National Dirt Late Model Hall Of Famer Billy Moyer Wins Baltes Classic at Eldora

Story By: MATT PRIEUR / DIRTCAR – ROSSBURG, OH – The Sunoco American Late Model Series continues to roll through the 2018 racing season as the traditional tripleheader of action over the Labor Day Holiday Weekend concluded at Eldora Speedway with the 11th annual Baltes Classic.

The highlight of Labor Day Weekend was on one of the biggest stages in all of dirt track racing. The famed half-mile, high-banked dirt oval — located just east of the Indiana/Ohio state line in Rossburg, OH — hosted the Series in a 30-lap, $5,000-to-win showdown. When the checkered flag flew, National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame legend Billy Moyer landed in Victory lane after holding off a ferocious charge from Nick Hoffman.

The Baltes Classic was the third of four appearances at Eldora in 2018 and milestone race number 90 all-time for the Sunoco ALMS at the track that has hosted the Series the most in its 24-year history. Moyer and former five-time Track Champion Matt Miller led the field to the green flag to begin the 30-lap feature. Several quick cautions early on slowed the pace, but each time, Moyer would beat out Hoffman, who slipped past Miller from his third starting position, to the first corner to grab the lead. Moyer and Hoffman pulled away from the rest of the field once they started clicking off laps setting up a battle for the ages in the later laps.

As Hoffman continued to size up Moyer, the two leaders approached lapped traffic and the slide job wars began between the two drivers. The crafty veteran Moyer never relented even after Hoffman slid past him on several occasions, even briefly taking the lead with three laps to go. Moyer knew what to do to get back past Hoffman and slide-jobbed Hoffman one last time with two laps to go. In the end, he beat Hoffman to the line by just 0.196 seconds to score his fourth career win in the Baltes Classic and his eighth career Sunoco ALMS victory, his first of 2018. This marks Moyer’s sixth Sunoco ALMS career win at Eldora alone, with his only other two Sunoco ALMS triumphs coming at Farmer City Raceway (IL).

Hoffman settled for second over five-time Track Champion Matt Miller, while two-time and defending DIRTcar National Champion Rusty Schlenk was fourth ahead of part-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver Chad Finley, who completed the top five after starting 13th. Defending Track Champion Kent Robinson started 17th and charged his way to a sixth-place finish as Shanon Buckingham overcame an early caution to score a seventh place showing. Eldora Late Model points leader coming into the night, Devin Gilpin was eighth. Scott James and Joey Coulter rounded out the top 10.

Earlier in the evening, Greg Johnson out-timed the 31-car field in Qualifying with a 15.542-second lap at 115.815 mph. Moyer, Miller, Hoffman and Schlenk won the Heat races, while Robinson scored the victory in the Last Chance Showdown.

The Baltes Classic was the final tune-up for one of dirt Late Model racing’s most prestigious events, the 48th annual World 100 this Thursday-Saturday, September 6-8.

The fourth and final appearance of 2018 at Eldora for the Sunoco American Late Model Series is also the final race of the year for the Series on Saturday, October 13 as part of the track’s Last Call For Them All weekend with the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series.

For more information about the Sunoco American Late Model Series, visit the Series website. You can also follow the Series on Social Media via the DIRTcar Racing pages using the hashtag #ALMS.

Sunoco American Late Model Series – Eldora Speedway – Sunday, September 2, 2018 (31 Teams)

Baltes Classic Feature (30 Laps): 1. 21 Billy Moyer (1), 2. 2h Nick Hoffman (3), 3. 3 Matt Miller (2), 4. cj1 Rusty Schlenk (4), 5. 42 Chad Finley (13), 6. 7r Kent Robinson (17), 7. 50 Shanon Buckingham (6), 8. 1g Devin Gilpin (10), 9. 83 Scott James (12), 10. 2c Joey Coulter (18), 11. 19 Greg Roberson (14), 12. 95j Jerry Bowersock (22), 13. 8 Rob Anderzack (24), 14. 4g Kody Evans (9) 15. 1n Casey Noonan (19), 16. 5n Dustin Nobbe (11) 17. 12 Jason Jameson (8) 18. 87j Freddie Carpenter (7), 19. 51 Devin Shiels (15), 20. c9 Steve Casebolt (5), 21. 17j Greg Johnson (20), 22. 49 Matt Lindsey (23), 23. 20c Duane Chamberlain (16), 24. 69 Jeff Warnick (23).

