Greenville, Mississippi (10/05/12) – Forty-four Super Late Models converged on Greenville Speedway (Greenville, Mississippi) on Friday night for the opening round of the 6th Annual Gumbo Nationals, and it was Ronny Lee Hollingsworth and Kyle Beard, who earned front row starting spots for Saturday night’s $7,500-to-win finale.
Klint Byars led the way in time trials by setting fast time in Group A and fast time overall with a 14.276 second lap around the ¼ mile oval. Kyle Beard led the way in Group B by registering a 14.327 second lap.
Byars set on the pole for heat race #1 with Ronny Lee Hollingsworth starting to his outside. After seeing the initial lap nullified because of an accident involving Chris Showah, the race finally got underway as Byars, Hollingsworth, and third starting, Jack Sullivan flared three wide for the lead. Exiting turn two on the first lap Hollingsworth took over the lead and set sail as the battle heated up between Byars, Sullivan, and Robbie Starnes. The driver on the move was eleventh starting Timothy Culp, who was into the fifth spot in the first two laps. After a lap 2 caution Culp moved into the top four and would go on to finish second behind race winner, Ronny Lee Hollingsworth. Byars and Starnes rounded out the transfer cars.
In heat race #2 Greg Fore and Bub McCool brought the field to the green, and just like in the first heat race the initial start would be nullified. The second start saw the race get underway as Fore won the drag race to turn one over McCool. However, entering turn three McCool would throw a big slide job at Fore, and took over the top spot. As McCool extended his advantage Fore and Moore began to battle for the second spot as eleventh starting Chad Thrash worked his way through the pack. At the finish line McCool claimed the win over Fore, Moore, and Thrash.
Heat race #3 saw turn one fireworks as pole-sitter, Kyle Beard, tried a slide job on fellow front row starter, Brian Rickman, but would fail to have him completely cleared as the pair made contact sending Rickman into the turn two wall. Luckily both drivers would be able to continue as the race remained green with Beard in the lead and BJ Robinson jumping to the second spot. Over the remainder of the event Beard led the way to claim the win over Robinson, Brian Rickman, and Rick Rickman.
The fourth and final heat race of the night saw the most intense action. Josh Putnam and Billy Moyer Jr. led the field to the green flag with Moyer Jr. claiming the lead exiting turn two. Behind the lead duo a three and four wide battle raged for the third spot between Billy Moyer, Mike Palasini Jr., Scott Dedwylder, and Tanner English. While Moyer Jr. was pressured the duration of the event by Putnam, great action was being seen by the fans as drivers swapped positions three through seventh on a lap by lap basis. At the line Billy Moyer Jr. scored the win over Putnam, Dedwylder (started eighth), and Mike Palasini Jr.
On Saturday evening the final night of the 6th Annual Gumbo Nationals will be held, which will include b-mains, a last chance race, and the 75 lap finale for the MSCCS Super Late Model division.
B-Mains and the $5,000-to-win finale for the NeSmith Late Model Series will be held as well with b-mains and the $1,500-to-win finale for the Street Stocks. Open Wheel Modifieds and the Kajun Mini Stocks will also contest their finales.
Gates open at 5pm with the driver’s meeting on Saturday slated for 5:30pm with racing action at 6pm.
On Saturday night grandstand admission is $20 with senior citizen admission $15 and kids $5.
Saturday night pit admission is $35 for adults with kids ages 6-14 years-of-age $10, and ages 5 & under are free.
For more information on the event, please contact James Clolinger at 662-822-2662, Wesley Washington at 662-822-7071, Ben Shelton at 901-335-3037 or visit www.GreenvilleSpeedway.net .
Heat Race #1 Finish
1)Ronny Lee Hollingsworth 2)Timothy Culp 3)Klint Byars 4)Robbie Starnes 5)Jack Sullivan 6)Robert Baker 7)Bo Gordon 8)Dane Dacus 9)Leon Henderson 10)Christopher Showah 11)Mike Harris
Heat Race #2 Finish
1)Bub McCool 2)Greg Fore 3)Ray Moore 4)Chad Thrash 5)Morgan Bagley 6)Brett Fraizer 7)Troy Berdan 8)Tommy Surrett 9)Stephen Chevallier 10)Mike McNay 11)Jeff Young
Heat Race #3 Finish
1)Kyle Beard 2)BJ Robinson 3)Brian Rickman 4)Rick Rickman 5)Chris Wall 6)Wendell Wallace 7)Cliff Williams 8)Scott Creel 9)Allen Tippen 10)Jered Smith 11)Justin McRee
Heat Race #4 Finish
1)Billy Moyer Jr. 2)Josh Putnam 3)Scott Dedwylder 4)Mike Palasini Jr. 5)Tanner English 6)Billy Moyer 7)Jamie Elam 8)Tanner Kellick 9)Chris Huckabay 10)Seth McCormick
Top Sixteen A-Main Starters
Row 1: Ronny Lee Hollingsworth – Kyle Beard
Row 2: Bub McCool – Billy Moyer Jr.
Row 3: Timothy Culp – BJ Robinson
Row 4: Greg Fore – Josh Putnam
Row 5: Klint Byars – Brian Rickman
Row 6: Ray Moore – Scott Dedwylder
Row 7: Robbie Starnes – Rick Rickman
Row 8: Chad Thrash – Mike Palasini Jr.
B-Main #1
Row #1: Jack Sullivan – Morgan Bagley
Row #2: Robert Baker – Brett Fraizer
Row #3: Bo Gordon – Troy Berdan
Row #4: Dane Dacus – Tommy Surrett
Row #5: Leon Henderson – Stephen Chevallier
Row #6: Christopher Showah – Mike McNay
Row #7: Mike Harris – Jeff Young
B-Main #2
Row #1: Chris Wall – Tanner English
Row #2: Wendell Wallace – Billy Moyer
Row #3: Cliff Williams – Jamie Elam
Row #4: Scott Creel – Tanner Kellick
Row #5: Allen Tippen – Chris Huckabay
Row #6: Jered Smith – Seth McCormick
Row #7: Justin McRee – Doug Showah