Justin Ratliff scored the Iron Man win in Richmond
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
By Michael Despain, Southern Nationals Bonus Series
RICHMOND, KY (September 5, 2015)—The Southern Nationals Bonus Series presented by Collins Signs would bring the Revelution Race Cars Iron Man Speedweek presented by Arizona Sport Shirts to Richmond Raceway on Saturday evening for the Colonel Classic and Justin Rattliff of Campbellsville, KY would score the victory and $3,000 payday. The Iron Man Modifieds presented by American Racer South would see Jeff Watson of Campbellsville, KY go to victory lane and earn $1,000.
The start of the 30 lap Colonel Classic for Super Late Models would see a major pile-up in turn three and four, resulting in a red flag and blocked up race track. Action would finally get underway and Justin Rattliff would take the race lead, with Michael Chilton, Victor Lee, Tommy Bailey, and Derek Fisher giving chase.
Rattliff would build a comfortable lead, only to see a spin by Donnie Sullivan on lap 7 draw the caution flag. The restart would see Rattliff and Chilton continue first and second, while Fisher would work past Bailey for the fourth position as Rattliff would again put some distance on the rest of the field and would start working slower traffic on lap 12. Chilton would close in a bit, but Rattliff would work traffic masterfully, while Lee, Fisher, and Bailey would battle in heavy traffic with 20 laps complete.
Disaster would almost strike Rattliff with 28 laps scored when Rod Carter, Jr. would spin in front of the leader and Rattliff would spin to avoid the wreck. By series rules, Rattliff would go back on the point and he would survive the two lap dash to the finish to claim the win in the James Rattliff owned MGL Auto Sales/JRR Auto Sales/On Time Courier/Pro Tech Fabrication/Wave Length Hair Salon/Budda Bert Transmission Sales and Service/Hoosier Tire South sponsored #16 Club 29 Race Car with a Cornett Race Engine. Chilton would take second position, while Fisher would claim third, while Bailey and Lee completed the top five. The remainder of the top ten would be Jeff Rawlings, David Payne, Donnie Everman, Jerry Rutherford, and Travis Armes. Twenty-one entries would see Rattliff be the top qualifier at 14.877 seconds, with heat wins going to Rattliff, Chilton, and Lee.
The Iron Man Modified main event would see Jeff Watson lead all 20 laps of the event and score his second straight win at the track behind the wheel of the Kenneth and Matthew Jordan owned Kevin Crutchfield Roofing/Diamond Auto Collision/Hines Auto Body/Atlas Contracting/Lancaster Godfather’s Pizza/Jordan Motorsports/CJB Race Car Bodies/Extreme Style Signs and Graphics/Brad Burton Dairy Farms/Shofner Enterprises sponsored #17J Lightning Chassis, Frank Ofria Race Engine powered mount. Victor Lee would take runner-up honors, with Dennis Roberson, Delane Browning, and Jimmy Crabtree completing the top five. Rounding out the top ten would be Kevin Harkins, Mike Pratt, Jared Reams, Keith Denny, and Joey Cotterman. Twenty entries would see David Adams as top qualifier at 16.283 seconds, with Watson and Blake Brown winning heat race events.
SUMMARY-Richmond Raceway-Richmond, KY-September 5, 2015
Southern Nationals Bonus Series presented by Collins Signs Super Late Models (21 entries)
Top Qualifier- Justin Rattliff 14.877
1st Heat- Justin Rattliff, David Payne, Jerry Rutherford, Jeff Rawlings, Timmy Taylor, Robby Hensley (DNS- Chris Ruble)
2nd Heat- Michael Chilton, Tommy Bailey, Steve Stollings, Steve Elliott, Rod Carter, Jr., Travis Armes, Donnie Sullivan
3rd Heat- Victor Lee, Derek Fisher, Ronne Payne, Donnie Everman, Jason Barrett, Eric Centers, Mike Petrey
Revelution Race Cars Iron Man Speedweek presented by Arizona Sports Shirts Colonel Classic- Justin Rattliff, Michael Chilton, Derek Fisher, Tommy Bailey, Victor Lee, Jeff Rawlings, David Payne, Donnie Everman, Jerry Rutherford, Travis Armes, Jason Barrett, Donnie Sullivan, Rod Carter, Jr., Mike Petrey, Steve Stollings, Eric Centers, Steve Elliott, Robby Hensley, Timmy Taylor, Ronnie Payne (DNS- Chris Ruble)
Iron Man Modifieds presented by American Racer South (20 entries)
Top Qualifier- David Adams 16.283
1st Heat- Jeff Watson, Jimmy Crabtree, Victor Lee, Kevin Harkins, Mike Pratt, Billy Palmer, Korey Cochran, Stevie Tipton, David Adams (DNS- Keith Denny)
2nd Heat- Blake Brown, Jimmy Robinson, Dennis Roberson, Delane Browning, Jared Reams, Joey Cotterman, Zach Powers, Brian Ramsey, Shawn Hibbard, Jeff Cotterman
Iron Man Modified Speedweek A-Main- Jeff Watson, Victor Lee, Dennis Roberson, Delane Browning, Jimmy Crabtree, Kevin Harkins, Mike Pratt, Jared Reams, Keith Denny, Joey Cotterman, Zach Powers, Jimmy Robinson, Billy Palmer, Stevie Tipton, Brian Ramsey, Korey Cochran, Shawn Hibbard, Blake Brown (DNS- David Adams, Jeff Cotterman)
