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Kelley Carlton
EASTABOGA, Ala. (April 26) - After a pair of rain delays threatened to wash out yet another O'Reilly Southern All Star sanctioned event, Mother Nature finally granted enough of a window to complete the O'Reilly Auto Parts Cup Weekend Special at Talladega Short Track. Wendell Wallace of Batesville, AR was able to slip into the lead on the final lap while race long leader Tony Knowles was marred in heavy lap traffic. The win was worth $5000 to the GRT House Car pilot.
Fifty-three drivers signed in for Sunoco Race Fuels Pole Qualifying. Chris Madden looked to repeat his previous night's performance and set the early mark as the first driver to dip into the fourteen second range with his 14.868 second lap. Later Knowles lowered the mark to 14.858 seconds. He held the top spot but for just one lap as Wallace blasted around the high-banked one third mile oval and rung in at 14.768 seconds to capture the pole.
Shortly after time trials were completed a heavy shower blanketed the Eastaboga area soaking the TST surface which brought out the red flag on the racing event. A break in the rains allowed the TST Staff to begin working on running the track back in to make it raceable. A request for ATVs and golf carts to help with the efforts drew well over fifty takers and soon the Sportsman cars were called to the speedway. But, just as the Sportsman were lining up for their heat race, the rains came again.
Once again the TST Staff went to work. Officials made a quick decision to wait out the rain after a check of the National Weather Service radars. TST got a little celebrity help in running the track back in when NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion racer Tony Stewart climbed behind the wheel of the TST Pace Truck and began to make laps with the packer vehicles. The call was once again made for the assistance of the ATV brigade and once again the response was immediate and the Sportsman were able to complete the preparation of the track.
Three eight lap last chance heat races were then staged to set positions eleven through twenty-two for the fifty lap feature. Dingus Griffin made a mid race charge on reigning OSAS Champion Ivedent Lloyd to take the win in the first heat. Multi-time TST Champion Danny Peoples moved from sixth to take the win ahead of James Ward in the second heat. The third and final heat was won by TST regular Tim Bush over Dewaine Hottinger. OSAS provisionals went to Jason Fitzgerald and Derek Ellis. The TST promoter's option went to Ross Martin.
With the weather pressing down on TST officials decided to move the O'Reilly Southern All Stars feature up in the order. After two rain delays over more than two hours the feature rolled off at 12:18 am CST. Knowles was able to launch his machine to the lead riding the high line in to turn one when the green flag waved. Wallace challenged to his inside but Knowles pulled away down the back straightaway. Wallace hugged the hub in second while Randy Weaver and Chris Madden battled for the third position behind him.
Madden was able to cover the spot while Weaver slipped to fourth. A few laps later Terry Smith, who started sixth, asserted his muscle and bypassed Weaver for the fourth position as Ronnie Johnson lurked behind. Meanwhile Knowles had caught the tail of the field and began to place drivers a lap down. Knowles first bypassed Fitzgerald and Ward. He then drew to the deck of Kyle Beard who was also running the high line. Knowles, who had enjoyed nearly a full straightaway advantage, searched for a route around the Beard machine to no avail.
All of that allowed Wallace to close in on the leader. Wallace, who had disposed of Fitzgerald and Ward as well, pulled door to door with Knowles as they exited turn four on the twenty-fourth circuit. Knowles showed his frustration as he made contact with Beard's rear bumper entering turn one. But things settled down as the caution was waved when Hottinger took the ride over the turn three banking and into the concrete barriers. While under caution Ross Martin and Jake Knowles made contact which ended both drivers' nights.
With the drivers reset in the Dixie Double File formation the green once again waved. Eight starting and previous night winner Shane Clanton made a move on the high side to rumble in to the third position over Ronnie Johnson. Just as before, with a clean race track in front of him, Knowles marched away from the field. Johnson battled back to Clanton's inside while Madden looked to join the fray.
With only ten laps remaining, Knowles was once again working heavy traffic. Knowles got by Fitzgerald and Ward once again with relative ease but found the going a little tougher when he caught 2007 OSAS Rookie of the Year Stacy Holmes. Holmes was embroiled in a battle of his own with Derek Ellis and Holmes was using Knowles preferred top side line. Knowles was able to move to the bottom and roll by Holmes and then Ellis. But Wallace had cut the lead to just a few car lengths.
