Two split wins at Langley
Published 9:55 pm Thursday, May 31, 2012
C.E. Falk and Shayne Lockhart split the checkered flags in the late-model stock car Twin 50s, the featured events of Saturday evening’s NASCAR program at Langley Speedway. In the opener, Falk grabbed the lead from his brother, pole-sitter Wes Falk, on the start and led all the way for his third win.
Points leader Greg Edwards was due to start from the pole, but failed to clear the post-qualifying inspection, bumping him to the rear of the field.
The Falks ran 1-2 for the first 47 laps, while Edwards worked his way toward to the front. Edwards passed his brother, Danny Edwards Jr., on lap 37 to take over third. Seven laps later, he was parked on Wes Falk’s bumper. On lap 48, Edwards ducked underneath Wes Falk in Turns 3 and 4, nosing into second as they returned to the stripe.
He gained the clear-cut edge off Turn 2 on lap 49. The shuffle allowed C.E. Falk to extend his margin to four lengths, but traffic loomed ahead as he came to the white flag. While the leader worked past slower machines, Edwards continued to close ground on the final circuit.
His charge came up a little more than a car-length shy at the end, though, as C.E. Falk motored to the win. Wes Falk was third to the line, followed by Danny Edwards Jr. and Casey Wyatt.
In the nightcap, Lockhart started seventh, took the lead on lap 49 and rolled to his very first Langley Speedway win.
By virtue of his win in Race 1, C.E. Falk occupied the pole position, sharing the front row with Greg Edwards. As the second half of the twinbill got under way, though, Edwards surged into the lead. By the halfway mark, Edwards had widened his lead to half a straightaway over Falk, whose engine was beginning to falter.
On lap 32, Falk suddenly dropped off the pace. Slowing, he pulled into the pits on lap 33 and retired to a 15th-place finish. Lockhart took over second, but was a full straightaway behind the leader. Heading into the final 10 laps, Edwards ran up on slower traffic and Lockhart closed in. By lap 47, the gap had narrowed to a single car-length.
On lap 48, Lockhart took a hard run at Edwards, and the two made contact in Turn 2. At the other end of the track, Lockhart charged again and got underneath Edwards as they exited Turn 4. Lockhart gained the advantage coming to the white flag and pulled away to win by four lengths.
Edwards, who reported a tire going down, came home in second, followed by Wes Falk, Wyatt and Danny Edwards Jr.