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Golden Isles Speedway

Feb. 1 prelims: O'Neal grabs pole position

February 1, 2008, 5:33 pm
By Todd Turner
DirtonDirt.com chief writer
Shannon Babb debuted his new No. 18. (DirtonDirt.com)
Shannon Babb debuted his new No. 18. (DirtonDirt.com)

BRUNSWICK, Ga. (Feb. 1) — Don O'Neal of Martinsville, Ind., raced to the pole position at Golden Isles Speedway's Super Bowl of Racing IV on Friday night. Terry Casey of New London, Wis., was the night's fast qualifier, but O'Neal won the first heat race. Details of Friday's preliminaries:

Non-qualifiers' race

Polesitter Tim Fuller led all the way for a victory over Tim McCreadie, who finished nearly a straightaway behind. Matt Miller was third and John Blankenship, debuting a new Bloomquist Race Car, was fourth. Steve Francis was incorrectly listed as the polesitter in an earlier version of this story. Fuller turned down the $500 winner's purse and chose to start on the tail of the feature.

Finish: (1) Tim Fuller, (2) Tim McCreadie, (3) Matt Miller, (4) John Blankenship, (5) Randle Chupp, (6) Dillon Wood, (7) Damon Eller, (8) Tony Knowles, (9) Dave Hess Jr.

Second consolation

Polesitter Chris Madden cruised to an easy victory while Chub Frank edged Tim McCreadie for the second spot. The race's lone caution appeared on the sixth lap when Dale Hammond spun exiting turn two on the sixth lap. Starting third, McCreadie got past Frank in the early laps, but Frank overtook Steve Francis and then McCreadie in the final laps to finish second. Shane Clanton rallied from mid-pack to finish fourth and was awarded a promoter's option to start the feature as the top points driver of the week not already in the feature.

Finish: (1) Chris Madden, (2) Chub Frank, (3) Tim McCreadie, (4) Shane Clanton, (5) Dave Hess Jr., (6) Steve Francis, (7) Rick Eckert, (8) Justin Rattliff, (9) Stacy Holmes, (10) Danny Johnson, (11) Jason Fitzgerald, (12) Bodine Massingill, (13) Tony Knowles, (14) Ed Basey, (15) John Mason, (16) Joe Isabell, (17) Dale Hammond, (18) G.R. Smith.

First consolation

Starting outside the front row, Billy Moyer outjumped polesitter Darren Miller at the outset and kept Miller at bay for a victory. Tim Fuller moved up from his sixth starting spot to third, but he couldn't catch the front two. Fuller will start on the front row of the non-qualifiers' race. Matt Miller was fourth and Damon Eller fifth. A turn-two melee on the first lap forced a complete restart. The rear of Kelly Boen's car bounded in the air as the wreck developed to include Chesley Dixon, Patrick Sheltra, Anthony Hill and others. A second caution on the fourth lap appeared for Bo Smith, who got out of shape in turn four. Boen and Mark Vineyard were among cars failing to finish, but they were awarded provisional starting spots for the feature, Vineyard via 2007 points and Boen via 2008 points.

Finish: (1) Billy Moyer, (2) Darren Miller, (3) Tim Fuller, (4) Matt Miller, (5) Damon Eller, (6) Jason McBride, (7) John Blankenship, (8) Randle Chupp, (9) James Ward, (10) Tommy Kerry, (11) Dillon Wood, (12) Tyler Ivey, (13) Brent Dixon, (14) Derek Ellis, (15) Steven Howard, (16) Kelly Boen, (17) Bo Smith, (18) Mark Vineyard.

Sixth heat

Dan Schlieper repelled repeated challenges from Earl Pearson Jr. for his first heat race victory of the Super Bowl of Racing. Pearson pressured Schlieper hard the first few laps before dropping back and cruising in second the rest of the way. Shanon Buckingham barely held on to the third transfer spot after Stacy Holmes tried the inside groove several times. Dave Hess Jr. finished further back in fifth

Finish: (1) Dan Schlieper, (2) Earl Pearson Jr., (3) Shanon Buckingham, (4) Stacy Holmes, (5) Dave Hess Jr., (6) Jason Fitzgerald, (7) Bodine Massengill, (8) Tony Knowles, (9) G.R. Smith, (10) Dave Tyrchniewicz.

Fifth heat

Polesitter Ivedent Lloyd Jr. grabbed the early lead and cruised to an easy victory in the 10-lapper. Fourth-starting Dennis Erb Jr. quickly moved up to second and held that spot the remainder of the race. Anthony White appeared to have third in hand on the white-flag lap, but Matt Miller nearly caught him at the stripe. Miller was fourth and Tim Fuller fifth.

