Champion Park Speedway
Tippen outruns Chanler, wins at Champion Park
By Jason Wise
O'Reilly SUPR
Allen Tippen (71a) earned $2,500 for his 40-lap victory. (scottscustomart.com)
MINDEN, La. (March 21) — Traveling drivers with the O'Reilly Southern United Professional Racing tour invaded Champion Park Speedway on Saturday night, but the night ended with a hometown celebration at the quarter-mile oval. Fourth-starting Allen Tippen of Minden overtook polesitter and fellow Minden driver Jeff Chanler on the 26th lap and rolled to his first SUPR victory since 2006. | Slideshow
Tippen earned $2,500 in the second race of the season on the Louisiana-based Dirt Late Model series. Chanler settled for second while eighth-starting Kyle Cummings of Sibley, La., rallied to finish third ahead of reigning SUPR champion Kenny Merchant of West Monroe, La., and teenager Gary Scott Christian of Broken Bow, Okla.
Chanler took advantage of his pole position to grab the lead at the outset of the 40-lapper and quickly distanced himself from the field. As the surface slickened, several caution flags waved in the opening laps and drivers found what little traction was remaining in the bottom groove.
As Chanler fought lapped traffic, Tippen closed the gap with a spirited battle developing up front. On a lap-26 restart, Tippen shot under Chanler and took control of the race. Cummings caught the frontrunners in the race's late stages, but Tippen held on for his first series victory since Oct. 7, 2006, at I-30 Speedway in Little Rock, Ark.
Notes: Tippen's GRT Race Car is sponsored by Smith's Towing and Troy Tippen Racing. ... Tippen has six career SUPR victories, including four in 2006. ... After winning the consolation race, three-time SUPR champion Doug Ingalls of Longview, Texas, rallied from 17th to finish eighth. .... Kevin Weaver of Gibson City, Ill., making a rare series start in a Ricky Jowers-owned car, finished 11th. ... Local favorite Jody Prince endured a frustrating night after being caught up in a heat-race accident. He transferred through the consolation but was 13th in the main event. ... Next up for O’Reilly SUPR competitors is a March 28-29 weekend with Saturday night action at Pike County Speedway in Magnolia, Miss., and Sunday afternoon action at Baton Rouge Raceway in Baker, La.
SUPR @ Champion Park: (1) Allen Tippen, (2) Jeff Chanler, (3) Kyle Cummings, (4) Kenny Merchant, (5) Gary Scott Christian, (6) Lee Davis, (7) Ronny Adams, (8) Doug Ingalls, (9) Mark Andrews, (10) Jason Ingalls, (11) Kevin Weaver, (12) Nicholas Brown, (13) Jody Prince, (14) Darrell Noland, (15) Alan East, (16) Jon Mitchell, (17) Eric Neal, (18) Rusty Cummings, (19) Wendall Bolden, (20) Patrik Daniel, (21) Trey Beene, (22) Jonathan Cribb. Heat race winners (among 26 cars): Davis, Daniel, Merchant, Chanler. Consolation winner: D. Ingalls.
