Chatsworth, Georgia – For the second time in 2 North Georgia Speedway appearances Dale McDowell, of nearby Chickamauga, Georgia, pulled his Team Dillon race car into ULTIMATE Super Late Model Series Victory Lane. McDowell, who took the lead from TDR teammate Austin Dillon on lap 2, battled through lap traffic and a late race tangle with David Payne to outlast a hard charging Randy Weaver and score the $4000 winner’s purse. “We had a great car. I was really good when I was by myself but I would get tight when we got to traffic. I tried that top but then the lap guys were so fast up off that bottom they would slide up in front of us. This was our MasterSbilt car and it was really good. The track was a little choppy but nothing really bad. My hats off to Jason and all the folks here at North Georgia for a great event.” McDowell said.32 cars signed in and took timed laps in VP Race Fuels Race for the Pole Time Trials with NASCAR Nationwide Series regular Austin Dillon laying down quick time of the evening as the first car on the speedway. Dillon’s lap of 12.999 seconds topped Casey Barrow, McDowell, Adam Beeler and Brett Miller who rounded out the top 5. Dillon’s lap was the only driver to dip into the 12 second bracket. Randy Weaver, Ray Cook, Chris Ferguson, Skip Arp and Zack Mitchell completed the top 10 drivers that locked-in to the feature from time trials. William Thomas and 2012 ULTIMATE Series Champion Casey Roberts each picked up a win in a pair of last chance qualifiers which filled the field up to 22. Jeff Smith and Larry Timms picked up Series provisional starts.
When the field came to green for the 40-lap A-Main it was polesitter Dillon who charged to the lead with McDowell following him into second as Barrow slipped to third. Through the field drivers raced side by side from 5th on back. But up front the race for the lead was on McDowell poked his nose in below Dillon headed into turn 1 and pulled alongside the leader down the back straightaway. Dillon used the high side momentum to stay even off of turn 4 but McDowell’s MasterSbilt was able to gain the advantage and take the lead. Dillon went back to work on the top shelf but his momentum was quelled when the yellow flag made it’s only appearance of the night for a disabled Johnny Chastain.
As the yellow flag waved several cars also tangled in turn 4 including Skip Arp, Casey Barrow, Brett Miller and Aaron Ridley however because the yellow was already out the drivers were allowed to assume their previous positions. All drivers involved pulled away unscathed save for Skip Arp who chose to tag the tail for the restart.
With the green back in the air for the final time McDowell set out to run away from the field setting a torrid pace. Ray Cook moved to the top of the speedway and began to pick off cars breaking into the top 5 before the halfway mark. Meanwhile Randy Weaver found speed on the extreme low line rolling by Dillon to take over second just after the crossed flags were displayed. Weaver began to reel in McDowell who was now marred deep in back-marker traffic.
Weaver was finally able to hunt down McDowell and pulled to his rear deck as McDowell looked for a way through traffic. Weaver appeared to be poised to roll the top and grab the lead when McDowell was able to slice his way between a pair of lappers to distance himself. That left Weaver to contend with those same cars. That scenario replayed itself several times over the final third of the race.
Coming to the white flag McDowell closed on the back of David Payne and drove deep into turn three beneath the Murphy, North Carolina driver in an attempt to put another car a lap in arrears. McDowell and Payne made contact through turn four and onto the front straight but McDowell was able to clear Payne by the start finish line as the white flag waved. But that had slowed McDowell’s momentum and Weaver yet again closed to to McDowell’s rear deck. But it was too little, too late as McDowell held the lead at the checkers. Weaver settled for second with Cook charging to third.
The win was McDowell’s 2nd career ULTIMATE Series win both of which have come at the Chatsworth, Georgia 1/3 mile oval. McDowell’s Team Dillon Racing MasterSbilt is sponsored by Klotz Lubricants, Cometic Gaskets and Big Dog Motorsports.
North Georgia Speedway
ULTIMATE Super Late Model Series
Official Results
1 – 17m Dale McDowell – Chickamauga, GA
2 – 116 Randy Weaver – Crossville, TN
3 – 53 Ray Cook – Brasstown, NC
4 – 3 Austin Dillon – Welcome, NC
5 – 101 Casey Roberts – Toccoa, GA
6 – 21 Chris Ferguson – Mt. Holly, NC
7 – 47 Brett Miller – Greeneville, TN
8 – 22 William Thomas – Phenix City, AL
9 – 22 Adam Beeler – Knoxville, TN
10 – 8 David Payne – Murphy, NC
11 – X15 Shawn Chastain – Murphy, NC
12 – 5 Chip Brindle – Chatsworth, GA
13 – 29 Jason Welshan – Maryville, TN
14 – 57 Zack Mitchell – Enoree, SC
15 – 71 Larry Timms – Hodges, SC
16 – 55 Duane Treadwell – Rome, GA
17 – 98 Casey Barrow – Savannah, GA
18 – 81 Aaron Ridley – Chatsworth, GA
19 – 33 Brian Reese – Sharpsburg, GA
20 – 70 Jeff Smith – Dallas, NC
21 – 31 Skip Arp – Georgetown, TN
22 – 24 Frank Ingram – Acworth, GA
23 – X Tyler Millwood – Kingston, GA
24 – 00 Johnny Chastain – Murphy, NC
DNS: Dusty Carver, Jake Knowles, Derek Ellis, Skylar Marlar, George Mashburn, Lavon Sparks, Scott Hall and Kurt English.