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Kelley Carlton
SWAINSBORO, Ga. (September 12) - Ronnie Lee Hollingsworth of Northport, Alabama picked up his second career O'Reilly Southern All Stars Racing Series win on Friday night at the Swainsboro Raceway in Swainsboro, GA. Hollingsworth bested a field of thirty-one super late models at the 3/8ths mile clay oval to score the $5000 win. Hollingsworth spun on just before halfway when he made contact with a lapped machine. Hollingsworth took just six laps to retake the point a second time from G.R. Smith.
Sunoco Race Fuels Pole Qualifying saw Smith take quick time honors with his lap of 15.403 seconds as the fifth car to take time. John Pursley scored the outside pole position with a 15.532 second lap. Randle Chupp clocked in third quick followed by current O'Reilly Southern All Stars Champion Ivedent Lloyd and veteran Ray Cook. Former OSAS Champion Chris Madden was forced to withdraw from the event when his broke a suspension piece on the first lap of his qualifying attempt.
After Qualifying was completed Swainsboro Raceway promoter Paul Purvis and his staff went to work on a very choppy surface. Early afternoon rains laid a plentiful amount of moisture down on the already wet Georgia red clay. Purvis and crew completely re-bladed and repacked the entire surface of the 3/8ths mile facility in an attempt to smooth the rough racing surface before the racing action commenced.
Two Last Chance Heats set positions eleven through twenty-two. John Henderson overtook early leader Jeff Fortner to take the win in the first Hoosier Race Tire B-Main. Fortner was able to hold on for second ahead of Tommy Kerr, Tony Knowles, Derek Ellis and Ed Basey. Anthony Hill led every lap en route to his win in the final B-Main. Casey Barrow crossed the line second ahead of Shane Riner, Chesley Dixon, Michael Akeson and Brandon Ifft. OSAS Provisionals fell to current Cleveland Speedway Driving School Rookie of the Year point leader Jason Fitzgerald and Dion Deason.
G.R. Smith led the field to the green flag just before 11 PM. Smith launched to the point with John Pursley and Randle Chupp battling door to door for second. Pursley brought out the first caution flag of the evening when he went over the back straightaway while running third. Pursley was able to get going and tagged the tail for the double file restart. During the caution period Jeff Fortner retired pitside for the night.
Smith once again took command on the restart with Chupp and Pearson in tow. The action was wild as cars bounced around erratically on the very rough surface. However Smith's machine negotiated the surface well and he began to distance himself from the rest of the field. Further back the man on the move was young Hollingsworth. "Right Foot" Ronnie Lee bypassed cars with ease and by lap twelve he had moved into the third position.
After a myriad of cautions for beaten and broken machines Hollingsworth found himself in the second position. Under green Hollingsworth used the bottom groove and rolled by Smith for the lead on lap fifteen by picking Smith on the highside with a lapped car. Hollingsworth then set sail opening up nearly half of a straightaway lead. But just after receiving the crossed flags, Hollingsworth made contact with a lapped machine and went for a solo spin in turn three. Hollingsworth was relegated to the tail of the field for the lap twenty-six restart.
Smith reassumed the lead with Ivedent Lloyd and Pearson glued to his rear deck. Lloyd took a peak beneath Smith when the green waved again. Lap after lap Lloyd put the nose of his machine up to Smith's rear quarter. Contact between the leaders allowed Pearson to squirt by Lloyd for second and challenge Smith for the point. However Smith yet again closed the door on another challenge.
Hollingsworth was turning heads and making quick work of his opponents. Just three laps after restarting eleventh, Hollingsworth took over third position. One lap later Hollingsworth grabbed the runner-up position. A lap twenty-nine caution once again bunched the pack and allowed Hollingsworth and unabated shoot at the leader. He didn't waste any time as he pulled even with Smith in turn one and took the lead for the final time as the two flashed across the line to complete lap thirty.
From there on out Hollingsworth was able to set his machine on cruise control. Except for a last lap scare with another lap car, Hollingsworth went unchallenged over the final twenty circuits. Pearson made a run at Smith for second with only a handful of laps remaining but he was unable to take the spot. Smith held on for second with Pearson third, Lloyd fourth and Anthony Hill rounded out the top five.
Hollingsworth was jubilant in victory lane "Man things are finally coming together for us. I can't thank my race team enough for all they do. And my car owner is the best. Those lapped cars made it tough on my tonight but our car was just awesome. I know the track was rough but these guys did all they could, they just got way too much rain. But we are happy to get our second Southern All Stars win. That was a pretty cool deal to come from the rear like that." Hollingsworth said.
Hollingsworth was aboard a Baird Motorsports Rocket Chassis powered by a Vic Hill Race Engine.
Official Finish
1 - 8 Ronnie Lee Hollingsworth - Northport, AL
2 - 54 G. R. Smith - Huntersville, NC
3 - 44 Earl Pearson, Jr. - Jacksonville, FL
4 - 21 Ivedent Lloyd, Jr. - Ocala, FL
5 - 10H Anthony Hill - Carrollton, GA
6 - 7 Jason Fitzgerald - Jacksonville, FL
7 - D1 Dion Deason - Greenwood, SC
8 - 99 Derek Ellis - Chatsworth, GA
9 - 6 Shane Riner - Guyton, GA
10 - 53 Ray Cook - Brasstown, NC
11 - 98 Casey Barrow - Savannah, GA
12 - 3 Chesley Dixon - Swainsboro, GA
13 - M31 Michael Akeson - Augusta, GA
14 - 10 Scott Shirey - Gaston, SC
15 - 26 Dillon Wood - New Smyrna Beach, FL
16 - 4 Ed Basey - Evans, GA
17 - 9 John Pursley - Clover, SC
18 - 22 Randle Chupp - Troutman, NC
19 - 21x Bob Robertson - Evans, GA
20 - 2x John Henderson - Aiken, SC
21 - 26 Tony Knowles - Tyrone, GA
22 - 4T Tommy Kerr - Maryville, TN
23 - 27 Brandon Ifft - Lake Wylie, SC
24 - 27 Jeff Fortner - Vidalia, GA
DNS: Chris Madden, Ben Faircloth, Brian Nuttall, Jr., Bo Smith, Chris Taylor, Johnny Pursley and Tommy Gandy.
Entries: 31 representing 6 states
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