Dirt Late Model
National Headlines

ROBERTS REPELS HUNTER FOR SOUTHERN ALL STARS LATE MODEL MANIA VICTORY AT LAVONIA

Francis busts out with World of Outlaws Late Model win
at Lone Star Speedway

Davenport collects $25,000 Crate Nationals victory at
Green Valley Speedway

Shirley scores first Southern Regional Racing Series win
at Clarksville Speedway

Owens routs field in winning 13th 'Indiana Icebreaker' at Brownstown Speedway

Eckert rumbles flag to flag in WoOLMS Lone Star 50 win
at Battleground Speedway

O'Neal banks $5,000 victory
in the 34th Annual Spring 50 at Florence Speedway

Davenport collects $10,000 SAS Shamrock victory at Cleveland Speedway

Bowen outguns Franklin in Carolina Clash 2010 opener
at Carolina Speedway

Lanigan holds on to collect inaugural World of Outlaws victory at Ocala Speedway

Johnson rumbles flag to flag for Southern All Stars victory at Boyd's Speedway

Wall captures P.R.O. Super Late Model Series opener at Columbus Speedway

Thornton wins SWDRA Late Model season opener at Canyon Speedway Park

Turner wires opening night of the Tuckasee Toilet Bowl at Clarksville Speedway

SAS Media
LAVONIA, Ga. (April 3) - Growing up in northeast Georgia it was a natural that young Ethan Hunter's racing idol was none other than Casey Roberts. On Saturday night during the Southern All Stars Dirt Racing Series sanctioned Late Model Mania event at the Lavonia Speedway it looked as if Hunter just might score his biggest career win. Enter polesitter Roberts. Roberts patiently followed Hunter over the first two thirds of the fifty-lap event before swooping in and making his winning move. "I knew if we could just ride around and stay with Ethan we should be in good shape later in the race. I knew we were a little harder on tires than he was and that was really the difference in the end." Roberts said in his victory lane interview.

Event Images - Lavonia Speedway

In preliminary action Roberts captured the VP Race Fuels Race for the Pole Fast Time Award as the only driver with a sub-sixteen second time with his lap of 15.872 seconds. Hunter timed in second quick at 16.125 seconds. Cooke, Scott Creel and Southern All Stars point leader Jonathan Davenport rounded out the top five fastest drivers in time trials. The sixth through tenth fastest drivers were also locked-in to the feature. Brent Dixon was sixth and was followed by Chris Madden, surprise entrant Steve Shaver, Freddy Smith and Dennis Franklin. Four-time Southern All Stars Champion Clint Smith and Royce Bray each picked up wins in the two last chance B-Mains. The racing surface was reworked on two different occasions in an attempt to combat the rough conditions that developed over the course of the evening.

Hunter jumped to the lead from his outside pole position and then proceeded to lead the first 37 laps. However Hunter had opted for a softer compound than that of Roberts and as the laps waned Roberts drew to Hunter's rear deck. As the lead duo entered turn four on the 38th circuit Hunter washed up the 3/8ths mile ever so slightly. However the small opening was all Roberts needed as he dove his Victory Circle Race Car to the bottom of the speedway and swept ahead of Hunter as they exited onto the front straightaway. From there Roberts motored away as Hunter continued to battle handling woes. Roberts went on to take the half-track victory while Hunter held off Jeff Cooke for second. Shaver moved up from his eighth starting spot to finish fourth while Clint Smith rode the highline to move up to fifth and captured Hard Charger honors.

Roberts' victory was his fifth career Southern All Stars triumph. Roberts was also praiseful of his young counterpart in his interview as well. "Ethan has got a lot of talent. He has a very bright future in the sport. He was a lot better than we were at both ends of the track until his tires went away. I feel sure he will be racing for a lot more wins in the future." Roberts said. "I need to thank Edward Cushman, my car owner, for giving me everything I need to win these races with. I also want to thank all the guys that help me with the car and my wife Cathy and my kids. I know Brad and these guys did all they could with the racetrack. Sometimes that stuff just happens, its just a part of racing." Roberts added.

Roberts' Victory Circle by Moyer Race Car is powered by a Randy Clary Racing Engine and is sponsored by Cushman Paint and Body, Starrette Trucking, Hoosier Race Tires, Dirt Face Racewear, VP Race Fuels, CV Products, Simpson and Wa-Don Bert Transmission. Roberts most recent Southern All Stars win came in August 2009 at the Toccoa Speedway in Toccoa, Georgia. The Series returns to action next weekend at Toccoa for a $5000 to win / 50 lapper.

