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Steve Hixson
CLEVELAND, Tenn. (July 22) - The Southern Nationals series rolled into the Cleveland (TN) Speedway, for the annual THURSDAY NIGHT THUNDER race, hosting 39 Dirt Super Late Model teams from 10-states entering the $3,500 to-WIN Ray Cook promoted special event. CAT-DADDY Clint Smith of Senoia, Georgia inherited the lead on lap 13, when fast qualifier / pole sitter Bub McCool of Vicksburg, Mississippi broke, while the race was under caution. "This is a great place to come back to..." stated Smith from KC GRAPHICS VICTORY LANE. "Cleveland and its fans have always been special to me, I hated to see Bub have problems like that, but we'll take em' anyway we can get em this day and age." Runner-up Chris Madden got a peek of the lead on lap 33 (officially) slipping uderneath the # 44 "JP Drilling, Cliburn Tank Lines, Integra Shocks & Springs, Stephens Plumbing" sponsored GRT / RaceTek powered leader, setting up a nailbiter of a finish, just behind a few back-marker cars.
Making his Cleveland (TN) Speedway debut McCool tripped the clock during qualifying as the first SLM racer out with a 13:577 lap-time. That time would stand, but it would be CLEVELAND DEFENDER Jake Knowles setting 2nd fastest, thus earning the CAT-BIRDS SEAT for the "A" Main feature. Smith would lockdown the 3rd starting position with Tony Knowles and Chris Madden rounding out the Top 5 qualifiers. Also locked-in based on their qualifying times were; William Thomas, current series points leader (going into tonights feature) Jonathan Davenport, Kentucky's Eric Wells, local fan favorite THE SKIPPER Skip Arp and Brett Wyatt of nearby Crossville, TN. Riley Hickman, won consi. # 1 after wrestling the lead away from Todd Morrow. Ty Dillon, Vic Hill both got by Morrow on the last lap to transfer to the feature. Randy Weaver, 2009 So. NATS. series champ Tommy Kerr, North Carolina's Jeff Smith, Brandon Kinzer transferred from consi #2, while David Payne, Iowa's Mike Collins, Donald Bradsher, Kerry Jones finished out the final transfer positions in consi #3.
After a So. NATS 4-wide T-N-T salute to the fans, McCool burst into the lead with J. Knowles following. Morrow, J. Smith and Dillon stacked em' into turn one for a complete restart, which McCool had COOL HAND LUKE style under-control. Behind the lead duo Smith and Madden began dicing for position as SUPERMAN JD, began hurling towards the front. William Thomas ended his night early after running just outside the Top-5 early in the going. Davenport worked quickly past Madden for 4th and set his eyes on the prize, using the high line. Lap 12 all hale broke loose, when Knowles tracking McCool got in the "junk" up in turn-four and had to slow. Knowles, Davenport and Madden all went for the same piece of real estate, between turn 4 and the flag-stand, which sent Knowles ping-ponging into the wall. Madden was unscaved, but Davenport was pinched with a flat left rear. Tempers flaired in the pits and ejections were dulled out, due to unsportsman like conduct by crew members. Meanwhile on the track McCool stopped on the front-stretch and was unfortunately done for the night, with a rear-end problem. Davenport shoed a new hoof and rejoined the field back in 20-something position. The restart came and JD ended up in the turn 4 wall, and this time on the hook for the night.
Inherit the lead, CAT-DADDY with Madden, Weaver, Arp and T. Knowles in the Top-5. Wells and Payne begin marching towards the front and before he knows it TK was dropped out of the Top-5 as Weaver and Arp race for 3rd. Payne continued to pick-off competitors one by one, til he was set for his 2nd consecutive Cleveland Speedway Top-5 of the week. Arp proved to be too strong to pass under long green flag stints as Weaver seemed to come in to something late in going. The 35th lap checkers were coming up quickly with Madden, who was pushing up the track in the middle stages of the event, coming to life and had now reeled in C. Smith. With a lil' help from slower racecars, Madden got a run off on lap 31 and noised into the lead at the flagstand on lap 32. CAT-DADDY's momentum was too much and off turn 2, would regain the lead for the final 3-circuits. Madden finished less than a cars length back from Smith with Weaver, Arp and Payne rounding out the Top-5. In the LLM/Crate class it was Brian Kinnersley of Blairesville, GA taking the win over Chip Brindle. Brian Pritchard was 3rd with Jimmy Elliott and Reed Johnson rounding out the Top-5. In two-day racing returns to Cleveland Speedway for a Full Racing Program of SLM's, LLM/Crate, A&B-Hobby and Pony's, Saturday night July 24th. Racing begins at 8PM. For more information visit www.clevelandspeedway.com.
