Swainsboro Raceway
Swainsboro spin doesn't stop Hollingsworth's win
By Kelley Carlton
O'Reilly Southern All StarsSWAINSBORO, Ga. (Sept. 12) — Rebounding after losing the lead with a mid-race spin at Swainsboro Raceway, Ronny Lee Hollingsworth of Northport, Ala., took just six laps to regain the point and raced to his second O'Reilly Southern All Star Series victory of the season. Hollingsworth earned $5,000 for the 50-lap victory as the crossed the finish line ahead of G.R. Smith of Huntersville, N.C., denying Smith his first series victory.
"Man, things are finally coming together for us," said Hollingsworth, whose first series victory came May 10 at his home track, Columbus (Miss.) Speedway. "I can't thank my race team enough for all they do. And my car owner is the best. Those lapped cars made it tough on my tonight but our car was just awesome. .... That was a pretty cool deal to come from the rear like that."
The polesitting Smith led from the outset on a night when earlier rains caused rough track conditions that plagued drivers. With competitors bouncing around in trying to negotiate the track, several cautions slowed the action as the sixth-starting Hollingsworth moved up to second after a dozen laps. Hollingsworth used the bottom groove to take the lead from Smith on lap 15.
Hollingsworth built nearly a half-straightaway lead, but he made contact with a lapped car on lap 26, spinning solo in turn three and handing the lead back to Smith as he was forced to restart on the tail. Smith continued to lead with Floridians Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville and Ivedent Lloyd Jr. of Ocala battling for second, but Hollingsworth was quickly rallying after starting 11th and back up to second by a lap-29 caution. Three laps later, he pulled even with Smith in turn one and regained command on lap 32 with the winning pass. Only a last-lap scare with another lapped car slowed his action of the race's final stages. Smith was second followed by Pearson, Lloyd and SAS rookie Anthony Hill.
Notes: Hollingsworth drove Baird Motorsports-backed Rocket Chassis powered by a Vic Hill Race Engine. ... Former series champion Chris Madden of Gray Court, S.C., scratched for the night after suspension problems in qualifying. ... After time trials, Swainsboro promoter Paul Purvis and track workers went to work to try and smooth a choppy surface; afternoon rains had soaked the red clay. ... The feature started just after 11 p.m. ... The Sept. 13 series event at Screven Motor Speedway in Sylvania, Ga., was canceled as the track cited fuel shortages in the area; SAS East competitors head to Sunday's Sept. 14 event at Cherokee Speedway in Gaffney, S.C., a $10,000-to-win makeup from Labor Day weekend.
O'Reilly SAS @ Swainsboro: (1) Ronny Lee Hollingsworth, (2) G.R. Smith, (3) Earl Pearson Jr., (4) Ivedent Lloyd Jr., (5) Anthony Hill, (6) Jason Fitzgerald, (7) Dion Deason, (8) Derek Ellis, (9) Shane Riner, (10) Ray Cook, (11) Casey Barrow, (12) Chesley Dixon, (13) Michael Akeson, (14) Scott Shirey, (15) Dillon Wood, (16) Ed Basey, (17) John Pursley, (18) Randle Chupp, (19) Bob Robertson, (20) John Henderson, (21) Tony Knowles, (22) Tommy Kerr, (23) Brandon Ifft, (24) Jeff Fortner. Fast qualifier (among 31 cars): Smith, 15.403 seconds. Consolation race winners: Henderson, Hill. Provisional starters: Fitzgerald, Deason.