Knowles once again rolled to the rear deck of Beard and just as before he was unable to get by the Truman, AR racer. As the leaders were displayed the white flag Wallace dove to the inside of Knowles and pulled even with him as they entered turn number one. As they spilled onto the back straightaway, Wallace was able to clear Knowles and take the lead and ultimately the win. Knowles took second ahead of his teammate Shane Clanton, Ronnie Johnson and Tim Busha.
Wallace emerged from his GRT machine in victory lane to a loud and raucous cheer from the huge TST crowd. "That was really a lot of fun. If Tony hadn't have got into all the traffic we would not have had anything for him. He had a real good car. But I knew he was committed to the top so I tried it on the bottom there and pulled up beside him. I hate it for him because he drove a great race but we will certainly take it. I had to try and make up for last night (Wallace slid off the track while running second at the white flag) and this is about the best way we could have done that." Wallace said in TST's victory lane.
Wallace's winning GRT Race Car is powered by a Gaerte Race Engine and is sponsored by C&S Cable Construction, Wincrest Farms, Garrett Racing, J&J Steel, JFR Graphics, Delph Communications, Frankland Racing Supply, Integra Racing Shocks, Sunoco Race Fuels, Sweet Manufacturing, Hoosier Race Tires, Schaeffer Racing Lubricants, Racing Optics, Bryant Motorsports, Port City Racing and Wilwood.
Official Finish
Finish - Car # - Driver - Start - Hometown
1 - 88 Wendell Wallace (1) - Batesville, AR
2 - 26 Tony Knowles (2) - Tyrone, GA
3 - 25 Shane Clanton (8) - Locust Grove, GA
4 - 5 Ronnie Johnson (5) - Chattanooga, TN
5 - 15 Tim Busha (13) - Boaz, AL
6 - 3 James Cline (10) - Oxford, AL
7 - 44 Chris Madden (4) - Gray Court, SC
8 - 49 Dingus Griffin (11) - Alexandria, AL
9 - 99 Terry Smith (6) - Oxford, AL
10 - 11 Danny Peoples (12) - Margaret, AL
11 - 116 Randy Weaver (3) - Crossville, TN
12 - 99 Ivedent Lloyd (14) - Ocala, FL
13 - 28 Josh Adkins (9) - Talladega, AL
14 - 44 Clint Smith (18) - Senoia, GA
15 - 86 Kyle Beard (22) - Truman, AR
16 - 25 Tim Roszell (17) - Anniston, AL
17 - H2 Stacy Holmes (20) - Munford, AL
18 - 15 Randall Walker (19) - Oxford, AL
19 - 7 Jason Fitzgerald (23) - Jacksonville, FL
20 - 99 Derek Ellis (24) - Chatsworth, GA
21 - 57 Chris Mullinax (7) - Birmingham, AL
22 - 65 Dewaine Hottinger (16) - Russellville, AR
23 - 47 Ross Martin (25) - Talladega, AL
24 - 66 Jake Knowles (21) - Tyrone, GA
25 - W3 James Ward (15) - Lettsworth, LA
DNS: Travis Pennington, Ethan Hunter, Jack Sullivan, Mike Head, Brandon Kinzer, Chris Jones, Jason Wilson, Dillon Wood, Anthony Hill, Jon Miller, Steve Barnett, Brandon Roberts, Skip Freeman, Chris Beck, Jeff Smith (GA), Stacy Caldwell, Brandon McCallum, Josh Taylor, Red Farmer, Rod Carroll, Dion Deason, Carlton Freeman, John Kirby, Ricky Williams, Don Jenkins, Cameron Cherry, Bryan Elder and Chris Thomas.
Time of Race: 26 minutes 11 seconds
Caution Flags: 1 (Lap 24)
Red Flags: 1 (Lap 24 - 9 minutes)
Entrants: 53 representing 9 states
Special Awards:
Sunoco Race Fuels Pole Award: Wendell Wallace
PPM Racing Products Hard Charger: Tim Busha (8 positions 13th to 5th)
Double H Race Fabrications Award: Ronnie Johnson
Upcoming O'Reilly Southern All Star Series Events:
May 9 - North Alabama Speedway - Tuscumbia, AL $5000
May 10 - Columbus Speedway - Columbus, MS $5000
May 17 - Cleveland Speedway - Cleveland, TN $5000
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