Randy Weaver led flag-to-flag on Friday night.
There are some things in life you can count on- the sun rising in the east, getting stuck in traffic when you’re in a hurry and Randy Weaver winning a feature race at Smoky Mountain Speedway. Whether it be the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, the Ultimate Super Late Model Series or the Southern Nationals, the Crossville, Tenn. driver rules the track located in Maryville, Tenn.
Friday night proved to be no different when the Ray Cook promoted Southern Nationals mini-series rolled into SMS to contest its penultimate event of the 2015 edition of the tour. And while others were contesting the series title, Weaver took home a $5300 check and the trophy for earning the race win over a solid field of challengers.
Dale McDowell began the night in quick fashion as he turned the fastest lap in Group A qualifying with a time of 15.265 seconds around the 4/10 mile clay oval. Billy Ogle, Jr. was second fastest in the group which placed both drivers in a dash race that would be used to set the first two rows on the starting grid for the feature race.
Weaver proved to be the fastest in Group B qualifying as well as overall after his posted a time of 15.254 seconds. Casey Roberts was second best in the group which also assured him of a spot in the dash race.
Weaver won the dash ahead of Ogle, McDowell and Roberts.
Mark Douglas and Donald McIntosh won the two B-main events that would be used to set the remainder of the starting grid for the feature race.
Weaver immediately charged to the lead at the start of the 53-lap main event followed by Ogle, McDowell, Roberts and McIntosh. The No. 116 car built up a lead of almost a full straightaway in very short order before a caution flag on lap 5 would re-set the field.
The yellow flag and ensuing restart did little to concern Weaver as he bolted right back to the lead of the race, leaving others to scramble behind him for position. Among those combatants was Skip Arp, who will be inducted into the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame next weekend. However, Arp’s rise through the field would prove to be short-lived as he slowed to bring out a lap 7 caution.
Australian Craig Vosbergen worked his way into the top-5 when he passed by McIntosh on the eighth circuit. However, the top-4 of Weaver, Ogle, McDowell and Roberts were in the process of distancing themselves from the rest of the pack as the race remained under green conditions for the next 24 laps.
During that uninterrupted session, McDowell appeared poised to move forward as he moved in to challenge Ogle for the runner-up spot. A lap 31 restart allowed both pursuers brief hope as they took Weaver three-wide into turn one. However, the No. 116 remained as the front runner while McDowell seized the second position.
The top-4 of Weaver, McDowell, Ogle and Roberts became spaced apart as they logged laps toward the finish. But with only four laps remaining, McDowell slowed from his second spot with mechanical troubles to draw the final caution of the event.
When the race went back green, Weaver drove to the checkered flag unchallenged.
As a result of the finish, Roberts holds a slim lead over Ogle in the series standings as the Southern Nationals goes into its final race on Saturday night at the Tazewell Speedway.
Feature Finish: 1. Randy Weaver, 2. Billy Ogle, Jr., 3. Casey Roberts, 4. Austin Smith, 5. Craig Vosbergen, 6. Dennis Franklin, 7. Vic Hill, 8. Donald McIntosh, 9. Derek Ellis, 10. Pierce McCarter, 11. Robby Moses, 12. Dale McDowell, 13. Mark Douglas, 14. Tommy Kerr, 15. Stacy Boles, 16. Jason Welshan, 17. Skip Arp, 18. Jeff Wolfenbarger, 19. Mark Whitener, 20. Roger Best, 21. Ross White, 22. Mark Dotson
Weaver and crew in Victory Lane
