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Steve Hixson
PHENIX CITY, Ala. (November 8) - Sunday evening in front of a huge crowd at the East Alabama Motor Speedway, Jonathan Davenport of Blairesville, GA held off hard chargin' 8-time NATIONAL 100 Champion, Scott Bloomquist for the $20,000 payday etching his name in the record books as only the second racer to ever double-down and capture the ALABAMA STATE race crown and the coveted NATIONAL 100 title in the same year. The driver known as SUPERMAN (or The BLAIRESVILLE ASSASSIN) in most racing circles, held a clean sweep of events spanning a four-day barrage of action. Saturday night the # 49 "Baird Transport, Mega Plumbing, Nichols Plumbing, En Compass Solutions" Barry Wright racecar driver set fast time with a 13:62 (setting a new track record) before ramping-up a torrid pace against two-time former NATIONAL 100 Champ Randle Chupp in their heat. Sunday Davenport kept his mount in the # 1 spot for the entire 100 laps, holding BLACK SUNSHINE at bay for 3/4th's of the race.
"This is unbelievable!!! It's something I've always wanted to win" stated Davenport after climbing from the car in COMP-CAMS Victory Lane. "…to hold off Scott (Bloomquist) here at a place he's dominated for so many years, is a remarkable testament to this team and the folks whom back me, week in and week out." Davenport thanked all his supporters and crew along with his family before celebrating in photo's with the 6ft tall Scorpion Racecars NATIONAL 100 Trophy. Both second place Bloomquist and third place William Thomas expressed congrats to Davenport upon collecting their runner-up accolades. Four heat races determined the starting Top 20 as thirty-nine (39) Super Late Models signed in for Qualifying Time Trials. Stacy Holmes inherited the outside FRONT ROW JOE honors when heat # 2 leader Thomas had a flat tire. Casey Roberts and Dennis Erb Jr. also won their heat races to earn SECOND ROW JOE starting spots. Bloomquist came into Phenix City around 8AM Sunday morning and easily won the first of two Last Chance consi's. with his # 0 "Miller Bros. Coal, Hawkeye Trucking, All-Star Performance" sponsored Vic Hill powered racecar. Local racer Lavon Sparks won consi. # 2.
Post Pit Party with the Whiskey Bent Band and Driver Introductions the field formed for the traditional 4-wide Salute to the fans prior to the waving of the Green Flag from Chad Harrington. Davenport would lead Roberts and Erb as Holmes would slip to 5th in the early stages of the feature. After a brief yellow for Sparks, Vic THE THRILL Hill thrilled the racefans along the front straight-away when he got tangled with another car and smacked the wall on lap 11. With Wimmers Wrecker Service pulling off Hill's machine, the green flag waved for the second time over the Delaware Double File Restart with Erb and Roberts tangoing for second place. Bloomquist was EVEREADY and EVERSTEADY making his way through the field. By lap 25 the VOO-DOO CHILD was looking upon Chupp and Holmes battle for 5th and took the spot (from both) one lap later. On a restart, for a stalled Travis Pennington, Bloomquist pedaled by Jake Knowles and Roberts to take over third. A Steven Endicott caution negated the Bloomquists' pass of Erb, giving the two-time back to back UMP SUMMERNATIONALS Champion his spot back momentarily. The DDFR were keeping everybody honest as passes were dealt on restart after restart.
William Thomas kept his # 22 "JW Miller Land & Timber, Extreme Power Sports" Scorpion racecar clean and gained ground with every possible opportunity. Davy Davis, the unofficial 25th starter in the NATIONAL 100, reared a mid-race caution as did Devin Jones at the straight-up halfway point. BLACK SUNSHINE had several opportunities, but could never pull the trigger successfully on Davenport. Larry Boutwell smacked the turn 4 wall for a caution before the wildest ride of the night was executed by outside pole starter Holmes. Lap 65 the Munford, AL racer slipped over the turn 2 cushion and barrel-rolled to a red-flag caution period. Finally things got settled down with about 20 (laps) remaining and despite heavy back-marker traffic, Davenport sailed on to his richest career victory, the 35th Annual NATIONAL 100. Erb would stud-out and finish 4th (behind Thomas) in his # 28 "Thomason Express, Petersen Aluminum" sponsored Barry Wright racecar, finishing just ahead of that LIL' HARRIS BOY Lee Sutton in the # L7 "Ladd Farm Supply, Red Top Auto Auction" Rocket racecar. For other information visit the tracks web-site www.EAMSDIRT.com.
35th Annual NATIONAL 100
SLM FEATURE RESULTS:
1. Jonathan Davenport (# 49) of Blairesville, GA
2. Scott Bloomquist (# 0) of Mooresburg, TN
3. William Thomas (# 22) of Phenix City, AL
4. Dennis Erb Jr. (# 28) of Carpentarsville, IL
5. Lee Sutton (# L7) of Taylorsville, GA
6. Terrance Nowell (# 55) of Phenix City, AL
7. Jake Knowles (# 66) of Tyrone, GA
8. Rick Rogers (# 44) of Knoxville, TN
9. Jason McBride (# 77) of Carbondale, IL
10. Devin Jones (# 00) of Baker, FL
11. Billy Ogle (# 201) of Knoxville, TN
12. Davy Davis (# D11) of Tunnel Hill, GA
13. Steven Endicott (# 00) of Newnan, GA
14. Larry Boutwell (# 58) of Baker, FL
15. Mike Nasworthy (# 0) of Gray, GA
16. Stacy Holmes (# H2) of Munford, AL
17. Travis Pennington (# 01) of Winston, GA
18. Randle Chupp (# 114) of Troutman, NC
19. Casey Roberts (# 101) of Toccoa, GA
20. Brian Reese (# 33) of Sharpsburg, GA
21 Ricky Williams (# 17) of Fayetteville, GA
22. James Ward (# W3) of Lettsworth, LA
23. Vic Hill (# 1) of Morristown, TN
24. Lavon Sparks (# 11) of Phenix City, AL
25. Mark Sims (# 22M) of Lithia Springs, GA
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