Anthony Rushing has a habit of starting on the pole of feature events at Columbus Speedway, setting sail, and making big wins at "The Baddest Bullring in the South" look easy. Detractors have often even doubted that "The Kosciusko Kamikaze" could take a win from anywhere other than up front at Columbus. Saturday night at the Carl Hogan Automotive Group 5th Annual John L. Cliett Tribute, Rushing would be forced to either help prove that theory, or disprove it altogether.
Despite a threatening forecast and periodic rainfall during the day, Johnny Stokes and crew would stick to thier guns to their guns, and the continuous massaging of the high-banked-red clay oval over the course of the evening provided one of the finest fast racing surfaces ever seen at "The Bullring". A very good crowd of fans came out to see the Mississippi State Championship Challenge series Super Late Model special event as well as a full show in all other divisions at Columbus. 34 of the region's finest Super Late Model drivers made up the field of the prestigious event honoring the man known as "The One and Only".
"Lugnut" Rodney Wing would take the fast time in MidsouthRacing.com Pole Qualifying with a 14.41, just over Shane Clanton's 14.49. The field would qualify and run heat races in Columbus' group format, and four action-packed heat races saw Wing, Clanton, "The Wild Child" James Dean, and Marty Hardy take wins to lead the top 16 drivers to be locked into the feature field. Two B-Mains helped fill out the 22-car MSCCS main event roster, with Scott Slay taking the first win from the pole while Garrett Durrett charged from 7th to take the win in the incredible second last-chance race. Dennis Duncan would receive the MSCCS points provisional and Glenn Roberts took the Columbus Speedway track points provisional to fill out the field.
Starting ceremonies included well-received talks with Mississippi dirt racing legends "The Mississippi Flyer" Jerry Inmon, a National Dirt Track Hall of Famer, and "The Tupelo Flash" Don Hester, with Hester giving the command to start engines.
The feature race began with a three-wide blast through turns 1 and 2, but polesitter Wing came up limp as Clanton and Bub McCool raced by on the backstretch. Wing would leave the track with mechanical trouble and would not be able to return, and the field lined up for a complete restart with Dean moving up a row to take over the pole. Clanton, Dean, and "The Ragin' Rebel" David Breazeale would then pick up with the three-wide racing for the point at the start, with Clanton coming out on top as the field raced down the back side. Philip Cooper would go under McCool as David Breazeale ran the rim for a three-way, door-to-door dance for second with Clanton and Dean out front. McCool would race to the low side of Breazeale, and Breazeale would shed the #57J and dive to the inside of Dean in a race for second place as Kenny Merchant began to show his face near the front of the pack.
Merchant would move up to join the wild action, racing three-wide with Marty Hardy and Rushing while Breazeale continued working the hub on topside flyer Dean for second place. The two would run several successive laps side-by-side through the turns and the straights, the action never letting up until the #2R of Roberts brought out the first of what would be a series of cautions for the next several laps on lap 8.
Rushing, Cooper, and McCool sparred wildly for one lap until Breazeale experienced mechanical trouble, then got hung in the infield mud (due to persistent rains) to bring out a lap 10 caution. Breazeale would pull off to the pits but did return to the track. On the restart, the field raced hard around the speedway and McCool, Dean, Rushing, and Cooper blasted 4-wide through turn 4 as Clanton pulled up lame right above them after tossing a driveshaft, bringing out a second lap 10 caution. More three-wide action (this time for the lead) in two saw Cooper spin to the wall and bottle up "Ravishing" Rick Rickman and "The Phenix City Assassin" Terrance Nowell high in turn 1, with Rickman unable to continue. At this point, Dean, McCool, 10th-starting Rushing, Hardy, and 13th-starting Merchant made up the top ten.
Rushing would pull under McCool on the lap 10 restart, and McCool responded by blasting by both Rushing and Dean down the backstretch and hard into turn 3. Dean would hold on as McCool bobbled before the last of the brutal series of early-race cautions fell on lap 12 with Durrett getting hung up at the pit road exit while trying to get off the track. With the mayhem out of the way, it was time to really get down to business.
