Jason Ingalls takes first-ever O'Reilly SUPR Late Model victory

Jason Ingalls takes first-ever O'Reilly SUPR Late Model victory at the Hill!

Shreveport , Louisiana ( April 23, 2005 ) – Jason Ingalls grabbed the lead from the start and led all 50-laps to claim his first-ever O’Reilly SUPR Late Model feature win at Boothill Speedway. Ingalls, driving the Nash Trucking/Marshall Lube& Auto Center PTS Powered Pontiac Grand Prix GRT this year has begun to fulfill the promise that he first exhibited in winning the SUPR Rookie of the Year title in 1997. Ingalls has been hampered by a limited budget over the last few years but is now showing that with the proper support he is capable of winning races. Last week, it was Ingalls charging to a second place finish and the biggest payout of his career at Texas Motor Speedway and this week, it was a solid performance at Boothill Speedway, leading every lap of green flag competition winning his heat race and the 50-lap feature.

Ingalls started third but was able to beat B&K Underground Top Qualifier Robbie Starnes to turn one and the chase was on. Ingalls held the competition at bay starting with Kenny Merchant, Starnes and David Ashley in the early stages with Ingalls commanding the bottom groove and building a comfortable lead. The race would be slowed by a series of early cautions – six cautions in the first 13 laps but would only be slowed one more time on lap 36 but by that time, Ingalls had lapped all but the top eight cars. The late caution on lap 36 allowed Merchant one last challenge for the lead but Ingalls was more than up to that challenge pulling away to a sizeable lead with five to go.

The last five laps would not go without drama as Lee Davis, who survived a first lap tangle with Rob Litton and a lap two spin, was working the high groove effectively charging his way through the field, moving into the top five on lap 39, to fourth on lap 41, third next lap by and then the question became would he catch Merchant for second and would he have enough laps left to challenge Ingalls. Well, Davis reeled in Merchant but it was on lap 50 as the pair raced off of turn four that Davis was able to grab second but not nearly enough laps left for him to challenge first time winner Jason Ingalls.

Lee Davis, who spun early and restarted 20^th didn’t go away empty handed as he picked up the Creel Brothers Hard Charger award for having passed the most cars in the feature and that doesn’t even call into account the extra cars he had to pass once he restarted on the rear. Official Davis started 11^th and passed 9 cars en route to the runner-up finish but he fell back to 20^th on lap two before mounting his charge to the front.

Kenny Merchant rolled out his old workhorse Warrior chassis and started on the outside pole and while he beat Robbie Starnes to turn one he still found himself in second place due to Ingalls strong low side move on the start. Merchant would battle with current point leader David Ashley for much of the race but he was unable to match Jason Ingalls’ pace.

28 O’Reilly SUPR Late Models were on hand. Jason Ingalls, Robbie Starnes, Bubba Mullins and Ronny Adams topped the heat races while Rob Litton topped the Last Chance race.

Official Results:
1. Jason Ingalls
2. Lee Davis
3. Kenny Merchant
4. David Ashley
5. Robbie Starnes
6. Ray Moore
7. Ronny Adams
8. Bubba Mullins
9. Allen Tippen
10. James Flores, Jr.
11. Doug Ingalls
12. Patrick Daniel
13. Ricky Ingalls
14. Robbie Stuart
15. Jerry Bell
16. Jody Prince
17. Jeff Chanler
18. Trey Beene
19. Jeff Gandy
20. Michael Coleman
21. Rob Litton

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