SUPR Late Models
Greenville Speedway
April 21, 2012
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Robinson tops Culp in duel, holds off Wall for SUPR win at Greenville 



by Bryan Wimberley
GREENVILLE, Miss. (April 21) - Making sure a rewind of eleven months ago didn't happen, B.J. Robinson of Shreveport, La., overtook Timothy Culp in a door-to-door war with 12 laps remaining, to grab a Southern United Professional Racing Series victory at Greenville Speedway Saturday night. Last May when the series last visited the quarter-mile, gumbo oval, Culp held on to capture the win, but this time Robinson chased down the 21-year old driver, capping an exhilarating $2,500 victory, in the 50-lap main event.
 
"The track conditions were pretty racy tonight, moreso than I've seen here in the last three or four times that we have been here. This one-two finish is really good for Mr. Childress, he has tried and had several cars racing for him before in the past. To my knowledge, with him as a car owner, he has never pulled off a one-two finish before tonight, especially in a SUPR race or a late model race. It is great when hard work pays off for sure!" said Robinson.  
 
Robinson scored his second-ever series win, the other coming during Memorial Day weekend last season at Champion Park Speedway near Minden. Fifth-starting Robinson stuck mostly to the low-running, bottom groove of the speedway, in a feature that saw three-wide racing frequently on a track sporting a new concrete wall circling around. It was SUPR's second visit to Greenville in the last 19 months, getting rained out twice last season in August and September.
 
Robinson added, "In the heat race, we kind of got behind the eight-ball a little bit and escaped a near disaster on the first lap. We were able to keep the motor running and get out of that without having to go to the rear of the field, we ended up running a good 2nd place. Then in the feature it was some really good racing (with Culp), when I got beside him for second there, we tried not to make any mistakes and hoped that he bobbled, then try to get by Chanler for the lead early on."
 
Ninth-starting Chris Wall of Springfield, La., made his presence known, edging Culp late and making it a Childress Racing Team sweep of the top-two positions. Culp of West Monroe, La., would have to settle for third in the end.
 


Wall stated, "Well, first of all, we had some fuel pressure issues in the heat race and felt like we let a win get away from us there, after taking the lead. The motor wouldn't run and it got us behind the eight-ball as we started ninth in the feature. I actually got shuffled around there at the start and I believe we fell back as far as 13th or 14th. After we burnt off some fuel, the car got a little better and finally, it got to the point where we had to just get up on the wheel and start making something happen if we were going to get to the front. We started playing with the top side of the racetrack and it just got better and better and better. We kind of got acclimated up there, the next thing you know, on some restarts, we got by two or three there at one time and it wasn't long that we was looking at the leaders. We an awesome deal to pull off a one-two finish for the Childress Team."
 
Jeff Chanler of Minden, La., started on the pole in his open-motor Barry Wright Race Car and led the first 19 circuits, before slightly fading to finish fourth.
 
"The car was pretty good there right at the first part of the race. As the race went on, I don't know if my right rear was getting hot, but the car was getting real tight and it started shoving the right front. I was just rough-housing around there, it wasn't real good, I wished it could have been a lot better. 

I don't know at this point if something came loose on the car or what. We only changed two things on the car from the heat to the feature and it should have made it better -but it seemed like it made it worse! I just know the things we did made the car better, but it sure didn't show out there on the racetrack! I don't know what happened to it, it was good, but whatever we done on the car must have messed it up. Back at the shop during the week, we make some different adjustments that we tried out on this Barry Wright (Race Car), I don't know if that played a part in it or not. That could have very well hurt us some too," a deliberating Chanler said after the race.
 
No one has possessed more consistency on the SUPR tour this season than Rob Litton of Alexandria, Louisiana. Even when Litton has had bad luck, such as slinging a rod two weeks ago at Boothill Speedway and borrowing someone's car to finish in 12th, he has managed to capitalized strongly. At Greenville, Litton started seventh en route to adding another top 5 finish to his resume and increasing his points lead.



Chanler shared the front-row with last series' race winner, Shane Hebert of Lafayette. Chanler led the first lap over Hebert, Culp, Robinson and Robbie Stuart of DeRidder, La., who debuted a brand new MasterSbilt Gen-X car, after getting caught up in an accident at Jones Motor Speedway in March.
 
Just as quick as the feature got started, the yellow flew for the first time, involving Kevin Sitton and newcomer Chris Huckabay, who rested against the wall in turns' one & two -both receiving damage. Once the pace picked up again, contact from another car on lap 5, sent third-place Shane Hebert to the infield, with left front suspension damage and retiring him from the race.
 
