Talladega Short Track
Scott Knowles captures Crate pole at Talladega
By Roby Helm
NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model SeriesEASTABOGA, Ala. (Jan. 3) — Scott Knowles of Lanett, Ala., topped 87 Crate Late Models in qualifying at Ice Bowl XVIII to earn the pole position for Sunday's $3,000-to-win NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series main event at Talladega Short Track.
Knowles posted a lap of 14.638 seconds on the third-mile oval — edging the fastest Super Late Model time — as the fast qualifier in the first of six qualifying groups. That earned the rookie series driver $100 from McLeod Construction and the inside front row starting spot for the feature.
Tim Busha of Boaz, Ala., grabbed the second quick time of 14.658 seconds for the other front-row spot. Busha’s time was turned in among the second group, as was the third fastest time overall, a 14.692 second lap turned in by two-time series champion David Gentry of Lewisburg, Tenn.
That gave Gentry the pole position for the first of six 15-lap heat races, which were rained out Saturday and rescheduled for Sunday. The top two finishers from each heat race will transfer to the main event on Sunday in starting spots three through 14.
Other heat polesitters are Brad Hall of Knoxville, Tenn., Jordy Nipper of Gray, Ga., Jimmy Elkins Jr. of Talladega, Ala., Tyler Hurst of Lineville, Ala., and Kyle Berry of Poplar Bluff, Mo. The top two finishers in each heat transfer to the main event while finishers third on back will run in one of four 15-lap consolation races.
Heat lineups
Time trials
- Scott Knowles (66k), Lanett, Ala., 14.638
- Kyle Berry (00), Poplar Bluff, Mo., 14.967
- Frank Ingram (F9), Woodstock, Ga., 15.041
- Leon Brindle (38L), Chatsworth, Ga. 15.196
- Jamey Smith (22s), Purvis, Miss., 15.204
- James Cline (3c), Oxford, Ala., 15.356
- Chase Edge (18), Lafayette, Ala., 15.371
- Guy Robinson (91), Rockmart, Ga., 15.416
- Jeff Fields (16), Aragon, Ga., 15.498
- Brent Roberts (9), Anniston, Ala., 15.600
- Marc Gooden (52g), Lafayette, Ala., 15.684
- Lucky Keeton (22), Toomsuba, Miss., 15.705
- Carey Craft (131), Canon, Ga., 15.757
- Jim Bob Davis (3D), Morganton, Ga., 15.838
- Tony Epperson (7e), Thorsby, Ala., 15.852
- Tim Busha (15), Boaz, Ala., 14.658
- David Gentry (11), Lewisburg, Tenn., 14.692
- Donald Bradsher (93), Burlington, N.C., 14.786
- Brian Smith (15s), Cedar Bluff, Ala., 14.856
- Hunter Peacock (12), Macon, Ga., 14.985
- David Tindell (111), Ringgold, Ga., 15.041
- Adam Martin (47), Talladega, Ala., 15.085
- Steve Godsey (14), Bedford, Ind., 15.252
- Carlton Freeman (F22), Eastaboga, Ala., 15.263
- Brian Jackson (B4), Dalton, Ga., 15.549
- Cody Smith (3), Holt, Fla., 15.655
- Chris O'Connor (03), Cantonment, Fla., 15.868
- Jonathan Lambert (75), Heflin, Ala., 15.973
- Hunter Best (007), Greenback, Tenn., 16.148
- Brett Delk (08) Columbus, Miss., 16.679
- Jimmy Elkins Jr. (07), Talladega, Ala., 14.876
- Tyler Millwood (31), Kingston, Ga., 14.919
- Danny Peoples (22p), Margaret, Ala., 15.010
- Jason Wilson (22w), Margaret, Ala., 15.060
- Brian Ponder (29), Talladega, Ala., 15.114
- Jeff Fortner (27), Vidalia, Ga., 15.133
- Doug Stevens (77), Lovejoy, Ga., 15.278
- Red Farmer (F97), Hueytown, Ala., 15.325
- David Beam (7a), Lyerly, Ga., 15.439
- Dillon Crim (7c), Eastaboga, Ala., 15.489
- Darin Walker (24w), Bowling Green, Mo., 15.706
- Dustin Stephens (13), Young Harris, Ga., 15.871
- Jim Moon (1m), Zionsville, Ind., 15.941
- Jared Watson (42), Andalusia, Ala., 16.226
- Jacob France (9x), 16.562
- Jordy Nipper (1n), Gray, Ga., 14.823
- Logan Yates (5), Delta, Ala., 14.829
- Owen Osteen (20), Woodruff, S.C., 14.914
- Ronnie Johnson (5), Chattanooga, Tenn., 14.920
- Derrick Rainey (87), Powder Springs, Ga., 14.981
- Larry Boutwell (58), Baker, Fla., 15.271
- John Ownbey (48), Cleveland, Tenn., 15.368
- Jimmy Kay (90), Taylorsville, Ga., 15.579
- Terrance Nowell (7), Phenix City, Ala., 16.044
- Jeff Melton (00m), Lexington, Tenn., 16.047
- Mike Combs (5c), Odenville, Ala., 16.226
- Johnny Stokes (52), Columbus, Miss., 16.415
- Adam Gauldin (17), Talladega, Ala., 16.576
- Haley Pitts (P5), Lineville, Ala., 16.756
- Tyler Hurst (H2), Lineville, Ala., 14.905
- Chris Tays (8), Corinth, Miss., 14.937
- Jay Blair (2x), Angie, La., 14.956
- Shannon Lee (47L), Lumberton, Miss., 15.130
- Jason Hiett (1h), Lincoln, Ala., 15.170
- Cameron Heath (17), Weaver, Ala., 15.195
- Josh Morrow (M42), Murphy, N.C., 15.293
- Matthew Turner (10), Dawsonville, Ga., 15.349
- Marcus Minga (19), Shannon, Miss., 15.620
- Eric Cooley (33c), Fulton, Miss., 15.689
- Charlie Henderson (88), Cottondale, Ala., 15.849
- Adam Ray (2r), Ledbetter, Ky., 16.134
- Bill Melvin (145), Trussville, Ala., no time
- Brian Connor (c21), Augusta, Ga., no time
- Brad Hall (47h), Knoxville, Tenn., 14.771
- Lee Burdett (B97), Hueytown, Ala., 14.874
- Billy Mayo (115), Cleveland, Tenn., 15.033
- Ben McCreary (21m), Baldwyn, Miss., 15.132
- Eddie Rickman (68), Columbus, Miss., 15.145
- Chad Wallace (34), LaGrange, Ga., 15.187
- Chip Brindle (38c), Chatsworth, Ga., 15.234
- Shay Knight (3k), Columbus, Miss., 15.286
- Montana Dudley (7x), Phenix City, Ala., 15.388
- Chris Steele (2), North Augusta, Ga., 15.420
- Rodgerick Dykes (5d), Smith Station, Ala., 15.559
- Landon Sims (18), Jacksonville, Ala., 15.802
- Rickey Payton (24), Newnan, Ga., 16.362
- Billy Scarbrough (196), Ethelsville, Ala., 16.421