RIDGETOP, TN—The Southern Superstars Short Track Series made it’s first stop of the 2013 season at the Highland Rim Speedway in Ridgetop, TN., before a very large and enthusiastic crowd and that got to see what many believe is the best race in series history as veteran Mark Day of Clarksville TN., and up and coming star Davey Coble of Madison, TN., put on a driving exhibition fro the last 18 laps before Day came out on top after the 100 lap slugfest was over.
The action got started in qualifying at Justin Ashburn of White House, TN., set fast time and won the Lynch Tree Service Fast Qualifier award as he turned the ¼ mile track in 12.324 second, with Day setting second quick, Chase Oliver third, Coble fourth and T W Fisher rounding out the top five qualifiers.
This race was the first time a touring series late model show has been to the track since the old Southern All Star Asphalt Series paid a visit to the track in the mid to lat ‘90s and a field of 20 cars were on hand to give the fans a show and that is what they did from the drop of the green flag Ashburn took the lead and with Day, Oliver, Coble and Fisher all tightly bunched till they caught lapped traffic and Oliver lost control and brought out the caution and was sent to the rear of the field.
On the restart Fisher was getting constant pressure from Day, till finally Day got by Ashburn and Coble followed with Ashburn falling back to third. The top three stayed that way through the early part of the race that had a couple of cautions that involved Oliver and tony Ussery making contact with Ussery hitting the outside wall and then T W Fisher and Lee Hansard having to retire with mechanical issues.
The real excitement started with the long green flag run as Day and Coble put on a driving clinic on how to run a ¼ mile in lapped traffic and still race each other. These two drivers worked the high side, low side and the middle of the track and proceed to lap the entire field all the way up to the third place car of Oliver, who was lapped on lap 87. Just as day lapped him Jerad Smith of Lexington, KY., stopped on the front stretch and then Oliver’s tire went flat and this gave Oliver the “Lucky Dog” as he was the first car a lap down, so he came to the pits and changed the left front tire and then got to back behind Coble in the third spot.
The fireworks started next as day and Coble battled for the top spot swapping the lead several times with contact being made but neither driver was taking each other out it was just hard close racing and the crowd was seeing one of the best races in series history.
Coble then went into turn one a little hard and spun himself out and this allowed Oliver one last shot at getting him a win. It also allowed local hot show Wayne White to move back onto the lead lap as the “Lucky Dog” got him back into the picture and this put Coble behind him.
On the restart Day held off one last run made by Oliver and he tried to move inside but backed off. Coble got by White and was working on getting around Oliver for second but run out of laps and had to settle for third with Wayne White coming home fourth and Ricky Sanford coming home in the fifth spot.
Sixth place went to Justin Ashburn, seventh to Hunter Spivey of Decatur, AL., eighth to B J Holley of Jackson, GA., ninth tot Bobby Terry and tenth to Scott Gay.
The enthusiastic and vocal crowd at Highland Rim voiced their allegiance to there drivers as Day and Coble were interviewed on the front stretch after the race, but many though that they had seen one of the best race ever run at Highland Rim.
The Southern Superstars Short Track would like to thank the Highland Rim Staff, officials and all the drivers that came out to support the series and help out with the race as it takes all of these people working together to make things work and come out good and that is what happens when people work together.
The Southern Superstars Short Track Series event will be on Saturday night May 25th at the Sayre Speedway in Sayre, AL., a 100 lap.
For more information contact the Southern Superstars at 256-509-6603, lynn@superstarsracing.com or www.superstarsracing.com
OFFICIAL FINISH: 1.Mark Day; 2.Chase Oliver; 3.Davey Coble; 4.Wayne White; 5.Ricky Sanford; 6.Justin Ashburn; 7.Hunter Spivey; 8.B J Holley; 9.Bobby Terry; 10.Scott Gay; 11.Walt Garrison; 12.Dustin Arms; 13.J R Bolden; 14.Jerad Smith; 15.James Climer; 16.Kenny Andrews; 17.T W Fisher; 18.Lee Hansard; 19.Tony Ussery; 20.Bobby Castleberry
Current Southern Superstars Short Track Series Championship Points
1. Mark Day—200 (Clarksville, TN)
2. Davey Coble—190 (Whitehouse, TN)
3. Hunter Spivey—178 (Decatur, AL)
4. B J Holley—166 (Jackson, GA)
5. Justin Ashburn—164 (Whitehouse, TN)
6. J R Bolden—158—(Calera, AL)
7. Bobby Castleberry—146 (Rossville, GA)
8. Lee Hansard—142—(Tyrone, GA)
9. Chase Oliver—96—(Crossville, AL)
10. Brad Lemley—94—(Grant, AL)
Current AR Bodies Rookie of the Year Points
1. B J Holley—166 (Jackson, GA)
2. J R Bolden—158 (Calera, AL)
Southern All Stars Dirt Racing Series Event Winners:
#1-Mark Day—Clarksville, TN (Sayre Speedway) April 13th
#2-Mark Day—Clarksville, TN (Highland Rim Speedway) May 11th
Upcoming Southern All Stars Dirt Racing Series events:
May 25 Saturday Sayre Speedway—Sayre, AL—100 Laps
2013 Southern Superstars Short Track Series Sponsors:
American Racer “The Official Race Tire” of the Southern Superstars Short Track Series
2013 Southern Superstars Short Track Series Supporters Include: AR Bodies, Chuck Chamblee Racing Photography, Rock Auto, Swift Springs, Circle Wheels