Long Leads Late Models at Devil's Bowl

Devil's Bowl will host the Super Sprints, Championship Sprints, USA Modifieds, Late Models and Street Stocks next Saturday night. Gates open at 6 pm, races start at 8:30 

Mesquite, TX (Aug 30) – Ronnie Long came from the fourth row to win the Late Model feature Saturday night at Devil's Bowl Speedway. Jerry Cowart topped the USA modifieds for the second time this year. Michael Murphy claimed his seventh street stock feature win this year. Charlie Brown earned a satisfying super sprint victory while Jimmy Goodwin continued to dominate the championship sprints.

Tom Lorenz jumped out to the early lead after the green flag dropped on the 15-lap late model feature. The drivers raced two and three wide behind Lorenz in his Smiley's Race Car Products / Hoosier Tire Southwest Nr. 84 with the first caution coming out after two laps were in the books. Long was running fifth when the yellow flew. On the restart it was Jack Ambern, Jr., driving the Woody Weaver Pharmacy Nr. 47X, who got around Lorenz to take the lead. Long made the most of his outside starting spot as the green flag waved again and quickly moved to third. The next lap Long put his Town East Ford Nr. 28 into the second spot. Long soon was on Ambern's back bumper, and on the sixth lap Long took the lead. The rest of the race was caution free as Long raced around the track, building his lead a couple car lengths every lap. By the time the checkered flag fell, Long was half the length of the front straight ahead of Ambern. Darren Ellis in the Blueprint Service of Plano Nr. 23 was three car lengths behind Ambern in third place after a race long battle for position with Chuck Beusch, who finished fourth in the Family Chiropractic 1st Care / Judy's Cafe Nr. 13. Late model points leader Jimmy Goodwin in the TFA Automatic Sprinklers Nr. 12 was fifth at the checkered flag. Goodwin won the trophy dash, while Lorenz and Ambern won the heat races.

Jerry Cowart has run strong in many features this year, but only once before Saturday was he able to hold the lead to the checkered flag. This week the Texas Roadhouse / Mortage Support Services Nr. 6P was flawless every lap as Cowart led 15-lap USA modified feature from flag to flag. When the race started, Cowart powered from his outside front row starting spot into the lead before the first turn. He never looked back as the drivers behind him raced three and four wide.

The caution flag flew on the fourth lap when Rowdy Starnes got into the back of Richard McGibboney as they entered the third turn. The heated battle for fourth place was close, and Rick McCommas could not avoid Starnes, plowing into the rear of the Nr. 50X with a lot of cosmetic damage to both cars. McGibboney and McCommas were able to continue, but Starnes was a lap down before he could get his mangled car back on the track.

Cowart had his hands full on the restart with Ronnie Carty moving up in his Southwest Engines / Hanson & Sons Chassis Shop Nr. 71 to challenge for the lead. Randy Kirkland quickly joined the battle and as he worked to take over the second spot in his Reliable Plumbing / American Locksmith Nr. 77, Cowart pulled out to small but steady lead. Kirkland challenged Cowart after taking the runner-up spot but could never find an opening in the battle for the lead. The leaders were side by side several times with Cowart holding on to take the checkered flag. Third behind Kirkland at the checkered flag was Steve Sickels in the Troy's Used Cars / S&S Fabrication Nr. 50 after a quiet but impressive climb through the field. Carty was fourth at the finish with McCommas bringing his Jimmy Allard Racing Engines / B&H Painting Nr. 39 to the checkered flag in fifth position. Jeff Welborn in the Mow-Time / Kountry Kids Day Care Nr. 19J started 14th and finished in the eighth position to earn the Timber Wolf Racing Hard Charger Award. Kirkland and Cowart won the heat races.

Johnny Philpot took the early lead as the green flag dropped on the street stock feature, but that did not last as Michael Murphy quickly came to the front and led the opening lap in his Pinnacle Funding Home Loans Nr. 21. Murphy and Walter Dorsett soon first and second  in a close race, but on the fourth lap, Dorsett's Nikon Dallas / Home Care Supply Nr. 31 slowed to bring out the caution flag. On the restart it was Trandel White in the Garcia's Lawn Care / White Star Trailers Nr. 10 challenging Murphy for the lead. White pulled up alongside Murphy a couple times, but could not find a way into the lead of the race. Murphy ran a perfect line and stayed out front to the checkered flag. White was a strong second with Michael Grubbs a close third in the Fullens Crankshaft Service / Grubbs Motorsports Nr. 00X. Mark Ross was fourth in the Ross Racing / Tommy G's Welding / Speed Specialties Nr. 8 and Steve Lister finished fifth in the American Air Systems of Garland Nr. 146L. Philpot won the heat in his Nr. 12.

