DOVER — After being read his Miranda rights, according to police, a 21-year-old Dover man allegedly admitted to fatally shooting a sleeping woman in a motel room late Thursday morning, a detective wrote in a probable-cause affidavit.

Darren C. Weiford, of the first block of Quail Hollow, had rented a room at the First State Inn, where Amber Buckler, 20, was found dead at approximately 11:28 a.m., Dover Police said.

Police said the defendant and deceased were in a relationship. Ms. Buckler’s Facebook page indicated she had gotten engaged on Wednesday.

According to police in the affidavit, Mr. Weiford allegedly told arriving officers “to arrest him at which time he was detained and he then pointed to his rented room …

“Inside the room (Ms. Buckler) was found deceased …”

Investigation determined that Ms. Buckler died from a single gunshout wound to the head and Mr. Weiford’s Ruger 9mm handgun was allegedly lying on the bed, police said in papers.

Authorities were called to the scene at 1760 N. DuPont Highway after a 911 call “disconnect where the caller stated police were needed.”

Mr. Weiford was arrested without incident, police said. He was positively identified by his Delaware driver’s license.

Charges include first-degree murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

Mr. Weiford was arraigned through Justice of the Peace Court 2 in Rehoboth Beach and sent to James T. Vaughn Correctional Center near Smyrna in default of $1,180,000 cash bond.

Police provided little information beyond a news release.

“We will not be releasing any further details regarding a motive/cause in order to preserve the integrity of the case,” spokesman Master Cpl. Mark Hoffman said.

A preliminary court hearing was scheduled for June 16 at 8:30 a.m.

Geoff Klopp

DOVER — Geoff Klopp, president of the Correctional Officers Association of Delaware, agreed with most of the points brought to the forefront by the preliminary independent review of James T. Vaughn Correctional Center delivered to Gov. John Carney on June 1.

Namely, that the prison is dangerously overcrowded, critically understaffed and poorly run and managed.

In a portion regarding staff morale and mission, the report noted that interviews revealed: “Line officers were most concerned with only trying to get through the day safely so that they could get home at the end of their shift. Not one officer could provide a consistent response when asked what was expected of them as an employee of the DOC.”

“I’m sad to say, but that would be a good description,” said Mr. Klopp.

Also noted in the report were concerns about overtime and low salaries — two items Mr. Klopp says he’s been trying to get addressed for years.

The report states: “In addition to excessive overtime, the low starting salary in conjunction with the lack of any substantial pay increases and promotional opportunities, have contributed to high rates of officer turnover. Officers at JTVCC can expect to earn less than $10,000 over their starting salary after 20 years of service in the Department, and this has been consistent across fiscal years.”

Mr. Klopp believes the most important change the state can make to increase safety and avert another incident at its prisons is to raise wages and reduce overtime hours.

“We need a real compensation package and a career ladder that will get more of the right people in the correctional officer’s job, so, start moving in the right direction,” he said. “If you’re going to pay a Lewes or Milton police officer $48,000 per year, you’d think you could pay a correctional officer, who works with criminals at least eight hours a day, close to the same compensation.”

According to the COAD, since January approximately 115 correctional officers have either retired or quit — only 126 were lost in 2016. Generally speaking, Mr. Klopp said he’s unimpressed with the progress the state has made toward addressing what he believes is a pending “crisis.”

“The DOC Commissioner (Perry Phelps) and the governor’s office are trying to make some changes, but it’s all just moving way too slow,” he said. “The General Assembly needs to do their part, find a way to get the money and make the DOC a priority. We’re only at 50 to 70 percent of our daily operational needs in some facilities and a lot of it is filled by overtime. We cannot continue this way any longer. Before too long we’ll have to do something drastic because these levels of overtime are unsustainable.”

Inmates’ advocate reacts

Attorney Stephen Hampton, of the law firm Grady & Hampton, LLC, says he’s been contacted by more than 230 inmates through letters or family members since the Feb. 1 inmate uprising. He said the most common complaints are physical/verbal abuse, reduced food portions, destroyed property, inadequate health care and ignored grievances.

A few of the inmates are requesting a class action lawsuit be filed on their behalf.

Mr. Hampton sent a letter to Gov. Carney in late March asking for “torture of Delaware inmates at James T. Vaughn Correctional Center to cease immediately.”
Although the governor’s office noted that they take allegations of abuse very seriously, they referred the matter to the DOC.

In his examination of the independent review, Mr. Hampton noted that the report does, at least, make mention of the alleged mistreatment.

The report states: “During the course of this preliminary review, the Independent Review Team received inmate-based complaints during interviews of inmates, advocates and attorneys. Inmate concerns expressed to external organizations included inconsistent discipline, lack of programming and medical care, a grievance process that most see as meaningless, the use of shaming tactics and the harassment of inmates by damaging or destroying their property under the guise of security searches and facility shakedowns.”

However, Mr. Hampton says the final line, “These complaints and other concerns will be referred to the DOC Commissioner and explored more fully in the final report,” tells him all he needs to know about the level of commitments the investigators have toward improving inmate treatment.

“The current DOC commissioner is aware of all of these problems, having worked his way up through the system for many years,” said Mr. Hampton. “Thousands of inmate complaints and scores of pro se lawsuits by inmates have documented all of these problems. The DOC has done virtually nothing to address these problems and likely never will as long as DOC commissioners are appointed who have aspirations to move on to another better job in Delaware state government, or who have other strong political connections in Delaware.”

He points to Carl Danberg and Robert Coupe as examples of former DOC commissioners that moved up to higher positions in the state government. Mr. Hampton thinks that hiring an out-of-state correctional professional with “training and experience” would be the surest route to improving conditions.

“Unless an out-of-state DOC commissioner is given carte blanche to address the way inmates are treated in DOC prisons, the DOC will do nothing about inmate treatment,” he said. “The DOC has had 20-plus years to address these known problems and failed to do it. It is folly to think they will now do something about the problems they have ignored for the past few decades.”

Full Independent Review Initial Report

DOVER — A preliminary report on the Feb. 1 inmate uprising at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center says conditions at the prison greatly harmed morale among correctional officers and likely contributed to the incident.

The report, delivered to Gov. John Carney Thursday and publicly released Friday, criticizes management and points to a variety of factors that created angst among correctional officers and inmates at Delaware’s largest prison.

Regular personnel and senior officials often do not see eye-to-eye, and officers feel underpaid and overworked, according to the findings.

Minor mistakes such as “errors in classification calculations, failures to follow procedures and/or mistakes made by fatigued and inexperienced staff … were exacerbated by perceived injustices, grievances, overcrowded and/or poorly maintained facilities, a lack of programming and work opportunities, inappropriate staff-inmate interactions and the inconsistent application of policies and procedures by corrections staff.”

The uprising, which lasted about 19 hours and resulted in the death of Lt. Steven Floyd, is still being investigated by Delaware State Police. There is no timetable for charges being filed.

The 54-page report was developed by former Judge William Chapman and ex-Justice Henry DuPont Ridgely, who later stepped down due to a potential conflict of interest and was replaced by Charles Oberly, the former U.S. attorney for the District of Delaware.

The report was ordered by Gov. Carney in February, and a final version is due in August.

The initial findings do not examine the events of Feb. 1 but instead look at the conditions leading up to it and offer recommendations as to what can be done to reform the Department of Correction and prevent another incident.

Many of the recommendations are not new but echo things advocates for both correctional officers and inmates have said for years. They also stem from findings put together after a 2004 incident in which Vaughn inmate Scott Miller took a counselor hostage and raped her before being shot and killed.

“The long-standing issues within the facility, if left unattended, will continue provide fertile ground for chaos and violence in the facility,” Friday’s report says.

The team working on the review did not have access to details from the police investigation, meaning additional information about what caused the rebellion may not be present in the findings.

Communication

Dialogue between many staffers in the facility, the report finds, was especially poor.

“During interviews with Delaware Department of Correction’s leadership, staff, stakeholders and inmates, it became clear that there is no unifying sense of purpose or approach to the management of the JTVCC,” the report notes. “Line officers were most concerned with only trying to get through the day safely so that they could get home at the end of their shift.

“Not one officer could provide a consistent response when asked what was expected of them as an employee of the DOC. Supervisors also described inconsistency in how they supervised staff at the JTVCC, as well as inconsistency throughout the organization. Inmates expressed frustration with the shifting interpretations of rules and policies, as well as enforcement of those rules and policies by some staff.

