National Dirt Racing League
East Alabama Motor Speedway
March 1, 2014
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Chris Madden Goes the Distance in $17,017 NDRL Bama Bash Victory



NDRL Media
PHENIX CITY, Alabama (March 1) - Gray Court, South Carolina native Chris “Smokey” Madden muscled his way by early race leader Jonathan Davenport and then kept his tires under him to capture the checkers in the National Dirt Racing League (NDRL) sanctioned 17th Annual Bama Bash at East Alabama Motor Speedway. Madden, who won his heat in Friday’s preliminary action, fell to second near the race’s midpoint but re-inherited the lead when local driver Terrance Nowell’s machine rolled to a stop during a lap 55 caution period. The win was Madden’s first career NDRL victory and his second overall win of 2014. “We got going there and just wanted to try and set a pace to conserve our tires and try to make it 75 laps. We just kind of waited to see what kind of pace Jonathan (Davenport) set. We got a chance there to get the lead and took it. Then we just held on to the end.” Madden said after the points opener for the NDRL.  (Photos Below)

In Friday’s preliminary action it was Davenport setting the pace in Keyser Manufacturing Time Trials as he topped all 38 drivers that entered the event. Davenport’s 14.949 second lap made him the only driver to dip below the 15 second mark on East Alabama’s high banked 3/8ths of a mile. Madden, Steve Francis and NDRL Rookie of the Year candidate Kent Robinson were all fastest in their qualifying / heat race groups and all 4 drivers went on to win their respective heat races. Davenport looked poised to sweep the weekend when he redrew the pole for the 75-lap feature event.

Saturday’s B-Mains saw Dennis Erb of Carpentersville, Illinois pick up the win in the Hoosier Race Tires B-Main #1 and West Virginia’s Mike Benedum take the checkers in VP Race Fuels B-Main #2. Mason Zeigler and Terrance Nowell followed Erb to earn transfer finishes, while Clint Smith and Tim Fuller transferred from the second B-Main. Provisional starts went to Tony Jackson, Jr., William Thomas and Max Blair.

A botched attempt at a start saw Steve Francis go spinning, collecting several drivers including Bloomquist, Blankenship, McCreadie and Jimmy Mars. Mars sustained heavy front end damage and was forced to retire for the night in the Jason Krohn back-up machine. All other drivers were able to continue. It didn’t take long for the yellow flag to appear again when with just one lap completed Jackson and Fuller tangled on the front straightaway. Jackson went pitside but Fuller was able to continue from the tail of the field for the restart.

Up front Davenport was in control of the field as he restarted as the event’s leader. Madden moved by Francis on the restart and began to give chase to the 6 Longhorn Chassis. Madden was able to draw back to Davenport within the first 8 laps. Behind the lead duo Shane Clanton began to make his presence known as he worked his way up to third from his 10th starting spot, bypassing Robinson for the spot. Clanton wasn’t finished flexing his muscle as he caught Madden and then pulled even with him. Clanton hounded Madden over the next 3 laps pulling even no less than 3 times. But Clanton found himself being challenged by a resurgent Robinson. 2 laps later Robinson covered the spot as Clanton began to struggle suddenly, Clanton retired to the pits shortly after.

Up front Madden who had once again began to pressure for the lead muscled his way by Davenport exiting turn 4. Davenport slipped back to 4th behind the now 2nd running Scott Bloomquist and Tim McCreadie. However McCreadie would draw the yellow flag as his machine rolled to a stop in turn 4 after losing a right rear tire. Under the yellow as McCreadie was changing his flat tire Bloomquist gave up the runner-up spot to pit for tires. This allowed Davenport to resume the 2nd position.

The restart changed the complexion of the event yet again as Clint Smith, who had pitted for tires early, grabbed 2nd at the drop of the green and then made a strong move to the inside of Madden for the lead entering turn one. Smith pulled alongside Madden but the leader slammed the door down the back straightaway. Smith kept up the challenge for several laps until another yellow slowed the action again.

