Ray Cook of Brasstown, N.C., surged to the lead on Lap 35 of the 50-lap super late model race at the 18th annual Ice Bowl Sunday at Talladega Short Track and held on for the win in one of the biggest dirt-track races in the country.
Cook took the lead from Ronnie Johnson, "The Chattanooga Flash," and held off James Ward and Billy Mayo for the win in a race that saw 90 super late models vying for just 26 starting spots.
Here's video of the final 10 laps of the race:
http://videos.al.com/2009/01/ice_bowl_last_10_laps.html
Cook, running a newly built late model, said the track was much racier than he expected, especially considering the extremely muddy conditions of the track grounds surrounding the high-banked short track.
The race, which paid $6,000 to win, attracted 369 total cars from 17 different states -- as far away as North Dakota -- on a weekend where frequent rain turn the pit area into an ocean of mud.
But the well-packed clay track held up well and racing went on with the more than 10,000 fans over four days coming prepared with boots, four-wheel drive ATVs and googles.
There was controversy in the IMCA Modified race when race winner Terrance Nowell in the No. 21 and fourth-place finisher Scottie Hiett in the No. 10 were disqualified during tech inspection. That gave the win and the trophy to Benji Lacrosse in the No. 54.
The NeSmith Dirt Late Model Series race was won by Brad Hall, a building inspector from Knoxville, Tenn. Hall held off Danny Peoples of Margaret and Owen Osteen in the 40-lap feature for the win in his first-ever race at Talladega Short Track.
Hall said he has raced at similar tracks to TST but benefited from some help from TST veteran Ronnie Johnson of Chattanooga.
Super Late Model Results
Position/Driver/Car No.
1. Ray Cook, 53
2. James Ward, W3
3. Billy Mayo, 115
4. Bub McCool, 57J
5. Neil Baggett, 21
6. Jordy Nipper, 1N
7. Jeff Smith, 25
8. Terry Smith, 99
9. Royce Bray, 21
10. Tony Morris, M31
11. Tim Roszell, 25
12. Chris Ragan, C16
13. Chris Jones, 46
14. Vic Hill, B1
15. Lamar Scoggins, 41
16. Aaron Ridley, 81
17. Tommy Bailey, 11
18. William Thomas, 22
19. Larry Timms, 07
20. Dingus Griffin, 49
21. Ronnie Johnson, R1
22. Travis Pennington, 01
23. Skip Freeman, X15
24. Tim Day, 77
25. James Cline, 3
26. Todd Morrow, T1
NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model
Pos./Driver/Car No.
1. Brad Hall, 47H
2. Danny Peoples, 22P
3. Owen Osteen, 20
4. Jason Hiett, 1H
5. Jason Wilson, 22W
6. Tim Busha, 15
7. Ronnie Johnson, 5
8. Kyle Berry, 00
9. David Gentry, 11
10. Adam Martin, 47
11. Jay Blair, 2X
12. Larry Boutwell, 58
13. James Cline, 3C
14. Chip Brindle, 38C
15. Hunter Peacock, 12
16. Doug Stevens, 77
17. Jordy Nipper, 1N
18. Jimmy Elkins, 97
19. Lee Burdett, 97B
20. Frank Ingram, F9
21. Donald Bradsher, 93
22. Ben McCreary, 21M
23. Scott Knowles, 66K
24. Logan Yates, 5Y
25. Chris Tays, 8
Brian Ponder
IMCA Modified Main results
Pos./Driver/Car No.
1. Benji Lacrosse, 54
2. Jimmy Hiett, 11
3. Gregg Brown, B5
4. Tim Czarneski, 21
5. Todd Gray, 7
6. Tony Gray, 35
7. Jason Pursley, 10P
8. Craig Wood, 43
9. Jordan Grabouski, 30
10. Lavoy Rich, 32
11. Jared Siefert, 25S
12. Rodney Etheridge, 04
13. Johnathan Till, 2
14. John Fellers, 24D
15. Sean Jerovetz, 37
16. Jeremiah Ashley, 20X
17. Chris Tonoli, 71
18. Alex Hanson, 11
19. Randy Havlik, 3Z
20. Zack Drews, 37
21. Justin Radcliff, 11J
22. Dale Burwick, 32B
23. (DQ) Terrance Nowell, 21 - Improper Engine Firing Order
24. (DQ) Scottie Hiett, 10
Cook took the lead from Ronnie Johnson, "The Chattanooga Flash," and held off James Ward and Billy Mayo for the win in a race that saw 90 super late models vying for just 26 starting spots.
