Teenage sensation, Christian, clinches first SUPR win at Champion Park 

Photo courtesy of Best Photography

By Bryan Wimberley
O'Reilly SUPR Series correspondent

HAUGHTON, La. (March 19) - No question that it was a matter of time before Gary Christian of Broken Bow, Okla., was going to get his first late model win, being close many times before. But on Saturday night, with a full moon glaring down, the 17-year-old Christian, graduated with a benchmark victory and a $2,500 payday at Champion Park Speedway.

Christian held off all-time series win leader, Kenny Merchant of West Monroe, La., by three seconds to get the job done in the 40-lap, O'Reilly Southern United Professional Racing series event. Merchant won his heat, but developed motor issues near the end, nursing it for the win. Less than halfway into the feature, Merchant's engine problems again surfaced, popping almost down every straightaway throughout the rest of the race.

While polesitter, Christian, went flag-to-flag for the victory, it was mayhem battling in the top 5 behind him on the racy, quarter-mile surface at Champion Park. Third-starting Merchant withstood many challenges to claim second, with hometown favorite and 8th-starting Ray Moore taking third. Second-row starter, Allen Tippen of Minden, La., had a strong showing in fourth and Robbie Starnes of Baytown, Tex., rounded out the top five finishers.

"We have really worked hard for this the past couple of years. We just have had to dig down deep, keep going after it no matter what and keep telling yourself that we are going to get one. And finally, it was unexpected, but we got a win! I always knew that the first one would be the hardest to get, I'm just glad to get it over with," Christian said.

Christian added, "I knew I had some heat behind me in the feature, with us starting on the pole. I knew we had to get going early, but I didn't want to psych myself out and kept my mind off of it. I told myself to try to relax and 'it is what it is and if the win happens, then it happens!' I didn't want to put unnecessary pressure on myself and tried to stay focus on other things. I drove my heart out and tried my hardest, that's all you can do to win a race when you have those type of guys (like Merchant, Moore and Starnes) behind you. You can slip into that defensive mode, you have to be going all the time and not think about it too much."

Getting seat time in the late model ranks at age 13, Christian started racing them exclusively one year later.

"We have been racing a couple years here and been to CPS a few times. (Car owner) Terry (Pannell) wanted us to try this MasterSbilt here from the shop, this is only my second race in it. Wally (Adams) come on-board with us a few weeks ago, he is from Ohio and really knows how to work on these cars. He had the car really good, I didn't have any doubts in my mind and it turned out good in the end. We just want to keep being consistent and try to get another win under our belts," explained Christian.

Christian's focus held up despite the enormous amount of pressure he was feeling throughout the race.

"Once on a restart, I saw coming off the back-straightaway going into turn three and out of four, Kenny's (Merchant) nose edging out beside me. I got on the wheel a little harder, but made sure not to over-drive the car. I figured that they were right there behind me, so I tried to stay consistent to the best of my ability. I just wanted to keep trying to pull away and handle the lapped traffic," said Christian.

At the outset of the main event, Christian slips into first over Merchant, with a three-wide battle for third involving Robbie Starnes, Moore and Kevin Sitton. Christian's blistering pace had him in lapped traffic on the sixth circuit as he enjoyed a four-second margin upfront.

The focus was still on the trio racing for third, continuing their onslaught until the first caution came out on lap 7. On the restart, Starnes looks under Merchant for position, but Merchant holds firm for second.

Yellow appeared again for a multicar pileup in the middle of turns three & four on the ninth lap.

Moore takes third from Starnes, a lap into the restart. Moore wastes no time in challenging Merchant for second.

While being pressed hard, Merchant's engine began its ailing popping sound on lap 12. Moore rockets by Merchant the next time by, as Christian builds his lead up to three seconds.

Merchant regains momentum and tries to take back the runner-up spot from Moore, just before the halfway mark, but Moore holds strong. Merchant fires back and makes it stick on lap 22. Starnes was also able to capitalize on the move and slips Moore back to fourth. Tippen enters the fray of action, stepping into the top five with 15 to go.

Christian's full straightaway lead would be erased as the yellow bunched the field up again. Starnes tried to sneak by Merchant on the restart, but Merchant held his ground.

Nine laps remained and Allen Tippen snookered third from both Moore and Starnes. The race's final caution would set up one last dash to see if anyone had something for the fourth year Late Model driver, hungry to win his first ever event.

Christian pulled away from the pack as he had all night, in securing a personal career best and leaving the real battle for second to be decided.

Ill-sounding engine and all, Merchant survived the last two laps to nail down second place from Moore.

