Chuck Barnes, Sr. held off a last lap challenge from Brett Hudson to win the Polar Bear 150 Friday afternoon at Rockingham Speedway, his second consecutive victory in the annual event held each January 1 at the former NASCAR track.

“We had a good car, not the fastest car,” Barnes said in victory lane. “He (Hudson) is a good driver and had the fastest car, I think. These cars are a whole lot better when they’re out front, mine was, and I know his was too.  Somehow, I got him on the start and managed to stay in front of him. He drove me clean and he deserved to win because he had a better car.”

Hudson settled for second after a valiant effort to take the race lead over the last five laps.

“I knew I had enough for him,” said Hudson. “I knew the only way I was going to do it was to back off early here (turn 3) and pull up under him on turn four. It worked out perfect on the last lap, the lap car broke his momentum down here (backstretch), he went in low and I went in high. It was looking good for me and he just held it down on the bottom and broke my momentum and I just hit him right in the center of the corner, all I did was shove him forward.”

Barnes can look forward to more of the same from Hudson next year.

“We would have loved to have won, but it was a great run for us and we’ll be back next time,” Hudson said.

Will Kimmel finished third, Frank Kimmel II fourth and Chad Hall completed the top-five.

NASCAR crew chief Jimmy Elledge was involved in an incident on lap 60 that ended his day.

“It’s my fault, I was being stupid and driving my car way to hard and it was way too loose," Elledge said as he stood among the carnage in the garage area at the race’s halfway point. “I was just trying to get to half way to get it tightened up. I was faster than that guy in front of me and I got below him. I almost had him cleared and he drove in on the outside of me and got me on the bottom, and I was way too loose on the bottom. I tried to finish the pass off, and It just got away from me getting into the corner and I spun out and wrecked. Nobody’s fault but mine.”

Rockingham Speedway will host the  the first-ever Chump Car 24 Hours of Rockingham on March 13-14, 2010, with The Spring Fling Legends and Bandolero Challenge Series scheduled to kick off March 14 on the Little Rock.

Hardcore race fans can contact the Rockingham Speedway by calling 910-205-8800 for more information or visit online at www.rockinghamspeedway.com.

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