Smoky Mountain Speedway
Cook climbs past Mountain Raceway foes
By Chris Tilley
DirtonDirt.com correspondent
Ray Cook enjoys victory lane. (Mike Nuchols)
MARYVILLE, Tenn. (April 12) — Starting outside the front row, Ray Cook of Brasstown, N.C., dominated all 50 laps at Mountain Raceway Park for a $3,000 victory on the PPM Racing Products Southern Regional Racing Series. Cook finished 10 lengths ahead of polesitter, fast qualifier and hometown driver Bobby Giffin for his fourth career SRRS victory. The winner's only real problem came on the 22nd lap when he almost tangled with the slower car of Brett Wyatt while building a half-straightaway lead near the race's midpoint. | Slideshow
Vic Hill of Mosheim, Tenn., finished third followed by Tommy Kerr of Maryville, Tenn., and 12th-starting Mark Vineyard of Powell, Tenn., as the east Tennessee oval drew a solid 51 Late Models for its first SRRS event. Anthony White of Clinton, Tenn., ran second most of the race but pulled out on the 42nd lap with mechanical problems.
Notes: Cook's MasterSbilt Race Car is powered by a Grover Racing Engine and sponsored by Fairway Ford, Jacky Jones Automotive, Arvil Cook Property Investments, Youngblood Concrete, Bill Elliott Racing, Hamrick’s of Gaffney, James Cook Construction, PPM Racing Products, A-Plus Moving and Storage and Engines Inc. ... Cook's previous series victory came in the 2007 season opener at StormPay.com Speedway in Clarksville, Tenn. ... Runner-up Bobby Giffin was last year's track champion. ... The race was slowed by several cautions and stoppages, including a first-lap red flag when Mike Hill went around in turn two and collected Chris Wilson and seven other drivers. ... Billy Ogle Jr. spun in turn one on the third lap while running fifth. ... Joe Denby was part of cautions on lap 26 (with Mark Douglas) and lap 31 (with John Gill). ... An April 11 SRRS event at Wartburg (Tenn.) Speedway was rained out. ... Next up for the series is an April 19 event at Thunderhill Speedway in Summertown, Tenn.
SRRS @ Mountain Raceway Park: (1) Ray Cook, (2) Bobby Giffin, (3) Vic Hill, (4) Tommy Kerr, (5) Mark Vineyard, (6) Rick Rogers, (7) Tony Morris, (8) Riley Hickman, (9) Kelly Hanvey, (10) Brett Wyatt, (11) Brandon King, (12) Mike Luna, (13) Anthony White, (14) Joe Denby, (15) Jay Brinkley, (16) John Gill, (17) Billy Mayo, (18) Mike Weeks, (19) Mark Douglas, (20) Billy Ogle Jr., (21) Chris Wilson, (22) Michael Luna, (23) David Crabtree, (24) Mike Hill. Fast qualifier (among 51 cars): Giffin, 18.01 seconds. Heat race winners: Weeks, Vineyard, King, Michael Luna, Morris. Consolation winners: Mayo, Hanvey. Provisional starters: Hickman, Mike Luna.