McCool would attack the hub as Dean raced around halfway up the banking, while Rushing started to inch in using the top groove. As the three leaders danced around on the track racing wildly, Rushing dove to the hub to mount another offense. Hardy, now 4th, would come in on the bottom to challenge, as Rushing once again went up top with McCool now on the hub as Dean held the lead. Merchant, running the rim, would move side-by-side with Hardy, still on the bottom, and Rushing would clear McCool to take second place and dive inside Dean, now on the rim, to begin a long series of challenges for the lead. McCool, Merchant, and Hardy blasted three-wide around the track, all right on the bumpers of the two battling leaders.
McCool would drive inside Rushing again, and soon Dean, Rushing, and McCool engaged in a 3-wide battle for the top spot. Lap after lap McCool would run the hub below Rushing, the #70 1/2 running the middle of the track, as Dean sailed up top and held the slightest of advantages. McCool would ease back to fend off a hard-charging Hardy, who had retaken 4th place from Merchant. Dean and Rushing then ran door-to-door all the way around the track for several laps until Dean finally wrenched the lead back for himself as Merchant and McCool continued to wage war for 3rd.
Merchant would take third place on lap 26, and McCool would immediately begin to mount a fresh challenge as the two caught up with Rushing. Merchant would shrug off McCool for the moment and move to the inside of Rushing through turns 1 and 2, but Rushing would run off after Dean. "The Pontotoc Pirate" Steve Russell could be seen racing side-by-side with Nowell, who had come alive not far back in the pack, as Rushing sailed the rim after Dean, now running the hub of the track in the lead. Rushing would take the top spot from Dean on lap 29, and Dean would pull right back up to the new leader just before another caution fell as Russell experienced car trouble. Rushing, Dean, Merchant, McCool, and Hardy would make up the top five at this point.
Dean would blast to the hub on Rushing as the race resumed, with McCool following suit under Merchant as Hardy went to the bottom running 4th. McCool would continued running alongside Merchant lap after lap, while 12th-starting Nowell came in to race Hardy as he marched toward the front. McCool regained 3rd place on lap 34, and Hardy picked up the torch to battle Merchant for 4th place in several laps of side-by-side action. Merchant then quickly lost several positions on the backstretch, falling backwards into another wild battle with Ricky Williams and Scott Slay for 7th place before the final caution fell on lap 40 for Glenn Roberts.
McCool would dive under Dean as the final leg of the 59-lap event began, with Hardy soon driving under both to the extreme hub. As Rushing held on not far ahead, the three fought tooth-and-nail for the runner-up spot until Nowell raced in to grab 4th place from Hardy. McCool would gain ground on Dean with every door-to-door lap, and the battle heated with each passing lap until McCool took second as Nowell ran right on Dean's bumper. Hardy would dive in again as the battle for 3rd now went triple-wide, then Hardy and Nowell shed Dean and raced side-by-side as McCool chased Rushing.
Nowell would take 3rd for himself on lap 47, then clear McCool and take second place on the following lap. Hardy and Dean would race top-and-bottom for 4th as Nowell began reeling in Rushing. Dean would begin to fall back, and Hardy once again came after McCool, going inside and holding to the night's theme of side-by-side action.
Nowell would be on Rushing's rear bumper on the final lap, with McCool diving to the hub under both black cars. The #16 of Dean would spin on the front stretch and come to a stop as the drivers blasted down the backstretch and through turns 3 and 4 as the white flag waved. The leaders would blaze by the sideways Roberts across the finish line to take the checkered flag. Rushing would collect the hard-earned win, followed by Nowell, McCool, Hardy, and 19th-starting consy transfer Williams. Slay, Duncan, Merchant, Wayne Martin, and Cooper rounded out the top ten. Rushing's win gives him 4 out of 5 John L. Cliett Tribute trophies, with 2003 winner Mike Boland being the only other winner of the prestigious event. Rushing, who started the race in 10th place, rode to victory in a Jay Dickens-powered Rocket Chassis Monte Carlo shod with American Racer tires to take home the $5,000 prize atop the richest purse in MSCCS history. Williams would receive the $250 Hard Charger award presented by the Columbus Speedway "Lies and Rumors Lounge", a section of supportive fans.
