Chris Madden claimed his seventh win of the season in Cleveland
The Gobbler traditionally closes out the Super Late Model racing season in the east Tennessee area. This year’s version of the pre-Thanksgiving event was sanctioned by the Southern Nationals Bonus Series, which contested its second race in as many weeks in the region after having held the Turkey Throwdown last Saturday at nearby Boyd’s Speedway. At the end of the night on Saturday at Cleveland Speedway, it was red hot Chris Madden who parked his car in Victory Lane and accepted the winner’s prize of $10,000.
Madden won the Southern Nationals Bonus race at Boyd’s last weekend and the victory was his seventh in his last twelve starts.
Dale McDowell led the way in Friday night’s qualifying session for the race by posting a time of 13.893 seconds around the third-mile clay oval. Jimmy Owens and Chase Junghans also earned pole position starting spots for their respective heat races via time-trials.
McDowell, Chris Madden and Junghans won the three heat races used to set the starting lineup for Saturday’s main event. Those three drivers would participate in a redraw to determine exactly where they would start the feature.
McDowell was awarded the pole as a result of that redraw with Madden and Junghans set to follow.
Cory Hedgecock won the lone consolation race held on Saturday night.
At the start of the 77-lap feature, Madden jumped out to the early lead from his outside front row starting spot with McDowell, Weaver and Junghans following closely behind. Mike Marlar made an early move from his seventh starting position to grab fifth in the running order during the early laps when he moved around Billy Ogle, Jr.
Madden put several car lengths between himself and the rest of the pack during the early laps while Marlar challenged Junghans for fourth and a battle raged just behind them between Billy Ogle, Jr., Riley Hickman, Jason Hiett and Jimmy Owens for positions in the second half of the top-10.
With no caution flags in the early laps, traffic became a factor for the lead cars. Madden was able to pick his way through the slower machines with such efficiency that he actually increased his lead over McDowell and Weaver. Further back, Owens began to move forward as he passed by Hiett and Hickman to claim seventh and began harassing Ogle for sixth.
During the race’s middle section, the drivers at the front of the field continued to work through slower traffic as they remained separated by several car lengths from position to position.
The only yellow flag of the night waved on lap 62 when Aaron Ridley’s car rolled to a stop in turn two. That set the stage for a fight to the finish but Madden made quick work of that as he pulled away from the field and cruised to the win.
Feature Finish: 1. Chris Madden, 2. Dale McDowell, 3. Randy Weaver, 4. Chase Junghans, 5. Mike Marlar, 6. Jimmy Owens, 7. Billy Ogle, Jr., 8. Riley Hickman, 9. Derek Ellis, 10. Jason Hiett, 11. Billy Moyer, Jr., 12. Brian Rowland, 13. David Payne, 14. Tommy Bailey, 15. Aaron Ridley, 16. Mack McCarter, 17. Donald McIntosh, 18. Skip Arp, 19. Ray Cook, 20. Shawn Chastain, 21. Cory Hedgecock, 22. Todd Morrow