Here's video of the final 10 laps of the race:
http://videos.al.com/2009/01/ice_bowl_last_10_laps.html
Cook, running a newly built late model, said the track was much racier than he expected, especially considering the extremely muddy conditions of the track grounds surrounding the high-banked short track.
The race, which paid $6,000 to win, attracted 369 total cars from 17 different states -- as far away as North Dakota -- on a weekend where frequent rain turn the pit area into an ocean of mud.
But the well-packed clay track held up well and racing went on with the more than 10,000 fans over four days coming prepared with boots, four-wheel drive ATVs and googles.
There was controversy in the IMCA Modified race when race winner Terrance Nowell in the No. 21 and fourth-place finisher Scottie Hiett in the No. 10 were disqualified during tech inspection. That gave the win and the trophy to Benji Lacrosse in the No. 54.
The NeSmith Dirt Late Model Series race was won by Brad Hall, a building inspector from Knoxville, Tenn. Hall held off Danny Peoples of Margaret and Owen Osteen in the 40-lap feature for the win in his first-ever race at Talladega Short Track.
Hall said he has raced at similar tracks to TST but benefited from some help from TST veteran Ronnie Johnson of Chattanooga.
Super Late Model Results
Position/Driver/Car No.
1. Ray Cook, 53
2. James Ward, W3
3. Billy Mayo, 115
4. Bub McCool, 57J
5. Neil Baggett, 21
6. Jordy Nipper, 1N
7. Jeff Smith, 25
8. Terry Smith, 99
9. Royce Bray, 21
10. Tony Morris, M31
11. Tim Roszell, 25
12. Chris Ragan, C16
13. Chris Jones, 46
14. Vic Hill, B1
15. Lamar Scoggins, 41
16. Aaron Ridley, 81
17. Tommy Bailey, 11
18. William Thomas, 22
19. Larry Timms, 07
20. Dingus Griffin, 49
21. Ronnie Johnson, R1
22. Travis Pennington, 01
23. Skip Freeman, X15
24. Tim Day, 77
25. James Cline, 3
26. Todd Morrow, T1
NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model
Pos./Driver/Car No.
1. Brad Hall, 47H
2. Danny Peoples, 22P
3. Owen Osteen, 20
4. Jason Hiett, 1H
5. Jason Wilson, 22W
6. Tim Busha, 15
7. Ronnie Johnson, 5
8. Kyle Berry, 00
9. David Gentry, 11
10. Adam Martin, 47
11. Jay Blair, 2X
12. Larry Boutwell, 58
13. James Cline, 3C
14. Chip Brindle, 38C
15. Hunter Peacock, 12
16. Doug Stevens, 77
17. Jordy Nipper, 1N
18. Jimmy Elkins, 97
19. Lee Burdett, 97B
20. Frank Ingram, F9
21. Donald Bradsher, 93
22. Ben McCreary, 21M
23. Scott Knowles, 66K
24. Logan Yates, 5Y
25. Chris Tays, 8
Brian Ponder
IMCA Modified Main results
Pos./Driver/Car No.
1. Benji Lacrosse, 54
2. Jimmy Hiett, 11
3. Gregg Brown, B5
4. Tim Czarneski, 21
5. Todd Gray, 7
6. Tony Gray, 35
7. Jason Pursley, 10P
8. Craig Wood, 43
9. Jordan Grabouski, 30
10. Lavoy Rich, 32
11. Jared Siefert, 25S
12. Rodney Etheridge, 04
13. Johnathan Till, 2
14. John Fellers, 24D
15. Sean Jerovetz, 37
16. Jeremiah Ashley, 20X
17. Chris Tonoli, 71
18. Alex Hanson, 11
19. Randy Havlik, 3Z
20. Zack Drews, 37
21. Justin Radcliff, 11J
22. Dale Burwick, 32B
23. (DQ) Terrance Nowell, 21 - Improper Engine Firing Order
24. (DQ) Scottie Hiett, 10