Group 1 Qualifying: 1. 17j Greg Johnson 15.542, 2. 4g Kody Evans 15.655, 3. 21 Billy Moyer 15.684, 4. C9 Steve Casebolt 15.696, 5. 7r Kent Robinson 15.725, 6. 11r James Rice 16.166, 7. 1n Casey Noonan 16.372, 8. 42 Chad Finley 16.552.

Group 2 Qualifying: 1. 50 Shanon Buckingham 15.626, 2. 1g Devin Gilpin 15.697, 3. 19 Greg Roberson 16.040, 4. 3 Matt Miller 16.286, 5. 8 Rob Anderzack 16.408, 6. 49 Matt Lindsey 16.510, 7. 22f Nick Fenner 18.048, 8. 5d Bryant Dickinson-No Time.

Group 3 Qualifying: 1. 2h Nick Hoffman 15.605, 2. 5n Dustin Nobbe 15.628, 3. 87j Freddie Carpenter 16.021, 4. 20h Jon Henry 16.059, 5. 51 Devin Shiels 16.154, 6. 995 Dwight Falcon 16.422, 7. 52 Brad Harden 16.541.

Group 4 Qualifying: 1. 12 Jason Jameson 15.619, 2. cj1 Rusty Schlenk 15.906, 3. 20c Duane Chamberlain 16.019, 4. 2c Joey Coulter 16.105, 5. 95j Jerry Bowersock 16.111, 6. 83 Scott James 16.167, 7. 69 Jeff Warnick 16.828, 8. 626 Brian Mullins-No Time.

Heat 1 (10 Laps) – Top 4 Transfer: 1. 21 Billy Moyer (2), 2. c9 Steve Casebolt (1), 3. 4g Kody Evans (3), 4. 42 Chad Finley (8), 5. 1n Casey Noonan (7), 6. 11r James Rice (6), 7. 7r Kent Robinson (5), 8. 17j Greg Johnson (4).

Heat 2 (10 Laps) – Top 4 Transfer: 1. 3 Matt Miller (1), 2. 50 Shanon Buckingham (4), 3. 1g Devin Gilpin (3), 4. 19 Greg Roberson (2), 5. 8 Rob Anderzack (5), 6. 49 Matt Lindsey (6), 7. 5d Bryant Dickinson (8), 8. 22f Nick Fenner (7).

Heat 3 (10 Laps) – Top 4 Transfer: 1. 2h Nick Hoffman (4), 2. 87j Freddie Carpenter (2), 3. 5n Dustin Nobbe (3), 4. 51 Devin Shiels (5), 5. 995 Dwight Falcon (6), 6. 20h Jon Henry (1), 7. 52 Brad Harden (7).

Heat 4 (10 Laps) – Top 4 Transfer: 1. cj1 Rusty Schlenk (3), 2. 12 Jason Jameson (4), 3. 83 Scott James (6), 4. 20c Duane Chamberlain (2), 5. 95j Jerry Bowersock (5), 6. 2c Joey Coulter (1), 7. 69 Jeff Warnick (7), 8. 626 Brian Mullins (8).

Last Chance Showdown (12 Laps) – Top 4 Transfer: 1. 7r Kent Robinson (7), 2. 2c Joey Coulter (6), 3. 1n Casey Noonan (1), 4. 17j Greg Johnson (11), 5. 95j Jerry Bowersock (4), 6. 995 Dwight Falcon (3), 7. 8 Rob Anderzack (2), 8. 69 Jeff Warnick (10), 9. 49 Matt Lindsey (5), 10. 52 Brad Harden (9), 11. 5d Bryant Dickinson (8), 12. 22f Nick Fenner (12), 13. 626 Brian Mullins (13), Did Not Start: 11r James Rice, 20h Jon Henry.