Lavonia Speedway
Early tangle opens door for Roberts at Lavonia
From series reports
LAVONIA, Ga. (Aug. 29) — Casey Roberts of Toccoa, Ga., made the most of an early tangle among frontrunners to capture an O'Reilly Southern All Star East victory at Lavonia Speedway. Polesitter Frankie Beard of Hartwell, Ga., and series points leader Chris Madden of Gray Court, S.C., got together when Madden's steering broke on the second lap, knocking both drivers out of the race.
Roberts took command, fought off challenges from Benji Cole of Canon, Ga., before engine problems sidelined Cole, then kept fifth-starting Bruce Taylor of Toccoa at bay through the race's final stages for a $3,000 payday in the first of four Labor Day weekend events on the series. David Smith of Inman, S.C., was third followed by Hall of Famer Jack Pennington of Winston, Ga., and Jamie Oliver of Murphy, N.C., in a race where 13 of 22 starters finished, 10 on the lead lap.
Notes: Roberts, the reigning series champion, notched his first series victory of 2008; he has seven career series victories. ... On the first attempted start, James Roulette crashed hard into the turn-three wall, collecting tail-starting Eddie Blackmon. ... Benji Cole and Brent Dixon, who started outside the front row, got together on the second lap and Dixon was sent into the turn-three wall and out of the race. ... Cole trailed smoke a few laps before engine problems forced him out while running second. ... Bruce Taylor spun in the oil when Cole departed, but Taylor was restored to his position after officials ruled the caution flag had appeared. ... Eighth-starting Dillon Wood got up to third but pulled out on lap 22 with engine problems. ... The Labor Day weekend continues Saturday at Hartwell (Ga.) Speedway.
O'Reilly SAS East @ Lavonia: (1) Casey Roberts, (2) Bruce Taylor, (3) David Smith, (4) Jack Pennington, (5) Jamie Oliver, (6) Dion Deason, (7) Monk Gulledge, (8) Jeff Fortner, (9) John Pursley, (10) Ethan Hunter, (11) Jimmy Ivester, (12) Keith Freeman, (13) Joey McCoy, (14) Dillon Wood, (15) Johnny Pursley, (16) Benji Cole, (17) Jeremy Ledford, (18) Brent Dixon, (19) Frankie Beard, (20) Chris Madden, (21) James Roulette, (22) Eddie Blackmon. Fast time (among 22 cars): Beard, 17.030 seconds.
