Ewell and McGibboney Claim Victory at Devil's Bowl

Mesquite, TX (May 29) - The young guns stood on the sidelines Saturday night as experienced drivers took over victory land at Devil’s Bowl Speedway. Bob Ewell claimed his first late model victory Saturday night and Richard McGibboney topped the USA modifieds for the first time this year. Larry Long led the super sprints with his second victory of the season, and Jimmy Goodwin took his first win this year in the championship sprints.

Woody Weaver grabbed the early lead in the Weaver Pharmacy / ABT Transmissions Nr. 47. Ronnie Welborn in the Baxter Motorsports / Country Kids Daycare Nr. 20 battled Weaver for the top spot in the early rounds of the 20-lap feature. Bob Ewell moved from the inside of the third row to third on the opening lap and some was challenging for the lead. He took second on the third trip around the half-mile clay oval. Ewell got under Weaver in the second turn on the fourth lap to take the lead.

While Weaver and Welborn continued to battle side by side, Ewell pulled away in the Longhorn Urethane / Foam Enterprises Nr. 85. The caution flew on the seventh lap as contact between two cars caused the ones behind to jam up. Darren Ellis got pushed into the infield tire and knocked the Blue Print Service of Plano Nr. 23 out of the race.

Ewell easily powered away from the other cars on the restart, but Tom Lorenz in the Smiley’s Race Car Products/ Hoosier Tire Southwest Nr. 84 got past Weaver and Welborn. Wayman McMillan in the P&W Sales/ Manifold Systems Nr. 14 and Aaron Morey in the Hoosier / Smiley’s Nr. 24 also moved up to battle with Lorenz for the runner-up position.

While Ewell was charging around the track, his lead started to evaporate as he was forced to slow behind lapped cars. Just as Lorenz was able to pull alongside Ewell, Welborn and Weaver got together coming out of turn four. Weaver spun around on the front straight and in the ensuing melee Britt Ables got pushed into the front straight wall. The Ables Auto / Troy’s Cars Nr. 51 had to be taken off on the hook.

When the race resumed, Ewell had a clear track and quickly pulled out to a five car length advantage. Morey almost pulled ahead of Lorenz, but was unable to complete the pass and had to settle into third position. In the final laps of the race Lorenz was able to again pull alongside Ewell. As the pair raced side by side out of turn four, Ewell held the advantage by a car length and went on to score his first late model victory at Devil’s Bowl.

Morey was third and Cheyney Hopkins finished fourth in the Stan Hopkins Company / Starr Graphic Designs Nr. 1. Mike Ambern took fifth in his debut late model race this year in the Weaver Pharmacy / ABT Transmissions Nr. 29. Jack Ambern, Jr. crossed the finish line fourth, but his car was under minimum weight at the scales after the race, dropping him to 20^th in the official finish.

Welborn held off a mid-race challenge on his way to winning the first late model heat. Ellis came from the back row to win the second heat. Lorenz also came from the last row to win the third heat. Ewell set the pace in the trophy dash from start to finish.

The 15-lap USA modified feature got started in typical fashion with several cars running into others and starting along according wreck in the first turn. Randy Kirkland in the Reliable Plumbing / American Locksmith Nr. 77 and Jeff Welborn in the Baxter Motorsports / Country Kids Day Care Nr. 19J got the worst of the deal, sending them to the pits to repair damage and a flat tire. Kirkland made it back on the track before the race resumed.

Richard McGibboney pulled away from the outside of the front row in his Baber’s Garage / Red’s Meat Company Nr. 19 as the cars raced three and four wide behind him. McGibboney built a good lead as the cars battled for second place. Rick McCommas had his Jimmy Allard Racing Engines / B&H Painting Nr. 39 setup to run the low line and was able to pick off cars lap after lap. McCommas was soon able to take the second place and try to catch McGibboney.

Behind the leaders the battle stayed three and four cars wide, with several cars bending nerf bars and fenders in the tight racing. McCommas had the faster car and was able to slowly catch up with McGibboney. Nine laps into the feature, McCommas had pulled to within a car length of McGibboney. Two laps later McCommas was able to pull ahead of McGibboney, but behind them the rough racing sent Billy Fronterhouse, Jr. crashing into the front straight wall in his Speed Specialties Racing Engines Nr. 5.

As the cars lined up for the restart, McCommas pulled into the pits. When the cars charged under the green flag to resume the race, McGibboney was able to get ahead of the side by side battle and build a four car length lead. Behind the cars fought for position with Clyde Dunn, Jr. in the Dunn Motorsports / Master Auto Body of Mesquite Nr. 88 improving from fourth on the restart to get past Richard Miller in the Jeanie’s Used Auto Parts / Rick Shipp Rebuilders Nr. 1X on the last lap and take second place at the finish. Fourth behind Miller was Rowdy Starnes in the Starnes Trucking / Cain’s Engine Repair Nr. 50X with Jerry Cowart rounding out the top five in the Nr. 22.