The super sprint features have gotten very competitive in the past month, and Saturday night's race was no exception. Jeff Day was fast in the heat race, taking the win in the Enduro Powder Coating Nr. 95 in a close race with Charlie Brown. The pair started on the front row for the 15-lap feature, and Brown got the run he needed down the front straight to lead through turns one and two. Day made a charge in turn three, but Brown easily rode the rim around the turns in is Koin Kar Wash of Forney / City Blues Nr. 72 to lead the opening circuit. Brown and Day were flying around the half-mile clay oval, followed closely by a tight battle between Jeff Shaddock, Larry Long and Matt Clevenger for third.

Justin Spoerl's bad luck continued for the third straight week as his Nr. 6 slowed suddenly near the halfway mark and he pulled off the track. Brown was flawless on the restart and pulled away to a two-three car length lead within a couple laps. Soon the leaders were catching some of the slower cars in the field with Brown and Day diving and sliding their way through the traffic. Brown picked perfect spots to pass the lapped cars as he went on to take the win over Day. Third at the checkered flag was Shaddock in the Garland Bolt Nr. 12 with Larry Long in the Town East Ford / Speed Specialties Nr. 28 in the fourth spot. Matt Clevenger claimed fifth in the JTM Materials / JrJ Paving Nr. 31. 

Jimmy Goodwin has been the dominate driver in the championship sprint class this season as the class continues to grow. Saturday night he claimed the win in the heat race in the Nr. 3 and topped the championship sprints in the feature. It was the 11th time this year that Goodwin has taken the champ sprint win. This week he had to battle a few laps with Rick Summers before pulling ahead to take the win. Third behind Summers was Dale Wester, with Clyde Dunn, Jr. and Gary Grovenor fourth and fifth in their champ sprint debut.

Next Saturday Devil’s Bowl will host the Super Sprints, Championship Sprints, USA Modifieds, Late Models and Street Stocks.

Devil’s Bowl Speedway – Race Results – Sat, Aug 30, 2003

SUPER SPRINT CARS - Heat: 1. #95, Jeff Day, Greenville; 2. #72, Charlie Brown, Greenville; 3. #28, Larry Long, 
Dallas; 4. #99, Kurt Summers, Mesquite; 5. #12, Jeff Shaddock, Rowlett; 6. #31, Matt Clevenger, Flower Mound; 7. 
#16, Ray Welnack, Dallas; 8. #6, Justin Spoerl, Mesquite; 9. #8, Wayne McNally, Dallas

A FEATURE: 1. #72, Charlie Brown, Greenville; 2. #95, Jeff Day, Greenville; 3. #12, Jeff Shaddock, Rowlett; 4. #28, 
Larry Long, Dallas; 5. #31, Matt Clevenger, Flower Mound; 6. #99, Kurt Summers, Mesquite; 7. #8, Wayne McNally, 
Dallas; 8. #6, Justin Spoerl, Mesquite; 9. #16, Ray Welnack, Dallas

CHAMPIONSHIP SPRINT CARS - Heat: 1. #3, Jimmy Goodwin, Garland; 2. #3X, Rick Summers, Mesquite; 3. #43X, Dale 
Wester, Ovilla; 4. #1, Clyde Dunn, Jr., Sunnyvale; 5. #20, Cary Grovenor, Mesquite

A FEATURE: 1. #3, Jimmy Goodwin, Garland; 2. #3X, Rick Summers, Mesquite; 3. #1, Clyde Dunn, Jr., Sunnyvale; 4. 
#43X, Dale Wester, Ovilla; 5. #20, Cary Grovenor, Mesquite

USA MODIFIEDS - Heat 1: 1. #77, Randy Kirkland, Mesquite; 2. #71, Ronnie Carty, DeSoto; 3. #39, Rick McCommas, Balch 
Springs; 4. #88, Clyde Dunn, Jr., Sunnyvale; 5. #16, Clarence Greer, Mesquite; 6. #11X, Jay Miller, Terrell; 7. 
#19J, Jeff Welborn, Princeton; 8. #5, Billy Fronterhouse, Wylie; 9. #99, Johnny Dunn, Jr., Sunnyvale

Heat 2: 1. #6P, Jerry Cowart, Mesquite; 2. #50X, Rowdy Starnes, McKinney; 3. #19, Richard McGibboney, Dallas; 4. 
#84, Tom Lorenz, Balch Springs; 5. #50, Steve Sickels, Rowlett; 6. #15, Chris Locke, Mesquite; 7. #34X, Richard 
Miller, Terrell; 8. #18, Frank Rose, Mesquite