Finish: (1) Ivedent Lloyd Jr., (2) Dennis Erb Jr., (3) Anthony White, (4) Matt Miller, (5) Tim Fuller, (6) Brent Dixon, (7) Casey Roberts, (8) Anthony Hill, (9) Mark Andersen.

Fourth heat

Jimmy Owens overtook a high-running Steve Shaver midway through the race and went on to a heat race victory despite running with a cracked engine block. In a battle for the third and final transfer spot, Clint Smith made a last-lap pass of Steve Francis, who will run a consolation race. Tim McCreadie was a distant fifth and third-starting John Mason faded badly to seventh.

Finish: (1) Jimmy Owens, (2) Steve Shaver, (3) Clint Smith, (4) Steve Francis, (5) Tim McCreadie, (6) Rick Eckert, (7) John Mason, (8) Mike Collins, (9) Dale Hammond.

Third heat

Starting outside the front row, Bloomquist got the jump on polesitter Donnie Moran at the outset and raced to victory. Moran finished just ahead of a wild battle between Josh Richards and Billy Moyer for the third and final transfer spot. Moyer worked on Richards for several laps, but slipped back on the seventh lap. Richards held on for the third spot with Moyer fourth and Jason McBride a distant fifth.

Finish: (1) Scott Bloomquist, (2) Donnie Moran, (3) Josh Richards, (4) Billy Moyer, (5) Jason McBride, (6) Tommy Kerr, (7) Randle Chupp, (8) James Ward, (9) Chesley Dixon, (10) Steven Howard.

Second heat

Billy Decker won a four-wide battle exiting turn four on the first lap to grab a lead he'd never give up. Michael England got the second transfer spot while Shannon Babb barely edged Chris Madden for the third and final transfer spot. Shane Clanton rallied from the tail to finish sixth.

Finish: (1) Billy Decker, (2) Michael England, (3) Shannon Babb, (4) Chris Madden, (5) Chub Frank, (6) Shane Clanton, (7) Justin Rattliff, (8) Ed Basey, (9) Danny Johnson, (10) Joe Isabell.

First heat

Don O'Neal started outside the front row and led all 10 laps. Polesitter Terry Casey fought off challenges from Brady Smith to finish second while Darren Miller finished further back in fourth.

Finish: (1) Don O'Neal, (2) Terry Casey, (3) Brady Smith, (4) Darren Miller, (5) Damon Eller, (6) Patrick Sheltra, (7) Kelly Boen, (8) Tyler Ivey, (9) Dillon Wood, (10) Mark Vineyard, (11) Bo Smith.

Qualifying

Terry Casey of New London, Wis., was the fastest among 65 entrants on Friday night, giving him his second fast qualifying time at Golden Isles Speedway's Super Bowl of Racing IV. Casey posted a lap of 15.656 second as he didn't appear to crack the throttle on the 4/10-mile southeast Georgia oval. | Free video

Casey will start on the pole of the first of six O'Reilly Southern All Star Series heat races. Among other drivers starting on the pole of heats: Shannon Babb of Moweaqua, Ill.; Donnie Moran of Dresden, Ohio; three-time race winner Jimmy Owens of Newport, Tenn.; defending SAS champion Ivedent Lloyd Jr. of Ocala, Fla.; and Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, Fla.

Babb, a two-time Dirt Track World Champion, is making his first start for a car owned by NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Clint Bowyer. Owens isn't sure his engine will last the night. The team discovered a cracked engine block before time trials, and they used sodium silicate to seal the crack in hopes the powerplant will last through a heat race and 50-lap feature.

Pre-race notebook

Heat races are extended to 10 laps apiece tonight after three nights of running eight-lap heats for the Super Late Models. ... Among drivers making their first appearance was Chuck Harper of Beverly, W.Va., and former Dirt Track World Champion John Mason of Millersburg, Ohio. ... John Blankenship of Williamson, W.Va., was on hand before Thursday's rainout, but didn't qualify last night. He was debuting a new Bloomquist Race Car and posted a lap of just 17.539 seconds. ... Another new driver, Bodine Massengill of Jacksonville, Fla., ran into a little trouble in hot laps when his steering wheel came off on the frontstretch. Onrushing cars narrowly avoided him as he turned into the infield. ... Shane Clanton had a flat left rear tire during time trials and spun between turns three and four. Rick Eckert's lap was hampered by Clanton departing the track and was offered a chance at second lap, which he took. ... Jimmy Owens lowered the track record before Thursday's rainout with a lap of 15.252 seconds. Track officials initially announced the record wouldn't stand, but revised that decision on Friday. ... Friday's weather is pleasant and clear with temperatures still hovering around 70 as hot laps began about 5 p.m. and the crowd appeared to be the biggest since the Super Bowl began on Jan. 23. ... Besides Super Late Models, also in action at Golden Isles on Friday is National Late Model Series cars, TQ Late Models and super streets. NLMS qualifying follows the Super Late Models. The SAS feature is the second of four scheduled.