Seemingly from out of nowhere, the 21st starting Terrance Nowell emerged as the fastest car on the track. Nowell systematically moved by Smith and Davenport in one fail swoop to take 2nd. Nowell, a Phenix City native, then rolled by Madden to take the lead. Nowell drove away over the next several laps until yet another yellow slowed the pace when Chris Ferguson blew a right rear tire. As Nowell was pacing the field under the yellow his car suddenly slowed and rolled to a stop in turn 3. Nowell had to pit because of apparent fuel pressure problems.

Nowell’s misfortune once again handed the lead back to Madden. Over the final stages several drivers lost right rear tires. Only Madden, Davenport and Don O’Neal had not yet had to pit for a tire. As the front duo took the white flag it was obvious that Davenport was trying to mount a last ditch charge for the lead. Exiting turn 4 headed to the checkers Davenport made slight contact with Madden as he tried to move to his outside. Both drivers straightened out and Madden beat Davenport to the line by just a car length.

NDRL ‘Kings of Dirt’ Super Late Models – Results
17th Annual Bama Bash – East Alabama Motor Speedway
February 28 – March 1, 2014
Fast Qualifier: Jonathan Davenport 14.949 seconds

A-Main
1 3 44m Chris Madden Gray Court, SC $17,017
2 1 6 Jonathan Davenport Blairsville, GA
3 20 44 Clint Smith Senoia, GA
4 8 0 Scott Bloomquist Mooresburg, TN
5 7 5 Don O'Neal Martinsville, IN
6 13 53 Ray Cook Brasstown, NC
7 14 33t Tom Maddux Centre, AL
8 17 28 Dennis Erb Jr Carpentersville, IL
9 11 57j Bub McCool Vicksburg, MS
10 9 21 Billy Moyer Batesville, AR
11 5 22 Chris Ferguson Mount Holly, NC
12 25 111 Max Blair Centerville, PA
13 4 7r Kent Robinson Bloomington, IN
14 22 19 Tim Fuller Watertown, NY
15 12 23 John Blankenship Williamson, WV
16 15 21jr Billy Moyer Jr Batesville, AR
17 19 25z Mason Zeigler Chalk Hill, PA
18 21 55 Terrance Nowell Phenix City, AL
19 18 25b Mike Benedum Bristol, WV
20 6 39 Tim McCreadie Watertown, NY
21 2 15 Steve Francis Ashland, KY
22 10 25 Shane Clanton Locust Grove, GA
23 24 19t William Thomas Phenix City, AL
24 23 56 Tony Jackson Jr Lebanon, MO
25 16 28 Jimmy Mars Menomonie, WI

B-Main #1  (top 3 transfer)
1 28 Dennis Erb Jr Carpentersville, IL
2 25z Mason Zeigler Chalk Hill, PA
3 55 Terrance Nowell Phenix City, AL
4 18 Chase Junghans Manhattan, KS
5 21a Joe Armestead Sharpsburg, GA
6 c2 Cale Simons Albany, GA
7 111 Max Blair Centerville, PA
8 11 Lavon Sparks Phenix City, AL
9 76 Brandon Overton Appling, GA
10 60 Jim Manka Rincon, GA
dns 119 Mike McConnell Ballgrand, GA

B-Main #2  
1 25b Mike Benedum Bristol, WV
2 44 Clint Smith Senoia, GA
3 19 Tim Fuller Watertown, NY
4 56 Tony Jackson Jr Lebanon, MO
5 33b Eric Cooley Fulton, MS
6 99 JR Moseley Columbus, GA
7 21g Mario Gresham Rome GA
8 201 Billy Ogle Jr Knoxville, TN
9 110 Ricky Culpepper Hamilton, GA
dns 7k Jason Krohn Slayton, MN
dns 19t William Thomas Phenix City, AL



