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Wendy Bohonek
TUCUMBIA, Ala. (March 24) - A perfect day, sunny, warm, and time to go racing! Two AMP haulers passed us while we were on the interstate making our way to the North Alabama Speedway for the AMP vs MSCCS "Battle of the States" season opener. For you race fans out there… these drivers can slice and dice through highway traffic with some of the same maneuvering techniques they use on the track (with a 20ft, or larger trailer behind them to boot), and not rub doors with their neighbor or cut anyone off. This is proper etiquette for highway driving, but we have to admit we enjoy slicing and dicing that includes some door rubbing, cutting off for the lead, and serving the driver on a platter, in victory lane, when we visit our local dirt track. The fans that made their way out to the North Alabama Speedway were first hand witnesses to this kind of racing. This was one of those races that you had to be there to get your full moneys worth, but for those of you who couldn't make it, I will do my best to try and put into words an awesome season opener.
The eventful night got underway with the time trials. 36 super late models were primed and ready to go. Your fast time qualifier was David "The Raging Rebel" Breazeale, Four Corners, MS who scored a 13.45, with "Kid Smooth" Billy Moyer Jr, Batesville AR close behind with a time of 13.48. The legendary "Mr Smooth," Billy Moyer, with the weekend off from his own racing venue joined his son's race team for the weekend. Many drivers are second generation drivers who draw knowledge from their father's experience to help them with their own race efforts. With both Moyer's have a full racing schedule, I am sure Billy enjoyed having his dad there to help him dial in the car, and watch him race. Ray Moore, Shreveport LA, Bub McCool, Vicksburg MS, Chris Wall, Holden, LA, Chris Ragan, Stacy Caldwell, Nettleton MS, and Clay Fisher, DeWitt AR, made up the eight drivers who secured themselves a spot in the 40 lap feature event.
With the B-Mains next on the agenda for the late models, flagman Kevin Thrash dropped the green flag to get things started. When you have cars of this caliber reaching the high speeds they do on the track, you can expect cautions, mechanical woes, and a wreak or two, but what no one wants to see is a car hit the wall, especially a hard direct hit. During the fourth and final B-Main, the driver of the # 21KB car, Kody Barber was making his way out of turn three into turn four when he hit the retaining wall hard and head on. Track announcer Mr Lewis was correct when he told the crowd that Barber's hit looked just like the one Dale Earnhardt had taken on that fateful day. He also was correct when he said, that the opening prayer that was spoken at the beginning of the race, to ask for protection over the drivers was answered as Kody exited the car uninjured and on his own accord.
With the 24 late model drivers introduced and strapped in tight for their 40 lap feature the command to start their engines was given. The official pace car for the evening was the #46 two seated pinto mini stock, that was built by Paul Noah and his son 15 year old Zachary to raise money for autism awareness. For more information on the Autism Race Cars Ride for a Cure, visit their website at www.autismracecar.com.
Once the green flag dropped, David Breazeale who started on the pole took command of the lead. He found himself in lap traffic by lap eight with Chris Wall, Bub McCool, Ray "The Rocket" Moore, and North Alabama Speedway's defending track Champion Chris Ragan rounding out the top five. On lap 11 McCool taps the wall and puts some distance between himself and Chris Wall. By lap 14, Wall was gaining on Breazeale who was still out front, but was forced to relinquish the lead on lap 15 when Wall got around him. Breazeale was not going to give up without a fight, they battled back and forth swapping the lead as Bub McCool started to gain back some of the ground he lost when he tapped the wall earlier. Lap 17 brought out the second caution flag of the evening for Stacy Caldwell of Nettleton MS. When racing resumed, Breazeale was back out front, Wall in second, McCool in third, Moore in fourth, and Ragan making up the top five.
On lap 18 Bub got around Wall and had his sights on Breazeale. By lap 20 McCool had tracked down Breazeale, and took the lead. Chris Wall to was able to get around Breazeale for the second spot. McCool held on to the lead and found himself in heavy traffic by lap 28, while Wall, Moore, Ashley, Breazeale, Baggett, Slay, Howell, Beard, Tippen, and Moyer Jr would battle for top ten bragging rights. Ray Moore charged hard and stayed on the bumper of McCool in the final laps, however when the checkered flag waved it was Bub McCool that held on and took home a $2000 paycheck for his efforts.