McGibboney took the lead on the start and never looked back on his way to winning the first USA modified heat race. Steve Sickels set the pace from start to finish in the second modified heat in his Crandall Cotton Gin Restaurante / Premier Auto Service Nr. 50. McCommas had a very close battle with Bobby Ruffin in the Smiley’s/ Hoosier Tire Southwest Nr. 121 before taking the lead and the win in the third heat.

Bobby Ruffin powered the Nr. 6X championship sprint from the outside of the front row to lead feature as the cars took the green flag. The yellow flew a lap later when Cody Whitworth in the Airborn Coatings Nr. 50 spun off the top of turn one. Just after the race resumed, David Flanagan and Taron Bean got together in turn three sending Flanagan’s East Texas Urethane Nr. 81 into a series of high end over end flips. David climbed gingerly from the car, which was badly damaged in the crash.

When the race resumed, Ruffin led the cars under the green flag with Jimmy Goodwin in the Nr. 3X right behind him. As the cars powered through turn two, Goodwin found the traction he needed at the bottom of the turn to take the lead. Ruffin and Goodwin put a great show, racing side by side several times through the corners, but Goodwin had the setup to get through turn two while Ruffin pushed high several times. Justin Spoerl nursed his failing Allard Machine Nr. 43 across the finish line to take third. Martin Edwards was fourth in the White Properties / Allard Racing Nr. 45 with Taron Bean taking fifth in the B&T Racing Nr. 55.

Goodwin took the victory in the first championship sprint heat and Edwards topped the second heat.

Larry Long took off at the start of the super sprint feature. Moments after the green flag dropped, Justin Spoerl got shoved off the top of the second turn to bring out the only caution of the race. When the race took the green flag again, Long took off in the Town East Ford Nr. 28 and never looked back. Larry Neighbors in the H&H Enterprises Nr. 36 wove his way through the other cars to claim second, with Johnny Miller in the Mack’s Auto Service Nr. 9 moving up to third.

The leaders charged around the track at top speed as Long started to slowly pull away from Neighbors. By the halfway mark of the race, Long was ten car lengths ahead, and he continued to build his lead until the checkered flag when Long took the checkered flag with a full straight-a-way advantage. Miller ran strong in the race to take third. Kurt Summers moved up to take fourth in the Soulman’s Bar-B-Que / Johnny Suggs Chassis Nr. 99. Jeff Day rounded out the top five in the Nr. 41 The Shop Diesel Service / TP Wings Nr. 41. Neighbors took only three laps to come from the last row to the top of the heat.

Story & photos by Reggie and  Linda Fields

Devil’s Bowl Speedway – Race Results – Sat, May 29, 2004

SUPER SPRINTS - Heat: 1. #36, Larry Neighbors, Oklahoma City, Okla.; 2. #28, Larry Long, Crandall; 3. #41, Jeff Day, Greenville; 4. #6, Justin Spoerl, Mesquite; 5. #9, Johnny Miller, Burleson; 6. #99, Kurt Summers, Mesquite; 7. #11B, Brandon Rogers, Wichita Falls; 8. #8, Wayne McNally, Dallas

A FEATURE:  1. #28, Larry Long, Cranall; 2. #36, Larry Neighbors, Oklahoma City, Okla.; 3. #9, Johnny Miller, Burleson; 4. #99, Kurt Summers, Mesquite; 5. #41, Jeff Day, Greenville; 6. #11B, Brandon Rogers, Wichita Falls; 7. #8, Wayne McNally, Dallas; 8. #6, Justin Spoerl, Mesquite

CHAMPIONSHIP SPRINTS - Heat 1: 1. #6X, Bobby Ruffin, Crandall; 2. #3X, Jimmy Goodwin, Garland; 3. #88, Eddie Guinn, Choctaw, Okla.; 4. #43, Justin Spoerl, Mesquite; 5. #50, Cody Whitworth, Tuttle, Okla.; 6. #81, David Flanagan, Terrell

Heat 2: 1. #45, Martin Edwards, Mesquite; 2. #6D, Terry DeVeny, Moore, Okla.; 3. #12, Dale Wester, Ovilla; 4. #55, Taron Bean, Oklahoma City, Okla.; 5. #20X, Gary Grosvenor, Mesquite

A FEATURE: 1. #3X, Jimmy Goodwin, Garland; 2. #6X, Bobby Ruffin, Crandall; 3. #43, Justin Spoerl, Mesquite; 4. #45, Martin Edwards, Mesquite; 5. #55, Taron Bean, Oklahoma City, Okla.; 6. #50, Cody Whitworth, Tuttle, Okla.; 7. #6D, Terry DeVeny, Moore, Okla.; 8. #20X, Gary Grosvenor, Mesquite; 9. #81, David Flanagan, Terrell; Did not start - #12, Dale Wester, Ovilla; #88, Eddie Guinn, Choctaw, Okla.

