Hollingsworth and Ashley top night one of Mardi Gras Nationals!
Baton Rouge, Louisiana (February 23, 2007) – The 6th Annual Mardi Gras Nationals kicked off at Baton Rouge Raceway and it featured two excellent features beginning with the Inaugural O’Reilly SUPR Modified event in which Greg Hollingsworth made a turn four pass to snag the win over race long leader Jerry Cassano and then the night was capped by a classic late race duel between two of Southeast Louisiana’s toughest Late Model drivers with local favorite David Ashley from nearby Zachary holding off Holden gator farmer Chris Wall to take the win.
Greg Hollingsworth win came in a Larry Shaw Chassis and the win was aided by a late caution the eliminated a large lead by Cassano and then lapped traffic that slowed Cassano’s charge and ultimately allowed Hollingsworth the chance to catch and pass Cassano for the win. Cassano realized his lead was at risk when he saw the Lawrence, Mississippi driver to his outside. Cassano ended up pushing the lapped car of Richie Ginn to try to make a hole but Ginn spun at the finish line briefly blocking Cassano and allowing Hollingsworth to take the win.
Hollingsworth realized that Cassano had a better car in the feature. “He had us covered but I didn’t quit.” And that charging spirit allowed Hollingsworth to pounce on the opportunity. Still, Cassano and Hollingsworth could shake hands after race had ended and felt that ultimately the fans got a good show. Hollingsworth felt he tightened his Shaw up just a bit too much for the feature but he felt the car performed well and he couldn’t do it without the help of his brother Ron Hollingsworth and Michael Wooten who helped out tonight. Hollingworth ended by saying, “I hate that my wife missed it, she can’t hardly make it to the races anymore but she let’s me go.”
For Cassano he shook it off to racing luck. “When I saw that black car on the outside of me I started pushing that car in front of me but it was too late.” Cassano gave credit to his new Bob Pierce Race Car. “I felt good because my car was running good. It came out the box pretty dang good. My oldest son Chris had a Pierce and he kept telling me to get one but I kept working on mine. He kept out running me so we both got one.”
In the case of David Ashley, the two-time defending O’Reilly SUPR Late Model Champion, the win was particularly special as it comes on the heal of the birth of his daughter Paige Elizabeth Ashley and it was also the night that his son Alex “Sparky” Ashley won his first-ever race in the local Limited Modified feature.
Ashley built a big lead in the feature after battling early with Ray Moore but lapped traffic slowed his charge while Chris Wall, who started eighth, mounted a strong late charge. Wall closed a big lead down in just two or three laps of charging and then showed Ashley his nose once or twice. Wall looked poised to grab the lead but Ashley was up to the challenge pulling back away to take the win as Wall faded at the end with a wounded motor.
Even an early part breakage didn’t slow Ashley’s pace. “I broke the upper control arm in the heat and the car ran great even without the control arm, it was phenomenal.” In the feature Ashley hit the right setup and was a dominant car early on a track that was providing two distinct racing lines and plenty of side-by-side action. Still lapped traffic late in the race set the stage for a classic late race duel. “I kind of got comfortable and (when Chris showed me his nose) I said man I’ve got to go and I found that there was more to the car then I had been using.”
“It always feels good to win, no matter what, especially to win at home. You always want to perform well before your hometown crowd. I’ve got my aunts, my uncles, my cousins, my nephews, my best friends. I can’t say enough about Jeff Chandler, my brother Rohn was here to help me and I can’t say enough about Billy and Kim McDonald, it’s our second year together and they are phenomenal people.”
39 O’Reilly SUPR Late Models were on hand. Ryan Plaisance was the top qualifier after starting 7th and finishing second in the second heat race. Jon Mitchell, Curt Lipsey, Ray Moore, Sam Patrick and James Ward won the heat races while Rob Litton and Lee Davis claimed the last chance wins. David Breazeale passed 11 cars to earn the hard charger award.
30 O’Reilly SUPR Modifieds were on and. Chris Cassano, Danny Hebert, Greg Hollingsworth and Rusty Cooper won the heat races with Richard Zeller and Michael Roe topping the last chance races.
O’Reilly SUPR Late Model Results:
1. David Ashley
2. Chris Wall
3. Ray Moore
4. David Breazeale
5. Ryan Plaisance
6. Marlon Wild
7. Dwight Falcon
8. Curt Lipsey
9. Allen Tippen
10. Lee Davis
11. Kevin Watts
12. Jason Ingalls
13. Nicholas Brown
14. Sam Patrick
15. Donald Watson
16. James Ward
17. Rob Litton
18. Bubba Mullins
19. Kennith Crowe
20. Jon Mitchell
21. Kenny Merchant
22. Brock Williams
O’Reilly SUPR Modified Results
1. Greg Hollingsworth
2. Jerry Cassano
3. Danny Hebert
4. James Ward
5. Mike Paillou
6. Rick Duke
7. Rusty Cooper
8. Kerry Vicknair
9. Richard Zeller
10. Greg Adcock
11. Tommy Cannon
12. Kevin Maddox
13. Mike Roe
14. Hank Schlindwein
15. Richie Ginn
16. Michael Barfield
17. Winston Maddox
18. Jody Davidson
19. David Butler