"Flyin" Brian Rickman and father "Fast" Eddie Rickman battle door-to-door for almost the entire Open-Wheel Modified feature for the lead. Lee Ray would run behind the duo early until losing an engine in a plume of smoke, giving way to Matt Price. Brian Rickman would take the win, followed by Eddie Rickman, Price, "The Deerslayer" Chris Glenn, and "Mr. Untouchable" Jason Hollis. Bill Sudduth, Trinity Wyers, Mike Shaw, Mike Pickard, and Duke Polasini completed the top ten.
Johnny Swink would take the early lead in Pro Street action and hold off several challenges by Mike Gore for most of the race, despite losing his spoiler after contact with a lapped car. Mike Langford eased up through the pack to take the lead away from Swink on the final lap and grab the win. Swink, Gore, Billy Cook, and Chase Christians took home top-five finishes.
Terry Kelley fought hard during the Street Stock feature to hold off TK King and Terry King up front, but the younger King (TK) would manage to squeak by to take the win. Kelley would bring home second, while Mike Barton and David Honeycutt moved in to take 3rd and 4th ahead of Terry King.
Scott Gable escaped adversity to claim his second Mini Stock feature win in a row at Columbus, coming off a big win in the Summer Sizzler special last week. Stanley Busbin, Keith McCool, Mike Minor, and Robert Sanders earned top-five honors. Jeremy Glasgow & Buddy Glover took the Two-Person Cruiser win.
Columbus Speedway will not be racing next Saturday, June 24th in support of the Mike Head Jr. Memorial race at Talladega Short Track. A great event for a great cause, the Head Jr. Memorial is part of the Southern All Star Super Late Model Series. Action will resume in two weeks with a Weekly Racing Series full program plus the Pro Street and Cruisers "Bash Masters Classic" special event.
Thanks to all the drivers and fans who participated in the 5th Annual John L. Cliett Tribute! Come out join us once again at "The Baddest Bullring in the South"!
Super Late Model - John L. Cliett Tribute
59 Laps - $5,000-to-win
Pos. Car# Driver (Started)
1ST 70 1/2 ANTHONY RUSHING (10)
2ND 55 TERRANCE NOWELL (12)
3RD 57J BUB MCCOOL (6)
4TH M6 MARTY HARDY (4)
5TH 17 RICKY WILLIAMS (19)
6TH 6 SCOTT SLAY (17)
7TH 8 DENNIS DUNCAN (22)
8TH C28 KENNY MERCHANT (13)
9TH 2 WAYNE MARTIN (20)
10TH 98C PHILIP COOPER (7)
11TH 16 JAMES DEAN (3)
12TH 2R GLENN ROBERTS (22)
13TH 72 STEVE RUSSELL (14)
14TH 54 DAVID BREAZEALE (5)
15TH 20 TOMBO CALLAHAN (9)
16TH 5 SHAWN EDWARDS (16)
17TH 58 GARRETT DURRETT (18)
18TH 86 RICK RICKMAN (8)
19TH 0 BRANDON REGISTER (11)
20TH 25 SHANE CLANTON (2)
21ST 5 TREY CULLUM (15)
22ND 10 RODNEY WING (1)
Open-Wheel Modified - Top 10
1ST 90 BRIAN RICKMAN
2ND L90 EDDIE RICKMAN
3RD 17 MATT PRICE
4TH 66 CHRIS GLENN
5TH 5 JASON HOLLIS
6TH 41 BILL SUDDUTH
7TH X TRINITY WYERS
8TH 43 MIKE SHAW
9TH 3M MIKE PICKARD
10TH V8 DUKE POLASINI
Pro Street - Top 5
1ST 22 MIKE LANGFORD
2ND 390 JOHNNY SWINK
3RD 45 MIKE GORE
4TH B2 BILLY COOK
5TH 10 CHASE CHRISTIAN
Street Stock - Top 5
1ST 6 TK KING
2ND 00 TERRY KELLEY
3RD 27 MIKE BARTON
4TH 15 DAVID HONEYCUTT
5TH 6 TERRY KING
Mini Stock - Top 5
1ST 7 SCOTT GABLE
2ND 6 STANLEY BUSBIN
3RD 527 KEITH MCCOOL
4TH 2 MIKE MINOR
5TH 1 ROBERT SANDERS
Two-Person Cruiser - Top 5
1ST 24 JEREMY GLASGOW & BUDDY GLOVER
2ND 888 MIKE PEARSON & ??
