Columbus Speedway
Mississippians shut out in Magnolia State heats
By Todd Turner
DirtonDirt.com chief writer
Fast qualifier Anthony Rushing runs the outside against Dane Dacus. (DirtonDirt.com)
COLUMBUS, Miss. (Sept. 28) — Drivers from six different states, but none from Mississippi, earned Friday heat race victories for the 18th annual Magnolia State 100 at Columbus Speedway. Drawing for starting spots in the first three rows will be heat winners Michael England of Glasgow, Ky., Shane Clanton of Locust Grove, Ga., Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, Fla., Chris Wall of Holden, La., Wendell Wallace of Batesville, Ark., and Byron Michael of Florence, Ala.
England, Pearson, Wall and Wallace ran away with their heat race victories while Clanton had to overcome Jack Sullivan in the final laps and Michael had to survive several late-race restarts in a caution-filled sixth and final heat.
Other drivers transferring to Saturday's main event are Jimmy Cliburn, Sullivan, Neil Baggett, David Breazeale, Jason Cliburn, Scott Slay, Don O'Neal, Ronny Lee Hollingsworth, Anthony Burroughs, Jimmy Owens, Clint Smith and Bryan Barber.
The remainder of the 79 drivers entered will run consolation races on Saturday to fill out the rest of the feature starting lineup. Mike Marlar, the event's third fastest qualifier, won't be among them after leaving. He scratched from his heat race when his car's battery shorted out.
First heat
England outdueled Dane Dacus early in the race and pulled away for an easy victory in the caution-free 15-lapper. Jimmy Cliburn ran second most of the way while Don O'Neal, driving a car owned by engine builder Jay Dickens, fought past fast qualifier Anthony Rushing en route to the third and final transfer spot. Finish: (1) Michael England, (2) Jimmy Cliburn, (3) Don O'Neal, (4) Anthony Rushing, (5) Justin Rattliff, (6) Dane Dacus, (7) Dean Carpenter, (8) Larry Boutwell, (9) James Ward, (10) Brian Rickman, (11) Clint Logan, (12) Marty Hardy, (13) Bo Gordon, (14) Joey McKinney.
Second heat
The third-starting Clanton repeatedly tried to outside groove against Sullivan and eventually made it work in the closing laps for victory. Sullivan, who started outside the front row, settled for second while polesitter Ronny Lee Hollingsworth was a distance fourth. Jason Markowitz departed with a blown powerplant on the 10th lap, the same lap Mark Sartain spun. Finish: (1) Shane Clanton, (2) Jack Sullivan, (3) Ronny Lee Hollingsworth, (4) Mike Boland (5) Rick Rickman, (6) Ryan Plaisance, (7) Mark Sartain, (8) Kyle Beard, (9) Mark Tice, (10) Dennis Duncan, (11) Keith Flurry, (12) Chris McElhenney, (13) Jason Markowitz.
Third heat
Neil Baggett led a few early laps before Earl Pearson Jr. swept away with an easy victory. Anthony Burroughs, who started on the front row with Baggett, held on to the third spot throughout the race while Brad Neat, who moved up to start third when Mike Marlar scratched, never challenged in finishing fourth. Jerry Owens spun into the infield on the eighth lap and David Ashley dropped out with mechanical woes on the 10th lap. Finish: (1) Earl Pearson Jr., (2) Neil Baggett, (3) Anthony Burroughs, (4) Brad Neat, (5) Jason Smith, (6) Ross Campanova, (7) Keith Miller, (8) Roger Shirley, (9) Greg Fore, (10) David Ashley, (11) Jerry Owens, (12) Wiley Williams. Scratched: Mike Marlar.
Fourth heat
Wall outran David Breazeale at the outset and marched to a runaway victory. Breazeale settled for second while World 100 winner Jimmy Owens, who started third but fell back to fifth midway through the race, rallied past a wall-banging Jamie Elam in the final laps to get the third and final transfer spot. Chad Thrash was a solid fifth. Eddie Rickman was eliminated when he was caught up in Tony Knowles' turn-two spin. Bill Hasselle exited quickly in turn two after a 360-degree spin early in the race. Finish: (1) Chris Wall, (2) David Breazeale, (3) Jimmy Owens, (4) Jamie Elam, (5) Chad Thrash, (6) Tony Morris, (7) Tony Knowles, (8) Billy Moyer Jr., (9) Jason Sanderford, (10) Bradley Price, (11) Patrick Michel, (12) Eddie Rickman, (13) Bill Hasselle.
Fifth heat
Starting outside the front row, Wallace stayed in command throughout the race. Jason Cliburn was generously returned to his third starting spot after a first-lap spin, and he made the best of it with a second-place finish over Clint Smith. Dewayne Keifer spun in turn two and Tombo Callahan spun in turn four near simultaneously, but the caution didn't appear until after Keifer pulled directly in front of the leaders while rejoining the action. Finish: (1) Wendell Wallace, (2) Jason Cliburn, (3) Clint Smith, (4) Bub McCool, (5) John Gill, (6) Jim McDuffie, (7) Justin McRee, (8) Rodney Wing, (9) Tombo Callahan, (10) Freddy Smith, (11) Dewayne Keifer, (12) Shawn Edwards, (13) Jeff Wells.
Sixth heat
Michael made a smooth third-to-first move early in the race and was never threatened. Slay advanced from seventh to post a solid second-place finish while polesitter Bryan Barber was fortunate to transfer after Kelly Hanvey (tangle with Durrett), Durrett (spun on a restart) and Chris Ragan (flat tire and spin) all dropped out of transfer positions. Hanvey, who hit the turn-three wall after contact with Durrett in a battle for second, showed his displeasure by ramming Durrett's car under caution before pulling off the track. Finish: (1) Byron Michael, (2) Scott Slay, (3) Bryan Barber, (4) Doug Showah, (5) Garrett Durrett, (6) Jason Phillips, (7) Chris Ragan, (8) Daniel Brown, (9) Terry Smith, (10) Rob Litton, (11) Mark Dodson, (12) Marty Holtman, (13) Kelly Hanvey.
