Kenny Merchantmakes it two in a row with I-30 victory

Kenny Merchant makes it 2 in a row with I-30 victory

BENTON, Ark. (April 12) -- No wrecks. No cautions. No one-grooved track. But lotsa Kenny Merchant.

The West Monroe, La., driver took command on the 20th lap at I-30 Speedway and cruised the rest of the way for a $2,500 payday, his second consecutive win on the O'Reilly Auto Parts Southern United Professional Racing Circuit.

Merchant dominated the second half of the caution-free event for his 21st career series victory.

Polesitter James Ward finished second while three-time SUPR champion Doug Ingalls, making his first start in a Michael Nash-owned GRT Race Car, was third. Scott Slay, who led the first 19 laps, and Rob Litton rounded out the top five. Provisional starter Curt Lipsey rallied from the 21st starting spot to finish seventh.

"I think we had a lot of luck on our side," said Merchant, who said he missed the setup on a track that had new clay added in the off-season. "The track is about the same other than we could race on it tonight. I don't know if it's because the weather stayed cool all night or what the circumstances was. I thought it was going to get one-laned, myself. But I love coming to places like when you can race."

And race they did.

SUPR drivers used virtually every inch of the quarter-mile oval trying to catch Merchant. Starting outside the front row, Slay got the jump on Ward and edged out
to a comfortable leading while running the high side early in the race. But Merchant, who started third, starting rolling by the 10th lap as he outdueled Ingalls and Jay Blair and began pursuing the leaders. He caught Ward amid lapped traffic to make an outside pass then caught Slay a few laps later and slipped by on the inside. He led the final 30 laps.

"(Merchant) outfoxed me in the traffic," Ward said. "Once he got around me, the traffic, he just kept so many (lapped) cars between us. I got it down there (once) where there was one car between us, but I was hoping if I would've gotten to where there weren't any cars between us and they would've thrown a caution. It seemed like I could close in on him a little bit when we (had) open track."

Slay's high groove went away and he retreated to a lower groove in the second half of the race. He was living by the high side and dying by the high side. "We didn't have a maneuverable enough car to go anywhere else," the Clinton, Miss., driver said.

The event drew 31 cars with Ward, Ingalls, Blair and Slay winning heat races. Jeff Chanler and Bubba Mullins, who made major repairs after a heat-race accident, won consolation events. Lipsey and top series rookie Bill Gordon took provisional starting spots.

Official Results:
1. Kenny Merchant
2. James Ward
3. Doug Ingalls
4. Scott Slay
5. Rob Litton
6. David Ashley Jr.
7. Curt Lipsey
8. Darin Patrick
9. Jeff Chanler
10. Shane Harris
11. Tommy Surrett
12. Keith Craft
13. Jay Blair
14. Ryan Plaisance
15. Trey Beene
16. Lee Davis
17. Bill Gordon
18. Donald Watson
19. Brian Holloway
20. Ronny Adams
21. Jon Mitchell
22. Bubba Mullins

Story courtesy of National Dirt Digest

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