3RD 69 JEREMY ROBERTSON & ALAN HALL
4TH 8 GREG & BLAINE DAVIS
5TH 11X JOE & ROSE WEEKS
Despite a threatening forecast and periodic rainfall during the day, Johnny Stokes and crew would stick to thier guns to their guns, and the continuous massaging of the high-banked-red clay oval over the course of the evening provided one of the finest fast racing surfaces ever seen at "The Bullring". A very good crowd of fans came out to see the Mississippi State Championship Challenge series Super Late Model special event as well as a full show in all other divisions at Columbus. 34 of the region's finest Super Late Model drivers made up the field of the prestigious event honoring the man known as "The One and Only".
"Lugnut" Rodney Wing would take the fast time in MidsouthRacing.com Pole Qualifying with a 14.41, just over Shane Clanton's 14.49. The field would qualify and run heat races in Columbus' group format, and four action-packed heat races saw Wing, Clanton, "The Wild Child" James Dean, and Marty Hardy take wins to lead the top 16 drivers to be locked into the feature field. Two B-Mains helped fill out the 22-car MSCCS main event roster, with Scott Slay taking the first win from the pole while Garrett Durrett charged from 7th to take the win in the incredible second last-chance race. Dennis Duncan would receive the MSCCS points provisional and Glenn Roberts took the Columbus Speedway track points provisional to fill out the field.
Starting ceremonies included well-received talks with Mississippi dirt racing legends "The Mississippi Flyer" Jerry Inmon, a National Dirt Track Hall of Famer, and "The Tupelo Flash" Don Hester, with Hester giving the command to start engines.
The feature race began with a three-wide blast through turns 1 and 2, but polesitter Wing came up limp as Clanton and Bub McCool raced by on the backstretch. Wing would leave the track with mechanical trouble and would not be able to return, and the field lined up for a complete restart with Dean moving up a row to take over the pole. Clanton, Dean, and "The Ragin' Rebel" David Breazeale would then pick up with the three-wide racing for the point at the start, with Clanton coming out on top as the field raced down the back side. Philip Cooper would go under McCool as David Breazeale ran the rim for a three-way, door-to-door dance for second with Clanton and Dean out front. McCool would race to the low side of Breazeale, and Breazeale would shed the #57J and dive to the inside of Dean in a race for second place as Kenny Merchant began to show his face near the front of the pack.
Merchant would move up to join the wild action, racing three-wide with Marty Hardy and Rushing while Breazeale continued working the hub on topside flyer Dean for second place. The two would run several successive laps side-by-side through the turns and the straights, the action never letting up until the #2R of Roberts brought out the first of what would be a series of cautions for the next several laps on lap 8.
Rushing, Cooper, and McCool sparred wildly for one lap until Breazeale experienced mechanical trouble, then got hung in the infield mud (due to persistent rains) to bring out a lap 10 caution. Breazeale would pull off to the pits but did return to the track. On the restart, the field raced hard around the speedway and McCool, Dean, Rushing, and Cooper blasted 4-wide through turn 4 as Clanton pulled up lame right above them after tossing a driveshaft, bringing out a second lap 10 caution. More three-wide action (this time for the lead) in two saw Cooper spin to the wall and bottle up "Ravishing" Rick Rickman and "The Phenix City Assassin" Terrance Nowell high in turn 1, with Rickman unable to continue. At this point, Dean, McCool, 10th-starting Rushing, Hardy, and 13th-starting Merchant made up the top ten.
Rushing would pull under McCool on the lap 10 restart, and McCool responded by blasting by both Rushing and Dean down the backstretch and hard into turn 3. Dean would hold on as McCool bobbled before the last of the brutal series of early-race cautions fell on lap 12 with Durrett getting hung up at the pit road exit while trying to get off the track. With the mayhem out of the way, it was time to really get down to business.
McCool would attack the hub as Dean raced around halfway up the banking, while Rushing started to inch in using the top groove. As the three leaders danced around on the track racing wildly, Rushing dove to the hub to mount another offense. Hardy, now 4th, would come in on the bottom to challenge, as Rushing once again went up top with McCool now on the hub as Dean held the lead. Merchant, running the rim, would move side-by-side with Hardy, still on the bottom, and Rushing would clear McCool to take second place and dive inside Dean, now on the rim, to begin a long series of challenges for the lead. McCool, Merchant, and Hardy blasted three-wide around the track, all right on the bumpers of the two battling leaders.