Notes: Christian's MasterSbilt chassis is powered by Jay Dicken Racing Engines and sponsored by Pannell Chipping of Broken Bow, Team 5 Enterprises, Triple A Diesel Service, Smith Towing and Joe Gibbs Driven Racing Oil.

Christian has nabbed three Rookie of the Year crowns in three different series, MARS Dirtcar last season, Comp Cams Super Dirt in 2009 and also SUPR in 2009. Christian also finished top 5 in SUPR points in 2009.

In his heat race, Christian caught race leader Timothy Culp of West Monroe, napping at the line, to win a photo finish and elevated him to a pole position start.

Christian talked about the drama that played out in the heat.

"We had a push early on, but later I found my rhythm. In hot laps, the car was a little snug. We came in and I told Wally (Adams) what I thought about the car. He reassured me that we could fix it to make it better. I was fairly confident in the heat race that we could make the top three. Culp pulled out by a half a straightaway lead in the heat race. I worked my way up to second and caught Culp relaxing a little bit. I keep pulling on him (Culp) out of turn four, although he seemed to have better momentum out of turns one & two and into the back-straightaway. It was edge-to-edge right there at the finish line with me & Culp. I really didn't know who won it. I just like racing like that, good, hard and clean! That was a lot of fun!"

The SUPR feature took the green flag at 11:05 pm, was slowed by four cautions and had nine cars on the lead lap.

Current SUPR points leader and top rookie, Morgan Bagley of Longview, capped his weekend with a 17th-to-ninth finish -being the first car, one lap down.

Bagley missed making the feature at his previous Champion Park appearance last September and was 15th at the August 2010 series event held at CPS.

Two other drivers that charged up from the back of the field, Bubba Mullins of West Monroe, La., advanced ten positions, going from 18th-to-eighth and Josh Danzy of Heflin, La., moved eleven spots, starting 21st and finishing tenth.

Derek Perkins of Oakdale, changed some gearing after SUPR's Friday night race at USA Speedway, to find a much improved car at Champion Park Speedway. Perkins rebounded from failing to make the feature at USA and finished 14th at CPS, in only his second outing in a late model.

Nicholas Brown of Hodge, La., was on pole for his consolation race, but experienced a faulty distributor before heading to the staging lane, prematurely ending his quest to transfer into the feature.

Louisiana modified wheelman, Jamie Burford of Keatchie, made a rare late model start in the Gilbert Swayne-owned No. 96 car, coming up short transferring into the feature.

Defending SUPR champion, Rob Litton of Alexandria, is the only driver to finish in the top ten in the last four series event held at Champion Park Speedway.

Saturday's race at CPS marked the 32nd time the series has visited the track, located between Haughton and Minden.

Kenny Merchant and David Ashley each have five wins apiece -most among all drivers.

Christian is only the fifth driver outside the borders of Louisiana to win a SUPR event at Champion Park.

SUPR has produced three first-time series winners in its first three events of the season (Vaught, Bagley, Christian).

Drivers not making the feature included, Nicholas Brown, Jim Bryant, Jamie Burford, Wesley Chanler, Jeff Gandy, Justin Ingalls, Phil Miller, Eric Neal, B.J. Robinson, John Sliney

The O'Reilly SUPR Series will take a month off, before starting up again on April 16th at Baton Rouge Raceway in Baker, La.

SUPR @ Champion Park: (1) Gary Christian, (2) Kenny Merchant, (3) Ray Moore, (4) Allen Tippen, (5) Robbie Starnes, (6) Timothy Culp, (7) Rob Litton, (8) Bubba Mullins, (9) Morgan Bagley, (10) Josh Danzy, (11) Jon Mitchell, (12) Troy Berdan, (13) Jay Brunson, (14) Derek Perkins, (15) Jody Prince, (16) Ronny Adams, (17) Robbie Stuart, (18) Kevin Sitton, (19) Jeff Chanler, (20) Brett Frazier, (21) Chris Holley, (22) Alan Murray

Heat race winners (among 32 cars): Merchant, Sitton, Christian, Tippen

Consolation race winners: Bagley, Mullins

Provisional starters: Danzy, Murray

O'Reilly SUPR points

(Through March 19th)

1. Morgan Bagley - 336
2. Timnothy Culp - 300
3. Robbie Starnes - 270
4. Gary Christian - 268
5. Ray Moore - 266
6. Allen Tippen - 262
7. Kenny Merchant - 233
8. Kevin Sitton - 221
9. Bubba Mullins - 187
10. Rob Litton - 182
11. Josh Danzy - 178
12. Ronny Adams - 171
13. Jeff Chanler - 151
14. Chris Holley - 144
15. Jody Prince - 130

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