Baton Rouge Raceway
Litton goes back-to-back with Baton Rouge victory
BAKER, La. (Oct. 18) — Winning back-to-back series events for the first time since 2003, Rob Litton of Alexandria, La., captured Baton Rouge Raceway's Floyd Clausen Louisiana State Championship event Sunday on the O'Reilly Southern United Professional Racing tour.
Two second-row starters both ran into problems that forced them out of the lead, and the polesitting Litton led the second half of the 40-lap feature for a $2,500 payday. Litton, the 2004 series champion, won nine days earlier in O'Reilly SUPR competition at Houston (Texas) Raceway Park.
Robbie Stuart of DeRidder, La., finished second with James Ward of Lettsworth, La., third in a race where just eight of 19 starters were running at the finish. Kennith Crowe and Gary Christian rounded out the top five in a race that started at dusk.
David Ashley of Zachary, La., started third and led early, but a flat tire knocked him out of the lead and moved fourth-starting Kenny Merchant of West Monroe, La., to the point. But ignition failure knocked Merchant, the series points leader, out near the halfway point and gave Litton a lead he never gave up.
Ashley returned after his flat tire, had another flat tire and was eventually forced out of the race with engine problems.
Notes: Litton's Rocket Chassis has a Wall 2 Wall Racing Engine and sponsorship from LMS Truck Center, TWM, Johnson Enterprises and KM Construction. ... Litton has 19 career SUPR victories, seventh on the all-time list. ... His previous back-to-back victories came June 21 and June 28, 2003, at Thunder Valley Speedway in Glenmora, La., and Pike County Speedway in Magnolia, Miss. ... The nine-division program drew 213 race cars overall with limited modifieds and pure stocks drawing 40 cars apiece. ... The SUPR season wraps up Nov. 13-14 at Pike County with the $5,000-to-win Jambalaya 100. Kenny Merchant will try to wrap up his third series championship and second in a row.
Floyd Clausen Louisiana State Championship: (1) Rob Litton, (2) Robbie Stuart, (3) James Ward, (4) Kennith Crowe, (5) Gary Christian, (6) Michael Barfield, (7) David Kulhanek, (8) Kevin Maddox, (9) David Ashley, (10) Corie Herberger, (11) Mickey Trosclair, (12) Alex Ashley, (13) Dwight Falcon, (14) Malcolm Epperson, (15) Kenny Merchant, (16) Allen Tippen, (17) Jason Polite, (18) Vance Noland, (19) Stormy Derryberry. Heat race winners (among 19 cars): Litton, Tippen.
