Smoky Mountain Speedway
Ogle's demise lifts Cook to 16th SRRS victory
By Richard Allen
TennesseeRacer.com
Ray Cook heads to his 16th career SRRS victory. (photobyconnie.com)
MARYVILLE, Tenn. (June 29) — Inheriting the lead when Billy Ogle Jr. fell by the wayside on lap 25, Ray Cook of Brasstown, N.C., earned his second Southern Regional Racing Series of the weekend Saturday at Smoky Mountain Speedway.
Cook, a Thursday winner on the SRRS Summer Showdown at Duck River Raceway Park in Wheel, Tenn., led the rest of the way to earn $3,000 and his series-leading 16th career victory. | Slideshow
“We had a good car all night,” Cook said. “We never touched it all night but we should have. I hate what happened to Billy, but we were pushing pretty bad behind the slow cars.”
Hometown driver Jason Welshan finished second with Skip Arp of Georgetown, Tenn., third. SRRS points leader Josh Putnam of Florence, Ala., a winner the previous night at Boyd’s Speedway in Ringgold, Ga., and David Crabtree of Maryville rounded out the top five. Ogle, of Knoxville, Tenn., was 18th in the 21-car field.
Cook shot to the early lead with Putnam, Welshan, Ogle and Arp following. Early on, it appeared as if he might run away from the pack. But Ogle began to move forward as he took third from Welshan on the second lap, then moved past Putnam for second the seventh circuit.
Cook was well ahead until he began to encounter traffic. While the leader was tangled behind one of the slower cars, Ogle took advantage and swept to the front around the outside of Cook in turn four on lap 14.
A lap-15 caution bunched the field, but Ogle jumped out to a big advantage following the restart. He was cruising in a new car but slowed dramatically in turn two on lap 25, retiring from the race. Cook drove away over the final 10 laps to seize the victory.
Notes: Cook’s MasterSbilt Race Car is powered by Jay Dickens Racing Engine and sponsored by Keyser Mfg., PPM, VP Racing, PRC, Kelly Walker Trucking and A+ Moving & Storage. ... Cook is 2-for-2 in weekend action; he didn’t compete Friday at Boyd’s Speedway. ... Brett Wyatt of Crossville, Tenn., won the night’s Crate Late Model feature. ... The Summer Showdown wraps up July 3 at Wartburg (Tenn.) Speedway.
Summer Showdown: (1) Ray Cook, (2) Jason Welshan, (3) Skip Arp, (4) Josh Putnam, (5) David Crabtree, (6) Skylar Marlar, (7) Mark Vineyard, (8) Eric Jacobsen, (9) Michael Asberry, (10) Mark Douglas, (11) Chad Ogle, (12) Bobby Giffin, (13) Brad Skinner, (14) Danny Yoder, (15) Andy Standridge, (16) Chuck Laney, (17) Joey Standridge, (18) Billy Ogle Jr., (19) Ross White, (20) Bryan Hendrix, (21) Ryan King. Fast qualifier (among 23 cars): Cook, 16.482 seconds. Dash winner: Cook. Consolation race winners: Crabtree, Giffin.
