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Official Title Sponsor of the SUPR Series |
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And the race is ON....SUPR
prepares for Memorial Day Weekend tripleheader
By
Bryan Wimberley BATON ROUGE, La. (May 26) - Memorial Day weekend has long been bookmarked for getting the racing season started in full swing, whether it be the Indianapolis 500 or the Coca Cola 600 or any dirt track in the country. The O'Reilly Auto Parts Southern United Professional Racing Series is heading into its busiest weekend of the 2011 season, with a stretch of three races in-a-row, starting Friday, May 27th. The series will kick things off with its third visit of the year at USA Speedway in Sterlington, Louisiana. Sandwiched in the middle, the tour then travels west for a second appearance of the season at Champion Park Speedway near Minden, on Saturday night. SUPR moves down the I-20 corridor and wraps up the holiday weekend with a Sunday visit to Lonestar Speedway in Kilgore, Texas. It will be the series' first race at the newly configured east Texas track. Lonestar track owner, Sam Hafertepe, recently had the surface shortened from its long-standing half-mile, to a 3/8-mile. Late models have appeared on the smaller speedway one previous time, when Scott Bloomquist came from 10th to win a Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series race on April 2nd -tire selection proved to be key in his drive to victory. SUPR points battle heats up The opening series date held at the Texas Motor Speedway Dirt Track always is a good draw and it is partially attributed to most racers wanting to shake the rust off and come out from winter hibernation. Once the series got back to the normality of a home-state race for the second event at Sterlington, tour followers would became more clarified. With Bagley's first win coming in that race, he took a small points lead over Timothy Culp by 51 points. Culp would narrow the gap of Bagley's lead, trimming it down to 36 points after the first visit to Champion Park on March 19th. Bagley would answer right back in the next race at Baton Rouge, following a month layoff for the series, stretching it back up to a 63-point lead. The real benefactor after it was all-said-and-done at Baton Rouge Raceway, was Allen Tippen, who closed in on Culp by just 14 points for second place and making it a legitimate three-way battle. Morgan Bagley maxed out on points, scoring his second win of the year and catapulting him into the biggest points spread all season -a 68 point advantage over Culp and 98 points over third place Tippen. SUPR then took to northwest Louisiana and a May 6th date at Boothill Speedway. Both Culp & Tippen would inch closer to Bagley's lead, drawing Culp to 47 points and Tippen to 86 points, after solid finishes in the series first return to the track in almost three years. Culp seized momentum the very next night, nailing down his first Late Model victory at Greenville and putting him to within 15 points of frontrunner, Morgan Bagley. Again, Tippen was able to follow suit with a top 3 finish at the 'House of Gumbo' and put himself in the middle of the hunt for his first SUPR championship. With the cancellation of Pike County last weekend, the O'Reilly SUPR Series has now been off for almost three weeks. Which of these drivers have retained their focus since the break, heading into a key tripleheader for the Memorial Day holiday? Two-time and defending series champion, Rob Litton, has appeared to find his groove the last few races too, lurking in fourth place in the points duel. Litton has a 4th, a 3rd and two 6th places in the last four SUPR events and hasn't finished outside the top 10 all season long. Only thing keeping Litton from being amongst the top of the list, is a no-show at TMSDT at the beginning of the year. Through the first quarter of the SUPR season, nobody has been hotter than Bagley and Culp. Both drivers have seen Victory Lane and both haven't flinched when the pressure has been cranked up. Even though Tippen doesn't have a win to show for this season, his consistency has played him right in the middle of the title hoopla. This three-race weekend could be key for any of these drivers trying to separate from the pack or just shuffle up the order altogether. Current O'Reilly SUPR Series points
1) Morgan
Bagley (Longview, TX) - 769 Can Bagley deliver hat trick at USA Speedway? Morgan Bagley of Longview, Tex., lately has owned the tight quarter-mile track of USA Speedway, located in northeast Louisiana. Bagley grabbed his first ever Late model victory there in just his 18th overall start in the premier division and eleventh on the O'Reilly Auto Parts SUPR Series tour. The win came just over two months ago and Bagley hasn't relinquished the SUPR Series points lead since. The good fortune didn't start out that way, as Bagley faltered to a 19th place finish in his first go-around at the track in September 2010, but it has been a steady climb to the top ever since. The track, which opened at the beginning of last season, has only had six super late model races in the short history of the facility, but Bagley is the only driver to go to Victory Lane twice. Outside of Bagley's back-to-back late model wins there, other USA Speedway victors includes, Ronny Adams, Ray Moore, Bill Frye and Jesse Stovall. In most eyes, Bagley may seem to be the odds on favorite to do it again, but there are a handful of drivers that can wheel their way around the place. In four USA Speedway starts, Allen Tippen has finished no worse than sixth place -having a 6th, 5th, 