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| St.Augustine Closes 2001 Points Season | by Donnie Helmly
The 2001 points championship came to a close Saturday night at St. Augustine Speedway, and saw a second generation champion claim the Late Model Championship in winning fashion.
Scott Lagasse Jr. came into the night's action with a 14-point advantage over veteran driver Doyle Boatwright, knowing that the veteran wouldn't give up without a challenge. Lagasse would find the track to his liking Saturday night as he would take the win in the 25-lap feature event in flag to flag fashion, beating out former Jax Raceways Hobby Stock Champion, Jody Turner and Josh Byrd.
Scott Lagasse Jr., son of road racing champion and NASCAR Truck and Busch Grand National competitor Scott Lagasse, finished the season with what most competitors would consider a dream season.
Lagasse competed in 15 of the 17 events, logging 11 wins; a pair of second place finishes, a fourth place finish and a ninth place finish.
Fourteen-year-old Terry Wright added his fifth win of the 2001 season in the Thunder Truck division, but it wouldn't be enough to beat point's leader Ricky Cooper for the championship.
Wright took the lead on lap five of Saturday night events and would lead the remaining laps unchallenged for the victory, beating out Wade Lynn and Jason Garver.
Cooper came into the night's action with a 62-point advantage having already claimed the title. Coopers championship run for 2001 saw him in the winner circle 9 times in fifteen events. Wright finished second in the point's race with 5 wins and never finished outside of the top five in all 14 events he competed in.
The Modified feature event saw Mark Bergman laying claim to his second feature event in a row and his third of the 2001 season, beating out Mike Batton, Shannon Smith, Jason Garver and points champion John Galbraigh. Galbraigh won his first championship without finding the winner circle, proving consistency wins championships.
Jody Stratton won the Hobby Stock feature event to top off his season. Stratton beat out Jeremy Cline and points champion Chris Manucy. Manucy won the championship with an unprecedented 12 feature wins in 15 events.
Vern Rozier made the season ending event one to remember, as he won his first feature of the 2001 season. Rozier had finished in the runner up spot four times this season, but had not made it to victory lane until Saturday night. Following in second was Stanton Mills and points champion John Hopke. Hopke had a pair of win's to his credit for the season and five runner up finishes.
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