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Doug Demmons
GLENCOE, Ala. (February 27) - The pre-race fireworks at Green Valley Speedway were nothing compared to the fireworks once the 14th annual Bama Bash super late model race got under way Sunday.
Sixteen laps into the 75-lap feature race of one of the biggest dirt races of the year in Alabama, a wreck unfolded that proved decisive in the eventual victory of Ronnie Johnson of Chattanooga.
The cars of Tony Morris and Clint Smith tangled in Turn 4 right in front of the hard-charging leaders. Jessie Stovall, who had seized the lead on Lap 1, went high to avoid it but plowed right into the wreck and triggered an accordion effect that collected two other leaders, including two-time defending champion Ray Cook of Brasstown, N.C.
"We just drove in there with such a head of steam that we couldn't stop," Cook said. "It's just racing."
Race polesitter Todd Morrow of East Ridge, Tenn., emerged the leader after the wreck.
"I went low and got lucky," Morrow said of the wreck that brought out a red flag.
But it didn't take long for the driver known as the Chattanooga Flash to storm to the front. Johnson had qualified 15th and started 13th but by the Lap 16 wreck he was already closing in on the leaders.
By Lap 43, Johnson passed Morrow for the lead and never looked back.
"He's a mentor and I'm just glad it was him I lost to," Morrow said of Johnson.
Johnson, who also won the limited late model race on Sunday, said some chassis adjustments before the race proved decisive.
"The car just took off," he said of his ability to move up through the field so quickly. "I could pass top, bottom."
But he acknowledged that the wreck taking out the leaders helped.
"Maybe we wouldn't have won if it wasn't for that, but we were moving up," he said. "Sometimes it's just your day and today was our day."
Chris Wall finished second and William D. Thomas was third, followed by Morrow, Stacy Holmes and Dillon Crim of Eastaboga as the last cars on the lead lap. Tim Busha of Boaz as sixth, followed by Robert Grant, Ray Cook and Brian Reese to round out the top 10.
In the two earlier races on Sunday, Jason Hiett won the crate late model race and Jimmy Elliott won the mini-stock race.
'Bama Bash
Green Valley Speedway
February 27, 2011
Super Late Models
A-Main
1. Ronnie Johnson $10,000
2. Chris Wall
3. William Thomas
4. Todd Morrow
5. Stacy Holmes
6. Dillon Crim
7. Tim Busha
8. Robert Grant
9. Ray Cook
10. Brian Reese
11. Derek Ellis
12. Chuck Proctor
13. Anthony Burroughs
14. Clint Smith
15. Jacob Grizzle
16. Eric Hickerson
17. Terry Smith
18. Riley Hickman
19. Jessie Stovall
20. Tony Knowles
21. Joshua Putnam
22. Chad Smith
23. Joe Armistead
24. Tony Morris, disqualified
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