Whynot Motorsports Park
Early pit stop, last-lap pass boosts Dedwylder
By Scott White
Whynot Motorsports Park
Scott Dedwylder (33) heads for the front at Whynot. (customcreationsgraphics.com)
MERIDIAN, Miss. (Oct. 10) — When 15th-starting Scott Dedwylder started the 50-lap feature at Whynot Motorsports Park, he knew wasn't going to make up much ground in the Mississippi State Championship Challenge feature. So the Vossburg, Miss., driver headed to the pits during an early yellow flag for different rubber. | Slideshow
"I went to the pits during that caution to change to a harder tire," Dedwylder said. "I wasn't able to get by anyone and knew the track was good, so it turned out to be a good decision."
Dedwylder's good decision paid off in a big way in the season's MSCC finale. Rallying after his pit stop, Dedwylder got up to second in the race's late stages, then overtook hometown driver Chad Thrash on the final lap for his first MSCC victory since 2005. Dedwylder pulled alongside Thrash on the backstretch and made an inside move exiting turn four to win the race to the checkered flag at the quarter-mile oval.
Dedwylder, whose previous series victories came in 2005 in Baldwyn, Miss., and Jackson, Miss., earned $2,500 and received congratulations from chassis builder Mike Boland in victory lane.
Thrash, who took the lead from polesitter Scott Slay of Clinton, Miss., on the 23rd lap, was denied his fourth victory of the season while finishing second. Fast qualifier Anthony Burroughs of Muscle Shoals, Ala., was third and Dane Dacus of Arlington, Tenn., was fourth. Slay was fifth, good enough to wrap up his third series championship and first since 2004.
Notes: Dedwylder drives a Trak-Star Chassis sponsored by Scott's Wrecker Service and Champion Oil Field Service. ... Dedwylder has three career MSCC victories as a part-time series driver. ... Scott Slay won this year's championship in a Leon Henderson-owned car. He also won titles in 2003 and '04. ... Whynot hosts an unsanctioned Super Late Model event Oct. 17, a tuneup for the 15th annual Coors Light Fall Classic on Oct. 23-24, an unsanctioned special promoted by Charles and Jannie Thrash paying $15,000 to the winner.
MSCC @ Whynot: (1) Scott Dedwylder, (2) Chad Thrash, (3) Anthony Burroughs, (4) Dane Dacus, (5) Scott Slay, (6) Rodney Wing, (7) Steve Bryan, (8) David Breazeale, (9) Klint Byars, (10) Jeff White, (11) Chris McElhenney, (12) Keith Miller, (13) Roger Shirley, (14) Leon Henderson, (15) Jeremy Broadus, (16) David Ashley, (17) Craig Turan, (18) Mickey Trosclair, (19) Jason Cliburn, (20) Jim McDuffie, (21) Jimmy Cliburn, (22) James Dean. Fast qualifier (among 27 cars): Burroughs, 13.395 seconds. Consolation race winners: Breazeale, Jimmy Cliburn. Dash winner: Slay.
