Toccoa Raceway
Cole leads all the way for $5,000 at Toccoa
From series reports
Benji Cole led all 50 laps. (carlsonracephotos.com)
TOCCOA, Ga. (April 12) — Starting outside the front row, Benji Cole of Canon, Ga., defended his turf at Toccoa Speedway by leading all 50 laps for an O'Reilly Southern All Star victory worth $5,000. "We have won a lot of big races here but this is probably the biggest,” Cole said.
Cole crossed the finish line nearly a full straightaway ahead of Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Ga., winner of the previous series race in Lavonia, Ga., who went from fifth to second with a high-side move on a late restart. Doug English of Clayton, Ga., followed Davenport's tire tracks to grab a third-place finish ahead of Jason Fitzgerald, who rallied after a lap-11 spin that forced him to restart on the tail. Hometown driver Casey Roberts rounded out the top five. Polesitter Brent Dixon of Elberton, Ga., ran among the leaders early but faded to finish 15th.
Notes: Cole's DWB chassis has a Russell Baker Racing Engine and sponsorship from Bates and Son Concrete Specialists, Ivester Pipeline, Keener Construction, Turner Recycling, Dan's Paint and Sandblasting, Harris and Company Construction, White's Total Performance and Hollywood Express Inc. ... Reigning series champion Ivedent Lloyd Jr. lost a front-row starting spot when he was light at the scales after posting the second best qualifying time. He took a provisional starting spot and finished 18th in the feature. ... Drivers failing to make the feature lineup: Joel Rice and Jimmy Ivester. ... The next Southern All Star event is scheduled for April 26 at Talladega Short Track in Eastaboga, Ala., action the same weekend as NASCAR events across the street at Talladega's long track.
O'Reilly SAS @ Toccoa: (1) Benji Cole, (2) Jonathan Davenport, (3) Doug English, (4) Jason Fitzgerald, (5) Casey Roberts, (6) Travis Pennington, (7) Dillon Wood, (8) Monk Gulledge, (9) Dion Deason, (10) Matt Dillard, (11) Derek Ellis, (12) Ethan Hunter, (13) Stacy Holmes, (14) Jeff Madden, (15) Brent Dixon, (16) Anthony Hill, (17) Jeff Weber, (18) Ivedent Lloyd Jr., (19) David Smith, (20) Bruce Taylor, (21) Randy Nichols, (22) Daryl Freeman, (23) Casey Barrow, (24) Rickey Harvey. Fast qualifier (among 26 cars): Dixon, 12.464 seconds. Consolation race winners: Hunter, Weber. Provisional starters: Lloyd, Smith.
