Herndon Wins Spooktackular; Brame Jr. Captures Title

There were so many different storylines at the Walls' Roofing UCAR Cash for Clash Halloween Spooktackular— redemption, new faces and the culmination of a season long battle for the championship. All three themes would come together to make the final lap of the 50-lap slugfest at Wake County Speedway one of the most exciting in Clash history. When all the smoke cleared, Kevin Herndon rolled his #58 Geo Prism into victory lane— a place he says he belonged back in June. Herndon's is the story of redemption. When the clash visited Wake County Speedway in the summer, Herndon led 49 laps of the 50 lap feature, but tangled with Robert Arch heading into the final corner, destroying Herndon's car and ending his race. A fight after the race left emotions high and Herndon's car owner suspended for a race. Herndon's victory, in his first race back on the tour, was a sweet one — he led from wire to wire. "It feels good, especially after that deal last race," Herndon said after his win. "The car was good. We put it on the frame machine and fixed it." Even though Herndon led every lap, it wasn't an easy win. Late model driver and former track champion Todd Langdon worked his way from a 28th starting position to second place, when the caution flew with only five laps remaining. On the restart, Herndon's brakes failed, his car was smoking and Langdon was clearly faster. Somehow Herndon hung on by only a car-length.

The championship battle between Keith Brame Jr. and Renno Marchetti IV didn't seem that close at the beginning of the race. 54-points separated the two drivers heading into the final race. Brame had won five races and hadn't finished outside the top five all season. All Brame needed to do was finish 22nd and he'd clinch the points title. All of that looked up in the air on the final lap. Brame was running fourth when first time racer Collin Vernal spun his #22 car out of turn two on lap 49. In the Clash, drivers race back to the checkered flag and Brame couldn't avoid the spinning car of Vernal, destroying the front of his #12 Honda Prelude. After completing every lap this season, Brame had suffered his first stroke of bad luck — a DNF. Fortunately for the Gibsonville driver, his last-lap crash placed him in 14th— the first car a lap down. Combine that with Marchetti's third place finish and it was an ugly way to clinch a championship— but a championship none the less. Both drivers showed great sportsmanship all season, and heartily congratulated each other after the race. The final rundown at Wake County was Herndon, Langdon, Marchetti, Michael Strickland and David Wiggins. A record 29 cars showed up to compete in the race, with 13 finishing on the lead lap.

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