Wartburg Speedway
First-time winner Ross White captures Wartburg
By Richard Allen
DirtonDirt.com correspondent
Ross White enjoys victory lane at Wartburg Speedway after his first Super Late Model triumph. (photobyconnie.com)
WARTBURG, Tenn. (July 1) — Ross White of Knoxville, Tenn., made the first Super Late Model of his career a big one.
Inheriting the pole position after a penalty for the original front-row starters, White led all 50 laps Friday at Wartburg Speedway for a victory sanctioned by three racing circuits. The 20-year-old earned $5,000 in the STARS Volunteer Racing Series, STARS Midwest Dirt Racing League and Southern Regional Racing Series event. | Slideshow
Fast qualifier Eric Jacobsen of Seacliff Beach, Calif., and Chip Brindle of Chatsworth, Ga., were scheduled to start on the front row, but they were shifted back to the second row after two failed starts, and White made the most of the swap.
He set a torrid pace from the outset and kept Jacobsen in check during a race slowed by three caution flags, all in the first 19 laps. One came at just the right time as Jacobsen drew alongside the leader at the quarter-mile oval.
But White officially led all the way, taking the checkers ahead of Jacobsen for a victory in Fourth of July weekend opener.
Anthony Burroughs of Muscle Shoals, Ala., was third while Dustin Linville of Bryantsville, Ky., rallied from his 11th starting spot to finish fourth. Shane Clanton of Fayetteville, Ga., rounded out the top five. Brindle ended up 18th after spinning out of contention.
Notes: White is sponsored by McCarty Electric and Alternative Care Sitting Services. ... White was Rookie of the Year last season on the Volunteer Racing Series. ... Among drivers failing to make the feature lineup: Ruben Mayfield, Charles Hurst and Dan Tipton. ... SRRS and MDRL competitors head to Mountain Motor Speedway in Isom, Ky., for Saturday's $3,000-to-win event.
Triple Threat Throwdown: (1) Ross White, (2) Eric Jacobsen, (3) Anthony Burroughs, (4) Dustin Linville, (5) Shane Clanton, (6) Josh Putnam, (7) Jason Manley, (8) Ronnie Johnson, (9) Michael Chilton, (10) Clint Smith, (11) Anthony White, (12) Daniel Miller, (13) Mike Marlar, (14) Skylar Marlar, (15) Randy Runyan, (16) Stacy Boles, (17) Jacob Grizzle, (18) Chip Brindle, (19) Bryan Hendrix, (20) Doug Smith, (21) Kayne Hickman, (22) Terry Tomlinson, (23) Chad Winkles, (24) Tim Busha. Fast qualifier (among 36 cars): Jacobsen, 12.622 seconds. Heat race winners: Clanton, Smith, Grizzle, A. White.
