Southern Nationals Series
Wythe Raceway
July 16, 2012
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Hill captures 2012 Southern Nationals Series opener at Wythe Raceway

by Robert Walden
RURAL RETREAT, Va. (July 16) — The eighth season of the Ray Cook-promoted Schaeffer Oil Southern Nationals Series, a two-week tour at 10 tracks around the Southeast featuring events at Wythe Raceway (Rural Retreat, Va.), Smoky Mountain Speedway (Maryville, Tenn.), North Georgia Speedway (Chatsworth, Ga.), Swainsboro (Ga.) Raceway, Screven Speedway (Sylvania, Ga.), Rome (Ga.) Speedway, East Alabama Motor Speedway (Phenix City, Ala.), Cleveland (Tenn.) Speedway, Volunteer Speedway (Bulls Gap, Tenn.), and Tazewell (Tenn.) Speedway, kicked off Monday night at Fred and Susan Brown-owned Wythe Raceway.

To say that Vic Hill of Morristown, Tenn., has developed a liking to Wythe Raceway would be an understatement. Back the first weekend in June, Hill obliterated the former Super Late Model track qualifying record of 16.082 (held by Ray Cook) by lowering the new standard to 15.863-seconds, and then going on to a very impressive flag-to-flag run to victory in the Ultimate Super Late Model Series event.

Hill started tonight’s 35-lap Southern Nationals Series main event from third on the grid and passed defending and three-time series champion Chris Madden between turns three and four on lap 24 to take over the lead, en route to capturing his third career series victory worth $3,500.

Madden, from Gray Court, S.C., toured the monster half-mile at 16.021-seconds to earn the FK Rod Ends pole award. The top eight from qualifying, Madden, NASCAR Nationwide Series competitor Austin Dillon, Hill, Mike Marlar, Kenny Compton Jr., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series racer Ty Dillon, Billy Ogle Jr., and Brett Miller were locked into the starting lineup, while the two B-main winners were Donald Bradshaer and Dillon Wood.

Madden and Austin Dillon led the 22-car field to green from the front row. Racing down the front straightaway into the first turn, Madden rolled into the lead over Austin Dillon, Hill, Compton and Marlar. On lap 2 racing off the second corner, Marlar got around Compton for the fourth spot. Just two circuits later Compton lost another position as Ty Dillon passed him to move into fifth in the running order, dropping Compton back to sixth.

Four successive caution periods over the next eight laps slowed the action with first Ty Dillon spinning between turns one and two on lap 6, as he was looking under Marlar wanting the fourth spot. Only two circuits back under green and the yellow waved once more on lap 8, when Bubba Russell spun exiting the fourth turn and backed down against inside retaining wall. Mack McCarter looped his mount between turns three and four on lap 10 to bring out the caution, and on lap 12 Daniel Baggerly slowed halfway down the backstretch and came to a stop on the track to bring out the yellow flag.

The top five in the running order on the restart were Madden, Austin Dillon, Hill, Marlar and Compton. Back up to speed, Madden quickly put about 10 car lengths between himself and Austin Dillon and Hill. All eyes were focused on the battle for second between Austin Dillon, winner of last year’s Wythe Raceway Southern Nationals Series event and Hill.

Hill got alongside of Austin Dillon on lap 16 racing off turn two, and at end of backstretch Hill drove his ride in deep between turns three and four to slide up in front of the oldest grandson of legendary NASCAR race team owner Richard Childress to take over second place. Hill set his sights ahead on leader Madden, who held right at a half-straightaway advantage.

Hill, a five-time Super Late Model track champion at Volunteer Speedway, about 110 miles down Interstate 81 from Wythe Raceway, closed to within striking distance of Madden on lap 20 as the leader began to work lapped traffic.

Racing down the front straightaway into the first turn on lap 24, Hill looked to inside of Madden between (turns) one and two. But Madden slammed the door and the duo rocketed down the backstretch into the third turn with Hill right on Madden’s rear bumper. With lapped cars directly in front of Madden, Hill made his move dropping to the inside and racing up off the fourth turn he powered into a lead he would never relinquish.

Just back behind Hill and Madden, Austin Dillon began to fade as Compton got around him for third on lap 27 racing off turn two. And two circuits later on lap 29, both Marlar and Ogle passed him to drop Austin Dillon back to sixth in the running order. The event’s final caution waved on lap 30, when Jordy Nipper briefly erupted in flames under the hood with engine issues and stopped high in the banking between turns three and four.

Hill was showing the way out front over Madden in anticipation of a five-lap shootout for the victory. But Hill, driving the Landair Transport Inc./Pilot Travel Centers/Preferred Sandblasting & Painting/Outlaw Race Parts/The Orthopaedic Institute of Western Kentucky/American Racing Tire South/Vic Hill Race Engines/Peterson Fluid Systems/VP Racing Fuels/CP Pistons/Sweet Mfg./Manley Performance/Braswell Carburetors/Dart Blocks/Comp Cams/MSD Ignition/CV Racing Products/Jesel/Edelbrock/Dyers Top Rods/Bert Transmission/Total Control Suspension/Fastlane Signs & Graphics/Warrior Race Cars/No. 1 Chevrolet Impala, smashed the loud pedal to quickly put some real estate between himself and Madden to comfortably record the $3,500 victory. Finishing third through fifth, respectively, were Compton, Marlar and Ogle.

