Columbus, MS-The Mississippi State Championship Challenge will make its first appearance on the 2004 tour at Columbus Speedway this Saturday night for the 1st Annual Richard Underwood Memorial. The Columbus Speedway event will be in honor of the late Richard Underwood of Starkville. Underwood was a staunch supporter of racing in Mississippi and especially at Columbus Speedway. Mr. Underwood sponsored many drivers both monetarily and spiritually along with many special events including the Rick’s Furniture Series. The Underwood family, including Mrs. Barbara Underwood, has provided support to the racing community beyond the reasonable call of duty. Thus the reason for honoring Richard Underwood, affectionately known as “Big Daddy” with the “Big Daddy 50” in which should be one of the highlight events on the 2004 Columbus Speedway and MSCCS season.
Drivers of the MSCCS tour will also be met with a somewhat different Columbus Speedway surface as there have been changes made to the speedway banking and track prep that appeared to have enhanced the already exciting racing that area fans have become accustomed to seeing. The changes in the track have so far served to augment the already racy facility with the bottom and middle grooves having shown to now be competitive with the high side line that Columbus Speedway has been noted for providing. The speed of the track has been intentionally slowed down slightly as well; leaving many drivers and teams in a quandary as to which engine combination and set up to bring to the big race this Saturday night. Therefore it should provide for a great night of racing action as the talent and skills of Mississippi’s and the region’s best race teams will be showcased in the 50-lap championship main event. All Columbus Speedway local divisions will also be in action for the first event of the 2004 Columbus Speedway Weekly Racing Series with the title chases getting underway on the big night.
The racing should be exceptionally intense as a great field of drivers is expected to be on hand with reigning Mississippi State Champion Scott Slay of Clinton currently is leading the title chase along with already having 2 MSCCS wins to his credit on the young season. Dennis Duncan of Terry, who also has a win this year, is hot on the trail of Slay, with “The Lugnut” Rodney Wing of Meridian closely residing in third place. ‘The Ragin’ Rebel” David Breazeale sits in fourth place and is coming off win at Columbus Speedway last Saturday night and the “Intimigator” Chris Wall of Louisiana rounds out the top five while also maintaining a comfortable lead in the Boland Performance Rookie of the Year category.
The local contingent is expected to be led by drivers such as “Marvelous” Mark Stokes, “The Prowler” Shawn Edwards, 2003 Columbus Speedway Track Champion “The Weir Wolf” Tombo Callahan, “The Pontotoc Pirate” Steve Russell,, “Rapid” Ronny Lee Hollingsworth, “Ravishing” Rick Rickman, Clint Hardin, plus many more top local and State Series drivers. Other drivers expected that are in the top 10 in MSCCS points and that are traveling with the series this year include Mike Boland, Keith Miller, Phillip Cooper, Jason Cliburn, and James Dean all in the MSCCS top 10, plus BP Rookie of the Year candidates Greg Fore and Josh Fuller, along with Randy Little, Marty Hardy and Jason Smith. The potent field of top regional talent assembled should provide for an electrifying night of motorsports entertainment.
The exciting night of racing will feature the 50-lap $3,000 and $300 to start 1st Annual Richard Underwood Memorial main event. Action will consist of Brown Engineering Pole Qualifying locking in the top eight qualifiers with positions 9 through 20 set by Cliburn Tank Lines B-Main events plus two provisional starters to complete the 22-car starting field.
Event information for Richard Underwood Memorial has grandstand gates opening at 5pm with action at 7:30pm. Adult grandstand admission is only $15 with children ages 10 and under admitted free. Speedway information can be obtained by calling Johnny Stokes at 662-574-2572 during the day or at 662-327-3047 in the evenings. Additional Columbus Speedway information can be found on the Columbus Speedway Internet home hosted at www.midsouthracing.com or by calling the Columbus Speedway event hotline at 662-241-5004.
For more information about the Mississippi State Championship Challenge Series please visit the MSCCS website at www.stateseries.com or call Charles Thrash at 601-917-2335 days or 601-482-5251 evenings.
