Terence Burdette and Ryan Joyner were double winners during round three of the AKRA/Unilli Tires ‘Big Eight’ million-dollar purse series Saturday April 4th at Liberty Raceway Park in Staley N.C.  Liberty Raceway Park, known as the ‘Daytona of Dirt, hosts North Carolina’s largest local points series.

Burdette earned the Clone Super Heavy and Clone Super Heavy Warm Up wins. He was 0.125-seconds ahead of Kevin Elliott when Clone Super Heavy’s checkers waved. Tony Belk, Jonathan Hagler and James Stanly followed Elliot in the top-five.  In Clone Super Heavy Pro Warm Up Burdette struggled in qualifying. He turned in an 11.876 –seconds qualifying time that was 0.015-seconds off Brandon McClain’s 11.829-seconds pole winning rounding of the ¼-mile tri-oval.

When it counted Burdette blasted off from a sixth place start to a first place finish where he beat the pole winner by 0.155-seconds.  Following McClain in the top five were Kevin Elliot, Brent Lewis and Tony Gaylord of Monroe, N.C.

Joyner battled with Junior Sportsman-1 265’s reigning points leader Elli Beets beating Beets to the stripe by 0.374-seconds.  Behind Beets in the top five were Carter Langley, Ira Mattice and Camden Bryant.  Later, in Junior Sportsmen 2 290 Joyner turned the top qualifying lap in12.322-seconds. That was 0.074-seconds faster than Beets best effort of 12.396-seconds. He beat Beets again in the final, this time by a whopping 2.115-seconds.

Beets, a previous double winner at Jasper and Dexter, won Junior Sportsman 1 PRO.  Langley led qualifying with a 12.698-seconds spin.  Beets shared row one with a 12.700-seconds spin that was mire 0.002-seconds slower than Langley.  Qualifying was close throughout the field with Mattic taking the inside of row two just 0.009-seconds off the pace. Bryant started outside row two just 0.0781-seconds off the pace.

This time Beets hustled into the early lead and never looked back cruising to a 0.296-seconds advantage over Joyner.  Mattice crossed third, Langley was fourth and Camden Bryant capped the top five.

Daniel Armstrong dominated Clone Heavy-375 from a sixth place start with Lancaster South Carolina competitor Jamie Knopf chasing him under the checkers 0.699-seconds later. Jonathan Cash captured the pole with an 11.533-seconds run and held the early lead. Hunter Curtis was third across the stripe followed by Mechanicsville, VA based Scott Bajer in fourth and Brittney Pirolla who rounded out the top five.

Armstrong was determined to make it two, but Jerry Mullis was driving Clone Lite-330’s fastest machine.  Mullis moved into the lead and never looked back finishing the 20-lap contest with a comfortable 1.084-seconds lead over Armstrong.  Jesse Riggins ran third, Daniel Simmons trailed him in fourth and J.L. Furrow finished fifth.

Cash and Bajer shared Clone Medium 350’s front row.  Cash turned an 11.455-seconds pole winning lap with Bajer bagging the out side front row starting position with an 11.517-seconds time that was 0.062-seconds slower than Cash’s time.  When they got the green flag Cash quickly took the early lead as Armstrong fought his way from a fourth place start taking second from Bajer.  Cash held on as Armstrong tried to pass him.  For all his efforts Armstrong fell short at the stripe.  Cash took the checkered flag with a 0.152-seconds edge over Armstrong.  Bajer followed in third with Curtis and Mullis making up the rest of the top five.

Hunter Smith handled Clone Non-Pro’s 27-racer field.  Battling his way from an 8th place start Smith stood on the gas grabbing the win over Austin Carter with just a slim 0.009-seconds advantage. Dagan Bowdoin was third by just 0.199-seconds. Nose-to-tail behind Bowdoin were Zach Burrow and Shawn Walker.

Nick Scott nailed Clone Pro-375’s win based on qualifying. He locked in the top spot with an 11.528-seconds lap time.  Caleb Clinard captured Flat Head with a 12.786-seconds solo run.

Preston Curtis worked his way from a fifth place start to a first place finish in Junior Restricted 3-320.  Pole winner Lake Price (11.817-seconds) pulled out into the early lead with outside pole winner Rob Hruska (12.113-seconds) hot on his tail. Meanwhile, Curtis got his machine moving through the field towards the front.  Price fell to a fourth place finish while Curtis cruised past Hruska for the win with a 0.770-seconds advantage.  Dustin Williamson’s #55 machine was third across the stripe and Sam Johnson capped the top five.

Price produced his second pole this one in Junior Restricted 3 PRO-320 where the clock timed him at 11.789-seconds.  Hruska was second fastest qualifier again turning in a 12.110-seconds run.  Johnson and Williamson started fourth and fifth.

This time Hruska took the lead and held off Williamson who trailed by 0.617-seconds. Price slipped back to third. Curtis and Johnson completed the top five.

Price was also the Junior Sportsman PRO-290 pole winner.  For his third pole the young driver blistered the track in 11.992-seconds.  Beets earned another out side pole this time in 12.223-seconds just 0.231-seconds slower than the pole time.

In another close finish Jolynn Wilkerson led the way taking the win over Joyner by 0.031-seconds.  Beets was third, Price fourth for the field.

Next up on the Big Eight Series schedule Kershaw, S.C. where they will compete on one of the South’s primer dirt speedways Hanging Rock Kartway May 9th.

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