Story By: Steve Hixson
Photo's By: Nick Nicholson

June 30, 2000-Cleveland TN

 

Rossville Georgia dirt racing superstar Dale McDowell returned to his home track Cleveland Speedway Saturday night for the 23rd running of the Southern All-Star (SAS) Stars N' Stripes race. McDowell lead flag to flag the 50 lap "A" Main feature making it look like an average "day at the office" for the Cleveland Speedway Racing School instructor. At race time twenty nine dirt Super Late Model (SLM) drivers signed in to time trial for the $3,000 to win event. Leading Cleveland Speedway rookie competitor "Little John" Owenby set the standards early in qualifying with a lap of 14:993 seconds around the 1/3 clay banked oval. That standard would eventually be second bested by McDowell in the #17m "Dover Cylinder Heads, Glenn's Auto Parts" Chevrolet Monte Carlo that blasted a 14:907 which would stand as the fastest qualifying lap. At the drop of the green flag McDowell powered into the lead working to a quick straight away advantage by lap eight. Owenby and Shawn Chastain followed suit with Jeff Walker and Kevin Gibson rounding out the top five. The only caution of the race occurred on lap 17 when Dewayne Smith collided with the back-marker car of Laddie Fultcher down the back straight-away. McDowell's only challenges came upon back marker traffic with most yielding to outside line in respect for the reigning National Champion. In victory lane McDowell remarked about returning to his home track. "We love getting' to come back home and racin' in front of our friends and family. And the competition here on a weekly level is just outstanding." McDowell victory was capped off with a treat for the kids as they were allowed to bring their checkered flags onto the speedway getting a group picture taken to commemorate McDowell's 4th of July weekend victory.

Official SAS Results:
1.Dale McDowell (# 17m), 2.John Owenby (# J32), 3.Shawn Chastain (# 15), 4.Jeff Walker (# 49), 5.Kevin Gibson (# M45), 6.Clint Smith (# 29), 7.Mike Tinker (# 22), 8.Kent Hicks (# 15), 9.Patrick Duggan (# 15), 10.Jeff Stansberry (# J2), 11.John Jones (# J1), 12.Paul Tims (# 84), 13.Randy Burrows (# 95), 14.Tim Daniels (# 75), 15.Mark Mears (# 19), 16.Johnney Chastain (# 00), 17.Carson Burris (# 00), 18.Brian Pritchard (# 3), 19.Andy Dill (# 39), 20.Richard Harvey (# H31), 21.Shane Tankersly (# T31), 22.Dewayne Smith (# 21), 23.Laddie Fultcher (# 9), 24.Lamar Scoggins (# 32)

Other Racing Action
Claimer Late Model:
Winner: Glen Seaton III (# 92) of Cleveland TN (2nd Win in a Row)
2.James Gamble (# 27), 3.Bobby Doss (# 28), 4.Nick Yancy (# Y7), 5.P.D. Doss (# 1)

UMP Open Wheel Modified:
Winner: Jerry Coffman (# 30) of Soddy Daisy TN
2.Lance Johnson (# 0), 3.Joe Johnson (# J21), 4.Chris Davis (# 281), 5.Lynn Roark (# L21)

Hobby:
Winner: Doyle Herron (# 77) of Cleveland TN
2.Richard Dixon (# 3), 3.Dirk Carter (# 21), 4.James Nichols (# K3), 5.Doug Works (# 35)

Pony Stock:
Winner: Justin Winters (# J1) of Benton TN
2.Mike Truelove (# 55), 3. Adam Roberts (# 94), 4.Jason Spraker (# 25), 5.Todd Morrow (# T1)

Street:
Winner: Ritchie Nichols (# K2) of Cleveland TN
2.Roy Nichols (# 00), 3.Anthony Hawkins (# 3), 4.Shane Wallace (# 19), 5.Noel Rapoza (# 7)