“Nearly everyone with whom the Independent Review Team spoke complained about poor communication regarding policies, operational changes, and day-to-day issues. These patterns of operation and management have led to a sense of chaos where ‘getting through the day’ becomes the norm rather than actually achieving a purpose.”

According to the report, there exists at Vaughn “a divide between DOC executives, mid-level managers, shift supervisors and line officers,” with supervisors expressing doubt there are supported by senior management. That conflicts with the belief top officials have that “they are very supportive of their supervisors and have given supervisors the authority to do what is in the best interest of the safety and security of the correctional center.”

Gang presence in the Vaughn may have played a role in the events of Feb. 1, Mr. Oberly said Friday in a conference call with reporters.

He said he did not think it would be helpful to publicize the names of such gangs. Mr. Oberly also said state police may have more information on gang members in Vaughn.

On Feb. 1, as officials responded to the incident, three separate “command posts” were established, which led to confusion and the Vaughn warden initially believing a Delaware State Police drone was from the media.

The warden, David Pierce, has since been reassigned elsewhere in the agency and replaced by former Air Force Lt. Col. Dana Metzger.

In the absence of harmony and organization, the report says, “staff often end up ‘doing their own thing,’ rather than following a clear plan or strategy.”

Policies are often ignored and not updated, according to the conclusions, creating inconsistencies in how officers operate. Additionally, information about which inmates are believed to be in gangs is not shared consistently, resulting in potential security risks.

Salaries and hours

Officers often work more than 40 hours — and sometimes up to 80 hours — a week because of understaffing and an overreliance on overtime, the findings state.

“Although overtime is voluntary, the overtime requirements are so excessive that correctional officers report routinely missing out on important family events due to being ‘frozen’ at the end of their shift or being denied vacation time even when a request is put in ‘six months in advance.’ This level of work intrusion into correctional officers’ personal lives has eliminated any sense of work-life balance with significant impacts on their individual and most probably their family’s mental health and wellness.”

Coupled with pay that is below surrounding states and generally does not increase much as officers advance, and turnover is high.

According to the report, starting salaries for officers at Vaughn are about $32,000 in the current fiscal year, while those who have 20 years under their belts make $41,000.

The state is struggling to attract and retain officers, something the Correctional Officers Association of Delaware has complained about for years. The report terms the facility “critically understaffed,” and while Gov. Carney has proposed adding 75 officers to the prison, the union believes that is still not enough.

Officers are concerned about a lack of quality training: “In those rare instances that training is provided to officers and supervisors, it is one dimensional, static and overly elementary,” the report says.

“JTVCC employees at all levels indicated they had only participated in basic security related training during the past several years. Supervisors report that subject matter experts are not used for in-service training classes (with very few exceptions), and administration notes that since 2010, most of the training has moved to online platforms. When in-person training is conducted, it is reportedly carried out by people who have worked in the training division for many years with no recent facility experience or familiarity in evidence-based correctional practices.”

According to the correctional officers’ union, department-wide training has not been updated since 1985. That, the findings conclude, “exposes the Delaware DOC to operational risks, safety and security issues, low morale and litigation.”

Many officers “feel undervalued and dehumanized” by how they are treated, the report says.

Inmates

Correctional officers are not the only ones with concerns: Inmates say they are distressed with the lack of opportunities offered. Overcrowding in the prison has created a waiting list for “educational, vocational and substance abuse programs,” even when they are court-ordered.

The report notes many inmates are bored, want to receive training for specific skills and do not see a reason to follow the rules in the prison.

“All correctional officer’s interviews expressed the opinion that idleness was a problem and that they would much rather see inmates working or learning job skills,” it says.

As a result, inmates are generally focused on the day-to-day, and rehabilitation takes a backseat.

Mistreatment is also an issue, and inmates reported discipline is extremely varied, per the 54-page document.

“Due to inconsistencies from shift to shift and officer to officer, the inmates had little or no structure and were given different answers by correctional officers in response to their questions regarding the policies and procedures they were expected to follow,” the findings state.

“The lack of effective communication and inconsistent operations within the housing unit became a point of contention among the inmates. More than one inmate stated that consistency in following procedures was more acceptable than inconsistency, which seems to be the prevailing norm. Officers and inmates are concerned about retaliation if they report an officer for not enforcing the rules appropriately or performing their duties unprofessionally.”

An agreement with the Delaware American Civil Liberties Union and the Community Legal Aid Society Inc. to provide better treatment for inmates with mental health issues may have contributed to the incident, the report says, as Vaughn staff sometimes changed policies to ensure they were not violating the terms of the agreement.

Vaughn contains a mix of minimum-, medium- and maximum-security inmates, and officers have said the agreement led to greater intermingling between the levels.

What’s next

The report contains about 30 official recommendations for lawmakers and the department, ranging from hosting a conference “to discuss the future of corrections in Delaware” to developing a well-defined career ladder.
Roll calls and elimination of the “Code of Silence” to create more trust between management and the rank and file can improve communication, while regular policy reviews can keep procedures current and effective, the report says.

It calls for researching correctional systems in other states to find what they do well, something already begun by Correction Commissioner Perry Phelps.
Several items urge officials to create additional training for officers, and one recommendation notes the state should “encourage alternatives to incarceration programs.” Delaware has recently begun to emphasize treatment rather than punishment for some crimes, especially ones dealing with drug addiction.

Mr. Oberly said Friday he was unsure what actions lawmakers will take. The General Assembly goes on break until January after June 30, creating a sense of urgency for officials.

Still, many of the issues are cultural and cannot be solved easily.
“You’re not going to change this thing next month,” Mr. Oberly said.

While a complaint filed against the state by survivors of the Feb. 1 incident alleged Gov. Carney overruled Warden Pierce to delay a rescue attempt, Mr. Oberly said he had “no reason” to believe Lt. Floyd’s life could have been saved if officers have breached the prison sooner.

Gov. Carney has adamantly denied ordering law enforcement to wait.
In a statement Friday, the governor said he will seriously review the recommendations issued by Judge Chapman and Mr. Oberly.

“It will not collect dust on a shelf,” Gov. Carney said. “We are committed to taking appropriate action that will enhance safety and security for Delaware’s correctional officers and inmates at Vaughn and at all of Delaware’s correctional facilities. We owe that to Lt. Floyd and all the victims of the Feb. 1 incident.”

Photos special to the Delaware State News/Gary Emeigh

DOVER — There was a time when it didn’t seem like a Dover race if it didn’t finish with Jimmie Johnson in Victory Lane.

Between 2009-15, he won seven of 13 races at Dover International Speedway.

And three other times in that stretch he finished in the top four.

But the Monster Mile hasn’t been so kind to Johnson lately.

He’s now 0-for-3 in his attempt for Cup win No. 11 at Dover — which would make him the track’s winningest driver.

Johnson will start only 14th in today’s AAA 400 Drive for Autism. It’s just the sixth time in the last 20 Dover races that he’ll start outside the Top 10.

“Today was pretty challenging in the practice session trying to find the right balance,” Johnson said on Friday. “Just got off a little there. We got it closer for qualifying here, but just not enough speed to transfer.

Alex Winnett from Raleigh, NC gets a autograph from #48 Lowes driver Jimmy Johnson as NASCAR came to Dover International Speedway on Saturday June 3rd as the Monster Energy Series Cup drivers practiced for the 48th Annual AAA Drive For Autism Race to be held on Sunday June 4th.
(Special to the Delaware State News / CHUCK SNYDER)

“We’re trying. Qualifying is very important to us. We’re very aware of that. It is just not suiting us this year. This is my favorite track, and I know come race time we will be just fine.”

Indeed, despite his lack of wins here lately, the Monster Mile is still one of Johnson’s favorite places to race.

“There are tracks that fit a driver’s style and a team’s style,” Johnson said on Friday. “And I think because of how much success we’ve had here, this is a track that fits (crew chief) Chad (Knaus)’ style and mine.

“The car dynamics and how much the car moves around and the way it launches into the corner and lands, and then you turn around and fight through all the banking that has the launch back up onto the straightway. … takes me back to my roots and really challenges the crews and the crew chiefs and engineers to make the car comfortable and secure. I just think that the challenges this track throws at a team just fits us really well.”

After placing just 41st and 25th in back-to-back Dover races, Johnson bounced back with a seventh-place finish here last fall.