MSCCS Top 10 in points:
1-Scott Slay-720 2-Dennis Duncan-665 3-Rodney Wing-650 4- David Breazeale-615 5- Chris Wall®-610 6- Mike Boland 550 7-Phillip Cooper-535 8-Keith Miller-535 9-Jason Cliburn-490 10-James Dean-395
2004 MSCCS Winners:
3/6 South Mississippi Speedway – Jimbo McDuffie
3/20 Queen City Speedway – Anthony Rushing
3/27 SCMP – Scott Slay
4/10 Jackson Motor Speedway – Dennis Duncan
4/16 Southern Speedway – Scott Slay
4/17 South Mississippi Speedway – Mike Boland
Brown Engineering Fast Gun Award Standings:
Chris Wall -1
Anthony Rushing – 1
Randy Walters – 1
David Breazeale - 1
Scott Slay – 1
Mike Boland – 1
Upcoming MSSCS Events:
May 1st-Columbus Speedway-$3,000 to win
June 1st-Queen City Speedway-$2,000 to win
June 2nd-Jackson Motor Speedway-$2,500 to win
Drivers of the MSCCS tour will also be met with a somewhat different Columbus Speedway surface as there have been changes made to the speedway banking and track prep that appeared to have enhanced the already exciting racing that area fans have become accustomed to seeing. The changes in the track have so far served to augment the already racy facility with the bottom and middle grooves having shown to now be competitive with the high side line that Columbus Speedway has been noted for providing. The speed of the track has been intentionally slowed down slightly as well; leaving many drivers and teams in a quandary as to which engine combination and set up to bring to the big race this Saturday night. Therefore it should provide for a great night of racing action as the talent and skills of Mississippi’s and the region’s best race teams will be showcased in the 50-lap championship main event. All Columbus Speedway local divisions will also be in action for the first event of the 2004 Columbus Speedway Weekly Racing Series with the title chases getting underway on the big night.
The racing should be exceptionally intense as a great field of drivers is expected to be on hand with reigning Mississippi State Champion Scott Slay of Clinton currently is leading the title chase along with already having 2 MSCCS wins to his credit on the young season. Dennis Duncan of Terry, who also has a win this year, is hot on the trail of Slay, with “The Lugnut” Rodney Wing of Meridian closely residing in third place. ‘The Ragin’ Rebel” David Breazeale sits in fourth place and is coming off win at Columbus Speedway last Saturday night and the “Intimigator” Chris Wall of Louisiana rounds out the top five while also maintaining a comfortable lead in the Boland Performance Rookie of the Year category.
The local contingent is expected to be led by drivers such as “Marvelous” Mark Stokes, “The Prowler” Shawn Edwards, 2003 Columbus Speedway Track Champion “The Weir Wolf” Tombo Callahan, “The Pontotoc Pirate” Steve Russell,, “Rapid” Ronny Lee Hollingsworth, “Ravishing” Rick Rickman, Clint Hardin, plus many more top local and State Series drivers. Other drivers expected that are in the top 10 in MSCCS points and that are traveling with the series this year include Mike Boland, Keith Miller, Phillip Cooper, Jason Cliburn, and James Dean all in the MSCCS top 10, plus BP Rookie of the Year candidates Greg Fore and Josh Fuller, along with Randy Little, Marty Hardy and Jason Smith. The potent field of top regional talent assembled should provide for an electrifying night of motorsports entertainment.
The exciting night of racing will feature the 50-lap $3,000 and $300 to start 1st Annual Richard Underwood Memorial main event. Action will consist of Brown Engineering Pole Qualifying locking in the top eight qualifiers with positions 9 through 20 set by Cliburn Tank Lines B-Main events plus two provisional starters to complete the 22-car starting field.
Event information for Richard Underwood Memorial has grandstand gates opening at 5pm with action at 7:30pm. Adult grandstand admission is only $15 with children ages 10 and under admitted free. Speedway information can be obtained by calling Johnny Stokes at 662-574-2572 during the day or at 662-327-3047 in the evenings. Additional Columbus Speedway information can be found on the Columbus Speedway Internet home hosted at www.midsouthracing.com or by calling the Columbus Speedway event hotline at 662-241-5004.
For more information about the Mississippi State Championship Challenge Series please visit the MSCCS website at www.stateseries.com or call Charles Thrash at 601-917-2335 days or 601-482-5251 evenings.
MSCCS Top 10 in points:
1-Scott Slay-720 2-Dennis Duncan-665 3-Rodney Wing-650 4- David Breazeale-615 5- Chris Wall®-610 6- Mike Boland 550 7-Phillip Cooper-535 8-Keith Miller-535 9-Jason Cliburn-490 10-James Dean-395
2004 MSCCS Winners:
3/6 South Mississippi Speedway – Jimbo McDuffie
3/20 Queen City Speedway – Anthony Rushing
3/27 SCMP – Scott Slay
4/10 Jackson Motor Speedway – Dennis Duncan
4/16 Southern Speedway – Scott Slay
4/17 South Mississippi Speedway – Mike Boland
Brown Engineering Fast Gun Award Standings:
Chris Wall -1
Anthony Rushing – 1
Randy Walters – 1
David Breazeale - 1
Scott Slay – 1
Mike Boland – 1
Upcoming MSSCS Events:
May 1st-Columbus Speedway-$3,000 to win
June 1st-Queen City Speedway-$2,000 to win
June 2nd-Jackson Motor Speedway-$2,500 to win