McCool would drive inside Rushing again, and soon Dean, Rushing, and McCool engaged in a 3-wide battle for the top spot. Lap after lap McCool would run the hub below Rushing, the #70 1/2 running the middle of the track, as Dean sailed up top and held the slightest of advantages. McCool would ease back to fend off a hard-charging Hardy, who had retaken 4th place from Merchant. Dean and Rushing then ran door-to-door all the way around the track for several laps until Dean finally wrenched the lead back for himself as Merchant and McCool continued to wage war for 3rd.
Merchant would take third place on lap 26, and McCool would immediately begin to mount a fresh challenge as the two caught up with Rushing. Merchant would shrug off McCool for the moment and move to the inside of Rushing through turns 1 and 2, but Rushing would run off after Dean. "The Pontotoc Pirate" Steve Russell could be seen racing side-by-side with Nowell, who had come alive not far back in the pack, as Rushing sailed the rim after Dean, now running the hub of the track in the lead. Rushing would take the top spot from Dean on lap 29, and Dean would pull right back up to the new leader just before another caution fell as Russell experienced car trouble. Rushing, Dean, Merchant, McCool, and Hardy would make up the top five at this point.
Dean would blast to the hub on Rushing as the race resumed, with McCool following suit under Merchant as Hardy went to the bottom running 4th. McCool would continued running alongside Merchant lap after lap, while 12th-starting Nowell came in to race Hardy as he marched toward the front. McCool regained 3rd place on lap 34, and Hardy picked up the torch to battle Merchant for 4th place in several laps of side-by-side action. Merchant then quickly lost several positions on the backstretch, falling backwards into another wild battle with Ricky Williams and Scott Slay for 7th place before the final caution fell on lap 40 for Glenn Roberts.
McCool would dive under Dean as the final leg of the 59-lap event began, with Hardy soon driving under both to the extreme hub. As Rushing held on not far ahead, the three fought tooth-and-nail for the runner-up spot until Nowell raced in to grab 4th place from Hardy. McCool would gain ground on Dean with every door-to-door lap, and the battle heated with each passing lap until McCool took second as Nowell ran right on Dean's bumper. Hardy would dive in again as the battle for 3rd now went triple-wide, then Hardy and Nowell shed Dean and raced side-by-side as McCool chased Rushing.
Nowell would take 3rd for himself on lap 47, then clear McCool and take second place on the following lap. Hardy and Dean would race top-and-bottom for 4th as Nowell began reeling in Rushing. Dean would begin to fall back, and Hardy once again came after McCool, going inside and holding to the night's theme of side-by-side action.
Nowell would be on Rushing's rear bumper on the final lap, with McCool diving to the hub under both black cars. The #16 of Dean would spin on the front stretch and come to a stop as the drivers blasted down the backstretch and through turns 3 and 4 as the white flag waved. The leaders would blaze by the sideways Roberts across the finish line to take the checkered flag. Rushing would collect the hard-earned win, followed by Nowell, McCool, Hardy, and 19th-starting consy transfer Williams. Slay, Duncan, Merchant, Wayne Martin, and Cooper rounded out the top ten. Rushing's win gives him 4 out of 5 John L. Cliett Tribute trophies, with 2003 winner Mike Boland being the only other winner of the prestigious event. Rushing, who started the race in 10th place, rode to victory in a Jay Dickens-powered Rocket Chassis Monte Carlo shod with American Racer tires to take home the $5,000 prize atop the richest purse in MSCCS history. Williams would receive the $250 Hard Charger award presented by the Columbus Speedway "Lies and Rumors Lounge", a section of supportive fans.
"Flyin" Brian Rickman and father "Fast" Eddie Rickman battle door-to-door for almost the entire Open-Wheel Modified feature for the lead. Lee Ray would run behind the duo early until losing an engine in a plume of smoke, giving way to Matt Price. Brian Rickman would take the win, followed by Eddie Rickman, Price, "The Deerslayer" Chris Glenn, and "Mr. Untouchable" Jason Hollis. Bill Sudduth, Trinity Wyers, Mike Shaw, Mike Pickard, and Duke Polasini completed the top ten.
