Rob's Race Recap - 8/8/2026 - 1st Annual Red Mountain Thunder
- Aug 13
- 3 min read
Rougemont, NC --
D & R Properties Future Flyers
Lexi Phillips took advantage of her starting position and lead the entire way. It didn’t come easy though. Nova Hasty and Coleman Purnell battled it out for second with Nova logging her best finish ever with second and Coleman finishing third. Lexi received the winners medal and an ice cream cone from Paw Paw’s Hand Dipped Ice Cream.
Scott Phillips Pure Stock
BJ Reaves started out front with his brother Zach by his side. Zach from the drop of the flag battled with his brother and lead the first twelve laps. BJ finally got around Zach, who fell into a duel with Jay Hemenway. BJ took the checkered flag with Zach finishing second and Jay crossing in third.
Crown Vic Outlaw Super Series
The #26 of Michael Lipe qualified on the pole and set the pace for the first fourteen laps. Chris Morris’ #70 took the point and lead to the finish line to become Orange County Speedway’s first Crown Vic winner. #22 Brad Martin finished second with the #1 of Rileigh Hathcock bringing it home in third.
Choice Automotive Charger - 1st Annual Red Mountain Thunder
The inaugural Red Mountain Thunder was a race filled with plenty of action from the drop of the green flag to the checkered flag. After the invert, Tripp Evans led the field to the green and controlled the opening eight laps. John Fitzhugh, who had posted the fastest qualifying lap, worked his way through the field and took over the lead, holding the top spot till lap fifteen. A caution brought the field back together, allowing Evans to regain the lead. He set the pace
until lap twenty-four when Fitzhugh once again worked his way to the front. From there, Fitzhugh maintained control through the fifty lap break and was the first driver to cross the finish line. Following post race inspection,however, Fitzhugh failed to pass inspection, moving
Bradley Wolford into the top spot for his first career win in a Charger. Tripp Evans was credited with second place and Bubba Perry rounded out the podium in third.
Huff’s Insurance and Reality Late Models
Chase Ellis started the show up front. His first pole at Orange County Speedway.He led the first seven laps, when Lane Woods wrestled the point away for the next fifteen laps. Chase got back around to lead until lap forty-eight, when Lane moved to the front to lead the final two laps. Bradley McCaskill finished second, followed by Chase in third.
Vintage Sportsman
Gary Lloyd won the pole with Cory Purnell to the outside. Gary pulled out to a lead with Cory giving it everything it had. On the last lap, with Cory slowly gaining a little ground lap after lap, drove it in to four for all it was worth. Cory wound up spinning, but still finished second to Gary. Will Riley completed the podium in third.
Poolside of the Carolinas Mod 4's
Brandon Watson won the pole and led the field to the green. From his second place start, Harold Summey Jr. took the lead before they made it back to the start/finish line. Harold held the lead for the first six laps until Cory Purnell, who had worked his way from shotgun on the field, assumed the lead. After three caution flags, Cory was able to hold off Brandon to the checkers with Thomas Penny finishing a strong third.
Full race results from the August 8th, 2026 event can be found here:
