O'Neal Captures Late Model Main and Points Lead At Devil’s Bowl

Mesquite, TX (May 22) - Skip O’Neal took his first late model win of the year at Devil’s Bowl Speedway Saturday night, and gained the points lead in the process. Larry Long topped the super sprints in a close, fast race. Dale Wester paced the championship sprints from flag to flag to win a close victory. Brad Wesp took his first street stock feature win in a tight battle. 

Woody Weaver in the Weaver Pharmacy / ABT Transmission Nr. 47 jumped out to the early lead in the late model main, but Ronnie Long in the Town East Ford Nr. 28 was side by side as they entered turn three on the opening circuit. Weaver held the top spot, as two cars spun back in the pack to bring out the caution.

On the restart, Long was able to hold the bottom of the turns and take the lead. Two laps later Weaver slipped high off the top of turn two, letting Skip O’Neal in the Urban Fire Protection / Lockridge & Associates General Contractors Nr. 8 take the runner-up position. The Nr. 75 Hi-Way Auto Parts / The Shop car of Patrick Daniel and Jack Ambern, Jr. in the Weaver Pharmacy / ABT Transmission Nr. 2 battled for several laps before Daniel took third.

The next caution flew after six laps for Gary Lowe in the CBX Frame Repair Nr. 31 in turn two. Daniel powered around the outside to take second position on the restart.

Just a lap later, Brandon Ellison in the Nr. 66 got spun in turn one and was hit by Sloppy Hogg in the Nr. ZZ. The Nr. 13 Family Chiropractic First Care / Judy’s Café car of Chuck Beusch also crashed into the tire in turn two, with the pair of crashes bring out the third caution of the race.

With seven laps completed, O’Neal lined up on the outside in the third spot for the restart with Daniel on the bottom. The outside line let O’Neal pull alongside long in the turn and take the lead on the next lap. Daniel followed O’Neal’s line the next lap to take second, dropping long to third. O’Neal quickly went to the botton in turn one and two and the middle of the track in three and four. That was the perfect line as he was able to maintain his pace. Daniel tried several different positions in the turns, but could not find enough traction to catch O’Neal.

The leaders were closing on lapped traffic when Lowe spun again on the tricky track to being out the fourth caution flag. Daniel did not like having to restart on the bottom again, and as Long and Tom Lorenz in the Smiley’s Racing / Hoosier Tire Southwest Nr. 84 were able to pass on the outside on the next lap of green flag racing, Daniel was dropped to fourth. Lorenz and Long battled side by side several times before Lorenz forced Long high on the back straight with two laps to go. O’Neal had a clear track and a five car length advantage as he took the white flag, and the checkered flag a lap later. Lorenz was second, with Long and Daniel almost side by side, with Long third across the line. Long and Daniel were both light at the scales, with Darren Ellis in the Blue Print Service of Plano Nr. 23 moving up to third in the finish order, with Aaron Morey in the Nr. 24 Smiley’s / Hoosier Tire Southwest car and Ambern being credited with fourth and fifth place finishes.

Daniel worked his way to the front to win the first late model heat after starting in the sixth position. Ellis won the second heat race and Wayman McMillan led every lap of the third heat in the P&W Sales / Manifold Systems Nr. 14.

Justin Spoerl in the Quest Nr. 6 took the lead on the start of the super sprint 15-lapper when polesitter Brandon Rogers in the Nr. 11B could not find traction in the middle of the fourth turn. Spoerl’s race almost ended in turn two on the next lap as he spun off the turn of the turn to bring out the caution.

Larry Long in the Town East Ford Nr. 28 took over the spot, with Jeff Day in the Nr. 41 The Shop Diesel Service / TP Wings sprinter right behind him on the restart. Danny Jennings had his Goodyear / Lucas Oil Nr. 61JH third on the tricky track as the green flag flew again. The battle of the race was for fourth spot as Rogers, Charlie Brown in the Keith’s Truck & Accessories / Koin Kar Wash Nr. 72, Johnny Miller in the Mack’s Auto Service Nr. 9 and Jake Martens in the Eischen Chrvrolet / Double D Farms Nr. 48 fought for the position. The cars bunched together in turn one on the fourth lap, with Martens spinning. Though he was able to keep going after making three or four 360 turns, the caution flew as Kurt Summers in the Soulman’s Bar-B-Que / Johnny Suggs Chassis Nr. 99 also spun trying to avoid a crash with Martens.

Long set the pace as the green flag flew again with the leaders stringing out around the track. Halfway through the race Long caught up to the back of the field and quickly got past the slower car. Jennings used the slow car as a pick to close up on Day in a bid for the runner-up spot. But Day held his line and maintained the position.

As the white flag flew, Long was trying to pass two cars at the back of the field. That allowed Day and Jennings to close up on Long’s rear bumper. But Long used his years of experience at Devil’s Bowl to hold off the challenge and take the feature win, with Day a car length behind in second and Jennings right with them in third.

Brown took fourth, after a fightening fire ended his heat race earlier in the night. An oil line came off to cause the fire, but the motor was not damaged, and Brown started the feature dead last. Miller finished fifth.

Rogers led the first super sprint heat from start to finish. Jennings took the lead of the second heat halfway through the race on his way to victory.

Dale Wester took his second championship sprint win of the season in the closest finish yet in the history of the class at Devil’s Bowl. Wester started the T - N - T Truck Parts / Allard Racing Engines Nr. 12 on the outside front row and easily pulled away from polesitter Michelle Decker in the Strawn Drilling and Package Store Nr. 12S. Wester quickly built his lead to a quarter lap as other cars worked to get past Decker’s slowing car. But the high southerly winds all day Saturday and the wings of the sprint cars worked to dry and glaze the track over very quickly. When Wester caught up with the back of the pack, he had to slow to find a place to pass the rookie drivers. Second running Justin Spoerl in the Jimmy Allard Nr. 43 and defending championship sprint champion Jimmy Goodwin in the Nr. 6X held third place and were able to watch Wester’s line and quickly close the gap.

The final three laps were run with the leaders slipping and sliding as they tried to pass the slower cars. Spoerl pulled ahead of Wester a couple times, but Wester was able to find the traction and room he needed to stay ahead at the line. On the final lap, Spoerl pulled alongside a final time, but Wester was able to get enough bit to pull ahead and take the checkered flag, as the top cars were almost side by side at the finish. Finishing behind third place Goodwin was Gary Grosvenor in the Enduro Powder Coating / Gary’s Machine Shop Nr. 20X in fourth and Bobby Ruffin in fifth position in the Nr. 3X.

Decker set the pace to win the championship sprint heat race.

George Parrish led the opening lap of the street stock 12-lap main event in the Jeanie’s Auto Parts / Parrish Racing Nr. 49 from the outside of the front row. On the next lap Flash Fifield, driving the Armadillo Collision Nr. 1, spun to a stop in turn one to bring out the first caution. On the restart Danny Zimmerman drove the Nr. 11 low in the second turn to take the lead as everyone else drifted high. Derek Eckles Nr.15 tangled with another car, spun and lost his bumper to bring out another yellow a lap later. When the race resumed Zimmerman set the pace, but Michael Murphy was pulling even in the corners holding the low line in the Valvoline Nr. 21.

Zimmerman tried to close the door on Murphy as the sixth lap started, but got sideways in turn one. Murphy had no place to go and also spun in to the infield. Third running Jason Trevathan inherited the lead in his Forney Auto Tech / Anson Powder Coating Nr. 3 as the field lined up for the restart. But on the restart, Trevathan got loose in the first turn. He was able to keep going, but with half the field spinning, the yellow flew for the fourth time.

Then next green flag lasted only a lap before Johnny Philpot in the J&S Direct Doors Nr. 12 and Pat Walls in the Walls Racing / Sue Walls, CPA Nr. 39 tangled in turn one while trying to avoid Fifield’s stopped car.

After the wreck was cleared, Brad Wesp was able to pull the Pro Collision of Mesquite / Matco Tools Nr. 19 low under Trevathan in the fourth turn to take the lead. Trevathan tried to find room to retake the lead, but Wesp held his line. As the leaders took the white flag, Trevathan tried one last time to get under Wesp. But there was no room and Trevathan crashed hard into the tire at the bottom of turn one, sending him to the pits.

Right behind Trevathan was Murphy, who avoided the spinning car and claimed second place. Fifield came back to finish third, with Zimmerman and Mark Ross in the Speed Specialties / Tommy G’s Welding Nr. 9 rounding out the top five. Eckles crossed the finish line fifth, but due to the missing bumper and other parts, was too light at the scales.

Zimmerman topped the first heat and Walls held off Murphy to win the second heat. Ross took the lead on a second lap restart to win the street stock trophy dash.

Story & photos by Reggie and  Linda Fields

Devil’s Bowl Speedway – Race Results – Sat, May 22, 2004

SUPER SPRINTS - Heat 1: 1. #11B, Brandon Rogers, Wichita Falls; 2. #99, Kurt Summers, Mesquite; 3. #48, Jake Martens, Fairview, Okla.; 4. #6, Justin Spoerl, Mesquite; 5. #9, Johnny Miller, Burleson; 6. #8, Wayne McNally, Dallas

Heat 2: 1. #61J, Danny Jennings, Norman, Okla.; 2. #28, Larry Long, Crandall; 3. #41, Jeff Day, Greenville; 4. #31, Matt Clevenger, Flower Mound; 5. #14E, Todd Evans, Georgetown; 6. #71, Charlie Brown, Greenville

A FEATURE: 1. #28, Larry Long, Crandall; 2. #41, Jeff Day, Greenville; 3. #61J, Danny Jennings, Norman, Okla.; 4. #72, Charlie Brown, Greenville; 5. #9, Johnny Miller, Burleson; 6. #48, Jake Martens, Fairview, Okla.; 7. #6, Justin Spoerl, Mesquite; 8. #11B, Brandon Rogers, Wichita Falls; 9. #99, Kurt Summers, Mesquite; 10. #8, Wayne McNally, Dallas; 11. #14E, Todd Evans, Georgetown; 12. #31, Matt Clevenger, Flower Mound

CHAMPIONSHIP SPRINTS - Heat: 1. #12S, Michelle Decker, Gunthrie, Okla.; 2. #12, Dale Wester, Ovilla; 3. #20X, Gary Grosvenor, Mesquite; 4. #6X, Jimmy Goodwin, Garland; 5. #43, Justin Spoerl, Mesquite; 6. #3X, Bobby Ruffin, Crandall; 7. #45, Martin Edwards, Mesquite; 8. #92, Shannon Thornton, Wylie; 9. #81, David Flanagan, Terrell

A FEATURE: 1. #12, Dale Wester, Ovilla; 2. #43, Justin Spoerl, Mesquite; 3. #6X, Jimmy Goodwin, Garland; 4. #20X, Gary Grosvenor, Mesquite; 5. #3X, Bobby Ruffin, Crandall; 6. #12S, Michelle Decker, Gunthrie, Okla.; 7. #81, David Flanagan, Terrell; 8. #45, Martin Edwards, Mesquite; 9. #92, Shannon Thornton, Wylie

LATE MODELS - Heat 1: 1. #75, Patrick Daniel, Wills Point; 2. #2, Jack Ambern,Jr., Arp; 3. #24, Aaron Morey, Dallas; 4. #28, Ronnie Long, Dallas; 5. #00X, Michael Grubbs, Sachse; 6. #9D, Jerry Horn, Athens; Did not start - #316, Mike Rucker, Wichita Falls

Heat 2: 1. #23, Darren Ellis, Quinlan; 2. #20, Ronnie Welborn, Princeton; 3. #55, Jimmy Quick, Jr., Terrell; 4. #47, Woody Weaver, Flint; 5. #ZZ, Sloppy Hogg, Arlington; 6. #66, Brandon Ellison, Mena, Ark.; Did not start - #1, Cheyney Hopkins, Combine

