EASTABOGA, AL—The Southern All Star Dirt Racing Series made it’s third stop of the 2014 season Saturday night at the Talladega Short Track for the 17th Annual Michael Head Jr Memorial and Crossville, TN., native and three time series champion Randy Weaver picked up his second Michael Head Jr Memorial win, and ironically moved into a tie for fourth place in all time series wins with Michael’s dad Mike Head as they are tied now with 24 career wins with the series.
Weaver also had another reason to get to victory tonight as his father Glen Weaver who is battling pancreatic cancer was in attendance and was with Randy in victory lane also tonight. Weaver drove a GRT chassis with sponsorship from AF Stone Professional Medical Services/Hoosier Racing Tire/Outlaw Race Parts/Mission Transport/Stone Land Clearing & Excavation/Slicker Graphics/The Bailey Company/VP Race Fuels to the 40 lap $4,000 to win event.
In White Performance Qualifying Weaver also set fast time with a 13.775 second lap with Josh Putnam of Florence, AL., starting n the pole as he was fast qualifier in group one with a time of 13.865, but Weaver was overall fast qualifier for the night.
At the drop of the green flag Putnam led the field into turn one but Weaver moved ahead of Putnam coming off turn two and then started to build a lead almost immediately, as second place was a heated battle between Putnam, Ronnie Johnson and Todd Morrow. Johnson finally got around Putnam and took over the second spot with Morrow fourth and Josh Adkins fifth. The top five would remain this way until a caution came out for Tom Maddox who hit into the outside wall. On the restart second place in the series points chase took a hit as Todd Morrow as he spun in turn one. Morrow went to the rear worked his way back up into the top ten until he later retired with mechanical problems and finished 13th.
Weaver has a challenge midway through the race as Ronnie Johnson got around him and led the race for 11 laps until Weaver worked his way back around Johnson with a side by side battle for several laps. Weaver has one more challenge coming he thought as Riley Hickman was making a hard run after him after he got around Johnson for the second spot only to run out laps at the end and had to settle for second place, Johnson came home in third, Tim Busha of Boaz, AL, who was steady all night brought home a 4th place finish and Josh Adkins got his career best Southern All Star finish with a 5th place finish.
Finishing in the sixth spot was Dingus Griffin, seventh to Mike Marlar, eighth to Doug King, ninth Tim Roszell and tenth to Chris Wilson.
Hickman built back some his point leaver over the rest of the five after Talladega as Chris Wilson of Crossville TN., gained ground as he moved into the fourth spot and Dylan Ames of Harvest, AL., moved back to fifth. All five drivers are within 140 points of each other going into the series 10th event of the year this Saturday night August 2nd at the Cherokee Speedway in Gaffney, SC., for the Stick Elliott Memorial a 50 lap $5,000 to win event.
PPM Racing Products B Main Winners: Chris Wilson, Tim Roszell
AR Bodies Last Car Lead Lap: Dylan Ames
For more information on the Southern All Stars Dirt Racing Series can be obtained by calling General Manager Lynn Acklin at (256) 924-4546,lynn.acklin@sasdirt.com or you can log on to the official series website at www.sasdirt.com . Also, LIKE the Southern All Stars Dirt Racing Series on Facebook or be a FOLLOWER on Twitter @SASDIRT
Current Southern All Star Racing Series Top Ten Point Standings: 1.Riley Hickman 828; 2.Todd Morrow 724; 3.Josh Putnam 690; 4.Chris Wilson 690; 5.Dylan Ames 688; 6.Joe Armistead 404; 7.Jason Hiett 380; 8.Bo Shirley 372; 9.Austin Kirkpatrick 294; 10.Randy Weaver 260
Cruise With the Champions/DirtonDirt.com Rookie of the Year Point Standings: 1.Chris Wilson 230; 2.Dylan Ames 220; 3.Mark Gant 91; 4.Cale Finley 69;
Southern All Star Racing Series 2014 Event Winners:
March 22-Riley Hickman-Boyd’s Speedway
March 29-Joe Armistead-East Alabama Motor Speedway
April 26-Billy Ogle Jr-Smoky Mt Speedway
May 3-Todd Morrow-Talladega Short Track
May 17-Waycross Motor Speedway-Ivedent Lloyd
May 24-Tennessee National Raceway-Todd Morrow
June 14-Volunteer Speedway-Brad Neat
June 21-Talladega Short Track-Todd Morrow
July 26-Talladega Short Track-Randy Weaver
Upcoming Southern All Star Racing Series Events:
August 2-Cherokee Speedway-Gaffney, SC-$5,000
September 6-Waycross Motor Speedway-Waycross, GA-$4,000
2014 Southern All Stars Dirt Racing Series Sponsors:
*Hoosier Racing Tire “The Official Race Tire” of the Southern All Star Racing Series *Patriot Sports “The Official Merchandise Vendor” of the Southern All Star Racing Series *Sunoco Race Fuel “The Official Racing Fuel” of the Southern All Star Racing Series
2014 Southern All Star Racing Series Marketing Partners Include: AR Bodies, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Butlerbuilt Racing Seats, Cruise with the Champions, DirtonDirt.com, H3 Performance Graphics, Integra Racing Shocks, , MSR Mafia Web Design and Service, PPM Racing Products, RockAuto.com, Schaeffer’s Racing Oil by Ed Lowe, The Joie of Seating, WhitePerformance.com