July 24^th

-Deanna Landis

(Radford, VA) TJ Majors and the #17 JR Motorsports late model team returned to Motor Mile Speedway to compete in the WDBJ-7 100 lap NASCAR late model division race. After two weeks of extensive body damage to the #17, the team’s hard work brought them back for a 3^rd straight week to compete for the win. 

After last week’s pile-up on the front stretch, fans filled the stands, prepared to see an exciting race. With a 16.46 second lap, Majors qualified in the 3^rd position, behind the #8 Tam Topham (16.41) and the #6 Randy Taylor (16.43). Last week’s winner, Frank Deiny Jr. started in the 5^th position. When the green flag waived, Topham jumped the start resulting in a stop and go penalty, leaving TJ Majors up front after passing the second place car of Taylor in the first lap.

Majors lead the way until lap 5 when Frank Deiny Jr, took over the top position. Deiny and Majors pulled away from the rest of the field to finish in the top two positions with over half a lap lead over the 3^rd place position.

TJ commented, "It was great to finish behind Franky, I learned a lot by following him. We basically had the same car at the end. I learned more in this race than I did in the past four races here at Motor Mile Speedway."

After winning his 7^th Late Model race at Motor Mile Speedway, track officials have placed a $5,000 bounty on Frank Deiny, Jr for this Saturday’s race.  Anyone who can take a win from Deiny will be awarded the $5,000 bonus in addition to weekly winnings.

The JR Motorsports team will head back to Motor Mile Speedway, July 31^st, for Saturday’s Dr Pepper 100 in hopes of catching their first late model victory.