He comes to Dover eighth in the current Monster Energy Cup point standings — and still with some regrets from last weekend’s Coca Cola 600.

Johnson finished just 17th at Charlotte after leading for 35 laps. He grabbed the lead with 31 laps left when the rest of the top cars pitted but then ran out of gas with just two laps remaining.

“I didn’t know we were thinking fuel,” Johnson said just after the race.

On Friday, Johnson clarified that statement.

“They did tell me to save gas,” he said. “I just wish that I knew from the beginning of the run.”

Johnson thought there were a few times when he could have coasted and saved some gas down the stretch.

“But, like I told Chad (Knaus) after the race, I’m happy he was swinging hard,” said Johnson. “We have two wins. There’s nothing like winning at home. And the previous scenario with where we restarted fourth or fifth was going to be our call and the best that we could get with the way that final run was going to unfold.

“I’m happy he took a chance and tried to win the race.”

In 17 of the last 19 Dover races, Johnson has led at least one lap. Of the 12,009 he’s completed on the Monster Mile, Johnson has led 3,093 of them.
Of course, it really only matters if you lead the last one.

On Friday, Johnson was asked how he felt about the 2018 Cup schedule and how some of the venues for the playoff races have changed.

He said he was all for trying new things.

“In driver council meetings that I’ve been a part of and conversations that have taken place, I’ve kind of sensed that change was coming and I’ve been for it,” said Johnson. “I’ve been for it mainly because of the excitement it can bring to the fans in our sport and much less about how it pertains to the No. 48 car.

“If I could have a voice I would say the 10 playoff races were all right here (at Dover) and that would benefit the No. 48 the most,” he added with a laugh.

DOVER — Kyle Larson’s lead foot not only helped him keep the competition behind him at Dover International Speedway on Saturday afternoon, it also helped him kick in the gate to victory lane.

Larson dominated the 36th annual OneMain Financial 200 Xfinity Series race at Dover, including the final of the three stages that made up the event, to record his first victory at the Monster Mile.

“I’ve had some good runs here at Dover and I’ve had some bad ones, too. To get a win is really, really cool,” said Larson, who started from the pole position and led three times for 137 laps.

Larson had to keep an eye on Ryan Blaney over the final circuits around the one-mile concrete oval, but he was able to hold him off by 1.173 seconds at the checkered flag.

He became the sixth different winner in the last six Xfinity races at Dover.

Driver of the #42 Parker Store Chevrolet, Kyle Larson wins the The 36th Annual OneMain Financial 200 was held at Dover International Speedway on Saturday June 3rd in Dover. (Special to the Delaware State News/Chuck Snyder)

“I had a blast,” Larson added. “(Ryan) Blaney was about as equal as me but we just got a better start there after that second stage than he did.”

Daniel Suarez overcame a flat tire that put him two laps down early in the race to finish third, followed by rookie Cole Custer and Ryan Reed.

Kyle Larson in the #42 Parker Store Chevrolet exits his car in Victory Lane after winning The 36th Annual OneMain Financial 200 that was held at Dover International Speedway on Saturday June 3rd in Dover. (Special to the Delaware State News/Chuck Snyder)

The top three finishers are all regulars in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and will compete in today’s AAA 400 Drive for Autism race at the Monster Mile.

Blaney began the final restart following a caution on lap 141 in 10th position behind Larson, who was in sixth place, but couldn’t get through the traffic quick enough to track him down.

Larson maneuvered quickly through cars that were on older tires and passed Suarez for the lead on the inside in the second turn with 53 laps to go.

The 36th Annual OneMain Financial 200 was held at Dover International Speedway on Saturday June 3rd in Dover. (Special to the Delaware State News/Chuck Snyder)

It was clear ailing for Larson from that point on.

“(Larson) was about three rows ahead of us,” Blaney said. “I thought our two cars we’re the best cars by far. We just couldn’t run him down. It was a struggle to get through (traffic).

Austin Dillons pit crew works on the side of the #2 car after hitting the wall as The 36th Annual OneMain Financial 200 was held at Dover International Speedway on Saturday June 3rd in Dover. (Special to the Delaware State News/Chuck Snyder)

“I think we’re really close, it’s just a matter of closing up that little gap. Obviously, we want to be winning races, we’ve just got to put the work in to do that.”

Larson, who started from the pole position, led every single lap to capture the 60-lap first stage. Blaney made a charge to pass him on the lap 59 but couldn’t get around.

Darrell Wallace Jr. managed to climb from his 18th starting position and passed Blaney for the lead on the back straightaway following a restart on lap 116 and came out on top of the second 60-lap stage, setting up the final 80-lap run for the checkered flag.

Larson, Blaney, Wallace and other front-runners were forced to start the final stage from 10th place on back because several drivers pitted near the end of the second stage and stayed out during the yellow between stages.

It didn’t take long for Larson to knife his way back into the lead.

#39 Ryan Seig spins out in the 9th lap as The 36th Annual OneMain Financial 200 was held at Dover International Speedway on Saturday June 3rd in Dover.
(Special to the Delaware State News/Chuck Snyder)

Larson has shown a penchant at getting around the high banks of the Monster Mile.

In his five previous Xfinity starts at Dover he had recorded five top-10 finishes with an average finish of 5.8.

“It’s a really special day. It was a heck of a race,” said Larson, who notched his third Xfinity victory of the season and eighth of his career. “The whole pit crew, everyone at the shop, did an excellent job at preparing this car.”

Rookie William Byron wound up sixth and took home a $100,000 Dash 4 Cash bonus as the top driver among four Xfinity Series regulars.

DOVER — New ingredients promise to make today’s AAA 400 Drive for Autism race at Dover International Speedway a completely different monster than it has been in the past.

NASCAR’s premier racing series has a new edgy title sponsor in Monster Energy, several up-and-coming stars of the future are searching for breakthrough wins and stage racing will take place for the first time on the high banks of Dover’s one-mile concrete oval.

With all of the changes there is one thing that remains constant at Dover — track position will be paramount. Those drivers that have it will have a big advantage, while those who don’t will flounder.

It’s Kyle Busch who will have an uncluttered view through his windshield when the green flag waves on today’s race at around 1:15 p.m. after he won the pole position on Friday. Martin Truex Jr. will start alongside him on the front row.

“To sit on the pole (at Dover) means a little bit for us — it gives us a really good pit selection for (today) and, more importantly, just gives us the track position right off the bat,” Busch said. “We know the 78 car (Truex Jr.) is going to be fast — they always are — and one of the guys we’re going to have to race against.

Kyle Busch driver of the #18 Pedigree Toyota enters his car for practice as NASCAR came to Dover International Speedway on Saturday June 3rd as the Monster Energy Series Cup drivers practiced for the 48th Annual AAA Drive For Autism Race to be held on Sunday June 4th.
(Special to the Delaware State News/Chuck Snyder)

“There’s going to be many others that are starting farther back that we’ll be racing against, too.”

A total of 73 of the 94 (77.7 percent) Cup races at Dover have been won from a top-10 starting position with 13 winners starting from the pole position (13.8 percent).

Jimmie Johnson is the most recent pole-sitter to win at Dover, which he did in 2009 and ’10.

Johnson, who has a record 10 victories at the Monster Mile, also holds the all-time record for laps led at the race track with 3,093 laps.

His reasoning for his success at Dover is simple — it just fits his driving style.

Kyle Busch driver of the #18 takes a cellphone photo as NASCAR came to Dover International Speedway on Saturday June 3rd as the Monster Energy Series Cup drivers practiced for the 48th Annual AAA Drive For Autism Race to be held on Sunday June 4th.
(Special to the Delaware State News/Chuck Snyder)

“This is a track that fits (No. 48 team crew chief) Chad (Knaus)’s style and mine,” said Johnson, who will start 14th today. “I just think that the challenges this track throws at a team just fits us really well.”

The most obvious new challenge in today’s AAA 400 will be the race format. The 400-lap race distance will be broken down into three different stages for the first time.

Martin Truex driver of the #78 signs autographs for eager fans as NASCAR came to Dover International Speedway on Saturday June 3rd as the Monster Energy Series Cup drivers practiced for the 48th Annual AAA Drive For Autism Race to be held on Sunday June 4th.
(Special to the Delaware State News/Chuck Snyder)

The first two stages will consist of 120 laps apiece, while the race to the checkered flag will be 160 laps long. Caution flags will wave following the first two segments, allowing drivers a chance to pit and resetting the field.