Johnny Swink would take the early lead in Pro Street action and hold off several challenges by Mike Gore for most of the race, despite losing his spoiler after contact with a lapped car. Mike Langford eased up through the pack to take the lead away from Swink on the final lap and grab the win. Swink, Gore, Billy Cook, and Chase Christians took home top-five finishes.
Terry Kelley fought hard during the Street Stock feature to hold off TK King and Terry King up front, but the younger King (TK) would manage to squeak by to take the win. Kelley would bring home second, while Mike Barton and David Honeycutt moved in to take 3rd and 4th ahead of Terry King.
Scott Gable escaped adversity to claim his second Mini Stock feature win in a row at Columbus, coming off a big win in the Summer Sizzler special last week. Stanley Busbin, Keith McCool, Mike Minor, and Robert Sanders earned top-five honors. Jeremy Glasgow & Buddy Glover took the Two-Person Cruiser win.
Columbus Speedway will not be racing next Saturday, June 24th in support of the Mike Head Jr. Memorial race at Talladega Short Track. A great event for a great cause, the Head Jr. Memorial is part of the Southern All Star Super Late Model Series. Action will resume in two weeks with a Weekly Racing Series full program plus the Pro Street and Cruisers "Bash Masters Classic" special event.
Thanks to all the drivers and fans who participated in the 5th Annual John L. Cliett Tribute! Come out join us once again at "The Baddest Bullring in the South"!
Super Late Model - John L. Cliett Tribute
59 Laps - $5,000-to-win
Pos. Car# Driver (Started)
1ST 70 1/2 ANTHONY RUSHING (10)
2ND 55 TERRANCE NOWELL (12)
3RD 57J BUB MCCOOL (6)
4TH M6 MARTY HARDY (4)
5TH 17 RICKY WILLIAMS (19)
6TH 6 SCOTT SLAY (17)
7TH 8 DENNIS DUNCAN (22)
8TH C28 KENNY MERCHANT (13)
9TH 2 WAYNE MARTIN (20)
10TH 98C PHILIP COOPER (7)
11TH 16 JAMES DEAN (3)
12TH 2R GLENN ROBERTS (22)
13TH 72 STEVE RUSSELL (14)
14TH 54 DAVID BREAZEALE (5)
15TH 20 TOMBO CALLAHAN (9)
16TH 5 SHAWN EDWARDS (16)
17TH 58 GARRETT DURRETT (18)
18TH 86 RICK RICKMAN (8)
19TH 0 BRANDON REGISTER (11)
20TH 25 SHANE CLANTON (2)
21ST 5 TREY CULLUM (15)
22ND 10 RODNEY WING (1)
Open-Wheel Modified - Top 10
1ST 90 BRIAN RICKMAN
2ND L90 EDDIE RICKMAN
3RD 17 MATT PRICE
4TH 66 CHRIS GLENN
5TH 5 JASON HOLLIS
6TH 41 BILL SUDDUTH
7TH X TRINITY WYERS
8TH 43 MIKE SHAW
9TH 3M MIKE PICKARD
10TH V8 DUKE POLASINI
Pro Street - Top 5
1ST 22 MIKE LANGFORD
2ND 390 JOHNNY SWINK
3RD 45 MIKE GORE
4TH B2 BILLY COOK
5TH 10 CHASE CHRISTIAN
Street Stock - Top 5
1ST 6 TK KING
2ND 00 TERRY KELLEY
3RD 27 MIKE BARTON
4TH 15 DAVID HONEYCUTT
5TH 6 TERRY KING
Mini Stock - Top 5
1ST 7 SCOTT GABLE
2ND 6 STANLEY BUSBIN
3RD 527 KEITH MCCOOL
4TH 2 MIKE MINOR
5TH 1 ROBERT SANDERS
Two-Person Cruiser - Top 5
1ST 24 JEREMY GLASGOW & BUDDY GLOVER
2ND 888 MIKE PEARSON & ??
3RD 69 JEREMY ROBERTSON & ALAN HALL
4TH 8 GREG & BLAINE DAVIS
5TH 11X JOE & ROSE WEEKS