USA MODIFIEDS - Heat 1: 1. #19, Richard McGibboney, Dallas; 2. #22, Jerry Cowart, Mesquite; 3. #99, Johnny Dunn, Jr., Sunnyvale; 4. #88, Clyde Dunn, Jr., Sunnyvale; 5. #4, Tracy Adams, Rowlett; 6. #20, Steve Roach, Mesquite; 7. #52, Joseph Kasper, Ferris

Heat 2: 1. #50, Steve Sickels, Rowlett; 2. #1X, Richard Miller, Terrell; 3. #19J, Jeff Welborn, Princeton; 4. #17, Charles Lasater, Garland; 5. #19R, Chad Ewell, Forney; 6. #3Z, Jason Christopher, Terrell; 7. #50X, Rowdy Starnes, McKinney

Heat 3: 1. #39, Rick McCommas, Balch Springs; 2. #121, Bobby Ruffin, Crandall; 3. #77, Randy Kirkland, Mesquite; 4. #98, Troy Cave, Arlington; 5. #1, Mark Johannesen, Mabank; 6. #V8, Rick Preddy, Aubrey; 7. #5, Billy Fronterhouse, Wylie

A FEATURE: 1. #19, Richard McGibboney, Dallas; 2. #88, Clyde Dunn, Jr., Sunnyvale; 3. #1X, Richard Miller, Terrell; 4. #50X, Rowdy Starnes, McKinney; 5. #22, Jerry Cowart, Mesquite; 6. #99, Johnny Dunn, Jr., Sunnyvale; 7. #77, Randy Kirkland, Mesquite; 8. #1, Mark Johannesen, Mabank; 9. #17, Charles Lasater, Garland; 10. #V8, Rick Preddy, Aubrey; 11. #98, Troy Cave, Arlington; 12. #4, Tracy Adams, Rowlett; 13. #20, Steve Roach, Mesquite; 14. #39, Rick McCommas, Balch Springs; 15. #121, Bobby Ruffin, Crandall; 16. #5, Billy Fronterhouse, Wylie; 17. #3Z, Jason Christopher, Terrell; 18. #19R, Chad Ewell, Forney; 19. #50, Steve Sickels, Rowlett; 20. #52, Joseph Kasper, Ferris; 21. #19J, Jeff Welborn, Princeton

LATE MODELS - Heat 1: 1. #20, Ronnie Welborn, Princeton; 2. #85, Bob Ewell, Forney; 3. #51, Britt Ables, Wylie; 4. #8, Skip O'Neal, Midlothian; 5. #29, Mike Ambern, Longview; 6. #9D, Jerry Horn, Athens; 7. #ZZ, Sloppy Hogg, Arlington

Heat 2: 1. #23, Darren Ellis, Quinlan; 2. #47, Woody Weaver, Flint; 3. #24, Aaron Morey, Dallas; 4. #55, Jimmy Quick, Jr., Terrell; 5. #00X, Michael Grubbs, Sachse; 6. #2, Jack Ambern,Jr., Arp; 7. #V8, J.D. Wilson, Kaufman

Heat 3: 1. #84, Tom Lorenz, Balch Springs; 2. #1, Cheyney Hopkins, Combine; 3. #31, Gary Lowe, Red Oak; 4. #66M, Richard Mills, Cut'N'Shoot; 5. #14, Wayman McMillan, Gladewater; 6. #203, Tony Ruyle, Euless

Trophy Dash: 1. #85, Bob Ewell, Forney; 2. #20, Ronnie Welborn, Princeton; 3. #84, Tom Lorenz, Balch Springs; 4. #47, Woody Weaver, Flint; Did not start - #1, Cheyney Hopkins, Combine; #23, Darren Ellis, Quinlan

A FEATURE: 1. #85, Bob Ewell, Forney; 2. #84, Tom Lorenz, Balch Springs; 3. #24, Aaron Morey, Dallas; 4. #1, Cheyney Hopkins, Combine; 5. #29, Mike Ambern, Longview; 6. #00X, Michael Grubbs, Sachse; 7. #14, Wayman McMillan, Gladewater; 8. #66M, Richard Mills, Cut'N'Shoot; 9. #ZZ, Sloppy Hogg, Arlington; 10. #9D, Jerry Horn, Athens; 11. #V8, J.D. Wilson, Kaufman; 12. #203, Tony Ruyle, Euless; 13. #20, Ronnie Welborn, Princeton; 14. #47. Woody Weaver, Flint; 15. #51, Britt Ables, Wylie; 16. #55, Jimmy Quick, Jr., Terrell; 17. #31, Gary Lowe, Red Oak; 18. #8, Skip O'Neal, Midlothian; 19. #23, Darren Ellis, Quinlan; 20. #2, Jack Ambern,Jr., Arp

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Next weekend, June 4, the Super Sprints, Championship Sprints, USA Modifieds and Street Stocks will be racing at Devil's Bowl. It will be O'Reilly Free Admission Night for residents of Arlington, Hurst, Euless, Bedford, Grapevine, Grand Prairie and Irving

Lanny Edwards announced Saturday night that the schedule for the various car classes will be revised during the next week. Be sure to check the schedule page for the latest information.