Super Late Model Feature Finishing Order:
1 #57J Bub McCool
2. #71 Chris Wall
3 #93 Ray Moore
4 #14 David Ashley
5 #54 David Breazeale
6 #19 Nick Howell
7 #6S Scott Slay
8 #21 Neil Baggett
9 #86 Kyle Beard
10 #71A Allen Tippen
11 #21JR Billy Moyer Jr
12 #1Ronald Dunn
13 #1C Chad Thrash
14 #99 Clay Fisher
15 #28 Bradley Price
16 #31 Scott Creel
17 #25 Justin McCree
18 #C16 Chris Ragan
19 #U2 Terry Henson
20 #54C Stacy Caldwell
21 #5 Jon Mitchell
22 #121 Anthony Burroughs
23 #C66 Jerry Owens
24 #2 Charlie Cole
Super Late Model Time Trials:
#10 Danial Brown, Aberdeen MS, 14.310, 14.25
#R25 Ryan Plaisance, New Orleans LA, 15.2, 14.58
#11 Rachel York, Southhaven MS, 14.92, 14.68
#21JR Billy Moyer Jr, Batesville AR, 13.48, 13.95
#17A Allen Tippen, Minded LA, 14.41, 14.56
#28 Bradley Price, 14.18, 14.13
#C16 Chris Ragan,
#31 Scott Creel, Franklinton LA, 14.55, 14.58
#14 David Ashley, Zachary LA, 14.04, 13.84
#F26 Mark Fields, Lawrenceburg TN,
#6B William Burns, Florence AL,
#93 Ray Moore, Shreveport LA, 13.69, 13.71
#2 Charlie Cole, Marianna AR, 15.00, 14.96
#C66 Jerry Owens, Killian TN, 14.14, 14.02
#54C Stacy Caldwell, Nettleton MS, 13.72
#6S Scott Slay, Clinton MS, 13.80, 13.79
#5 Jon Mitchell, Texarkana TX, 14.30, 14.17
#99 Isaiah Day, 14.61, 14.48
#25 Justin McCree, Woodstock AL, 13.79, 13.80
#21 Neil Baggett, Shannon MS, 14.00, 13.81
#71 Chris Wall, Holden LA, 13.70, 13.46
#U2 Terry Henson, North Little Rock AR, 14.95, 14.70
#54 David Breazeale, Four Corners MS, 13.79, 13.45
#88 Jeremy Broadus, Biloxi MS, 14.62, 14.50
#7 Jeremy Glasgow, 14.57, 14.44
#79 Jamie Flannigan, Toscumbia AL, 14.12, 14.45
#86 Kyle Beard, Trumann AR, 14.36, 13.87
#57J Bub McCool, Vicksburg MS, 13.74, 13.69
#1C Chad Thrash, Meridian MS, 14.23, 14.97,
#19 Nick Howell, NT
#21KB Kody Barber, Bogalusa, LA
#121 Anthony Burroughs, Athens MS, 13.96, 14.25
#1S Jeff Wells Jr, Trumann AR, 14.92, 14.70
#99 Clay Fisher, Dewitt AR, 14.21, 13.71
#1 Ronald Dunn, Corinth MS, 13.92, 13.77
#D7 Jerry Inmon, Bruce MS, 14.42, 16.09
Super Late Model Top 6 Dash: Finishing Order
#54 David Breazeale, Four Corners MS, #93 Ray Moore, Shreveport LA, #57J Bub McCool, Vicksburg MS, #71 Chris Wall, Holden LA, #21JR Billy Moyer Jr, Batesville AR, #54C Stacy Caldwell, Nettleton MS, and #99 Clay Fisher, DeWitt AR.
Super Late Model B-Main 1: Finishing Order
#21 Neil Baggett, Shannon MS, #86 Kyle Beard, Trumann AR, #25 Justin McCree, Woodstock AL, #88 Jeremy Broadus, Biloxi MS, #7 Jeremy Glasgow, and #U2 Terry Henson, North Little Rock AR
Top three transferred: Baggett, Beard, and McCree
Super Late Model B-Main 2: Finishing Order:
#14 David Ashley, Zachary LA, #71A, Allen Tippen, Minden LA, #28 Bradley Price, #31 Scott Creel, Franklinton, LA, #R25 Ryan Plaisance, New Orleans, LA, #10 Danial Brown, Aberdeen MS, and #11 Rachel York, Southhaven MS.
Top three transferred: Ashley, Tippen, and Price
Super Late Model B-Main 3: Finishing Order:
#C66 Jerry Owens, Killian TN, #6S Scott Slay, Clinton MS, #5 Jon Mitchell, Texarkana TX, #F26 Mark Fields, Lawrenceburg TN, #2 Charlie Cole, Marianna AR, #6B William Burns, Florence AL, and #99 Isaiah Day.
Top three transferred: Owens, Slay, and Mitchell
Super Late Model B-Main 4: Finishing Order:
#19 Nick Howell, #1 Ronald Dunn, Corinth MS, #121 Anthony Burroughs, Athens MS, #D7 Jerry Inmon, Bruce MS, DNF: #1C Chad Thrash, Meridian MS, #1S Jeff Wells Jr, Trumann AR, and #21KB Kody Barber, Bogalusa LA
AMP provisional's were awarded to: #U2 Terry Henson, North Little Rock AR, and #2 Charlie Cole, Marianna AR.
MSCCS provisional's were awarded to: #28 Bradley Price, #1C Chad Thrash, Meridian MS, and #31 Scott Creel, Franklinton LA
Super Late Model Feature Starting Line-up:
#54 David Breazeale
#93 Ray Moore
#57J Bub McCool
#71 Chris Wall
#C16 Chris Ragan
#21JR Billy Moyer Jr
#54C Stacy Caldwell
#99 Clay Fisher
#21 Neil Baggett
#14 David Ashley
#C66 Jerry Owens
#19 Nick Howell
#86 Kyle Beard
#71A Allen Tippen
#6S Scott Slay
#1 Ronald Dunn
#25 Justin McCree
#121 Anthony Burroughs
#5 Jon Mitchell
#U2 Terry Henson
#28 Bradley Price
#2 Charlie Cole
#1C Chad Thrash
#31 Scott Creel
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