Mississippi State Championship Challenge Series
Whynot Motorsports Park
March 29, 2014
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RICKMAN BROTHERS TRADE SHOTS, AS RICK WINS AT WHYNOT

by Bryan Wimberley
MERIDIAN, Miss. (March 29) - In what turned out to be a band of brothers, Rick Rickman of Columbus, Miss., outlasted younger brother, Brian, to nailed down a $2,500 payday, in the first race of the season for the Mississippi State Championship Challenge Series at Whynot Motorsports Park, near Meridian.

Late race lap traffic became a key factor for the older Rickman, scoring his second career State Series win in the 50-lap feature. Rickman had the only Bob Pierce Late Model in the field of 32 entries, gaining him the checkered flags in his third appearance in the chassis.

Since Neil Baggett has joined the Rickman Racing shop in Columbus, since coming over from Shannon, Miss., the stable went 1-2-3 at the flagstand.

Chad Thrash of Meridian and front-row starter, Chris Smith of Brewton, Ala., would round out the top five.

Dane Dacus of Lakeland, Tenn., led lap one out of the gate, with Thrash and Smith trailing behind.

A brief pause in the action happened after the first completed lap for a spun Jeremy Broadus of Biloxi.

Dacus would give up the point to Brian Rickman on the backstretch and would take command on lap 4.

Rick Rickman eased into the picture with Dacus for second, as the two rubbed door-to-door on the eighth circuit.

Brian Rickman encountered traffic at lap 10, stretching to a two-second advantage on brother, Rick.

But by midway of the main, both Rickmans had pulled away from the rest of the competitors.

With no pressure from behind, the family battle was reaching nose-to-tail, as Rick drew to Brian's decklid on lap 29, with heavy traffic coming into play.

Making his move, Rick goes side-by-side to secure first on lap 31. Expanding to a half-straightaway lead on the bumpy track, Rick sliced through traffic, putting cars between him and Brian Rickman, at a torrid pace.

Low-running Neil Baggett cut into the second-place deficit and shaped it into a three-horse race.

Some lapped cars were racing hard with the leaders, enabling Brian to peek a nose under Rick, for the top spot with nine laps to go.

The war raged on for two more laps, before Rick Rickman was able to get a one-car cushion on his brother. It would turn out to be enough breathing room for a one-second triumph at the flags, capturing Rick's first victory since September of last season (at Columbus Speedway).

NOTES: Rickman's Bob Pierce Race Car is powered by a Jay Dickens Racing Engine and sponsored by Goat Farm Posse, Advanced Logistics, 1250 Package Store, Rickman Brothers Trucking and Advanced Racing Suspension.

Rick Rickman became the 15th different winner in (29) series' events at Whynot Motorsports Park.

The 17-minute feature ended at 10:30 pm and was slowed by a single caution, with only five cars on the lead lap.

Ronny Lee Hollingsworth of Northport, Ala., holds the track record at Whynot, turning a 12.43 second lap.

David Breazeale of Four Corners, Miss., was the top 10 hard charger of the feature, going from 15th-starting position to finish seventh.

Brian Rickman advanced four spots to become the next highest top 10 mover of the main event, going from 6th-to-second. Brian's lone Whynot win in the MSCC Series, came in September 2012.

Mechanical failures were aplenty at Whynot, with Jimmy Cliburn stepping into a No. 18 race car, from his familiar 88. A strong qualifying effort put Cliburn in the top eight for the dash, but motor difficulties would conquer his evening and scratching him from the feature.

The 2012 MSCC Series Champion, Scott Dedwylder of Vossburg, Miss., went up in a puff of smoke as he was taking the green flag to start qualifying.

Motor issues also claimed George Paul of Star, Miss. as an early night victim, never able to lay down a qualifying time.

Keith Miller of Sumerall, Miss., changed carburetors which caused him to miss qualifying, but the No. 291 crew could never straightened out the problem, scratching them from the program.

Drivers not making the feature included, Jamey Boland, Scott Dedwylder, Clint Logan, Taylor Jarvis, Chris Jimerson, Joseph Joiner, Keith Miller, George Paul, Jason Taylor and Frank Wilson.

The next stop for the Mississippi State Series will be at the "Baddest Bullring in the South" on Saturday, April 12th, at Columbus Speedway.

MSCCS AT WHYNOT: (1) Rick Rickman, (2) Brian Rickman, (3) Neil Baggett, (4) Chad Thrash, (5) Chris Smith, (6) Chase Washington, (7) David Breazeale, (8) Ross Camponovo, (9) Henry Cooper, (10) Shep Lucas, (11) Leon Henderson, (12) Kody Barber, (13) Mark Dodson, (14) Tody Ratcliff, (15) Jamie Elam, (16) Ray McElhiney, (17) Greg Fore, (18) Dane Dacus, (19) Jason Cliburn, (20) Jeremy Broadus, (21) Jamie Tollison, (SCR) Jimmy Cliburn.

FASTEST QUALIFIER (among 32 cars):
Dacus at 12.811 seconds.

DASH WINNER: Dacus

CONSOLATION WINNERS: Cooper, Washington.

PROVISIONAL STARTERS: Dodson, Ratcliff.

MSCC Series' Point Standings:
(Top 15 after March 29th at Whynot)

1. Rick Rickman - 145
2. Brian Rickman - 140
3. Neil Baggett - 135
4. Chad Thrash - 130
5. Chris Smith - 125
6. Chase Washington - 120
7. David Breazeale - 115
8. Ross Camponovo - 110
9. Henry Cooper - 105
10. Shep Lucas - 100
11. Leon Henderson - 95
12. Kody Barber - 90
13. Mark Dodson - 85
14. Tody Ratcliff - 80
15. Jamie Elam - 75