Completing the top-10 finishers were Austin Dillon, Donald Bradsher, Brian Reese, Ty Dillon and Zack Mitchell.

“I hope the fans enjoyed this race, because from my vantage point it was definitely exciting there as (Chris) Madden and I battled for the lead through the lapped traffic,” said Hill in the pits following his second Wythe Raceway Southern Nationals Series victory. “We’ve really ran well up here all three times this season, winning the Ultimate Super Late Model Series race and now tonight getting the Southern Nationals victory, and we finished sixth in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series show. Our car was very good tonight, and I really felt I’d be able to reel (Chris) Madden in pretty easily once I was able to get around Austin (Dillon) for second. I had to work on Dillon there for several laps because entering the corners I could get underneath him, but racing off the top-side he was just able to carry a little more momentum down the straightaway. After we cleared Austin, I don’t know – it was about four or five laps and we had erased Madden’s lead to close right on his tail.

“I know Chris gets around here pretty good and he’s got a lot of experience and doesn’t usually make mistakes, but I was able to make my move as we approached lapped traffic right at end of the backstretch entering the third turn and kind of trap him in behind a couple of cars. I want to thank my crew chief Shawn Gage for all of his hard work back at the shop during the week and on race night, along with Jordan Casey for all he does. Winning tonight is definitely the way to start this two week deal off running these Southern Nationals Series races. Hopefully we can back tonight’s victory up with another win tomorrow at Smoky Mountain Speedway, because we’ve already won a couple of races down there this year. I know Madden’s going to be tough over these 10 races and he’s who we’ll have to battle with if we’re going to win the championship. Tonight’s one down and nine to go, and with Smoky Mountain and North Georgia this week I feel pretty good about our chances at both those tracks. It’s just when we go on down in Georgia this weekend to Swainsboro and Screven where we might be at somewhat of a disadvantage to Madden because he’s raced there and we’ve not.”

Winning support class races were Mike Keith in Super Street, Chris Martin in Pro Mini, and Dillon Huffman in U-Car.

SCHAEFFER OIL SOUTHERN NATIONALS SERIES – ROUND 1 – WYTHE RACEWAY – RURAL RETREAT, VA – JULY 16, 2012

Showing Finish Position, Starting Position In Parentheses, Driver Name, Car Number, Hometown

1. (3) Vic Hill #1-Morristown, TN
2. (1) Chris Madden #44-Gray Court, SC
3. (5) Kenny Compton Jr. #10-Bland, VA
4. (4) Mike Marlar #5-Winfield, TN
5. (7) Billy Ogle Jr. #201-Knoxville, TN
6. (2) Austin Dillon #3-Lewisville, NC
7. (9) Donald Bradsher #93-Burlington, NC
8. (11) Brian Reese #33-Sharpsburg, GA
9. (6) Ty Dillon #41-Lewisville, NC
10. (13) Zack Mitchell #57-Enoree, SC
11. (8) Brett Miller #47-Greeneville, TN
12. (10) Dillon Wood #1w-Daytona Beach, FL
13. (17) Billy Hicks #79-Mount Airy, NC
14. (20) Mack McCarter #51-Sevierville, TN
15. (19) Dillan White #54-Crofton, KY
16. (14) Jordy Nipper #1N-Gray, GA
17. (18) Kenny Howell #21-Lovely, KY
18. (22) Paul Davis #2-Pilgrim, KY
19. (15) Chris Combs #47c-Isom, KY
20. (21) Travis Greer #11g-Marion, VA
21. (16) Bubba Russell #32-Comer, GA
22. (12) Daniel Baggerly #16-Rural Retreat, VA

Did Not Make Field: Jake Eaton #29-Bland, VA; Jacob Grizzle #27-Blairsville, GA; Jim Gray #47g-Lynchburg, TN

B-MAIN #1: 1) Donald Bradsher #93; 2) Brian Reese #33; 3) Zack Mitchell #57; 4) Chris Combs #47c; 5) Billy Hicks #79; 6) Dillan White #54; 7) Travis Greer #11g; 8) Jake Eaton #29; 9) Jacob Grizzle #27

B-MAIN #2: 1) Dillon Wood #1W; 2) Daniel Baggerly #16; 3) Jordy Nipper #1N; 4) Bubba Russell #32; 5) Kenny Howell #21; 6) Mack McCarter #51; 7) Paul Harris #2; 8) Jim Gray #47g

For information about the Southern Nationals Series, visit the Web site at www.SouthernNationalsSeries.com or call promoter Ray Cook at (828) 360-5353.