Results of Southern Nationals Series Event #8 of 10
Cleveland Speedway (Cleveland, Tennessee)
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Car Count: 39
1 (3) Clint Smith $3,500
2 (5) Chris Madden $2,000
3 (12) Randy Weaver $1,200
4 (9) Skip Arp $800
5 (13) David Payne $600
6 (8) Eric Wells $580
7 (4) Tony Knowles $570
8 (15) Tommy Kerr $560
9 (11) Riley Hickman $550
10 (10) Brett Wyatt $540
11 (16) Mike Collins $530
12 (17) Vic Hill $520
13 (21) Brandon Kinzer $510
14 (19) Donald Bradsher $500
15 (18) Jeff Smith $495
16 (22) Kerry Jones $490
17 (23) Brian Booze $485
18 (24) John Henderson $480
19 (20) Todd Morrow $475
20 (7) Jonathan Davenport $470
21 (1) Bub McCool $465
22 (2) Jake Knowles $460
23 (6) William Thomas $455
24 (14) Ty Dillon $450
Shy Racing Suspensions B-Main #1 (Top Four Advance): Riley Hickman, Ty Dillon, Vic Hill, Todd Morrow, Brian Booze, John Pursley, Jr., Mike Hill, Brian Nuttall, Jr., Rick Hixson, Derek Ellis
Integra Shocks & Springs B-Main #2 (Top Four Advance): Randy Weaver, Tommy Kerr, Jeff Smith, Brandon Kinzer, Jeff Neubert, Tony Schrimsher, Brian Reese, Jamie Oliver, Kevin Gibson, John Owenby
WIX Filters B-Main #3 (Top Four Advance): David Payne, Mike Collins, Donald Bradsher, Kerry Jones, John Henderson, Rick Rogers, Brian Smith, Daniel Baggerly, Ronnie Payne
Provisionals: Brian Booze (1) & John Henderson (2)
- Integra Shocks & Springs Fast Qualifier ($100.00): Bub McCool 13.577
- Lap Leaders: Bub McCool (Laps 1-12), Clint Smith (Laps 13-32), Chris Madden (Lap 33), Clint Smith (Laps 34-35)
- Cautions: 4 (Laps 0, 6, 12, 12r)
- PPM Racing Products Hard Charger of the Race ($50.00): Randy Weaver (12th to 3rd)
- Barry Wright Race Cars Highest Finisher ($100.00): John Henderson
- DBR Performance Starters Middleman Award ($75.00): Vic Hill
- GW Performance Highest Finisher ($50.00): Clint Smith
- Wilwood Engineering Tough Brake Award ($50.00): Jeff Neubert
- American Racer Tire Highest Finisher (One Free Tire): David Payne
- Joe Jacobs Memorial Tire Award (One Free Tire): Brian Nuttall, Jr.
- QuarterMaster Feature Winner Award ($100.00): Clint Smith
- Comp Cams Feature Winner Award ($100.00): Clint Smith
- Wix Filters Lap Leader Award ($50.00 + Kit): Clint Smith
- Wix Filters Feature Winner Award ($100.00 + Kit): Clint Smith
2010 SOUTHERN NATIONALS POINT STANDINGS:
1. Jonathan Davenport 1326
2. Tony Knowles 1278
T-3. Brian Booze 1240
T-3. Vic Hill 1240
5. John Henderson ® 1202
6. Clint Smith 1154
7. Mike Collins ® 1107
8. Tommy Kerr 1064
9. Brian Nuttall, Jr. ® 1018
10. Donald Bradsher 990
11. John Pursley, Jr. 787
12. Kenny Compton, Jr. 765
13. Casey Roberts 738
14. Jeff Smith 702
15. Ronny Lee Hollingsworth 696
16. Bub McCool 694
17. Chris Ferguson 676
18. G.R. Smith 640
19. Chris Madden 592
20. Chris Brown 558
2010 SOUTHERN NATIONALS SERIES SCHEDULE:
July 12 | Wythe (VA) Raceway - $3,500 to win [RAINED OUT]
July 13 | Carolina (NC) Speedway - $3,500 to win [DENNIS FRANKLIN]
July 15 | Cherokee (SC) Speedway - $3,500 to win [CASEY ROBERTS]
July 16 | Swainsboro (GA) Raceway - $5,300 to win [RAINED OUT TO JULY 21]
July 17 | Screven (GA) Motor Speedway - $5,300 to win [CASEY ROBERTS]
July 18 | Rome (GA) Speedway - $5,300 to win [CHRIS MADDEN]
July 20 | East Alabama Motor Speedway - $3,500 to win [JONATHAN DAVENPORT]
July 21 | Swainsboro (GA) Raceway - $5,300 to win [BUB MCCOOL]
July 22 | Cleveland (TN) Speedway - $3,500 to win [CLINT SMITH]
July 23 | Volunteer (TN) Speedway - $5,300 to win
July 24 | Tazewell (TN) Speedway - $5,300 to win
For more information on Ray Cook's Southern Nationals Series, please point your Internet browser to the official series website, which is located at www.SouthernNationalsSeries.com.
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