Merrill Picks Up Where He Left Off in Pro-Cuts Opener!

FORT WORTH-DALLAS (March 5, 2005) – Raymond Merrill of Sallisaw, OK picked up where he left off a year ago in the Pro-Cuts Texas World Dirt Track Championship as he won Friday night’s 25-lap O’Reilly SUPR Late Model Series feature race at the Texas Motor Speedway Dirt Track. Merrill captured the closing O’Reilly SUPR late model program of last year’s Pro-Cuts weekend at the Dirt Track.

The opening night produced a Dirt Track record of 204 participants, 59 in the O’Reilly SUPR late models and 145 modifieds. Teams from 12 different states participated in the program.

Merrill moved his Merrill Check Cashing/Self Storage GRT late model into the lead on the 15th lap around the four-tenths mile clay oval after leader Jeff Chandler spun in the first turn while trying to move around a lapped car. Merrill held off former series champion David Ashley to post 1.09-second margin of victory. Merrill’s win was worth $2,000.

“The leader had some bad luck and we were able to capitalize on it,” said Merrill in Victory Lane. “We ran the same (right rear) tire all evening long. We appreciate the effort the track crew put into getting the track in shape after all the rain. Normally, I don’t like a tacky track but I’m starting to like this place now.”

Ray Moore II finished third ahead of Alan Vaughan and Garrett Durrett. Kyle Taylor was the first Texan across the finish line in sixth.

NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series star Ken Schrader started the feature fifth but was pushed down into the inside dirt berm in turn two on the opening lap, causing steering and suspension problems. He finished 24th.

Starting positions in Saturday night’s modified features were determined Friday through 12 heat races and a pair of position dash races. The A feature will feature a DFW flavor with Clyde Dunn Jr. of Sunnyvale and Glenn Leuscher of Balch Springs setting the pace.

Spectator gates for Saturday night’s final night of action will open at 4 p.m. with the first green flag to fly at 5 p.m.

Results:

PRO-CUTS TEXAS WORLD DIRT TRACK CHAMPIONSHIP

Friday, March 4, 2005

O’REILLY SUPR LATE MODELS

First Heat (10 laps): 1. Kenny Merchant, Rustin, LA; 2. Ricky Ingalls, Longview, TX; 3. Ray Moore II, Shreveport, LA; 4. Jody Prince, Sibley, LA; 5. Jerry Bell, Rowlett, TX; 6. Shawn Brassfield, Ada, OK; 7. Ronny Adams, Greenwood, LA; 8. Ronnie Warman, Wichita, KS; 9. Michael Robertson, Minden, LA; 10. Jon Mitchell, Greenbriar, AR.

Second Heat (10 laps): 1. Alan Vaughan, Belton, MO; 2. Rob Litton, Alexandria, LA; 3. Dan Leatherman, Muskogee, OK; 4. Dewaine Hottinger, Russellville, AR; 5. Odie Green, Fouke, AR; 6. Robbie Stuart, DeRidder, LA; 7. Tom Lorenz, Balch Springs, TX; 8. Lyle Shepard, Manhattan, KS; 9. John Ewell, Forney, TX; 10. Jimmy Goodwin, Rowlett, TX.

Third Heat (10 laps): 1. Jeff Chandler, Minden, LA; 2. Skip O’Neal, Red Oak, TX; 3. Doug Ingalls,Longview, TX; 4. Patrick Daniel, Wills Point, LA; 5. Bob Ewell, Forney, TX; 6. Danny Mahan, Vidor, TX; 7. James Longpine, Drummond, OK; 8. Sloppy Hogg, Arlington, TX; 9. Mike Rucker, Wichita Falls, TX; 10. Howard Willis, Baytown, TX.

Fourth Heat (10 laps): 1. Kelly Bowen, Denver, CO; 2. Kyle Taylor, Longview, TX; 3. John Koucher, Denver, CO; 4. Delbert Smith, Wichita, KS; 5. Wayman McMillan, Gladewater, TX; 6. Richard Mills, Conroe, TX; 7. Michael Grubbs, Plano, TX; 8. Elizabeth Halpin-Smith, French Settlement, LA; 9. Brock Williams, Leesville, LA; 10. Andy Richards, Farmerville, LA.

Fifth Heat (10 laps): 1. David Ashley, Zachary, LA; 2. Garrett Durrett, Simsboro, LA; 3. Keith Craft, Arkadelphia, AR; 4. Rusty Cummings, Minden, LA; 5. Jimmy Gaylor Jr., Lutherville, GA; 6. Bubba Mullins, W. Monroe, LA; 7. Donald Watson, Baton Rouge, LA; 8. Jamie Burford, Keatchie, LA; 9. Bret Ables, Garland, TX; 10. John Sliney, Colleyville, TX.

Sixth Heat (10 laps): 1. Raymond Merrill, Sallisaw, OK; 2. Ken Schrader, Concord, NC; 3. Larry Lambeth, Flomaton, AL; 4. Robbie Starnes, Baytown, TX; 5. Jason Ingalls, Longview, TX; 6. Michael Coleman, Tyler, TX; 7. Charles Randolph II, Muskogee, OK; 8. Allen Tippen, Minden, LA; 9. Jimmy Quick, Terrell, TX.

First Last Chance Race (15 laps): 1. Doug Ingalls, Longview, TX; 2. Jody Prince, Sibley, LA; 3. Tom Lorenz, Balch Springs, TX; 4. Bob Ewell, Forney, TX; 5. Shawn Brassfield, Ada, OK; 6. John Sliney, Colleyville, TX; 7. Sloppy Hogg, Arlington, TX.

Second Last Chance Race (15 laps): 1. Patrick Daniel, Wills Point, TX; 2. Jimmy Gaylor Jr., Luthersville, GA; 3. Jerry Bell, Rowlett, TX; 4. Odie Green, Fouke, AR; 5. Charlie Randolph II, Muskogee, OK; 6. Allen Tippen, Minden, LA; 7. Lyle Shepard, Mznhattan, KS; 8. Jimmy Quick, Terrell, TX; 9. Richard Mills, Conroe, TX.

Feature (25 laps): 1. Raymond Merrill, Sallisaw, OK; 2. David Ashley, Zachary, LA; 3. Ray Moore II, Shreveport, LA; 4. Alan Vaughan, Belton, MO; 5. Garrett Durrett, Simsboro, LA; 6. Kyle Taylor, Longview, TX; 7. Larry Lambeth, Flomaton, AL; 8. Kelly Bowen, Denver, CO; 9. Patrick Daniel, Wills Point, LA; 10. Ricky Ingalls, Longview, TX; 11. Keith Craft, Arkadelphia, AR; 12. Doug Ingalls, Longview, TX; 13. Jimmy Gaylor Jr., Lultherville, GA; 14. Odie Green, Fouke, AR; 15. Jody Prince, Sibley, LA; 16. Rob Litton, Alexandria, LA; 17. Delbert Smith, Wichita, KS; 18. Jeff Chandler, Minden, LA; 19. Bubba Mullins, W. Monroe, LA; 20. Kenny Merchant, Rustin, LA; 21. Skip O’Neal, Red Oak, TX; 22. Ken Schrader, Concord, NC.

Lap Leaders: 1-15 Jeff Chandler, 16-25 R. Merrill.

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