A FEATURE: 1. #6P, Jerry Cowart, Mesquite; 2. #77, Randy Kirkland, Mesquite; 3. #50, Steve Sickels, Rowlett; 4. #71, 
Ronnie Carty, DeSoto; 5. #39, Rick McCommas, Balch Springs; 6. #88, Clyde Dunn, Jr., Sunnyvale; 7. #19, Richard 
McGibboney, Dallas; 8. #19J, Jeff Welborn, Princeton; 9. #50X, Rowdy Starnes, McKinney; 10. #11X, Jay Miller, 
Terrell; 11. #99, Johnny Dunn, Jr., Sunnyvale; 12. #15, Chris Locke, Mesquite; 13. #16, Clarence Greer, Mesquite; 
14. #5, Billy Fronterhouse, Wylie; DNS - #84, Tom Lorenz, Balch Springs; DNS - #34X, Richard Miller, Terrell; DNS - 
#18, Frank Rose, Mesquite

LATE MODELS - Heat 1: 1. #47X, Jack Ambern,Jr., Arp; 2. #28, Ronnie Long, Dallas; 3. #13, Chuck Beusch, Red Oak; 4. 
#22, Larry Dean, Fruitvale; 5. #19, Jeff McGibboney, Dallas; 6. #8, Skip O'Neal, Midlothian; 7. #77, Ronnie Welborn, 
Princeton

Heat 2: 1. #84, Tom Lorenz, Balch Springs; 2. #12, Jimmy Goodwin, Garland; 3. #23, Darren Ellis, Quinlan; 4. #51, 
Britt Ables, Wylie; 5. #ZZ, Sloppy Hogg, Arlington; 6. #9, Mike Ambern, Longview; 7. #55, Ron Lane, Saginaw

Trophy Dash: 1. #12, Jimmy Goodwin, Garland; 2. #28, Ronnie Long, Dallas; 3. #23, Darren Ellis, Quinlan; 4. #84, Tom 
Lorenz, Balch Springs; DNS - #47X, Jack Ambern, Jr., Arp; #13, Chuck Beusch, Red Oak

A FEATURE: 1. #28, Ronnie Long, Dallas; 2. #47X, Jack Ambern,Jr., Arp; 3. #23, Darren Ellis, Quinlan; 4. #13, Chuck 
Beusch, Red Oak; 5. #12, Jimmy Goodwin, Garland; 6. #84, Tom Lorenz, Balch Springs; 7. #51, Britt Ables, Wylie; 8. 
#9, Mike Ambern, Longview; 9. #22, Larry Dean, Fruitvale; 10. #ZZ, Sloppy Hogg, Arlington; 11. #55, Ron Lane, 
Saginaw; 12. #19, Jeff McGibboney, Dallas; 13. #77, Ronnie Welborn, Princeton; DNS - #8, Skip O'Neal, Midlothian

STREET STOCKS - Heat: 1. #12, Johnny Philpot, Sunnyvale; 2. #21, Michael Murphy, Ferris; 3. #00X, Michael Grubbs, 
Sachse; 4. #31, Walter Dorsett, Royse City; 5. #84, Frank Shafer, Balch Springs; 6. #10, Trandel White, Balch 
Springs; 7. #8, Mark Ross, Royse City; 8. #146L, Steve Lister, Mabank

A FEATURE: 1. #21, Michael Murphy, Ferris; 2. #10, Trandel White, Balch Springs; 3. #00X, Michael Grubbs, Sachse; 4. 
#8, Mark Ross, Royse City; 5. #146L, Steve Lister, Mabank; 6. #31, Walter Dorsett, Royse City; 7. #84, Frank Shafer, 
Balch Springs; 8. #12, Johnny Philpot, Sunnyvale

T

Michael Muphy continued to lead the street stock points race. With his car perfectly prepared each week and his smooth driving, he has finished all but three features this year in the top five.

Walter Dorsett seems to have nothing but bad luck lately. Though he has had only five finishes outside the top five in 19 races this year, he is 580 points behind Murphy in the standings.

Justin Spoerl took the super sprint points lead early in the year and built a strong position with steady runs week after week. The past four weeks with a flip, a fire, and two breakdowns had allowed Kurt Summers to close the margin to just 50 points. This class has a history of close points battles with the championship being decided on the final night for the past few years.

Charlie Brown is just 330 points out of the lead in the super sprint class. A couple more perfect nights and a little more bad luck  for Spoerl and Summers will put Brown right in the battle.

Jimmy Goodwin looks on his way to winning two championships this season. His experience and consistency have given him an insurmountable lead in the championship sprint points, and a strong run in June and July have put him in the lead of the late model class.

Rowdy Starnes looks strong in his quest for another USA modified title. It'll be his fourth in a row though Rick McCommas hasn't completely given up hope of catching Starnes.

Unfortunately for Rick, mishaps like last Saturday happen rarely for Rowdy, and Rick seems to have more than his share of bad luck this season. McCommas will have to be perfect for the next three weeks, and hope for some difficulty for the 50X Starnes Trucking / Cain's Racing Engines driver.