Matt Kenseth said the new format could change the dynamic of racing at the track.

“Stage racing changes a lot because Dover used to be a race where you used to get some long green-flag runs where a lot of people would fall a lap down and there weren’t a lot of cars on the lead lap,” said Kenseth, defending winner of the AAA 400.

“Being able to stay on that lead lap was always really important and then being able to work your strategy on those last couple of stops. But now with the stage cautions, there will be more cars on the lead lap.”

That could lead to more calamities considering the Monster Mile’s penchant for chewing up sheet metal in the form of race cars involved in crashes.

#4 driver Kevin Harvick gets buttoned up for practice as NASCAR came to Dover International Speedway on Saturday June 3rd as the Monster Energy Series Cup drivers practiced for the 48th Annual AAA Drive For Autism Race to be held on Sunday June 4th.
(Special to the Delaware State News/Chuck Snyder)

“For me, the thing I love about Dover is just the fact it’s hammer down and you’re up on top of the wheel for 400 laps,” Kevin Harvick said. “It’s violent. Everything about Dover is violent. It’s fast.

“You can just be aggressive with the car and you have to get in there and wrestle that thing all day because it’s bumpy, slings you up out of the corners, dumps you down in the corners, and there’s just a lot going on.”

Bonus points will be awarded to the top 10 finishers at the end of each stage throughout the race, adding more incentive for drivers to race harder throughout the day.

The final stage of the race will be concluded just like races have traditionally been. Race points and purses will be paid out based on the final stage, and 40 points will be awarded to the race winner.

Dover can be a tricky problem for a driver and team to solve. · Among the nine active Dover Cup winners, Harvick (29 starts), Kurt Busch (22) and Kenseth (14) made 10 or more attempts before their first win.

Kyle Larson just might be able to join that list of Dover winners at the end of the day.

After all, he leads all active drivers in the Monster Energy Series drivers in average finishing position at Dover with a 9.333 average finish and came in second place in the spring race last year.

“Dover has always been a track I’ve enjoy racing, so I’m looking forward to it,” Larson said. “The first Dover race (last year) was kind of where we started running better, so hopefully it’s a good track to pick our momentum back up.”

The Delaware State News has a history of solid coverage of the Delaware Coastal Zone Act. Not the least was a detailed five-part series by Russ Peterson in which he laid out the history of the act as he experienced it.

I was aware of, but not involved in, the controversies in the late 1960s and early 70s that lead to the act. Since the early 1990s I, and my organization, have advocated about the act, and regarding individual permits sought under it. We have likely disagreed with Delaware’s “environmental community” nearly as often as we’ve disagreed with the views of the Chamber of Commerce, et al., about the Costal Zone Act.

Much of the near-50 years of Coastal Zone controversy has been rather stereotyped — business and union interests claiming damage to the economy, loss of jobs, etc., and environmental interests asserting to need to protect our natural resources and quality of life.

For the most part, the act has been chipped away at, and enforcement has been weak. The last few years have been especially disastrous, with the Markell administration shutting down meaningful enforcement, handing out Coastal Zone permits like so many peanuts, and Delaware courts willfully misinterpreting the plain language of the act to deny citizens “standing” to demand enforcement. The present governor, John Carney, ran on a platform that included weakening of the act.

The current proposed legislation, House Bill 190, would not leave much left of the act The prime sponsor, Rep. Ed. Osienski, is a retired construction union business agent.

It’s been a long 50 years, and the activists who originally fought for the act, many still active in the 90s, have now mostly retired or passed on. To most living Delawareans, the act is history, its benefits perhaps taken for granted, and the need to fight for it less than obvious.

Yet the widespread opposition to SB 190 makes clear that Delawareans as a whole continue to recognize the significance and concrete value of the act, and don’t want it weakened.

The immediate impetus for the act was an attempt by Shell Oil to build another refinery in Delaware. Given the environmental horror show of the existing Delaware City Refinery, the threat posed by another one was easy to see. The act served that immediate purpose effectively.

But the act did a lot more and how this came about is worth considering. Politics tends to be a pragmatic business, focused on short term goals and problems. Russ Peterson was a different sort of politician.

Highly educated, a product of the then-progressive political atmosphere of the U.S. Upper Midwest and a former research director for DuPont, he was comfortable with conceptual, big picture, thinking. He, and many of his supporters, were Republicans.

Later in life, when the GOP went to pot, he became a Democrat. Peterson set up a study group, staffed by a professional scientist. Their report provided the conceptual basis for the act.

Science tell us that the areas where land meets the water are among the most biologically productive, as well as being the most vulnerable to pollution and destructive forms of development. This biological productivity relies on the preservation of beaches, marshes and wetlands.

Sites along the water have also historically been sought by industrial interests seeking access to cooling water, places to dump wastes, and water-born transport. They are also, of course, sought for recreational uses such as swimming beaches, marinas, and fishing. Pressure on coastal areas has increased as the U.S. population has tended to shift from the Midwest to the East, West and Gulf coasts.

Coastal locations are a limited resource subject to many competing demands. Fifty years ago, Delaware’s political system was able to recognize these realities and act somewhat effectively with a pioneering “coastal management” law. Has our collective wisdom so deteriorated that, in the face in increasing demands, we will choose to roll back protective laws?

The words of the act are clear and simple: I’ve highlighted a few key items:

“It is hereby determined that the coastal areas of Delaware are the most critical areas for the future of the State in terms of the quality of life in the State. It is, therefore, the declared public policy of the State to control the location, extent and type of industrial development in Delaware’s coastal areas. In so doing, the State can better protect the natural environment of its bay and coastal areas and safeguard their use primarily for recreation and tourism.

“Specifically, this chapter seeks to prohibit entirely the construction of new heavy industry in its coastal areas, which industry is determined to be incompatible with the protection of that natural environment in those areas. While it is the declared public policy of the State to encourage the introduction of new industry into Delaware, the protection of the environment, natural beauty and recreation potential of the State is also of great concern. In order to strike the correct balance between these 2 policies, careful planning based on a thorough understanding of Delaware’s potential and the State’s needs is required.

“Therefore, control of industrial development other than that of heavy industry in the coastal zone of Delaware through a permit system at the state level is called for. It is further determined that offshore bulk product transfer facilities represent a significant danger of pollution to the coastal zone and generate pressure for the construction of industrial plants in the coastal zone, which construction is declared to be against public policy. For these reasons, prohibition against bulk product transfer facilities in the coastal zone is deemed imperative.”

Nobody has to try very hard to see that Delaware is vulnerable. On the East Coast, we receive a cumulative dose air pollutants emitted by states to the West. Most of Delaware’s ground and surface waters are polluted. As the lowest-lying state, we are uniquely vulnerable to the sea level rise caused by climate change. Key segments of the economy,such as agriculture, recreation, and tourism are sensitive to changes in weather and climate.

Delaware’s location on the Northeast Corridor, with I-95 passing through, seems to make Delaware vulnerable to imported of social problems, contributing greatly, for example, to the high levels of violence in Wilmington. A few years ago, Green Delaware noted that life expectancy in the U.S. had slipped from 24th to 49th.

Many Delawareans are struggling with our state’s lack of prosperity and economic opportunity. A state run as a safe harbor for corporate misconduct, a “Company State,” as Ralph Nader put it, faces many conflicts of interest in seeking to improve life for residents.

Of course, any 50-year-old law, no matter how wisely conceived, can benefit from review and updating. Heavy industry has faded in Delaware while sprawl development has greatly increased, resulting in increased traffic congestion and a decline in quality of life.

The entire state of Delaware is under the federal Coastal Zone Management program — a program entirely separate, administratively, from the Delaware Coastal Zone Act program and somewhat lacking in teeth. Consideration might be given to expanding the jurisdiction of the Delaware Coastal Zone act to more of the state, perhaps all of it. Many other possible upgrades are easy to think on.

An impressive collection of Delaware’s non-governmental organizations are calling on legislators to withdraw SB 190 and set up a “stakeholder” review process to look at the Coastal Zone Act.

Green Delaware supports this, with the observations that such a process should (1) not be dominated by industrial/organized labor interests with the destructive agenda revealed in SB 190,and (2) the focus should not be on weakening the act, but on strengthening it to meet the needs of present times.

Alan Muller is executive director of Green Delaware.