Chanler continued at the point, but the battle between Robinson and Culp had already started behind him, with Robinson taking away second. Chanler reached the back of the field by lap 10, as the caution waved soon after for a slowing, Derek Perkins.
 
After losing ground at the outset, Chris Wall regained momentum on a good restart, cracking the top five by lap 14. Hovering around the frontrunners most of the feature, Chad Thrash of Meridian, Miss., slowed in turn four for the third caution.
 
The intensity would be ramped up a bit on the next restart, with Chanler, Robinson and Culp all sizing up their lines to make moves to lead the race. Coming out of turn two, the racers would go three-wide to see which would take command as they head down the backstretch. Culp emerged with the lead on lap 20, with Chanler and Robinson left to battle it out for second.
 
After a pair of cautions gave the racers a temporary breather from the action, Robinson shot by Chanler for the runner-up position at the halfway mark. Robinson continued to bare down on the high-running Culp, waging a side-by-side drag race down the straight-aways. But Culp wasn't ready to fold just yet, as he nosed ahead on lap 27.
 
The No. 71 of Chris Wall had reeled in Chanler to duke it out for third with 20 to go. The 'Gatorman' brushed the turn two wall as he drove right by for position. 
 
Lap-after-lap, Culp and Robinson continued to race with no more than a length or two separating them. The 29-year old Robinson began to wear down Culp, as lap 37 was dead even at the line. The battle between the top two, enabled Wall to make it more interesting, joining the mix from third.



With the lead wrestled away from Culp, Robinson would have to hold him off during a restart on lap 41. Robinson did exactly that and seized control of the race, pulling away from Culp by two-seconds with four laps remaining. Wall also sneaked by Culp to take over second, but was a little late to put his teammate in his crosshairs, to battle it out for the win. Robinson hit his marks to cement the victory over Wall, leading the final 12 laps of the race and claiming the checkered flag.
 
"We had a good car, but I think we went a little soft on tires to cash in for the win. We put on a good show for the fans and I like racing here, I just hate it that we fell short," a discouraged Culp said in victory lane.  
 
NOTES: Robinson's MasterSbilt Race Car is powered by a Wall 2 Wall Performance Engine and sponsored by Childress Fishing & Rental, Childress Inspection Service, TWM, Stuckey Enterprises Racing, Xtreme Graphics, J&J Motorsports, Gordons Service Center, Advanced Powder Coating.
 
The feature started at 10:20 pm, was slowed by eight cautions, with ten cars on the lead lap and eleven cars running at the race's end.
 
Former series champion, Rob Litton, rebounded from losing an engine at Boothill two weeks ago, to record his fourth consecutive top 5 series' finish at Greenville, dating back to May 2010. During that span, Litton has a 5th, 4th & (2) 2nd places -he hasn't finished any worse than 10th, since SUPR's return to the gumbo oval in April 2008.

Litton expanded his points lead from 27 to 44, over now second-place, Allen Tippen.
 
Derek Perkins of Oakdale, La., was the hard charger of the feature, going from his provisional, 21st-starting position, to finish ninth. Perkins continues his impressive start to the season, leading a possible array of drivers for the Rookie of the Year honors. Perkins currently leads Zach McMillan of Gladewater, Tex., by 91 points, along with other potential chasers, Joey Couvillion, Chris Patton, Chris Huckabay, Lee Patton and Shane Hebert.

McMillan had made it as high as 7th before dropping out of the Greenville feature in a caution that knocked out battery power to his No. 14z car -McMillan finished 17th.
 
Robbie Starnes of Baytown, Tex., had to forfeit his 12th-starting position when one of his wheels came loose on the pace, just before the green flew. Starnes slowly coasted to the infield pit area, where his crew quickly put on a tire and he re-joined the field at the rear. Starnes capped off a furious rally, working his way to crack the top 10 and being the last car on the lead lap.
 
Of the four Greenville Speedway late model regulars in the feature, Bo Gordon of Merigold, Miss., threatened the top 5 late in the race, running in sixth with 10 laps remaining. Gordon couldn't hold on and exited early to a 14th-place finish.

Doug Showah of Indianola, Miss., ended up 8th, making him the top finisher of the SLM track regulars.



Last year's track champion, Mike Palasini Jr of Leland, finished 13th, while Greg Fore of Greenville was one position better, taking 12th-place.
 
Drivers not making the feature included, Jeff Allgayer, Brett Frazier, Tanner Kellick and Christopher Showah.
 
