Dale McDowell too the lead on lap 26
Dale McDowell came into Monday evening’s Ultimate Super Late Model Series on a hot streak having won two consecutive Spring Nationals feature races on the previous two nights. When all was said and done, the Chickamagua, GA driver left the Volunteer Speedway even hotter and $10,000 richer after winning a thrilling, fast-paced main event.
Vic Hill began the night in a fast way as he set fast time in Group A qualifying and overall with a lap of 11.860 seconds around the 4/10 mile clay oval. That lap eclipsed the old track record for the Bulls Gap, Tenn. facility. Ross Bailes and Tyler Millwood followed Hill in that session.
Jimmy Owens was quickest in Group B time-trials with a mark of 11.888 seconds around the high-banked track. Brandon Overton and Dakotah Knuckles trailed in that group.
McDowell was fastest in Group C qualifying after he turned a lap of 11.873 seconds to beat out Shanon Buckingham and Dennis ‘Rambo’ Franklin.
Bailes earned the pole for the feature by outrunning G.R. Smith, Jason Welshan and Hill in the first heat race of the night while Overton bested Owens, Chad Ogle and Forrest Trent in the night’s second preliminary.
McDowell would start the feature in the third spot by virtue of his win the the third heat over Ricky Weiss, Buckingham and Franklin.
Overton seized the early lead at the start of the 50-lap feature from his outside front row starting position with Bailes, McDowell, Smith and Owens in hot pursuit. Owens went on the move quickly as he took fourth away from Smith on the second lap just before McDowell would wrest second away from Bailes.
Welshan asserted himself as he moved into the fifth spot of the running order on lap 4 and then moved passed Owens to grab fourth on lap 7. Buckingham then went to work on Owens for sixth after Welshan had cleared. Buckingham would take the position from Owens by the completion of lap 13.
The leaders were spared of having to deal with slower traffic when a caution flag waved on lap 16 for the slowing car of Travis Greer. Under that yellow, there was contact between Smith and Hill with lots of gesturing being done by both drivers as they circulated around the track at reduced speed. Smith would eventually pull off the track and end his night early.
On the ensuing restart, Overton and Bailes shot out to first and second but McDowell proved to be laying in wait for his younger rivals. Bailes went to the front of the field on lap 19 when he made an outside pass on Overton. McDowell then shot by Overton to assume the runner-up spot on lap 21. Then the former Dirt Late Model Dream winner set his sights on the race lead and took it from Bailes on lap 26.
After the race’s final caution on lap 28, it was simply a matter of McDowell working his way through traffic and keep his competitors a safe distance in arrears. Overton would get by Bailes for second with three laps remaining but the ‘Mac Daddy’ eventually crossed under the checkered flag ahead of the pack to earn his third trip to victory lane in three nights.
Feature Finish: 1. Dale McDowell, 2. Brandon Overton, 3. Ross Bailes, 4. Shanon Buckingham, 5. Vic Hill, 6. Jimmy Owens, 7. Ricky Weiss, 8. Ryan King, 9. Dennis Franklin, 10. Dakotah Knuckles, 11. Tyler Millwood, 12. Jeremy Hines, 13. Forrest Trent, 14. Jonathan Davenport, 15. Tommy Bailey, 16. Chad Ogle, 17. Jason Welshan, 18. G.R. Smith, 19. Brandon Kinzer, 20. Travis Greer, 21. Robby Moses