Official Finish (Pending Tire Testing Results)

Southern All Stars Series
Lavonia Speedway
April 3, 2010

A-Main
1 1 101 Casey Roberts Toccoa, GA
2 2 15 Ethan Hunter Tiger, GA
3 3 99 Jeff Cooke Spartanburg, SC
4 8 6 Steve Shaver Vienna, WV
5 11 44 Clint Smith Senoia, GA
6 5 49 Jonathan Davenport Blairsville, GA
7 7 44 Chris Madden Gaffney, SC
8 4 31C Scott Creel Franklinton, LA
9 9 00 Freddy Smith Seymour, TN
10 12 21 Royce Bray Hull, GA
11 14 16 Daniel Baggerly Rural Retreat, VA
12 13 121 Benji Cole Cannon, GA
13 23 45 Doug Smith Somerset, KY
14 10 2 Dennis Franklin Gaffney, SC
15 18 98 Casey Barrow Savannah, GA
16 6 1 Brent Dixon Elberton, GA
17 21 16 Brian Nuttall, Jr. Claxton, GA
18 24 85 Tim King Lavonia, GA
19 15 00 Jay Sessoms Stanley, NC
20 16 03 Randy Nichols Clayton, GA
21 17 2 Bruce Taylor Toccoa, GA
22 19 A1 Jimmy Ivester Toccoa, GA
23 20 55 Jeremy Ledford Mt Airy, GA
24 22 17 Lamar Haygood Douglasville, GA

B-Main #1
1 3 44 Clint Smith Senoia, GA
2 2 121 Benji Cole Cannon, GA
3 5 00 Jay Sessoms Stanley, NC
4 6 2 Bruce Taylor Toccoa, GA
5 4 A1 Jimmy Ivester Toccoa, GA
6 1 16 Brian Nuttall, Jr. Claxton, GA
7 7 11 Gus Simpson Gainesville, GA
8 8 75 Sean Harrison Clayton, GA
9 9 45 Doug Smith Somerset, KY

B-Main #2
1 1 21 Royce Bray Hull, GA
2 2 16 Daniel Baggerly Rural Retreat, VA
3 6 03 Randy Nichols Clayton, GA
4 4 98 Casey Barrow Savannah, GA
5 3 55 Jeremy Ledford Mt Airy, GA
6 5 17 Lamar Haygood Douglasville, GA
7 9 85 Tim King Lavonia, GA
8 7 5 Gary Collins Auburn, GA
9 8 1X J.R. Headen Toccoa, GA

Qualifying 
1 101 Casey Roberts Toccoa, GA 15.872
2 15 Ethan Hunter Tiger, GA 16.125
3 99 Jeff Cooke Spartanburg, SC 16.188
4 31C Scott Creel Franklinton, LA 16.331
5 49 Jonathan Davenport Blairsville, GA 16.384
6 1 Brent Dixon Elberton, GA 16.395
7 44 Chris Madden Gaffney, SC 16.406
8 6 Steve Shaver Vienna, WV 16.548
9 00 Freddy Smith Seymour, TN 16.558
10 2 Dennis Franklin Gaffney, SC 16.579
11 16 Brian Nuttall, Jr. Claxton, GA 16.624
12 21 Royce Bray Hull, GA 16.642
13 121 Benji Cole Cannon, GA 16.796
14 16 Daniel Baggerly Rural Retreat, VA 16.838
15 44 Clint Smith Senoia, GA 16.848
16 55 Jeremy Ledford Mt Airy, GA 16.910
17 A1 Jimmy Ivester Toccoa, GA 16.936
18 98 Casey Barrow Savannah, GA 16.981
19 00 Jay Sessoms Stanley, NC 17.016
20 17 Lamar Haygood Douglasville, GA 17.109
21 2 Bruce Taylor Toccoa, GA 17.264
22 03 Randy Nichols Clayton, GA 17.285
23 11 Gus Simpson Gainesville, GA 17.413
24 5 Gary Collins Auburn, GA 17.826
25 75 Sean Harrison Clayton, GA 18.138
26 1X J.R. Headen Toccoa, GA 18.415
27 45 Doug Smith Somerset, KY 18.438
28 85 Tim King Lavonia, GA 18.534