The SUPR Dirt Late Model Series' next event will be at Jones Motor Speedway in Chatham, Louisiana on Saturday, April 28th. This is the series second event of the season, at the 1/4-mile oval, the last being a double-points event won by two-time SUPR champion, Rob Litton.

Heading into the event at Jones Motor Speedway, there has been no repeat winners so far this season in the SUPR Series.   
 
SUPR @ Greenville: (1) B.J. Robinson, (2) Chris Wall, (3) Timothy Culp, (4) Jeff Chanler, (5) Rob Litton, (6) Kyle Cummings, (7) Allen Tippen, (8) Doug Showah, (9) Derek Perkins, (10) Robbie Starnes, (11) Jim Bryant, (12) Greg Fore, (13) Mike Palasini Jr, (14) Bo Gordon, (15) Allen Murray, (16) Wesley Chanler, (17) Zach McMillan, (18) Kevin Sitton, (19) Chad Thrash, (20) Chris Huckabay, (21) Shane Hebert, (22) Robbie Stuart.
 
Heat race winners (among 26 cars): J.Chanler, Culp, Thrash, Hebert
Consolation race winner: Huckabay
Provisional starters: Perkins, McMillan
 
 
SUPR Dirt Late Model Series Point Standings

(Top 15 through April 21st)

1. Rob Litton (Alexandria, LA) -543
2. Allen Tippen (Minden, LA) -499
3. Derek Perkins (Oakdale, LA) -451
4. Robbie Starnes (Baytown, TX) -445
5. Chris Holley (Dayton, TX) -407
6. Jim Bryant (Natchitoches, LA) -380
7. Zach McMillan (Gladewater, TX) -360
8. Timothy Culp (West Monroe, LA) -282
9. B.J. Robinson (Shreveport, LA) -272
10. Kevin Sitton (Baytown, TX) -271
11. Joey Couvillion (Pineville, LA) -239
12. Jeff Chanler (Minden, LA) -229
13. Chris Patton (Ruston, LA) -218
14. Nicholas Brown (Hodge, LA) -206
15. Bubba Mullins (West Monroe, LA) -189

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A-Main
1 5 F5 BJ Robinson
2 9 71W Chris Wall
3 3 C8 Timothy Calp
4 1 11C Jeff Chanler
5 7 6X Rob Litton
6 10 28C Kyle Cummings
7 15 71A Allen Tippen
8 14 D8 Doug Showah
9 22 22 Derrick Perkins
10 12 77S Robbie Starnes
11 20 4 Jim Bryant
12 8 77 Greg Fore
13 11 8 Mike Palasini,jr
14 18 34 Beau Gordon
15 16 2 Alan Murray
16 19 117C Wesley Chandler
17 21 14Z Zack Mcmillan
18 13 20 Kevin Sitton
19 4 1C Chad Thrash
20 17 88 Christopher Huckabay
21 2 9 Shane Hebert
22 6 6R Robbie Stuart
23 23 D8 JR Christopher Showah
24 24 11A Jeff Allgayer
25 25 3K Tanner Kellick
26 26 F1 Brett Frazier

Heat #1
1 11C Jeff Chanler
2 71W Chris Wall
3 8 Mike Palasini,jr
4 20 Kevin Sitton
5 88 Christopher Huckabay
6 34 Beau Gordon
7 117C Wesley Chandler

Heat #2
1 C8 Timothy Calp
2 6R Robbie Stuart
3 28C Kyle Cummings
4 D8 Doug Showah
5 D8 JR Christopher Showah
6 11A Jeff Allgayer
7 3K Tanner Kellick

Heat #3
1 1C Chad Thrash
2 6X Rob Litton
3 77 Greg Fore
4 2 Alan Murray
5 F1 Brett Frazier
6 22 Derrick Perkins

Heat #4
1 9 Shane Hebert
2 F5 BJ Robinson
3 77S Robbie Starnes
4 71A Allen Tippen
5 4 Jim Bryant
6 14Z Zack Mcmillan

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Crate Late Models
1 V8 Duke Palasini
2 110 Brent Barrett
3 38 Chase Washington
4 56H Bubba Harrison
5 24 Mark Tice
6 J8 Bobby Jordan
7 22 Mike Campbell
8 F5 Lamar Furr
9 17 Chad Washington
10 88 Howard Irby, Jr
11 7 Eric Carr
12 44 Peyton Wilkerson
13 17B Matt Bollinger
14 46 Kenny Carpenter