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SAS Media
TOCCOA, Ga. (April 10) - Domination. Nothing short of that would even begin to describe Jonathan Davenport's performance at Toccoa Speedway on Saturday. Davenport decimated the field in his crate engine powered machine and politely did the same in the Southern All Stars Dirt Racing Series sanctioned Toccoa 50. Davenport led every lap of both late model events to capture a cool $6000. In taking the Southern All Stars victory Davenport became the first repeat winner of the season and collected his fourth career Southern All Stars win. The win also propelled Davenport to a more than 100 point advantage in the SAS point standings. "It's ridiculous how fast these Barry Wright Race Cars are right now. Both cars were just phenomenal all night long." Davenport said from VP Race Fuels Victory Lane. Event Images
Twenty-two drivers signed in for the evening's event and all posted laps in time trials. But it was Davenport who collected his second VP Race Fuels Pole Qualifying Award of the season with his lap of 12.357 seconds around the 5/16ths of a mile oval. Brent Dixon, last weekend's SAS winner Casey Roberts, SAS Rookie of the Year contender Scott Creel and Royce Bray rounded out the top five qualifiers. Also locked in to the feature were Hall of Famer Freddy Smith, Ethan Hunter, Danny Ledford, Jeremy Ledford and Lee Sutton. The remainder of the field was set by a pair of eight lap last chance B-Main races. Tony Knowles took the win in the Hoosier Race Tires B-Main while Bruce Taylor took the checkers in the Arizona Sport Shirts B-Main.
On the start of the 50 lap main event it was young gun Dixon who grabbed the point entering the first turn but Davenport's #49 machine was just too strong on the inside for Dixon to quell. Davenport slipped by Dixon down the back straightaway and began to drive away. Dixon and Roberts were then left to battle for the runner-up spot. Roberts was able to follow Davenport to cover the spot but Dixon stayed glued to Roberts' deck looking for an opening. The first caution waved at lap nine when several cars stacked up in turn one. Lee Sutton, Tony Knowles, Royce Bray and Gus Simpson all wound up stopped on the track but were able to continue on the tail of the field.
The double file restart once again placed Roberts and Dixon in a door to door battle for second. Dixon was able to grab second with Roberts in close tow. Also Freddy Smith and Scott Creel went wheel to wheel for fourth over the next several laps. Two laps into the green flag run Roberts slipped by Dixon for second. Creel moved into the opening Roberts had made and went side by side with Dixon for third. But Dixon was able to slam the door shut on the Louisianan and set back after Roberts. Another caution waved when Melvin English's machine slowed atop turn three. The yellow flag reset the field nose to tail and door to door once again.
When the green flag reappeared Dixon was able to lurch ahead of Roberts and take the second position. Up front Davenport was on cruise control, patiently moving past the lapped cars one by one when he reached them. With 42 laps in the books the final caution slowed the field when Creel collected the slowed machine of Ivester on the back straightaway. The contact ended Ivester's night and Creel returned to the tail of the field after changing a flat tire. The top five on the final restart were Davenport, Dixon, Roberts, Smith and Daniel Baggerly. Baggerly had quietly and patiently picked his way through the field, moving up from his 20th starting spot.
As the field came to the green for the final time Dixon stayed close to Davenport over the first two laps but with only five to go Davenport motored away. Davenport crossed the checkers with a six car length advantage over Dixon. Roberts held on for third with Smith and Baggerly rounding out the top five. "Our car was good when we unloaded. Barry and Lance had the car nearly perfect for me. We got in a rush running both cars and I was afraid we went too soft on tires (on his super late model) but it all worked out in the end. This place is tight and it can be hard to pass on. We were able to catch the lapped cars just right for the most part. Some of them were a little tougher than others but it's a part of racing. Thanks to Elite Concrete, Baird Transport, Mega Plumbing of the Carolinas and Barry Wright Race Cars for putting us here." Davenport said in his winning interview.
Davenport's Barry Wright House Car is powered by a Clements Race Engine and is sponsored by Baird Trucking, Elite Concrete, Mega Plumbing of the Carolinas, EnCompass Solutions, Cabinets by Design, AES Racing, Wa-Don Bert, Circle Dynamics, JRI Shocks, VP Race Fuels, TWM Racing Products, CV Products and Simpson.
Southern All Stars Series
Toccoa Speedway
April 10, 2010
A-Main
1 1 49 Jonathan Davenport Blairsville, GA
2 2 1 Brent Dixon Elberton, GA
3 3 101 Casey Roberts Toccoa, GA
4 6 00 Freddy Smith Seymour, TN
5 20 16 Daniel Baggerly Rural Retreat, VA
6 9 55 Jeremy Ledford Mt Airy, GA
7 18 03 Randy Nichols Clayton, GA
8 11 26 Tony Knowles Tyrone, GA
9 7 15 Ethan Hunter Tiger, GA
10 4 31C Scott Creel Franklinton, LA
11 13 F1 Keith Freeman Commerce, GA
12 12 2 Bruce Taylor Toccoa, GA
13 17 12J Jeff Franklin Ten Mile, TN
14 22 45 Doug Smith Somerset, KY
15 19 11 Gus Simpson Gainesville, GA
16 15 C5 Melvin English Toccoa, GA
17 16 A1 Jimmy Ivester Toccoa, GA
18 14 17 Lamar Haygood Douglasville, GA
19 5 21 Royce Bray Hull, GA
20 8 4 Danny Ledford Hiawassee, GA
21 10 L7 Lee Sutton Taylorsville, GA
22 21 57 David McCoy Franklin, NC
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