CLEVELAND SPEEDWAY
MAY 21, 2011
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DAVENPORT SURVIVES ON-SLAUGHT WINS S.A.S CLEVELAND 34th ANNUAL TENNESSEE MEMORIAL RACE



Steve Hixson
Cleveland, TN (5/21/11) --- Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, GA., (aka. SUPERMAN) took to task the 34th annual COCA-COLA TENNESSEE MEMORIAL RACE Saturday night at Cleveland Speedway and won a lead-swapping duel with chief rival Chris Madden of Gaffney, SC. Davenport, who started on the pole for the 50-lapper, earned $5,000 for his 6th career victory on the Southern All-Star Dirt Racing Series. Just eight of twenty-four starters were running at the finish in a race where Madden would tangle with Chris Ferguson of Mount Holly, N.C., in the final laps, knocking both drivers out of the race while they battled for second.

Local favorite David Payne of Murphy, NC, moved up to finish in the second spot after running the entire event inside the Top-5. He was followed by William Thomas of Phenix City, AL, Chad Ogle of Sevierville, TN, and Stacy Boles of Clinton, TN, in a race slowed by 11 cautions. JD took command at the start while front-row starter Ray Cook, locals Derek Ellis and Riley Hickman were among drivers who dropped out early. Ivedent Lloyd Jr. of Ocala, FL, pressured Davenport in the first half of the race as the top two drivers pulled away from the field during short green-flag runs between caution flags. Madden dropped as far back as 8th at one point early in the event, before stepping up on the high (rougher) side of the clay banked oval, to gain back his momentum.

On the 23rd lap, Madden took second from Lloyd and moved up for the epic Gaffney area showdown. After a lap-33 restart, Madden made an outside move to take the lead, only to have Davenport answer the move with his own outside pass a lap later. The lead-swapping affair continued when Madden went back ahead on lap 39, but Davenport surged back into the lead two laps later amid wild action that at one point saw Madden spin (a complete 360) in turn two and continue without losing a spot. On lap-46 the restart set up a four-lap dash to the finish, and Ferguson, who spun 10 laps earlier had rallied back to third and was suddenly in the mix. FERGY tried an outside move on Madden, but the two tangled, coming off turn four resulting in enough damage to knock both drivers out of the race. As the car was pulled from the track Ferguson received a deservant standing-O from the ecstatic crowd.

With his nemesis eliminated, Davenport sailed the final few laps to the victory. Davenport's Barry Wright Race Car is sponsored by Mega Plumbing, En Compass Solutions, Elite Concrete, Baird Transports, Nicholls Plumbing and JRI Shocks. Davenport's previous Southern All Star victory came in last year's GOBBLER at Cleveland Speedway in November. Payne's twice finished 2nd in Cleveland Speedway's premiere Southern All-Star series events this season, finishing behind Shane Clanton in this years SHAMROCK in March. Rough track conditions prolonged the racing program, and equipment was brought onto the surface after qualifying to smooth things out. Clanton, tagged the wall in qualifying and did not compete and National Dirt Late Model Hall of Famer Skip Arp also scratched after qualifying.

Results:
1. Jonathan Davenport (# 49) of Blairesville, GA
2. David Payne (# 8) of Murphy, NC
3. William Thomas (# 22) of Phenix City, AL
4. Chad Ogle (# 10) of Sevierville, TN
5. Stacy Boles (# 11B) of Knoxville, TN
6. Billy Ogle Jr (# 201) of Knoxville, TN
7. Brian Hendrix (# 5) of Knoxville, TN
8. Tanner Works (# T35) of Cleveland, TN
9. Chris Madden (# 44) of Gaffney, SC
10. Chris Ferguson (# 22) of Mt. Holly, NC
11. Ivadent Lloyd Jr (# 21) of Ocala, FL
12. Brian Reese (# 33) of Sharpesburg, GA
13. Riley Hickman (# R1) of Ooltewah, TN
14. Steve Smith (# 3) of Powell, TN
15. Tony Knowles (# 26) of Tyrone, GA
16. Derek Ellis (# 99) of Chatsworth, GA
17. Tommy Kerr (# 4T) of Maryville, TN
18. Johnny Chastain (# 00) of Murphy, NC
19. Ray Cook (# 53) of Brasstown, NC
20. Chip Brindle (# 21B) of Chatsworth, GA
21. Aaron Ridley (# 81) of Chatsworth, GA
22. Jake Knowles (# 66) of Tyrone, GA
23. Mark Douglas (# 52D) of Knoxville, GA
24. Mark Vineyard (# 4) of Powell, TN

DNS: Dustin Cansler - Bobby Doss - Jesse Lowe - Jay Allen - David Gamble - Shane Clanton - Brian Burke - John Winge - Ellery Leake - Jeff Franklin - John Owenby - Todd Morrow - Skip Arp