Heat 3: 1. #14, Wayman McMillan, Gladewater; 2. #84, Tom Lorenz, Balch Springs; 3. #8, Skip O'Neal, Midlothian; 4. #85, Bob Ewell, Forney; 5. #13, Chuck Beusch, Red Oak; 6. #66M, Richard Mills, Cut'N'Shoot; 7. #31, Gary Lowe, Red Oak

A FEATURE: 1. #8, Skip O'Neal, Midlothian; 2. #84, Tom Lorenz, Balch Springs; 3. #23, Darren Ellis, Quinlan; 4. #24, Aaron Morey, Dallas; 5. #2, Jack Ambern,Jr., Arp; 6. #14, Wayman McMillan, Gladewater; 7. #85, Bob Ewell, Forney; 8. #66M, Richard Mills, Cut'N'Shoot; 9. #20, Ronnie Welborn, Princeton; 10. #47, Woody Weaver, Flint; 11. #31, Gary Lowe, Red Oak; 12. #55, Jimmy Quick, Jr., Terrell; 13. #13, Chuck Beusch, Red Oak; 14. #66, Brandon Ellison, Mena, Ark.; 15.#ZZ, Sloppy Hogg, Arlington; 16. #1, Cheyney Hopkins, Combine; 17. #00X, Michael Grubbs, Sachse; 18. #9D, Jerry Horn, Athens; 19. #28, Ronnie Long, Dallas; 20. #75, Patrick Daniel, Wills Point; Did not start - #316, Mike Rucker, Wichita Falls

STREET STOCKS- Heat 1: 1. #11, Danny Zimmerman, Mesquite; 2. #8, Mark Ross, Royse City; 3. #3, Jason Trevathan, Mesquite; 4. #15, Derek Eckles, Mesquite; 5. #26, Brandon Leopolos, Seagoville; 6. #12, Johnny Philpot, Sunnyvale; 7. #00, Michael Clugston, Jr., Royse City; Did not start - #69, Derek Koonce, Grand Saline

Heat 2: 1. #39, Pat Walls, Frisco; 2. #21, Michael Murphy, Ferris; 3. #49, George Parrish, Terrell; 4. #19, Brad Wesp, Dallas; 5. #31, Walter Dorsett, Royse City; 6. #47, Arin Lawrence, Carrollton; Did not start - #10, Trandel White, Balch Springs; #1, Flash Fifield, Mesquite 

Trophy Dash: 1. #8, Mark Ross, Royse City; 2. #3, Jason Trevathan, Mesquite; 3. #11, Danny Zimmerman, Mesquite; 4. #21, Michael Murphy, Ferris; 5. #39, Pat Walls, Frisco; 6. #49, George Parrish, Terrell

A FEATURE: 1. #19, Brad Wesp, Dallas; 2. #21, Michael Murphy, Ferris; 3. #1, Flash Fifield, Mesquite; 4. #11, Danny Zimmerman, Mesquite; 5. #8, Mark Ross, Royse City; 6. #3, Jason Trevathan, Mesquite; 7. #26, Brandon Leopolos, Seagoville; 8. #39, Pat Walls, Frisco; 9. #12, Johnny Philpot, Sunnyvale; 10. #49, George Parrish, Terrell; 11. #00, Michael Clugston, Jr., Royse City; 12. #47, Arin Lawrence, Carrollton; 13. #15, Derek Eckles, Mesquite; Did not start - #31, Walter Dorsett, Royse City; #69, Derek Koonce, Grand Saline; #10, Trandel White, Balch Springs

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Next weekend, May 29, the Super Sprints, Championship Sprints, USA Modifieds and Late Models will be racing at Devil's Bowl. It will be O'Reilly Free Admission Night for residents of Duncanville, DeSoto, Lancaster, Cedar Hill, Red Oak, Glenn Heights, Midlothian, Wilmer & Hutchins