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Friday evening thirty-one (31) Super Late Models signed in for the event with McPherson setting the standard as the 4th overall racecar out of the gate for "Mid-Nite Oil" qualifying. His 12:921 lap would go untouched, putting the multi and reigning track champion on the pole for the 40 lap feature. Going for the Car Smart Auto Sales $2,500. bonus Joe Armes put his # 77 "Southeastern Construction, Tennessee Valley Excavating" sponsored GRT / Clements powered, Pontiac GTO on the outside of McPherson for "Front-Row Joe" status. Kevin Gibson set third quick time and Jake Knowles locked in his # 66 "Car Smart Auto Sales, Cruise w/ Champions, Cleveland Speedway Driving School" sponsored MasterSbilt / Race Engine Design, Pontiac GTO racecar as 4th overall qualifier. The rest of the field competed in two heat races that transferred everybody that finished 10th or better. Weaver got the win after 5th fastest Randy Burrows crashed while leading lap one. David Payne, Tony Knowles, Johnny Chastain and Robert Gant rounded-up the Top 5. In heat # 2 the TANK Shane Tankersley defeated Brian Hickman. Shawn Chastain, Tommy Kerr and Ronnie Johnson finished 3rd thru 5th respectfully.
The field lined up on the front straight-away and roared to the Larry Payne green flag, with McPherson in control. Turn four saw a gaggle of racecars stack-up with Mike Head digging in and winding up on his lid. The HEADMAN was uninjured and crews gently rolled the car back onto its "all-fours", enabling the fan favorite to strap back in and join the field. Ruben Mayfield wasn't so lucky and would end up as the first car out of the race. McPherson again rocketed out to the front leaving Armes to battle with Knowles and Weaver as Gibson chased the leader. Knowles got by Armes and then took care of Gibson, quickly, to set a line for the leader. Shawn Chastain checked up (as did others) when Knowles bit too hard off og turn four and nearly crashed-out himself and McPherson. Weaver took 10 laps to get by thid-place Armes, to set-up his winning passes three laps later . Preston Graves stalled his racecar, on lap 16, for a caution. T. Knowles then began his run in the # 26 "RSD Enterprises, SAE Parts Inc., TK-Racing" sponsored Rocket / Custom Race Engines, GM Cadillac with Johnson on his flank working the high-line. Armes rolled back into the Top 3, as the laps clicked off, and early race lead duo McPherson and Gibson began to fade.
Payne, Riley Hickman, Gant and Tankersley all kept within the Top 10, with R. Hickman moving through the field after starting 20th. Despite starting 14th, RJ kept the pressure as T. Knowles climbed into the Top 5, trying to keep the black # 5 "VP Racing Fuels, Miller Bros. Coal Inc." sponsored MasterSbilt chassis / Race Engine Design, Pontiac Gran Prix racer, at bay. Tommy Kerr reared one of the events final cautions when he stalled his racecar in turn one. Johnson late in the event, got the high line rolling to his liking and took care of T. Knowles and Armes, but didn't have enough laps to reel in J. Knowles second place. Weaver had distanced himself by the final laps and cruised to the victory. J. Knowles with RJ hot on his spoiler was second, with Armes and T. Knowles rounding out the Top 5. In other racing action Scott Jackson won the Limited/Crate/Sportsman combo class feature. Greg Ledford won the Hobby feature. In the Econo Bomber class Tom Darby took the checkers, with the Pony feature going to Chris DeFore. Next weekend, at the North Georgia Speedway is a Full Regular Racing Program, with racing in all five divisions is scheduled. For more information visit the track web-site www.northgeorgiaspeedway.com.
Official Results: 4/18/08
North Georgia Speedway
Chatsworth/Dalton, GA
40 Laps / Super Late Models
"Big Friday 40" Race
1. Randy Weaver (# 116) of Crossville, TN
2. Jake Knowles (# 66) of Tyrone, GA
3. Ronnie Johnson (# 5) of Chattanooga, TN
4. Joe Armes (# 77) of Petross, TN
5. Tony Knowles (# 26) of Tyrone, GA
6. Gary McPherson (# 29M) of Dalton, GA
7. Kevin Gibson (# M45) of Ringgold, GA
8. David Payne (# 8) of Murphy, NC
9. Riley Hickman (# R1) of Ooltewah, TN
10. Robert Gant (# 22) of Flat Rock, AL
11. Shane Tankersley (# T31) of Morganton, GA
12. Mike Hill (# 11) of Rockwood, TN
13. Derek Ellis (# 99) of Chatsworth, GA
14. James Cline (# 3) of Oxford, AL
15. Brad Kennedy (# K15) of Chatsworth, GA
16. Mike Weeks (# 22) of Friendsville, TN
17. Mike Head (# 54) of Ellenwood, GA
18. Brian Hickman (# 41) of Soddy Daisy, TN
19. Johnny Chastain (# 00) of Murphy, NC
20. Jerry Bradley (# B25) of Dalton, GA
21. Tommy Kerr (# 4T) of Rockford, TN
22. Preston Graves (# 105) of Murphy, NC
23. Shawn Chastain (# X15) of Murphy, NC
24. Ruben Mayfield (# 00) of Lenior City, TN
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