Abdul White

DOVER — A 32-year-old Philadelphia man is scheduled for jury trial Tuesday morning for the alleged first-degree murder of a 40-year-old Milford man during a reported home invasion on Aug. 8, 2015.

Abdul T. White was charged in the shooting death of John G. Harmon at a residence in the 500 block of N. Walnut Street nearly two years ago. He was apprehended in Philadelphia on Sept. 23, 2015 and held without bond after extradition to Delaware.

Mr. White was indicted on Jan. 4, 2016.

• Zhyhee Y. Harmon, 23, of Dover, will go to jury trial on June 19 in the alleged shooting death of a 24-year-old Dover man during a reported robbery attempt at the Port Mahon fishing pier on March 29, 2016. He is charged with first-degree murder, first-degree robbery, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, second-degree conspiracy, possession of a firearm/ammunition by person prohibited, background check and a firearm offense.

Zhyhee Y. Harmon

Aaron T. Purnell

Dontray Hendricks was found dead with a gunshot wound to the torso after he allegedly went to smoke marijuana with a woman and was confronted by three males, police said at the time. Mr. Harmon was later taken into custody without incident in the Capitol Green neighborhood in Dover.

• Aaron T. Purnell, 31, of Harrington, is scheduled for jurly trial on June 19, connected to an alleged shooting incident at Alder Park Apartments in Dover that involved a responding Delaware State Police Trooper on July 24, 2016.

Mr. Purnell was charged with attempted first-degree murder and possession of a firearm

during the commission of a felony after allegedly exchanging gunfire with pursuing police, among other charges.

Mr. Purnell was indicted on Oct. 3, 2016.

Jamera Fisher

• Jamera E. Fisher, 25, of Dover, is scheduled for trial on June 20, on first-degree reckless endangering counts and other drug and firearm charges involving an arrest in the Capitol Green neighborhood in Dover on Oct. 25, 2016. He was allegedly found with a loaded handgun, 39 bags of heroin, prescription drugs and 9.5 grams of marijuana when apprehended by Dover PD’s Street Crimes Unit and Probation and Parole, authorities said at the time.

DAG Sean Motoyoshi is prosecuting for the state, with attorney Suzanne MacPherson-Johnson representing Mr. Fisher.

DOVER — Committed to his family and guided by faith, Noel Eason Primos was sworn in as a new Kent County Superior Court Judge Thursday afternoon before a who’s who of the Delaware legal community.

A practicing attorney for more than 24 years with the Schmittinger and Rodriguez firm in Dover, Judge Primos replaces Robert B. Young, who retired earlier this year.

During an hour-long ceremony in Courtroom One of the Kent County Courthouse, Judge Primos thanked his parents in attendance for instilling the value of hard work in their restaurant business and the importance of always satisfying the customer.

Judge Primos believes “the powers of the office flow from the people I’m privileged to represent. I pray I will never forget that.”

U.S. Army 1st Lt. Caleb Glenn Primos held the Bible for his father as Supreme Court Justice James T. Vaughn Jr. administered the oath of office, along with Edward Chester Merriel.

Dover attorney Noel Eason Primos was sworn in as a Kent County Superior Court judge on Thursday afternoon. (Pool photo/Jason Minto)

The judge’s son, his father William Angelo Primos Sr. and brother Dr. William Angelo Jr. Primos Jr. held him don the robe for the first time.

Alluding to the judge’s Mississippi roots, Delaware Gov. John Carney described his appointee as a “real Southern gentleman” and there’s “something very reassuring about having someone like that on his bench.”

Beginning a familiar theme of tribute, the governor saluted for his “humility and civility (that) set him apart.”

With a “brilliant mind, calm, thoughtful manner and good dose of common sense,” Senate Minority leader F. Gary Simpson, R-Milford, said, the new judge didn’t have to be harsh bring justice to the bench.

“It’s nice to be able to talk about something good for a change and not the Delaware budget, so I’m very happy,” Sen. Simpson said.

“Judge Primos exemplifies a person who lives with Christian beliefs not on his arm but in his heart and lives that way every day.”

The new judge served as a mentor for attorney Adam C. Gerber of Morris James LLP and was “a calming presence in my life,” who taught him “not problem is insurmountable” and “showed me how to slow down because it’s all too easy to get distracted by the next task at hand.”

According to Mr. Gerber, each word Judge Primos speaks “seems individually chosen for a specific purpose. Every word has meaning.”

Retired Supreme Court Justice Randy J. Holland described the judge as a “well-rounded man for all seasons.” who as a “litigator in an adversarial role was known for his civility … he was known for his empathy.”

Judge Primos received a degree in English with summa cum laude honors from Vanderbilt University in 1986, earned a J.D. from Yale University in 1989 and was admitted to the Delaware bar in 1992.

He previously served on the Board of Bar Examiners of the Delaware Supreme Court, the Preliminary Review Committee of the Board on Professional Responsibility, the United States District Court Lawyers’ Advisory Committee, and the Third Circuit Court Advisory Committee.

DOVER — For Delaware’s political observers, June has a special meaning: It’s the final month of the legislative session.

This is the first leg of the 149th General Assembly, meaning all bills that don’t pass by the end of the month can be picked up again in January.

While it can be frustrating for lawmakers and advocates of a cause to wait more than six months to see their proposal receive further consideration, the additional time can have benefits.

The wait gives backers more chances to lobby and legislators more time to assuage their colleagues’ concerns.

As always, legislators have many issues on their plates as June 30 nears.

Budget shortfall

The budget is of paramount concern.

Lawmakers are working to fill a shortfall between projected revenue and expenses of close to $400 million.

The budget-writing Joint Finance Committee has made approximately $80 million in cuts. Democrats and Republicans have reached a deal on increasing the franchise tax, taking in about $116 million.

That stills leaves a significant hill to climb, however. The caucuses have been meeting regularly to discuss ways to balance the budget. Gov. John Carney proposed increasing income and cigarette taxes, but Republicans have been resistant to tax hikes thus far. Democrats oppose further cuts in projected spending.

Two years ago the budget wasn’t finalized until June 30, the last day of the fiscal year and the final regularly scheduled legislative day of the year. Something similar could occur this year.

For those following some of the legislature’s hot-button issues, such as legalization of cannabis and reinstatement of the death penalty, finishing the budget well before June 30 is a big positive because it frees up time for other subjects.

“The sooner we can get it done the better off I am in running the rest of the session,” said House Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf, D-Rehoboth Beach.

Marijuana legislation

Marijuana legalization is currently awaiting a vote on the House floor after passing out of committee last month. If the bill is approved by the full chamber it will go the Senate.

Passage is generally seen as unlikely, particularly because the proposal requires a supermajority in both chambers.

House Bill 110 would allow individuals at least 21 years old to buy the drug from licensed shops, making Delaware the ninth state in the nation with legal cannabis.

Businesses could acquire a license for $5,000 to sell marijuana with a $10,000 renewal fee every two years. A tax of $50 per ounce would be placed on marijuana flowers, and all other parts of the plant would have a $15-per-ounce tax.

State residents would not be allowed to grow their own plants, unlike most of the states with legal marijuana.

Supporters insist the drug is less harmful than alcohol and should not be banned, but opponents note it can have negative effects on users.

Main sponsor Rep. Helene Keeley, D-Wilmington, said an estimate shows the bill could bring in up to $25 million to the state government in the first full fiscal year.

Gov. Carney said in a statement he wants to “wait and see how Delaware’s decriminalization law continues to be implemented, and monitor progress in other states, before taking any additional steps.”

Death penalty

The state has been without a death penalty since the Delaware Supreme Court struck it down in August, ruling portions were unconstitutional. But a bill to re-establish it is currently awaiting a Senate committee hearing.

House Bill 125 has bipartisan support, having passed the House 24-16.

The previous death penalty statute allowed a judge to make the final decision whether the convicted killer would be sentenced to death. But Delaware’s high court concluded that violated the Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees a trial by jury.

The new bill uses many of the same procedures as the old statute but requires unanimous jury agreement for a sentence of death.

Supporters of the death penalty say it helps prevent crime and it is, after all, punishment for committing murder. Opponents claim capital punishment is disproportionately applied to minorities, the poor and the mentally ill and does not serve as a deterrent.

Economic development

Gov. Carney has proposed reforming the Delaware Economic Development Office into a public-private partnership. The new group is designed to spur economic development and bolster private investment in Delaware businesses. The governor is hoping legislation replacing the office can be passed this month.

