Cherokee Speedway
Ferguson's flat tire lifts Davenport at Cherokee
By Mark Huey
Carolina Clash
Jonathan Davenport rallied from 12th to win at Cherokee. (ZSK Photography)
GAFFNEY, S.C. (May 11) — It had been more than nine years for the Carolina Clash Super Late Model Series to return to Cherokee Speedway, and Saturday night rain made fans wait a little longer to see the tour’s return to the 4/10-mile oval. | Slideshow
But the late-night timing turned out to be perfect for Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Ga., who rallied from his 12th starting spot for a $4,000 victory. Davenport led the final five laps, inheriting the lead when race-dominating Chris Ferguson of Mount Holly, N.C., had a flat tire.
"I don't know what went wrong on the setup tonight in qualifying, but I knew that we had the right one for the feature,” Davenport said in victory lane. “Everything went exactly as it was supposed to and I owe a lot of thanks to the guys that help and the great sponsors I have.”
Fellow Georgian Chip Brindle of Chatsworth finished second followed by Ricky Weeks of Rutherfordton, N.C., the five-time series champ who moved into the Carolina Clash points lead with his third straight top-five finish. Brent Dixon of Elberton, Ga., and Dustin Mitchell of Pine Level, N.C., rounded out the top five in the 40-lapper that started late because of the weather.
Pole-starting Tim Allen led at the outset, but the sixth-starting Mitchell’s turn-one spin on the second lap slowed the action. Ferguson stalked Allen thereafter, holding the lead when 15th-starting Chris Madden slowed on the backstretch to draw a caution.
It was all Ferguson the next 20 laps through the race’s middle stages as rain sprinkled during the event while Davenport and Brindle worked their way into the top five.
Allen lost a top-five run with a flat tire on lap 31, and Dennis Franklin also had a tire go down on the next restart. It was Ferguson who was struck next with a flat tire on lap 35 after holding a comfortable lead over Davenport.
Forced to pit, Davenport inherited the point and led the rest of the way while Brindle took second from Weeks in the closing laps. Ferguson ended up 10th.
Notes: Davenport’s AES Racing Barry Wright Race Car is sponsored by En Compass Solutions, Mega Plumbing and Mega Electric, Ohlins Shocks and Hoosier Tire. ... Advancing 11 positions earned Davenport the Safety-Kleen Hard Charger of the Race award. ... The race was the 250th in series history and seventh at Cherokee. ... Cherokee promoter Lennie Buff was eager to get the race in despite rain that delayed the beginning of the event. "We were determined to get this race in tonight and it was a miracle that we did,” he said. “The rain was all over us tonight and it did everything in its power tonight to keep us off the track, but the fans held out and got a good show.” ... Cherokee will host three more series events in 2013, including a Labor Weekend race in the Roush Yates Countdown to the Cup Championship. ... The series announced that the April 27 rained out Gordon Park Speedway in Grovetown, Ga., won’t be made up. ... The series takes a month break before returning to action June 8 at Fayetteville (N.C.) Motor Speedway with a $4,000-to-win event.
Carolina Clash @ Cherokee: (1) Jonathan Davenport, (2) Chip Brindle, (3) Ricky Weeks, (4) Brent Dixon, (5) Dustin Mitchell, (6) Scott Autry, (7) Dennis Franklin, (8) Doug Sanders, (9) Tim Allen, (10) Chris Ferguson, (11) John Pursley, (12) Mike Gault, (13) Zack Mitchell, (14) Johnny Pursley, (15) Damon Kotke, (16) Michael Marlowe, (17) Frank Coates, (18) Casey Roberts, (19) Luke Roffers, (20) Brian Ledbetter, (21) Chris Madden, (22) Kyle Pierce. Fast qualifier (among 23 cars): Allen, 15.116 seconds.
