From Istvan Molnar
Baton Rouge, Louisiana (October 16, 2004) - Michael Herrington, Jr. had only one way to win the 2004 O'Reilly SUPR Sprint Car title and that was to get to the front and hope he could outscore his closest competitors, Butch David and Shane Morgan. In other words, the title was not his to control, but control the race is what Herrington did and win the championship is what he did as his challengers had difficulties on there own so when the dust settled; Herrington had clinched the 2004 O'Reilly SUPR Sprint Car Championship.
At the start of the race pole sitter Harold Henderson shot to the lead in front of Shane Morgan with Butch David making the strong move from eight to third while Herrington slipped to fourth. Morgan would take control of the lead on lap three but he was soon under challenge from David who moved to second on lap five and was soon battling side-by-side with Morgan for the lead. By lap six we had a classic duel for the championship with Morgan in first, David in second and Herrington in third. But what looked to be a race long battle for the crown quickly took a sharp detour as Morgan and David battled into lapped traffic and as they raced by the car of Mark Pritchett, contact was made and Pritchett ended up flipping on the front stretch.
In the contact, Morgan apparently suffered damage to his car and he jumped onto pit road for a quick repair. The race was under caution at this point after a brief waving of the red flag that was quickly changed when it was apparent that Pritchett was not in harm's way. Still Morgan's crew, seeing the red waved his driver back to the front of the field. Morgan tried to jockey back in to position and in the process, contact was made with Michael Dupuy ending his night. Morgan was sent to the rear for pitting under yellow and the racing resumed with David up front of Herrington with Terry Vidrine, Harold Henderson and Seavy Cleemons the top five. Morgan tried his best to charge back through the field but his night would end early with left front damage from contact with another racer ending his title hopes.
The battle was now down to David and Herrington and Herrington was quick to seize control of the race with David running a close second. The title was still in David's reach as a second place finish would have clinched the title but his run ended eight laps shy of the checkers as his rear end seized ending his might and his title aspirations.
Michael Herrington continued to set a torrid pace up front and clinched his second consecutive O'Reilly SUPR Sprint Car Championship with the victory, his 17th career SUPR win. Harold Henderson battled back by Terry Vidrine to claim second followed by Vidrine, Clemmons and Wendell Magnon.
Jerry Aguillard of Youngsville , Louisiana finished a solid eight place to secure the 2004 Wynn's/J.D. Byrider Rookie of the Year title. Adam Moneyhun, who finished sixth was the runner-up in the rookie chase with Seavy Clemmons, making a late charge to finish third.
20 O'Reilly SUPR Sprint Cars were on hand with Shane Morgan, Michael Herrington and Terry Vidrine taking the heat race wins.
Official Results:
1. Michael Herrington
2. Harold Henderson
3. Terry Vidrine
4. Seavy Clemmons
5. Wendell Magnon
6. Adam Moneyhun
7. Cary Farmer
8. Jerry Aguillard
9. Neil McCarl
10. Paul Gleber
11. Butch David
12. Larry Todd
13. Shane Morgan
14. David Forbis
15. Michael Dupuy
16. Terry Monroe
17. Mark Pritchett
18. David Noker
19. Mark Tate - dns
20. Billy Gunter - dns
Baton Rouge, Louisiana (October 16, 2004) - Michael Herrington, Jr. had only one way to win the 2004 O'Reilly SUPR Sprint Car title and that was to get to the front and hope he could outscore his closest competitors, Butch David and Shane Morgan. In other words, the title was not his to control, but control the race is what Herrington did and win the championship is what he did as his challengers had difficulties on there own so when the dust settled; Herrington had clinched the 2004 O'Reilly SUPR Sprint Car Championship.
At the start of the race pole sitter Harold Henderson shot to the lead in front of Shane Morgan with Butch David making the strong move from eight to third while Herrington slipped to fourth. Morgan would take control of the lead on lap three but he was soon under challenge from David who moved to second on lap five and was soon battling side-by-side with Morgan for the lead. By lap six we had a classic duel for the championship with Morgan in first, David in second and Herrington in third. But what looked to be a race long battle for the crown quickly took a sharp detour as Morgan and David battled into lapped traffic and as they raced by the car of Mark Pritchett, contact was made and Pritchett ended up flipping on the front stretch.
In the contact, Morgan apparently suffered damage to his car and he jumped onto pit road for a quick repair. The race was under caution at this point after a brief waving of the red flag that was quickly changed when it was apparent that Pritchett was not in harm's way. Still Morgan's crew, seeing the red waved his driver back to the front of the field. Morgan tried to jockey back in to position and in the process, contact was made with Michael Dupuy ending his night. Morgan was sent to the rear for pitting under yellow and the racing resumed with David up front of Herrington with Terry Vidrine, Harold Henderson and Seavy Cleemons the top five. Morgan tried his best to charge back through the field but his night would end early with left front damage from contact with another racer ending his title hopes.
The battle was now down to David and Herrington and Herrington was quick to seize control of the race with David running a close second. The title was still in David's reach as a second place finish would have clinched the title but his run ended eight laps shy of the checkers as his rear end seized ending his might and his title aspirations.
Michael Herrington continued to set a torrid pace up front and clinched his second consecutive O'Reilly SUPR Sprint Car Championship with the victory, his 17th career SUPR win. Harold Henderson battled back by Terry Vidrine to claim second followed by Vidrine, Clemmons and Wendell Magnon.
Jerry Aguillard of Youngsville , Louisiana finished a solid eight place to secure the 2004 Wynn's/J.D. Byrider Rookie of the Year title. Adam Moneyhun, who finished sixth was the runner-up in the rookie chase with Seavy Clemmons, making a late charge to finish third.
20 O'Reilly SUPR Sprint Cars were on hand with Shane Morgan, Michael Herrington and Terry Vidrine taking the heat race wins.
Official Results:
1. Michael Herrington
2. Harold Henderson
3. Terry Vidrine
4. Seavy Clemmons
5. Wendell Magnon
6. Adam Moneyhun
7. Cary Farmer
8. Jerry Aguillard
9. Neil McCarl
10. Paul Gleber
11. Butch David
12. Larry Todd
13. Shane Morgan
14. David Forbis
15. Michael Dupuy
16. Terry Monroe
17. Mark Pritchett
18. David Noker
19. Mark Tate - dns
20. Billy Gunter - dns
