puckett’s J3, both of which are Stealth Chassis.
Catlettsburg’s (Ky.) Terry made it back-to-back O’Reilly Auto Parts Limited Late Model Track Championships — and three overall.
In Terry’s nine starts in 2023, he recorded one win and seven top-5 finishes.
In a season which saw West Portsmouth’s Brady record his first-ever PRP feature win after 20 years of trying, Brady also laid claim to his very first BluePrint Event Tent & Inflatables Rentals Sport Mod Track Championship.
Brady started eight A-Mains, scoring four top-5s and seven top-10s.
There was some very competitive racing in Saturday’s PRP season finale.
Fouts — from Kite, Ky. — wound up finishing the season with back-to-back feature wins in the Late Models.
Fouts won his heat, started on the outside pole of the A-Main, and took over the lead from Justin Cooper on lap 16 of the 25-lap feature.
Cooper posted the quick time for the second straight week.
The Wheelersburg driver started on the pole and wound up placing second, just as he did a week ago.
Rounding out the top-10 were Kenny Christy, Phillips, Mike Hildebrand, Charlie Jude, Austin Lay, Josh Bocook, A.J. Hurt, and Ronnie Whitt.
Vance closed out the season in style — leading every circuit and winning his fourth Modified A-Main to solidify his second PRP title.
Jeremy Rayburn finished second, Brayden Berry moved up from eighth to third, Puckett finished fourth, and Zack Newell climbed from 14th to fifth.
Rounding out the top 10-were J.P. Roberts, Tony DeHart, Anthony Slusher, David Fitzpatrick and Brian Sammons Jr.
Vanceburg’s (Ky.) Lewis returned to the winner’s circle in the Limited Lates.
He took over the lead on lap 7 of the 15-lap A-Main — as Jacob Curnutte, Kevin Terry, Albert Butcher and Evyian Terry rounded out the top-5.
Chillicothe’s Harrington dominated the Sport Mod feature, leading every lap.
The remainder of the top five consisted of Brady, Luke Jordan, Kyle Payne and Jamey Adams.
Joe McClain moved up eight positions to sixth, Conner McKenzie placed seventh, Stevie D. Thornsberry finished eighth, Rob Lemaster was ninth, and Adam Jones climbed nine spots to 10th.
Throughout the offseason, be on the lookout for Portsmouth Raceway Park’s 2024 season schedule — by following PRP on Facebook and checking out the track’s website at www.portsraceway.com.