Lawmakers of both parties are also working to change the Coastal Zone Act, a 1971 law that limits industrial activity and development along the state’s coast.

The original Coastal Zone Act banned bulk product transfer facilities near the coast, and House Bill 190, which has bipartisan support, would create an exemption for 14 sites. Thirteen of the sites are above the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal.

The proposal is part of Gov. Carney’s plan to grow the economy but faces opposition from environmentalists.

“We can and should responsibly redevelop Delaware’s industrial sites, clean them up and put them back to work for Delawareans,” the governor said in a statement. “This legislation would allow additional flexibility for the 14 existing heavy industry sites within the Coastal Zone, and only those sites.

“It would open these sites up for additional redevelopment and job creation — while maintaining a commitment to environmental protection. We should do what we can to add good-paying jobs for all Delawareans, while continuing to protect our natural resources. The responsible changes in this bill meet that test.”

The bill is awaiting its initial committee hearing.

DOVER — For nearly half a century, Dover International Speedway has cemented its reputation as the Monster Mile with its penchant for dizzying speeds, ear-splitting sounds and hard-hitting crashes.

George Keller, the resident historian at the high-banked, one-mile oval concrete race track, has taken in every race since the unique dual-purpose motorsports/horse racing facility was built in 1969.

But for Mr. Keller, it has always been about the horsepower — NASCAR style. The sights, sounds and even the smells addicted him quickly to the fluorescent-colored, high-octane sport, which today sees the running of the AAA 400 Drive for Autism.

Oh, and he has a little bit of insight into that whole Monster thing.

Dover International Speedway historian George Keller stands alongside the official pace car before a recent tour of the track. (Special to the Delaware State News/Maureen Iplenski)

“One of those Southern drivers after one of those 500-mile races, thoroughly exhausted, extremely dehydrated, crawled out of the race car at the end of the race and as he was keeling over from exhaustion was heard to have said, ‘That track is nothing but a monster.’

“Hence, Miles the Monster.”

The track’s mascot, Miles, sits atop the trophies of all of the NASCAR winners at Dover.

Mr. Keller has witnessed all 94 Cup Series races that have taken place at Dover International Speedway since 1969.

He watched as the track hosted its first NASCAR race on July 6, 1969 – The Mason-Dixon 300 – right off the heels of the Firecracker 400 in Daytona Beach, Florida, before a crowd of 10,333 fans.

Seven-time Cup Series champion Richard Petty won that first race at Dover in a Ford, collecting a winner’s purse of $23,605.

Mr. Keller was also at the last Cup race at Dover on Oct. 2, 2016, when Martin Truex Jr. pulled into victory lane in a Toyota.

In between all of those races at the Monster Mile — Dover has hosted two races a year since 1971, one in the spring and one in the fall — Mr. Keller has racked up some incredible memories, made some great friends and told some great stories.

Mr. Keller, a former Dover High School golf coach and the 2015 Kent County Tourism Person of the Year, leads group tours at Dover International Speedway, his home away from home, every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon, to share his passion with the sport for both race fans and people who just want to find out what racing’s all about.

“The tours consist of an inside look at the speedway, where we take you … places we just can’t get race weekend,” Mr. Keller said.

The tours are usually held at 2 p.m., weather permitting. The tours cost $7 per person and all ages are welcome to participate.

One recent tour started out slowly enough as, making his way through the massive parking lot, Mr. Keller pointed over to Dover Downs’ Hotel and Casino.

“It opened in 2002 with 232 rooms,” he said. “There was so much demand we jumped into a larger phase with 268 more rooms, so there’s 500 rooms in the hotel.”

This demand for rooms is, in part, due to the amount of space necessary to hold the thousands of people who travel to Dover during the race weekends.

Suddenly, the tour begins to pick up speed.

Mr. Keller provides guests with a behind-the-scenes look at things such as the Monster Bridge, which allows spectators to watch the racing action in a VIP seat that sits high and across the speedway near Turn 3.

“There’s nothing else like it in the world,” he said. “Right here in little Dover, Delaware, we have something that’s unique in the world of motorsports. Nowhere in the world will you find a seating bridge across the racetrack. We call it the Monster Bridge.

“It’s ferociously loud. It’s ferociously fast. You’ve got to see it in person.”

SAFER barriers align with the walls of the track’s corners at Dover International Speedway. George Keller leads group tours at Dover International Speedway every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon at 2 p.m., weather permitting. (Special to the Delaware State News/Maureen Iplenski)

Holding 56 seats, the Monster Bridge is open primarily to corporate partners as a hospitality suite, but occasionally fans can win a seat on the bridge through contests held on the Dover International Speedway website.

During the tour, Mr. Keller also talks about advances in technology, such as the safety fences and safety barriers Dover has installed in recent years in the name of added protection for the drivers and fans.

“NASCAR said that we needed to have a new wheel fence here in Dover,” said Mr. Keller. “There’s about 170 miles of cable there in that fence, 17 strands, and it cost (the speedway) $3 million. It is the newest catch fence available in the sport.”

Safety, Mr. Keller noted, became a hot-button topic for NASCAR after the mega-popular seven-time champion driver Dale Earnhardt Sr. was killed in a last-lap crash in the 2001 Daytona 500.

Dover has also added to its SAFER barriers, responding to a crash during a practice session last May in which Danica Patrick hit an unprotected wall coming out of the fourth turn.

“It was quickly noted we didn’t have safe barrier there,” Mr. Keller said, which he added brought about the extension of SAFER barriers in order to keep a similar accident from occurring again.

While driving around the monstrous concrete soup bowl, one gets a sense in Mr. Keller’s voice that it saddens him when he sees workers tearing down grandstands due to NASCAR’s lagging popularity in recent years. He adds that all of the other tracks on the circuit have been forced to do the same thing.

Over time, Dover International Speedway eventually morphed from a modest facility that held around 25,000 race fans into a behemoth aluminum-tinged “Monster Mile” with seats that nearly circled the entire race track and hosted more than 135,000 fans by 2001.

Mr. Keller said Dover’s seating capacity for today’s race will be around 85,000.

He also talks about various camping and NASCAR suite-viewing options, some of which are very exclusive, and drives to the Monster Monument in Victory Plaza, home of the iconic Miles the Monster statue, the one that holds the race car of Aric Almirola high into the air in his right hand and is visible to drivers on Del. 1.

While Miles the Monster is a particularly popular spot for photos, the highlight of any tour is when Mr. Keller swings the track’s pace car through the gate by the start/finish line and onto the track’s nine-degree steep front straightaway.

He then mashes down on the accelerator as he enters the first turn and its neck-wrenching 24-degree banking in the corners.

This, Mr. Keller says, isn’t so bad. Just imagine going nearly 160 mph and having 39 cars scrambling for position all around you.

And then there’s the 12-second pit stop where he screeches to a halt in his pit stall – always the first one at the end of pit road he joked – and gets a quick drink while his imaginary pit crew changes four tires, fills the tank up with fuel and makes all the necessary adjustments before he speeds back onto the high banks.

Visitors are given up-close-and-personal views of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series garage areas.

Suddenly, the tour ends up at the most appropriate place it possibly could – Victory Lane.

It’s the hallowed ground where trophies are awarded, champagne is sprayed, interviews are given and high-fives are exchanged.

“This is where every driver wants to be at the end of a long race on Sunday,” Mr. Keller said.

Delaware State News staff writer Mike Finney contributed to this story.

Maureen Iplenski is a senior broadcast media student at Polytech High School.

Photos special to the Delaware State News/Jon Lloyd Jr.

Photos special to the Delaware State News/Gary Emeigh

DOVER — Brad Keselowski and Kurt Busch have both tasted success during their racing careers at Dover International Speedway.

During the AAA 400 Drive for Autism Monster Energy Series race on Sunday afternoon, the former Cup Series champions got an untimely taste of each other on the Monster Mile.

Busch, who conquered the Monster Mile in the 2011 fall race, lost control of his Ford while battling Kyle Larson for the lead on lap 66.

Busch slid up the race track and forced Keselowski’s Ford into the outside wall in the second turn, knocking him out of the race.

Keselowski didn’t point any fingers following the costly crash.

