Dennis Hale scored a $1,000 Limited Late Model win at Senoia on Saturday night
Senoia Raceway hosted the opening two rounds for the Ray Cook-promoted Spring Nationals on Friday and Saturday nights. Along with those races, the track located just southwest of Atlanta also staged racing in its regular classes. The Limited Late Model division was among those in action on Saturday night and it was Dennis Hale who scored a victory and earned a $1,000 payday in that class.
Hale was fastest in qualifying as he turned a lap in 16.435 seconds around the 3/8 mile gumbo clay oval to secure the pole for the feature race. Dale Thurman, Clint Smith, Bailey Williams, Thomas Mewborn, Chris Fennell, Matt Dooley, Zach Leonhardi, Joey Armistead and Landon Bagby rounded out the top-10 starting positions for the main event with the starting grid being set strictly by time-trial results.
Thurman charged to the early lead when the green flag waved over the 20-lap feature with Hale, Williams, Smith and Fennell trailing. Dooley made a move early in the race as he took fifth away from Fennell on the second circuit and then passed by Smith for fourth on lap 3.
A caution on the third lap slowed the action briefly and opened the door for some intense racing soon afterward. On the ensuing restart, Williams, Smith and Dooley found themselves in a three-wide fight for positions 3-5. In that jumble, Smith regained fourth while Williams slipped back to fifth.
Hale began to challenge Thurman for the top spot on lap 5 and his persistence eventually paid off when, on lap 8, the No. 888 car sailed to the lead. Almost immediately, Hale began to pull away from the field while Thurman fell back into the clutches of Dooley as they engaged in a battle for second.
The second and final caution flag for this feature waved on lap 11 when Cruz Skinner coasted to a halt on the track with mechanical issues. Once again on the restart the action was intense behind the leader as racers sought to gain positions in the running order. However, Hale again began to inch away from his pursuers while they continued to contest spots within the top-5.
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Armistead worked his way forward in the late going as he passed by Smith to take fourth while Leonhardi moved around Williams to grab sixth. Over the final few laps the leaders spaced themselves out which provided Hale all the advantage he needed to beat everyone to the checkered flag.
Dennis Hale was the Limited Late Model winner over Matt Dooley, Dale Thurman, Joey Armistead, Clint Smith, Zach Leonhardi, Bailey Williams and Oliver Gentry.
