Mississippi State Championship Challenge Series'
Columbus Speedway
April 12, 2014
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Breazeale snags first MSCCS Late Model win at Columbus Speedway

by Bryan Wimberley
COLUMBUS, Miss. (April 12) - One year to the day from his last Mississippi State Championship Challenge Series' victory, David Breazeale of Four Corners, Miss., chased down Rick Rickman in the latter stages of Saturday's 50-lap feature, recording his 24th career tour win at Columbus Speedway.

Certainly "The Ragin' Rebel" is no stranger to Victory Lane on the circuit, but amazingly, the $2,500 payday was Breazeale's first MSCCS triumph at the 3/8-mile track.

The two-time champ, Breazeale, ranks second on the State Series' all-time list, behind Chris Wall with (43).

Current series' points leader, Rick Rickman of Columbus, who led the majority of the main event, took second after a hard fought battle with Breazeale.

Polesitter Chris Smith of Brewton, Ala., had his moments with the front-runners, never falling out of the top 5, as he recorded third-place to complete the podium finish.

At the drop of the green flag, Smith was instantly challenged by Rickman, who dropped inside of the No. 15c.

Smith would be on point for the first two laps, before Rickman nosed ahead at the line. Both drivers ran door-to-door the next couple of laps, trading the top position each time.

Rick Rickman, Smith and Breazeale had a brief three-car breakaway from the rest of the field, with seven down. But again, Smith and Rickman raced side-by-side, before reaching lap traffic, with nine in the books.

Rickman created space in negotiating lapped cars over Smith, stretching out the advantage to over one second.

Smith became entangled in another war, as Breazeale put on heavy pressure for second-place, in an excellent five-lap battle.

Rickman's half straightaway lead fell on Breazeale at the midway point of the feature.

Breazeale continued rim-riding, scrapping "The Bullring" wall in turn two, on lap 28, but his momentum had cut Rickman's led in half.

Breazeale's faster high line continued to gain ground on Rickman, who stayed around the hub and on lap 34, a new leader emerge from the group.

The first caution flew two laps later, when Jamie Elam of Senatobia, Miss., took a turn two spin.

Rickman capitalized on an opportunistic restart on Breazeale, as the pair raced nose-to-nose, contacting one another on the front straightaway to complete lap 37.

Third-running Chris Smith slapped the turn one wall, never breaking stride with 10 to go.

On lap 43, clearly Breazeale found where his car was most comfortable, racing top side. Rickman would follow Breazeale up there, but it was too little, too late for the No. 86 Pierce Race Car.

With both drivers staying married along the wall the last five revolutions, Breazeale's maintained his distance, seizing a two-second victory, for his first series' win since Hattiesburg Motorsports Park last April.

NOTES: Breazeale's MasterSbilt by Stuckey is powered by a Jay Dickens Racing Engine and sponsored by Thompson's Auto Repair, RBT Motorsports, Wrisco Aluminum, Randy's Hunting Camp, X-Treme Graphics by J-Rod, CES Cable of Purvis and Hoosier Racing Tires.

Breazeale becomes the 14th different MSCC Series winner at "The Baddest Bullring In The South".

The 21-minute feature ended at 11:54 pm, was slowed by one caution and had eleven cars on the lead lap.

Chris Smith of Brewton, Ala., received $100 put up by Jay Dickens Racing Engines of Aberdeen, Miss., for becoming the fastest qualifier at 13.680 seconds.

Two-time titlist, Mike Boland of Cuba, Ala., hold the Columbus Speedway track record at 13.220, setting it May 11, 2013, in Shep Lucas's No. 57 Car in a weekly SLM event.

The top 10 hard charger of the feature was Eric Cooley of Fulton, Miss., going from 16th-starting position, to finish ninth.

Jeremy Broadus of Biloxi, Miss., was in line to take a series' provisional, but a broken oil pump belt would keep him sidelined, citing further engine trouble concerns.

The next race on deck for the Mississippi State Championship Challenge Series is Saturday, April 26th at St. Tammany Raceway in Lacombe, Louisiana.

MSCCS AT COLUMBUS: (1) David Breazeale, (2) Rick Rickman, (3) Chris Smith, (4) Chad Thrash, (5) Brian Rickman, (6) Chase Washington, (7) Neil Baggett, (8) Anthony Burroughs, (9) Eric Cooley, (10) Dylan Ames, (11) Leon Henderson, (12) Ross Camponovo, (13) Mark Dodson, (14) Keith Miller, (15) Greg Fore, (16) Duke Palasini, (17) Scott Dedwylder, (18) Jamie Elam, (19) Chad McCool, (20) Clint Logan, (21) Jamie Tollison, (22) Ray McElhiney.

FASTEST QUALIFIER (among 32 entries):
Chris Smith at 13.680 seconds.

CONSOLATION RACE WINNERS:
Neil Baggett, Anthony Burroughs

DASH WINNER:
Chris Smith

DRIVERS NOT MAKING THE FEATURE:
Michael Aycock, Jeremy Broadus, Philip Gibson, Keith House, Allen Simmons, Mark Tice.

MSCC SERIES TOP 15 POINT STANDINGS
(Through April 12th)

1. Rick Rickman - 285
2. Brian Rickman - 265
3T. David Breazeale - 260
3T. Chris Smith - 260
3T. Chad Thrash - 260
6. Neil Baggett - 250
7. Chase Washington - 240
8. Ross Camponovo - 200
9. Leon Henderson - 190
10. Mark Dodson - 170
11. Greg Fore - 140
12. Jamie Elam - 135
13T. Anthony Burroughs - 110
13T. Ray McElhiney - 110
15T. Eric Cooley - 105
15T. Keith Miller - 105
15T. Henry Cooper - 105