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OSAS Media
EASTABOGA, Ala. (July 25) - Moving up from his ninth starting spot, Talladega Short Track Point leader Tim Busha of Boaz, Alabama took the lead from Mississippi's Neil Baggett on lap thirty-three and motored away to take his first career Southern All Stars victory. An emotional Busha emerged from his winning GRT in the TST victory lane amid a rousing cheer from the Talladega faithful. "Man I just can't tell you how much this win means to me. These races are so hard to win and for us to win at the Michael Head, Jr. Memorial is just a dream come true. This is definitely our biggest career win and the most special for me personally. I appreciate the opportunity the Kilpatrick's have given me to drive their car. They deserve this win because they made it possible." Busha said.
During Sunoco Race Fuels Race for the Pole Qualifying Shannon, Mississippi driver Neil Baggett captured his first career Southern All Stars Sunoco Race Fuels Pole Award toured the one third mile high-banked oval in 14.637 seconds besting the thirty-nine car field and taking the $200 fast qualifier bonus. Talladega Short Track track record holder Stacy Holmes put his Barry Wright Fusion on the outside pole with his lap of 14.762 seconds. Brandon Kinzer of Allen, Kentucky clocked in third fast with Alexandria, Alabama's Dingus Griffin and William Thomas of Phenix City, Alabama rounded out the top five in time trials. Bub McCool, Jake Knowles, Skip Arp, Terry Smith and eventual winner Tim Busha completed the top ten drivers locked in to the feature.
The three wild and wooly Hoosier Race Tire B-Mains were up next. Randy Weaver scored the win in the first eight lap preliminary event. 2009 Ice Bowl pole sitter Jordy Nipper was second followed by Danny Peoples and Ross Martin. B-Main number two saw Ethan Hunter take the win ahead of Southern All Stars point leader Ronny Lee Hollingsworth, Kenny Gaither and Dane Dacus. The final B-Main winner was Chris Jones. Anthony Burroughs was second with Todd Morrow and Dillon Crim completing the transfer spots. Southern All Star provisional starts went to Casey Roberts and Ronnie Johnson. Ted Lackey received the track provisional to complete the field of twenty-five.
When the green flag waved over the field for the start of the feature Baggett took the point with a three wide battle for second among Holmes, Kinzer and Griffin. Griffin made his move through the middle of Kinzer and Holmes to take over second on the third circuit leaving Holmes and Kinzer to fight for third. It only took Griffin a few laps to reel Baggett in as the leader began to reach backmarker traffic. Baggett was running the extreme low groove with Griffin on the very top of the racetrack. Griffin nosed ahead on lap ten with Baggett reassuming the lead the next lap. Griffin finally took over the lead on his own when Baggett got hung up behind a lapper.
Once out front alone Griffin seemed to be in cruise mode, picking off lap cars as he caught them. Baggett however hard to work a little harder to bypass the slower machines as most were racing in his lane of choice. Meanwhile the tenth starting Busha had broken into the top five and was chasing William Thomas for the third position. Back up front Griffin continued to open up daylight between himself and Baggett. Griffin had developed a ten car length lead when suddenly entering turn four Griffin's machine slowed dramatically. Baggett flashed by to take the lead as Griffin rolled to a stop on the front straightaway with a flat right rear tire. Griffin pitted for fresh rubber and rejoined the field in seventeenth for the restart.
When the green flag reappeared Baggett went back to his bottom-dwelling line right around the track's hub. Brandon Kinzer opted for the outside in the double file restart, which placed the now third Busha to his inside. Busha and Kinzer raced door to door for the next two laps with Busha covering the spot on lap twenty-four. Busha now set his sites on Baggett. Busha, just as Griffin before him, worked the top of the track in his quest for the lead. By lap thirty Busha was nosing to Baggett's outside and just three laps later he rolled by Baggett to take the lead out of turn four. Baggett tried to rally back on the bottom but Busha's highside momentum propelled his GRT mount easily to the lead.
Over the final twenty circuits Busha worked lap traffic masterfully. Busha picked and chose his spots to overtake the slower machines. And yet again Baggett had to deal with those same machines running in his preferred line. Randy Weaver, who started eleventh, suddenly emerged to challenge Baggett for second. Lap after lap Weaver would take a peak to the inside of Baggett only to find no real estate on which to work. Weaver was relentless in his pursuit of Baggett and appeared to be just slightly faster than the Shannon, Mississippi driver. With just two laps remaining, Weaver tried the high line through turns three and four. Weaver got a great run and it appeared that he might grab the second spot through one and two. However Weaver had to check up as Baggett moved by a lapper who rolled up into Weaver's line.
Weaver's momentum was broke and he lost about three car lengths to Baggett as Busha took the white flag. Busha held a half straightaway advantage over the duo battling for second. Weaver was able to mount one final charge on Baggett but was unable to make it work. Busha took his first career Southern All Stars win with Baggett taking second and Weaver finishing third. Weaver's third place finish also cut into Ronny Lee Hollingsworth's overall point lead heading into a weekend off for the series. Bub McCool came home in fourth with Kinzer rounding out the top five finishers.
Busha's winning GRT Race Car Impala SS was powered by a Southern All Stars SPEC Engine built by RaceTek Race Engines and sponsorship from Kilpatrick Chevrolet, Sound Mountain Toyota, Pierson Chevrolet-Jeep, Stealth Racing Carburetors and Hoosier Racing Tires.
Official Finish
1 - 15 Tim Busha (10) - Boaz, AL - GRT
2 - 21 Neil Baggett (1) - Shannon, MS - MasterSbilt
3 - 116 Randy Weaver (11) - Crossville, TN - GRT
4 - 57J Bub McCool (6) - Vicksburg, MS - TrakStar
5 - 18 Brandon Kinzer (3) - Allen, KY - GRT
6 - 66 Jake Knowles (7) - Tyrone, GA - MasterSbilt
7 - 99 Terry Smith (9) - Oxford, AL - TSR
8 - A19 William Thomas (5) - Phenix City, AL - MasterSbilt
9 - 18 Ronny Lee Hollingsworth (15) - Northport, AL - MasterSbilt
10 - H2 Stacy Holmes (2) - Munford, AL - Barry Wright
11 - 46 Chris Jones (13) - Alabaster, AL - GRT
12 - 11 Danny Peoples (17) - Margaret, AL - Rayburn
13 - 5 Ronnie Johnson (24) - Chattanooga, TN - MasterSbilt
14 - T16 Todd Morrow (19) - East Ridge, TN - Warrior
15 - 7C Dillon Crim (22) - Eastaboga, AL - Warrior
16 - 101 Ethan Hunter (12) - Tiger, GA - Rocket
17 - 31 Skip Arp (8) - Georgetown, TN - GRT
18 - 1N Jordy Nipper (14) - Gray, GA - TNT
19 - 41 Ted Lackey (25) - Munford, AL - TrakStar
20 - K7 Kenny Gaither (18) - Talladega, AL - TrakStar
21 - 49 Dingus Griffin (4) - Alexandria, AL - MasterSbilt
22 - 54 Dane Dacus (21) - Lakeland, TN - GRT
23 - 101 Casey Roberts (23) - Toccoa, GA - Victory Circle
24 - 47 Ross Martin (20) - Talladega, AL - Rocket
25 - 121 Anthony Burroughs (16) - Sheffield, AL - MasterSbilt
DNS: James Cline, Josh Adkins, Jeff Johns, Terrance Nowell, Levi Ashby, Jason Wilson, Gary Cunningham, Doug King, Randall Walker, Mike Head, Tim Roszell, Brandon Roberts, Chris Mullinax and Dennis Hale
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