Ashley regains points lead with SUPR win at Thunder Valley Speedway

By Steve Molnar

GLENMORA, LA (July 4, 1999) - David Ashley, who lost the O’Reilly’s Southern United Professional (SUPR) points lead on Friday night at Sabine Speedway, kept his composure and moved back into the lead the next night at Boothill when Duke Whiseant suffered a driveline failure while running third. With the point lead back in his possession, Ashley did his best to stretch that lead when he won his second O’Reilly SUPR victory of the year at Thunder Valley Speedway in Glenmora, Louisiana. "I didn’t really worry about it that much until it was gone." Ashley credits his crewman Doug Barton for sticking with him and encouraging him.

As for the race, Ashley said, "I knew if it got slick, we would be fine. After we raced here last time, I knew the top would go, I just had to patient on the bottom." Running the bottom almost became a problem for him as he started the race in 4th and stayed in the top five until a slip dropped him back a few spots on lap 11. He soon recovered and began his charge to the front on lap 19 when shot up from 4th to 2nd in one lap. Ashley took over the lead on the 23rd lap. "I babied the car and watched what people were doing and once I got out front I knew were the traction was and were to be easy on the throttle."

Ashley drove the After Crash, Inc. Warrior into victory lane were he dedicated the race to his father in law Ervin Spangler, who just underwent heart surgery last week.

Marlon Wild started on the front row and jumped into the lead right from the start as he rode the highside of the track. He held the lead until lap 14 when Lonnie Covington moved by briefly. Wild grabbed it back on the next circuit and was in command until Ashley worked by him down low on lap 23. "The car was great, it just wasn’t meant to be. It was good up there you just had to be real careful and I went in wrong and hocked a rut. I slowed down and seen David come up and I tried to speed back up but could do it."

Ronny Adams, fresh off a win the night before, ran near the front the whole night but was never able to mount a serious challenge for the lead. At the end he was lucky to bring the A-1 Auto Salvage GRT home in third as he drove the last few laps with a flat right rear. "I was a third place car anyway."

31 Late Models were on hand with Ronny Adams claimed the GRT Top Qualifier award. Heat wins went to Donald Watson, Marlon Wild, Adams, Lonnie Covington and Dennis Duncan while Dave Siegert and Phil Cooper won the Last Chance races to earn a spot in the feature. Siegert then mounted what is now becoming a familiar lowside charge all the way up from 17th to 4th in a car borrowed from Dave Burkhalter. Siegert had suffered engine failures the last two nights and showed up at Thunder Valley hoping to keep himself close in the points chase was able to find the ride when Burkhalter injured his back earlier in the day.

The O’Reilly’s SUPR event was part of the Jackie Thacker Jr. Memorial race weekend at Thunder Valley Speedway and the victory was worth $3500 to Ashley. In pre-race ceremonies, the track was dedicated in Thacker’s honor and a bust was unveiled in the infield.


Official results:
1. David Ashley
2. Marlon Wild
3. Ronny Adams
4. Dave Siegert
5. Lonnie Covington
6. Dennis Duncan
7. Jon Mitchell
8. Jay Blair
9. Richie Ginn
10. Kenny Merchant
11. Duke Whiseant
12. Keith Craft
13. Cary Babin
14. Phil Cooper
15. Ryan Fontenot
16. Jason Ingalls
17. Randy Cook
18. Donald Watson
19. Elizabeth Halpin
20. Eddie Taylor
21. Wade Cleveland
22. Rusty Cummings