#41 Kurt Busch spins out after making contact with #2 Brad Keselowski after a restart as The 48th Annual AAA 400 Drive for Autism Race was held on Sunday June 4th at Dover International Speedway in Dover. (Special to the Delaware State News/Chuck Snyder)

“Yeah, one of them racing deals,” said Keselowski, who won the fall race at Dover during his 2012 championship season. “These cars rely so much on aerodynamics. We saw that early with guys being able to stay out on two tires even with a lot of tire wear.

“I don’t know if it was Kurt’s fault, just one of them racing deals. We line-up double-file and somebody got loose and just took us out. What a bummer.”

The #41 car of Kurt Busch come out of inspection before the race as The 48th Annual AAA 400 Drive for Autism Race was held on Sunday June 4th at Dover International Speedway in Dover.
(Special to the Delaware State News/Chuck Snyder)

Busch was able to continue in the race – briefly.

However, a left-rear tire on his car blew out on lap 96 and he slammed into the outside wall in the first turn, ending his day.

“I got loose on a restart,” Busch said, regarding the incident with Keselowski. “It’s my bad as a driver. My bad.

“We had good speed in our Ford and just couldn’t finish. You can’t make mistakes out here and we did.”

Keselowski was relegated to a 38th-place finish while Busch came in 37th.

Big crash cuts ending short

A massive multi-car collision that took place on the back straightaway just after the green flag waved on the overtime finish helped Jimmie Johnson seal the win

Johnson was well into the third corner when the caution flag waved as he coasted to the victory from there.

Chef Gordon Ramsey holds the checkered flag as The 48th Annual AAA 400 Drive for Autism Race was held on Sunday June 4th at Dover International Speedway in Dover.
Special to the Delaware State News / CHUCK SNYDER

Ty Dillon, whose older brother Austin scored his first-career win at Charlotte last weekend, was involved in the accident and finished 14th. Ty Dillon surprisingly led the race for 27 laps from lap 334 to 360.

Rookie Erik Jones, who ran consistently among the top 10 for much of the race, was also in the crash and finished 15th.

Danica Patrick was able to avoid the accident and finished 10th.

“It was a good day for us,” Patrick said. “We got a bit lucky with staying out at the right time and catching the yellow flags. It’s the stuff that hasn’t been happening for us all year and it’s just nice to catch some breaks.

“We weren’t the fastest car, not sure we were a top-10 car. A lot of times we have been a 10th-place car and weren’t able to get the finish we needed. I’ll take the lucky days anytime I can because there have been plenty of times where it went the other way.”

Kyle Busch ups-and-downs

Pole-sitter Kyle Busch ran into trouble early after Ryan Sieg brought out the day’s first caution flag by spinning out in the second turn on lap 17.

Busch and the other leaders opted to pit for tires and fuel, however, the lug nuts were not secured to his left-rear tire and it fell off.

It caused damage to the sheet metal on the left rear of Busch’s car as he was forced to pit again to get repairs after circling the track for a lap with only three tires.

He managed to rally and even ran among the top five before bringing home a 16th-place finish.

Monster bites Stenhouse Jr. twice

The outside wall in the fourth turn at the Monster Mile wasn’t very kind to Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

Stenhouse, who recorded his first career Cup victory at Talladega Superspeedway last month, had tire issues early and slammed into the fourth-turn wall – twice.

The damage to the right side of his car from the second crash sent him to the garage area on lap 62 and out of the race, saddled with a last-place finish.

“Our Ford was fast and on the move,” Stenhouse said. “This track is tough. We saw a few tire issues (Saturday) after the first run.

“I’m not sure if I ran over something, we’ll have to take a look at it. I’m looking forward to coming back here in the fall. I feel like we have a good race car and happy with what we learned this weekend.”

Stenhouse took the lead during the day’s first caution period on lap 17 when he remained on the track while most of the other drivers pitted.

Unfortunately for him, the right-front tire blew out on his car while he was running third and he hit the fourth-turn wall on lap 48. He repeated the painful exercise on lap 62.

Mechanical issues burn Bowyer

Clint Bowyer was a driver on the move in the AAA 400, but mechanical issues put an early end to his uprising.

Bowyer started from the 22nd position but had worked his way up to the top five when he was forced into the garage area.

“We broke an oil tank,” said Bowyer, who has finished among the top 10 in 12 of his 23 career starts at Dover. “It’s kind of a freak deal, but these guys take so much pride in what they do in building these race cars.

“These guys worked their tails off all week. We were a force to be reckoned with. We were going to be fine doing exactly what we needed to do.”

Bowyer finished 31st after his team made repairs and he returned to the track several laps down.

Chastain, Sieg make first Cup starts

Ross Chastain and Ryan Sieg both had decent days in their Monster Energy Series debuts at Dover on Sunday.

Sieg started the AAA 400 34th while Chastain lined up 36th.

Sieg ran into trouble early when he spun his Toyota in the second turn on lap 17. He finished 26th.

Chastain stayed out of trouble during the day and was rewarded with a 20th-place finish.

Pre-race extravaganza

Gordon Ramsay, award-winning celebrity chef, served as the grand marshal of the AAA 400.

Dan Schafer, pastor of the Calvary Assembly of God in Heightstown, New Jersey, provided the pre-race prayer before recording artist Cassidy Daniels sang the national anthem as four A-10 Warthogs from the 104th Fighter Squadron, Maryland Air National Guard, buzzed over the grandstands.

Ramsay got it all started when he gave the command for the drivers to “Start your engines!” at 1:08 p.m.

NASCAR legend Richard Petty then led the Monster Energy Series drivers onto the high banks of the one-mile concrete oval in a 1970 Plymouth Roadrunner Superbird.

DOVER — For much of the afternoon, Martin Truex Jr. had the fastest car in Dover.

Certainly nobody at Dover International Speedway would have been surprised if he ended up taking the checkered flag.

In the end, though, Truex was pretty happy just to take third place in Sunday’s Monster Energy Series Cup AAA 400 Drive for Autism.

That’s because, with about 60 laps remaining, Truex had to pit under a green flag for tires.

That put him a lap down and pushed him back into the field.

And while Truex was able to prove how fast his car was by picking off one car after another to get back toward the front, it was too little, too late.

Martin Truex Jr. signs an autograph for a young NASCAR fan at Dover International Speedway on Sunday. (Delaware State News/Marc Clery)

“I don’t know that we had the best car,” said Truex, “but we had a good car, for sure.

“The 42 (Kyle Larson) and the 48 (Jimmie Johnson), we were all so close. It seemed like whoever got out front was the best.

“It’s not the finish we hoped for. But, still, when you’re disappointed with third, that speaks volumes about your team and where you’re at.”

Truex, whose family has business ties to Milford, led a total of 102 laps — second-most behind only Larson (241).

He also won both of the first two stages of the race, earning two playoff points under the new system. He held onto the overall series lead by nine points over Larson.

Truex and Larson dualed several times during the race as tempers seemed to flare. At one point, Truex came up behind Larson’s car and simply nudged him out of the way.

Larson said the incident was no big deal.

“I was on two (good) tires, I think, at that point and I was just trying to fight him off,” said Larson. “His patience probably ran out with me and he shoved me into (turn) three. I almost found the wall but was able to stay out of it.

“I mean we were just racing hard. We’re racecar drivers so that’s what we’re supposed to do. We were just racing hard. … I always enjoy racing him.”

In a race that featured 15 cautions, Truex said it was a grueling afternoon. The race last just shy of four hours.

“I had a lot of fun out there today,” he said. “I can’t even tell you how challenging this track was with these cars, this areo package and all that.

“I don’t have enough fingers and toes to count how many times I almost wrecked by myself. It was a lot of fun, it was a challenge.”

In a lot of ways, Sunday was a big success for Truex.

He collected 54 points for his day. Only winner Johnson earned more with 55.

Truex has also won eight stages this season — five more than anybody else in the series. He also owns 12 top-10 finishes in his 23 career races at Dover.

The checkered flag was about the only thing that eluded him.

When it was all said and done, Truex said he couldn’t help but be proud of his finish.

“At a place that’s difficult to pass, we had to come from about 15th to get to third,” he said. “Definitely proud of the run, proud of the effort and proud of the car the guys brought here today.

“I wish we could have had a little better shot at it toward the end there but, all in all, third is a decent day with two stage wins.”

DOVER — Jimmie Johnson, who has become the definitive master at finding his way to victory lane at Dover International Speedway, keeps finding new ways to add to his legacy.

On this particular sun-baked Sunday afternoon, it was a thrilling overtime victory for a Dover-record 11th triumph as cars in his rear-view mirror were involved in a sheet-metal crunching crash – check.