Time trials (unofficial)

Driver (car no.), hometown, time
Terry Casey (42), New London, Wis., 15.656
Shannon Babb (18), Moweaqua, Ill., 15.755
Donnie Moran (99), Dresden, Ohio, 15.792
Jimmy Owens (20), Newport, Tenn., 15.796
Ivedent Lloyd Jr. (21), Ocala, Fla., 15.816
Earl Pearson Jr. (44), Jacksonville, Fla., 15.874
Don O’Neal (71), Martinsville, Ind., 15.89
Billy Decker (91), Unadilla, N.Y., 15.924
Scott Bloomquist (0), Mooresburg, Tenn., 15.94
Steve Shaver (30), Vienna, W.Va., 15.995
Anthony White (2x), Clinton, Tenn., 16.003
Dan Schlieper (9), Sullivan, Wis., 16.009
Darren Miller (32D), Chadwick, Ill., 16.04
Michael England (5E), Glasgow, Ky., 16.062
Billy Moyer (21), Batesville, Ark., 16.087
John Mason (72), Millersburg, Ohio, 16.128
Matt Miller (7), Waterville, Ohio, 16.133
Shanon Buckingham (50), Morristown, Tenn., 16.143
Brady Smith (2), Solon Springs, Wis., 16.171
Chub Frank (1*), Bear Lake, Pa., 16.19
Josh Richards (1), Shinnston, W.Va., 16.193
Steve Francis (19), Ashland, Ky., 16.195
Dennis Erb Jr. (28), Carpentersville, Ill., 16.211
Jason Fitzgerald (7), Jacksonville, Fla., 16.237
Patrick Sheltra (23), Indiantown, Fla., 16.248
Chris Madden (44), Gray Court, S.C., 16.274
Tommy Kerr (4T), Maryville, Tenn., 16.276
Tim McCreadie (39), Watertown, N.Y., 16.307
Tim Fuller (19), Edwards, N.Y., 16.318
Dave Hess Jr. (44), Waterford, Pa., 16.356
Damon Eller (i4), Crumpler, N.C., 16.359
Chuck Harper (00H), Beverly, W.Va., 16.361
Jason McBride (77), Carbondale, Ill., 16.379
Clint Smith (44), Senoia, Ga., 16.411
Mark Andersen (85), Blanchard, Mich., 16.423
Stacy Holmes (H2), Munford, Ala., 16.425
Kelly Boen (07), Henderson, Colo., 16.435
Danny Johnson (27j), Rochester, N.Y., 16.455
Randle Chupp (22), Troutman, N.C., 16.488
Johnny Collins (5), Jacksonville, Fla., 16.488
Brent Dixon (1), Elberton, Ga., 16.491
Bodine Massengill (M5), Jacksonville, Fla., 16.501
Mark Vineyard (v2), Powell, Tenn., 16.523
Ed Basey (4), Evans, Ga., 16.548
Ricky Elliott (45), Seaford, Del., 16.599
Mike Collins (3c), Council Bluffs, Iowa, 16.612
Derek Ellis (99), Chatsworth, Ga., 16.637
Dave Tyrchniewicz (U1), St, Andrews, Manitoba, 16.648
Dillon Wood (26), New Smyrna Beach, Fla., 16.749
Justin Rattliff (16), Campbellsville, Ky., 16.759
James Ward (w3), Lettsworth, La., 16.803
Rick Eckert (24), York, Pa., 16.843
Anthony Hill (10), Carrollton, Ga., 16.914
Tony Knowles (26), Tyrone, Ga., 17.055
Tyler Ivey (47), Tallahassee, Fla., 17.07
Joe Isabell (6), Pennellville, N.Y., 17.088
Chesley Dixon (3D), Swainsboro, Ga., 17.098
Dale Hammond (9), Nichols, S.C., 17.359
John Blankenship (23), Williamson, W.Va., 17.539
G.R. Smith (22), Huntersville, N.C., 17.597
Bo Smith (93), Sylvania, Ga., 18.352
Steven Howard (21H), Bloomingdale, Ga., no time
Randy Weaver (11), Crossville, Tenn., no time
Casey Roberts (101), Toccoa, Ga., no time
Shane Clanton (25), Locust Grove, Ga., no time (flat tire)
 
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