Golden Isles Speedway
Jan. 30 prelims: Fuller fastest among 60 cars
By Todd Turner
DirtonDirt.com chief writer
Tim Fuller set fast time. (ronskinnerphotos.com)
BRUNSWICK, Ga. (Jan. 30) — Tim Fuller of Edwards, N.Y., was the fastest among 60 qualifiers at the fifth round of Golden Isles Speedway's Super Bowl of Racing IV. Details of time trial and preliminary races at the 4/10-mile oval:
Non-qualifiers' race
Dave Hess Jr. started outside the front row and led all 10 laps, outrunning polesitter Matt Miller in the Callies-sponsored event. Steve Francis finished third followed by James Ward and Darren Miller. Hess initially opted to start on the tail of the feature, but he found an oil leak in his car and decided to take the $500 instead. Instead of Hess starting on the last row will be Patrick Sheltra, who was added as a promoter's option.
Finish: (1) Dave Hess Jr., (2) Matt Miller, (3) Steve Francis, (4) James Ward, (5) Darren Miller, (6) Anthony White, (7) G.R. Smith, (8) Dillon Wood, (9) Anthony Hill.
Second consolation
Bouncing back from a poor qualifying time, Earl Pearson Jr. roared away at the beginning and dominated the race. Behind him, a feisty battle developed for second with Rick Eckert taking the second spot on lap six from fellow Pennsylvania driver Dave Hess Jr., who was making his Golden Isles debut. Hess finished third followed by Randy Weaver, Steve Francis and Casey Roberts.
Finish: (1) Earl Pearson Jr., (2) Rick Eckert, (3) Dave Hess Jr., (4) Randy Weaver, (5) Steve Francis, (6) Casey Roberts, (7) Anthony White, (8) Mike Collins, (9) Don O'Neal, (10) Johnny Collins, (11) Anthony Hill, (12) Dillon Wood, (13) Brent Dixon, (14) Mark Andersen, (15) Chesley Dixon, (16) Tony Knowles, (17) Chuck Smith Jr., (18) Steven Howard, (19) G.R. Smith.
First consolation
Starting outside the front row, Dennis Erb Jr. jumped into the lead from the outset and cruised to victory. Polesitter Randle Chupp repelled early changes from Matt Miller and held the second spot throughout the race. Miller's third-place finish assured him a front-row spot in the non-qualifiers' race. Patrick Sheltra was fourth ahead of James Ward.
Finish: (1) Dennis Erb Jr., (2) Randle Chupp, (3) Matt Miller, (4) Patrick Sheltra, (5) James Ward, (6) Derek Ellis, (7) Darren Miller, (8) Vic Coffey, (9) Chub Frank, (10) Tyler Ivey, (11) Stacy Holmes, (12) Ed Basey, (13) Tommy Kerr, (14) Ricky Elliott, (15) Joe Isabell, (16) Danny Johnson, (17) Chuck Hummer, (18) Dale Groves Jr.
Sixth heat
Leading all the way to give Bloomquist Race Cars their fourth heat victory of the night, Michael England pulled away from polesitter Billy Moyer midway through the race and cruised to victory. Moyer spent the rest of the race fighting off Ivedent Lloyd Jr., who was third. Finishing fourth was seventh-starting Randy Weaver, who is guesting in the PPM house car. The lone caution appeared on the final lap when Chesley Dixon slowed. Two starts were called back, one for England jumping the start, the other for Moyer jumping.
Finish: (1) Michael England, (2) Billy Moyer, (3) Ivedent Lloyd Jr., (4) Randy Weaver, (5) Casey Roberts, (6) G.R. Smith, (7) Mike Collins, (8) Dillon Wood, (9) Chesley Dixon, (10) Chuck Smith Jr.
Fifth heat
Cruising to an easy victory, Jimmy Owens built up nearly a half-lap lead before letting up in the final laps of his victory. Jason Fitzgerald, who started third, finished second followed by Justin Rattliff. Darren Miller started outside the front row but fell back to finish fourth ahead of Patrick Sheltra. Freddy Smith scratched.
Finish: (1) Jimmy Owens, (2) Jason Fitzgerald, (3) Justin Rattliff, (4) Patrick Sheltra, (5) Darren Miller, (6) Vic Coffey, (7) Chub Frank, (8) Stacy Holmes, (9) Joe Isabell.