Johnson rocketed past Kyle Larson on a green, white, checkered flag restart in overtime and then cruised to the win as the checkered flag and caution flag waved simultaneously on the 48th annual AAA 400 Drive for Autism Monster Energy Series race.

It was Johnson’s 83rd-career Cup Series victory, which tied him with his childhood hero and NASCAR Hall of Fame driver Cale Yarborough for sixth on the all-time list.

Johnson actually honored Yarborough with a tribute to him on his race helmet.

Jimmy Johnson celebrates in victory lane after winning the AAA 400 Drive For Autism at Dover International Speedway on Sunday. (Delaware State News/Marc Clery)

“We had a fast car,” said Johnson, who only led seven laps during the event. “We had to overcome quite a bit of adversity throughout the day but we still had a great car.

“Honestly, it all came down to that (last) restart. I was able to get the power to the ground. I knew it was going to be extremely tricky on those old, hot, worn-out tires and I just got a better restart and that’s the way it turned out.”

Jimmy Johnson does a burnout after winning the AAA 400 Drive For Autism at Dover International Speedway on Sunday. (Special to the Delaware State News/Pete Hinson)

It appeared as if Larson had Johnson right where he wanted him on the overtime restart.

However, he spun his tires momentarily while approaching the green flag, which gave Johnson the advantage he needed as he powered into the lead on the inside lane.

Jimmy Johnson in the Lowe’s #48 car wins The 48th Annual AAA 400 Drive for Autism Race in overtime that was held on Sunday June 4th at Dover International Speedway in Dover.
(Special to the Delaware State News/Chuck Snyder)

Johnson held the lead down the backstretch and into the third turn when the caution flag waved for the multi-car crash that effectively ended the race.

“He did what he had to do to get the best launch that he did,” Larson said, of Johnson. “We were both playing games and he just took off better than I did.

“I wasn’t really complaining about the restart. He did a good job. He’s a seven-time champion for a reason. The golden horseshoe is somewhere (on Johnson) and he is really good at executing, so I just have to get better at that.”

Jimmy Johnson takes the lead past Kyle Larson on a Green/White restart on the last lap of the AAA 400 Drive For Autism at Dover International Speedway on Sunday. (Delaware State News/Marc Clery)

Larson finished second despite leading a race-high six times for 241 laps.

Martin Truex Jr. endured a similar fate and came in third after pacing the field three times for 102 laps and winning both the first and second 120-lap stages.

“We had a good day and a good car,” Truex said. “I don’t know that we had the best car, but we had a good car for sure. The 42 (Larson) and 48 (Johnson), it seemed like we were all so close that it seemed like whoever got out front was the best.

“All in all it was a good day. When you’re disappointed with third it speaks volumes about your team and where you’re at and what’s going on. I had a lot of fun out there.”

Ryan Newman finished fourth and Chase Elliott pulled out a fifth-place finish.

Jimmy Johnson in the Lowe’s #48 car wins The 48th Annual AAA 400 Drive for Autism Race in overtime that was held on Sunday June 4th at Dover International Speedway in Dover.
(Special to the Delaware State News/Chuck Snyder)

Johnson was forced to put his driving abilities to the test on Sunday as his team elected to change the rear gear in his Chevrolet prior to the race.

He had qualified 14th on Friday but was forced to start from the rear of the 39-car field after the gear change. He rose up to 26th place by the eighth lap and was all the way to eighth on lap 54.

Then, as usual, he transformed into a serious contender.

“This is a good one for us and I have always been better at passing people,” Johnson said. “I think our stats from qualifying versus race wins really show that and it’s frustrating.

“We live in an environment where qualifying needs to be a priority and we need better pit stall picks, but if you put that rabbit out in front me then I’ll chase it down. It’s just the way I’ve always been.”

The pace of the race was slowed by 15 caution periods, including two that signified the end of the first and second stages, that comprised a total of 72 laps.

The AAA 400 took three hours, 59 minutes and 27 seconds to complete for an average speed of 104.953 mph.

Kevin Harvick was one of the lucky ones who avoided contact with the walls all day.

“We got lucky and didn’t have any issues,” said Harvick, who finished ninth. “That was the fortunate part because so many other teams did and we didn’t. We kept it clean all day. It was an OK day.”

Larson, who came up just short of Matt Kenseth in last year’s spring race at Dover, chalked his runner-up effort as part of a constant learning experience.

“We were the dominant car all day,” Larson said. “We had a couple of runs where we got off and had some bad tires or something but we were able to rebound from the struggles. We fought hard all race long.

“We just needed it to stay green there at the end. I was a lot better than Jimmie (Johnson) was. He just did a better job than I did on that last restart.”

That, Johnson said, was the reason he was taking the Monster Trophy home.

Last year I was given the honor of being selected by Nicole Theis of the Delaware Family Policy Council to attend the Statesmen Academy in Arizona. (Special note to taxpayers: Not one penny of your tax dollars paid for this trip.)

One of the speakers, Dr. Wayne Grudem, spoke about why Christians should influence politics and government for good. Dr. Grudem mentions what he considers five wrong views that have been presented at various times about Christians and government.

Sen. Bryant Richardson

The first wrong view is that government should compel religion. Dr. Grudem said genuine faith cannot be compelled by government or anyone else. The decision to trust in Jesus cannot be forced.

The second wrong view is that government should exclude religion. Dr. Grudem said this would remove our Constitutional right of freedom of religion and change it to freedom from religion.

The third wrong view is that government is evil and demonic and Christians should stay out of it. Dr. Grudem mentions Romans 13 that says the civil authority is God’s servant for your good.

The fourth wrong view, which says do evangelism and not politics, is very common in churches in the United States today, Dr. Grudem points out. He said this view says that the purpose of the church is to save people and that involvement in politics may turn some people away. (This brings to mind this quote: The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men [and women] to do nothing. Edmund Burke)

The fifth wrong view is to do politics and not evangelism. No responsible church leaders advocate this position. Just passing the right laws is not the answer. Change must come from the hearts of men and women who know Jesus and follow the word of God.

So what should the churches be doing? What is the one right view? According to Dr. Grudem the one right view is significant Christian influence on government.

Throughout history there are examples of Christians influencing government for good. Dr. Grudem gives these examples:

• As the Church began to grow in the ancient Roman empire and gained political influence, in 374 AD a law was passed outlawing child abandonment, infanticide and abortion.

• In 404 AD another law was passed that outlawed the cruel gladiatorial contest in which the losing contestant was put to death.

• Christian influence led to the abolition of slavery in the Roman empire and much of Europe and in particular in England when William Wilberforce campaigned to outlaw slavery. In 1833, slavery was finally outlawed in the British empire.

• In the 1830s in the United States more than two-thirds of the leaders in the Abolitionist Movement were Christian pastors preaching politics from the pulpit, condemning slavery. (The American abolition movement emerged in the1830s as a by-product of religious revivalism known as the Second Great Awakening.)

• In the mid-1950s, a Baptist pastor started preaching politics from the pulpit, stating that racial discrimination and segregation in the United States was morally wrong. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. brought about massive changes through his words and actions.

Dr. Grudem says all those changes would not have come about if Christians had adhered entirely to the view that churches should limit their activities to evangelism.

(If anyone would like to hear Dr. Grudem’s entire speech, Google FPC Conf 2016: Wayne Grudem 1st Hour to see the video.)

What is the role of Christians today? What about our church leaders? What will it take to overcome today’s greatest injustice: the intentional killing of unborn children? Will it take two-thirds of pastors or just one pastor of the likes of Dr. King?

When will those pastors step into the political arena to help stop the injustices to our most vulnerable members of society?

There is a battle going on now in Legislative Hall. The Senate by the minimum number of votes passed Senate Bill 5, which turns over the decisions of when life is viable and protected by our laws, to those who profit from abortion.

The bill will be voted on in the House as early as June 6.

Will Christians let that day go by without letting their voices heard? The unborn cannot speak, so who will speak for them?

Are we going to allow the abortionists to decide when life is viable or will our lawmakers set the parameters, so that those doctors who do not act in good faith are not allowed to continue to practice and harm women and the unborn?

This quote by Dr. King should help convict us of the lack of concern we have shown too long in our state and our nation: “The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people.”

EDITOR’S NOTE: State Sen. Bryant L. Richardson is a Republican who represents the Laurel area.