I-30 Speedway
Culp's I-30 victory first with Comp Cams tour
By Ben Shelton
Comp Cams Super Dirt Series
Timothy Culp takes the checkers at I-30 Speedway. (Woody Hampton)
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (April 20) — Outside front-row starter Timothy Culp of West Monroe, La., overtook pole-starting Ashley Newman of Ripley, Tenn., on the 16th lap and led the rest of the way Saturday at I-30 Speedway.
Culp’s 35-lap victory was the first of his career on the Comp Cams Super Dirt Series as he pocketed $2,500 while ending a personal winless streak going back to 2011. | Slideshow
Kyle Beard of Trumann, Ark., finished second at the quarter-mile oval while Newman, who led the first 15 laps, settled for third. Ninth-staring Robert Baker of Bryant, Ark., was fourth and Wendell Wallace of Batesville, Ark., advanced 10 positions to round out the top five in the caution-free feature.
Newman jumped into the lead at the outset with his teammate Beard in tow followed by Culp, Jack Sullivan and Chandler Petty. The leader hugged the track’s hub early with Beard applying pressure.
When the frontrunners hit slower traffic, Culp slipped past Beard to grab second on lap 15, then used a strong run exiting turn two to get underneath Newman and take the lead a lap later.
Beard followed Culp past Newman and hounded him over the final 20 laps to no avail.
Notes: Culp’s Barry Wright Race Car is sponsored by Ceight Motorsports, Benning’s Heat & Air, Tim Logan Racing, Culp’s Automotive, MSR Mafia, BA Motorsports and TWM Performance. ... Culp’s previous Late Model victory came Sept. 10, 2011, in P&W Sales Southern United Professional Racing action at Lone Star Speedway in Kilgore, Texas. ... The race was the first on the series after weather halted the first three attempts to start the season. ... The purse got a $750 boost from the track and Central Arkansas Pest Services, giving Culp $500 more than the usual series payday. ... Wendell Wallace’s 15th-to-fifth run earned him $100 for the Larry Shaw Race Cars Hard Charger bonus. ... Tommy Surrett of North Little Rock, Ark., was awarded the Quarter Master Hard Luck award after an engine failure in hot laps. ... Drivers failing to make the main event: Travis Mosley, Jake Davis, Tommy Surrett, Odie Green, T.J. Hughes and Drew Armstrong, who was making his Late Model debut. ... The series returns to the quarter-mile oval Aug. 3 and Sept. 21. ... Next up for Comp Cams competitors is May 3 action at brand new Timberline Speedway in Corley, Texas, followed by a May 4 event at ArkLaTex Speedway in Vivian, La.
Comp Cams @ I-30: (1) Timothy Culp, (2) Kyle Beard, (3) Ashley Newman, (4) Robert Baker, (5) Wendell Wallace, (6) Billy Moyer, (7) Jack Sullivan, (8) Larry Campbell, (9) Chandler Petty, (10) Jon Kirby, (11) Keith Craft, (12) Clay Fisher, (13) Brandon Smith, (14) Allen Murray, (15) Shane Harris, (16) Keith Lawson, (17) Lynn Beach, (18) Jon Mitchell, (19) Ross Camponovo, (20) Joseph Long. Heat race winners (among 26 cars): Newman, Sullivan, Petty, Culp. Consolation winners: Wallace, Smith.
