Cherokee Speedway
Madden rallies at Cherokee, but Roberts repeats title
From series reports
GAFFNEY, S.C. (Oct. 18) — Forced to restart on the rear after jumping the cushion on the first lap, Chris Madden of Gray Court, S.C., stormed back to win the 24th annual Stick Elliott Memorial at Cherokee Speedway. While Madden collected $4,000 for the 40-lap victory at the 3/8-mile oval, Madden fell two points shy in his bid to overtake Casey Roberts of Toccoa, Ga., for the championship on the O'Reilly Southern All Star East Series.
Roberts, who started on the pole and ended up second after Madden took the lead halfway through the race, captured the series championship and its $10,000 earnings for the second consecutive year.
"I knew we had a car good enough to get back to the front, but I just had to stay out of trouble to do it," said Madden, who roared back to the front for his seventh SAS East victory of 2008. "Casey's line into turn four on the first lap caused me to get in a little too high and I jumped the cushion and nearly spun out.
"My hat's off to Casey and his crew. They did a good job and did what they had to do to win the championship, so congratulations to him. We are just proud to finally get the win in the Stick Elliott Memorial."
A lap-30 caution gave Roberts a final shot at Madden, but he ended up settling for second, a position good enough for the series championship in the season finale. Ricky Weeks of Rutherfordton, N.C., was third followed by Petey Ivey of Union, S.C., and Jeff Cooke of Spartanburg, S.C.
Notes: Madden's Cornett-powered Bloomquist Race Car is sponsored by Hamrick's of Gaffney, Xtreme Customs and Cycles, Century Plastics and Cushman Paint and Body. ... Roberts drives a Victory Circle Chassis with a Randy Clary Racing Engine and sponsorship from Cushman Paint and Body, Starrette Trucking and Sid's Trim and Fit. ... Ricky Weeks was behind the wheel of the K&L Rumley Enterprises Rocket. ... Furman Parton got into the turn-four wall early in the race. ... Chris Ferguson gave up the fifth spot on the seventh lap with steering problems.
O'Reilly SAS East @ Cherokee: (1) Chris Madden, (2) Casey Roberts, (3) Ricky Weeks, (4) Petey Ivey, (5) Jeff Cooke, (6) Monk Gulledge, (7) Brent Dixon, (9) Johnny Pursley, (10) Dean Bowen, (11) Dale Hammond, (12) G.R. Smith (13) Jeff Smith, (14) Daniel Baggerly, (15) Danny Ledford, (16) Larry Blankenship, (17) Michael Tucker, (18) Steve Blackburn, (19) Anthony Sanders, (20) Douglas Davis, (21) Brian Moody, (22) Chris Ferguson, (23) Furman Parton, (24) Jay Sessoms. Fast qualifier (among 31 cars): Roberts, 15.277 seconds. Consolation race winners: Ferguson, Moody. Provisional starters: Johnny Pursley, Baggerly.