4th and a 5th. Timothy Culp has finished in the runner up position to Bagley the last two visits at Sterlington. USA Speedway would be considered a home track for Culp, being a native of nearby West Monroe. But it was rough going for him last season there, scratching in his first attempt and posting an 11th and 12th the next two tries. The 20-year old Culp must have found an answer that has had him challenging for the win the last two times the series has been to USA Speedway. Ronny Adams is another racer that could contest Bagley's streak. Adams won the very first time the O'Reilly SUPR Series visited the facility and has been solid there this year, with a third and an eighth place result. Rob Litton has only finished outside the top 10 once in five appearances at USA Speedway, with a personal best of third last May. All eyes will be on Bagley though, whether it's a matter of him having the right formula for this track or key starting position to march towards the front or USA Speedway just fitting his driving style better, we will have to see. The last driver to win three-in-a-row at one track in the SUPR Series, Kenny Merchant at Champion Park Speedway -April, May and August 2010. Sitton debuts new ride For a brief time, Kevin & Tim Sitton were indecisive on which brand of car they were going to purchase next, but both knew it was time to update their equipment. Finally a decision was made and a car was ordered. Two weeks ago, Sitton went to Cowpens, South Carolina to pick up his new Barry Wright Race Car and brought back home to Baytown, Texas. Just days after getting back, Kevin got the first opportunity to shake down the new race car at Battleground Speedway in nearby Highlands -so far both Sittons' give it a passing grade. The real test will come this weekend, when it will be unveiled for all to see. Sitton currently sits in a not-so-distant fifth place in the SUPR points standings, but as he has stated earlier, the No. 20 team will not likely run for points in 2011. Sitton had been coming on strong in his last three races, in an '05 Rocket car that he has had for the last three seasons. A third place at the end of April at USA Speedway and a fifth at Boothill to follow, had the team in prime position to capture their first SUPR Series victory since last July at Baton Rouge Raceway. Charging his way towards first at Greenville three weeks ago, had Sitton thinking this could be the night. Sitton had started off the race sluggish, before the older car took flight and shot to third. The J-bar broke ended his dash to the front, but Sitton was clearly the fastest car on the speedway before the incident occurred. The 2005 Rocket Race Car that Sitton owned, went up for sale many weeks ago, before the three solid outings. Robbie Starnes, also of Baytown, bought the car this past Monday, while Sitton has already got a wrap selected for the new BWRC. Disappearing act In case you haven't seen the familiar cars and faces of all-time SUPR Series win leader, "The Ruston Rocket" Kenny Merchant and second generation sensation, Kyle Cummings, then your eyes are not deceiving you. Both drivers have raced a combined five times in a super late model this season. Merchant has appeared in four super late model events in 2011, with the last coming at the beginning of April at Lonestar Speedway in Kilgore -a Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event in which he failed to make the feature. Merchant finished fourth at the $10,000-to-win Pelican 100 at ArkLaTex Speedway in February and followed it up with two SUPR Series shows at USA Speedway and Champion Park -a fifth and second place finish respectively. Merchant knew changes was in store going into the new year and he would run a very limited schedule. His longtime primary sponsor, J.D. Caver & Company, has sold the business and is retired, but what came later for Merchant and family, was a decision to start his own trucking business -Ruston Rock It, LLC. Merchant has spent most of his time getting the business off the ground, currently having two trucks in the stable and looking to buy a third. Merchant stays on the road mostly now, hauling rock and asphalt as the business begins to take shape. He now has his racing hauler and equipment for sale, although contemplating on keeping one of his dirt cars. Merchant also has an ASA-style pavement late model on the market too. Merchant has won SUPR titles in 2003, 2008 & 2009. Kyle Cummings of Minden, La., has been in a late model only once this season at the Pelican 100 in Vivian, Louisiana, filling in the No 96 car, owned by Gilbert Swayne. Cummings is currently building his own modified and has bounced into other rides temporarily to secure funds, running mostly at his hometrack of Champion Park Speedway. Kyle and wife, Cheree, is currently pregnant and will be having a little girl due September 30th. The couple has moved to Minden from Sibley to be near his parents, after learning his father Rusty, was diagnosed with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) several weeks ago. Rusty Cummings is a former O'Reilly SUPR Series champion, winning the title in 1998. Kyle will be doing double duty this weekend at Champion Park Speedway, racing Jeremy Gros's modified and Allen McEachern's limited modified in preparation of the 5th annual Doug Murphrey Memorial on June 4th at ArkLaTex Speedway. Father and son pair, David & Alex Ashley of Zachary, La., have not been in a late model in 2011, citing loss of major sponsorship by B&K Underground Directional Boring. Three-time SUPR Series champion, David Ashley, has helped Alex get in a limited modified this year, as the pair has done some regional travelling to race. When not on the road, you can find the younger Ashley running at their hometrack of Baton Rouge Raceway in Baker. SUPR schedule update The O'Reilly Southern United Professional Racing Series tour schedule has changed more this season than in a normal racing year. At the first of 2011, the SUPR Series had a total of (34) events booked, but with the economy having a strangle-hold on everyone's pocketbook, the series currently have a total of (27) dates. The closing of two tracks, Boothill Speedway in Greenwood, Louisiana and Pike County Speedway in Magnolia, Mississippi, have eliminated five races off the initial docket, including the annual Jambalaya 100 in November. The series was also informed this past Monday, that Drew County Speedway in Monticello, Arkansas was only sticking primarily to their weekly racing programs, in fact cancelling a June 25th date with SUPR. Two weeks ago, SUPR eliminated one of their doubleheader dates at I-30 Speedway near Little Rock, Arkansas, in working with that staff. The cancelled show was a $1,250-to-win event, held on Friday, June 17th. The $2,500-to-win race on Saturday, June 18th will still be ran as scheduled. SUPR has already had one event rained out at I-30 Speedway this season, that was slated for April 30th and will not be made up. The news is not all bad though, as the series picked up an event on Friday, July 1st at 171 Speedway in Leesville, Louisiana. The race will be the first leg of a Fourth of July weekend tripleheader and will be a $2,000-to-win race. The SUPR Series has not ran at the Leesville track in nearly 14 years, which is now owned by Rupert White and managed by John Higginbotham. Veteran David Ashley of Zachary, La., was victorious on that night, back in 1997. The SUPR Series also has one more date currently in the works, but has not been confirmed at this time. Odds and ends Chris Holley of Dayton, Tex., will not be in his usual Erb Racing No. 28 machine over the Memorial Day weekend. Instead, Holley will be in a GRT backup car during the trio of shows, due to having motor issues at Boothill Speedway three weeks ago without completing a green flag lap. Holley sent the engine off to Ronnie Rogers and Wall 2 Wall Performance Engines in Livingston, but the mount wasn't quite ready in time before the team is to hit the road for this race weekend. "I noticed a sound in the engine that wasn't right, but didn't know exactly what it was. We worked on it, took it out for hot laps later and had to shut it down before it blew. It would have if we continued, so we loaded up and left. We actually gave it a lot of thought about going back home (to near Houston) after the engine went down at Boothill and picking up the other car for Greenville (the next night). It would have been an awful long ways, but we seriously considered it early on. We should have it back before the next race at Chatham (on June 11th)," Holley said. Childress Racing is to partake in NASCAR's all-star charity event, the 7th annual Prelude to the Dream on June 8th, by supplying a race car for NASCAR Nationwide Series driver, Justin Allgaier. The Raymond Childress-owned No. F5 car making the trip to Tony Stewart's Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, is normally driven by Josh Danzy in regional action. Since a back injury is currently ailing Danzy the past several weeks, fill-in drivers like Jody Prince and Billy Moyer Jr., have occupied seat time in the Victory Circle chassis race car. The car will be re-decalled up in a fresh No. 31 skin for Allgaier to drive at the HBO Pay Per View event. Allgaier was ROTY in the Nationwide Series in 2009 and currently stands 4th in the points this season. He has 86 total starts in the Nationwide Series that includes one win at Bristol in March 2010. At age 14, Allgaier was the youngest driver to ever make an A-Main event at the Chili Bowl, back in 2001. He was also the 2008 ARCA Series champion. Allgaier finished 26th because of mechanical woes, in his only Prelude attempt. Complete Prelude lineup includes, Clint Bowyer, Ron Capps, Carl Edwards, David Gilliland, Joey Logano (in a Chris Wall-owned car), Ryan Newman, Ken Schrader, Aric Almirola, Marcos Ambrose, Dave Blaney, Tony Kanaan, Matt Kenseth, Tony Stewart, Brian Vickers, Austin Dillon, Bill Elliott, Ray Evernham, Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson, Cruz Pedregon, David Reutimann, Kyle Busch, Ricky Carmichael, Ron Hornaday (in a Terry Pannell-owned car), Kasey Kahne, Bobby Labonte and Kenny Wallace. Memorial Day Weekend race information A detailed account of events can be search by accessing each track's website, links are provided below. The USA Speedway event will have the gates open at 5pm and racing starting at 8pm. Classes running include, Limited modifieds, B-Modifieds, Super stocks, Legends, Hobby stocks and Compacts. Go to ' www.usaspeedwayllc.com ' for further information. Contact numbers and details for the SUPR Series show, as well as other classes held at Champion Park Speedway on Saturday night, can be found at www.championparkspeedway.net '. Lonestar Speedway will open gates at 5pm with racing starting at 7:30pm, at the high banked 3/8-mile, on Sunday. A complete program of Modifieds, Limited modifieds, Dirt stocks and Factory stocks will be on hand, in addition to the SUPR dirt late models. Visit ' www.lonestarspeedway.com ' for more. Let's support your area racetrack and commemorate the U.S. soldiers that sacrificed for this country.
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