Heat #1  
1 1 44m Chris Madden Gray Court, SC
2 3 0 Scott Bloomquist Mooresburg, TN
3 2 21 Billy Moyer Batesville, AR
4 4 53 Ray Cook Brasstown, NC
5 5 55 Terrance Nowell Phenix City, AL
6 6 25z Mason Zeigler Chalk Hill, PA
7 9 11 Lavon Sparks Phenix City, AL
8 7 76 Brandon Overton Appling, GA
9 8 18 Chase Junghans Manhattan, KS
10 10 119 Mike McConnell Ballgrand, GA

Heat #2  
1 1 6 Jonathan Davenport Blairsville, GA
2 2 39 Tim McCreadie Watertown, NY
3 3 25 Shane Clanton Locust Grove, GA
4 5 33t Tom Maddux Centre, AL
5 8 28 Dennis Erb Jr Carpentersville, IL
6 6 21a Joe Armestead Sharpsburg, GA
7 4 111 Max Blair Centerville, PA
8 7 c2 Cale Simons Albany, GA
9 9 60 Jim Manka Rincon, GA

Heat #3  
1 1 15 Steve Francis Ashland, KY
2 2 22 Chris Ferguson Mount Holly, NC
3 4 57j Bub McCool Vicksburg, MS
4 3 21jr Billy Moyer Jr Batesville, AR
5 5 201 Billy Ogle Jr Knoxville, TN
6 6 25b Mike Benedum Bristol, WV
7 7 19 Tim Fuller Watertown, NY
8 10 21g Mario Gresham Rome GA
9 9 99 JR Moseley Columbus, GA
10 8 110 Ricky Culpepper Hamilton, GA

Heat #4  
1 1 7r Kent Robinson Bloomington, IN
2 2 5 Don O'Neal Martinsville, IN
3 3 23 John Blankenship Williamson, WV
4 7 28 Jimmy Mars Menomonie, WI
5 6 44 Clint Smith Senoia, GA
6 8 56 Tony Jackson Jr Lebanon, MO
7 4 33b Eric Cooley Fulton, MS
8 9 7k Jason Krohn Slayton, MN
9 5 19t William Thomas Phenix City, AL

Group 1 Qualifying    
1 44m Chris Madden Gray Court, SC 15.101
2 21 Billy Moyer Batesville, AR 15.357
3 0 Scott Bloomquist Mooresburg, TN 15.377
4 53 Ray Cook Brasstown, NC 15.391
5 55 Terrance Nowell Phenix City, AL 15.522
6 25z Mason Zeigler Chalk Hill, PA 15.626
7 76 Brandon Overton Appling, GA 15.895
8 18 Chase Junghans Manhattan, KS 16.062
9 11 Lavon Sparks Phenix City, AL 16.441
10 119 Mike McConnell Ballgrand, GA 16.534

Group 2 Qualifying    
1 49 Jonathan Davenport Blairsville, GA 14.949
2 39 Tim McCreadie Watertown, NY 15.270
3 25 Shane Clanton Locust Grove, GA 15.517
4 111 Max Blair Centerville, PA 15.611
5 33t Tom Maddux Centre, AL 15.783
6 21a Joe Armestead Sharpsburg, GA 15.806
7 c2 Cale Simons Albany, GA 15.952
8 28 Dennis Erb Jr Carpentersville, IL 16.048
9 60 Jim Manka Rincon, GA 99.999

Group 3 Qualifying    
No results available
   
Group 4 Qualifying    
1 7r Kent Robinson Bloomington, IN 15.077
2 5 Don O'Neal Martinsville, IN 15.086
3 23 John Blankenship Williamson, WV 15.396
4 33b Eric Cooley Fulton, MS 15.421
5 19t William Thomas Phenix City, AL 15.428
6 44 Clint Smith Senoia, GA 15.528
7 28 Jimmy Mars Menomonie, WI 15.700
8 56 Tony Jackson Jr Lebanon, MO 15.727
9 7k Jason Krohn Slayton, MN 15.843


Event Photos courtesy of Marty Bingham