Fourth heat
Polesitter Shane Clanton fought off repeated challenges from fellow Georgian Clint Smith for an eight-lap victory. Smith made several inside moves, but couldn't find a way past. Steve Shaver finished further back in third while Dave Jess Jr. and Rick Eckert rounded out the top five.
Finish: (1) Shane Clanton, (2) Clint Smith, (3) Steve Shaver, (4) Dave Hess Jr., (5) Rick Eckert, (6) Don O'Neal, (7) Mark Andersen, (8) Anthony Hill, (9) Brent Dixon, (10) Steven Howard.
Third heat
Polesitter Terry Casey led all the way for an easy victory. Kelly Boen was second followed by Brady Smith in a race slowed by a lap-four caution to Jason McBride. Dennis Erb Jr. missed a transfer spot by one position.
Finish: (1) Terry Casey, (2) Kelly Boen, (3) Brady Smith, (4) Dennis Erb Jr., (5) Derek Ellis, (6) Tyler Ivey, (7) Dale Groves Jr., (8) Danny Johnson, (9) Jason McBride.
Second heat
In a race that took three starts, Scott Bloomquist got around polesitter Josh Richards at the race's outset and cruised to a victory. Richards held off a high-side charge from Tim McCreadie for the second spot, while Earl Pearson, trying to rebound from a poor qualifying effort, raced up to fourth. Steve Francis finished fifth. Bloomquist spun in turn two on the initial start and on the next start, officials warned both front-row starters about jumping the start.
Finish: (1) Scott Bloomquist, (2) Josh Richards, (3) Tim McCreadie, (4) Earl Pearson Jr., (5) Steve Francis, (6) Anthony White, (7) Mark Vineyard, (8) Johnny Collins, (9) Tony Knowles, (10) Bo Smith.
First heat
Chris Madden got the jump on polesitter and fellow front-row starter Tim Fuller and cruised to an eight-lap victory. Fuller finished a half-straightaway behind with Moran a distant third. Randle Chupp raced from his ninth starting spot to finish fourth as he took the position from Matt Miller on the second-to-last lap.
Finish: (1) Chris Madden, (2) Tim Fuller, (3) Donnie Moran, (4) Randle Chupp, (5) Matt Miller, (6) James Ward, (7) Tommy Kerr, (8) Chuck Hummer, (9) Ricky Elliott, (10) Ed Basey.
Qualifying
Tim Fuller of Edwards, N.Y., posted the fastest qualifying time among 60 cars on Wednesday at Golden Isles Speedway's Super Bowl of Racing IV. Fuller posted a time of 15.974 seconds and will start on the pole of the first heat race in the O'Reilly Southern All Star-sanctioned event. Other drivers earning pole positions in heat races: Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., Terry Casey of New London, Wis., Shane Clanton of Locust Grove, Ga., Billy Moyer of Batesville, Ark., and Jimmy Owens, a winner of three of the four features in Super Bowl of Racing action.
Pre-race notebook
There are a few format changes with the switch to O'Reilly Southern All Star sanctioning. There's no more group qualifying and there will be six heats instead of four with three drivers transferring from each heat. Two consolations will send two drivers apiece into the feature and two provisionals will be added, along with the winner of the non-qualifier's race. ...� Although the Southern All Stars were originally scheduled to sanction events Wednesday through Friday, they'll also sanction Saturday's event. However, no points will be awarded on Saturday. ... Freddy Smith, after driving Brian Nuttal's backup car previously, was back in his traditional No. 00 on Wednesday night. ... Newcomers to Wednesday's action included Mark Vineyard of Powell, Tenn. (in Anthony White's backup car), Stacy Holmes of Munford, Ala. (last year's SAS rookie of the year in a new car), Dave Hess Jr. of Waterford, Pa., Steven Howard of Bloomingdale, Ga., Tony Knowles of Tyrone, Ga., Brent Dixon of Elberton, Ga., Anthony Hill of Carrollton, Ga. (runner-up in Talladega Short Track's Ice Bowl), Canadian Dave Tyrchniewicz of St. Andrews, Manitoba, and Randy Weaver of Crossville, Tenn. (in the PPM house car). ... Tyrchniewicz lost a driveshaft following his qualifying lap. ... Dan Schlieper of Pewaukee, Wis., is still sidelined with a back injury. Florida driver Michael Lloyd plans on hot-lapping Schlieper's car tonight during the heat races and entering the No. 9 in Thursday's action.
