North Alabama Speedway
Wall injured as Clanton wins at North Alabama
From series and team reports
Workers check on Chris Wall's mangled machine. (Sherry Kiser)
TUSCUMBIA, Ala. (May 9) — Shane Clanton of Locust Grove, Ga., took the lead on the last lap for an O'Reilly Southern All Star victory at North Alabama Speedway on an evening marred by Chris Wall's flipping accident that sent him to the hospital with three fractured vertebrae in his neck. | Chris Wall injury update | Slideshow
Wall, champion of 2006 Mississippi State Championship Challenge, was taken to a nearby hospital after his No. 71 wildly flipped in hot laps in turn one at the quarter-mile oval. Wall, experiencing severe pain, was fitted with a temporary neck brace and later returned to the track before the team headed back to Louisiana. Wall plans to see a Louisiana neurosurgeon on Monday.
Racing went on at North Alabama with polesitter David Breazeale of Four Corners, Miss., in control throughout the feature event. But the front-row starting Clanton moved past Breazeale as the leaders took the white flag, then fended off a last-ditch charge from Randy Weaver of Crossville, Tenn., for a $5,000 victory, his seventh series victory of his career. Breazeale settled for third with Kenny Merchant of West Monroe, La., and Anthony Burroughs of Athens, Ala., rounding out the top five.
Notes: Clanton's Rocket Chassis has a Custom Race Engine and sponsorship from SAE Parts and RSD Enterprises. ... Breazeale's fast time lowered Billy Moyer's track record by two-tenths of a season. ... The night's racing action included four flips, two in the Super Late Models (Wall and Nick Howell) and two in the track's Late Model Stock division.� ... The event drew 29 drivers representing seven states. ... The series moves to Columbus (Miss.) Speedway on May 10th for the John L. Cliett Memorial, a $5,000-to-win event co-sanctioned by the O'Reilly Southern United Professional Racing tour.
O'Reilly SAS @ North Alabama: (1) Shane Clanton, (2) Randy Weaver, (3) David Breazeale, (4) Kenny Merchant, (5) Anthony Burroughs, (6) Derek Ellis, (7) Chris Ragan, (8) Jason Fitzgerald, (9) Stacy Holmes, (10) Ivedent Lloyd Jr., (11) Michael McKleroy, (12) Tony Knowles, (13) Joey McKinney, (14) Anthony Hill, (15) Jon Miller, (16) Nick Howell, (17) Ronny Lee Hollingsworth, (18) Jamie Elam, (19) Jerry Owens, (20) Ronnie Johnson, (21) Heath Johnson, (22) William Burns, (23) Ricky Steen, (24) Duke Whiseant. Fast qualifier (among 29 cars): Breazeale, 12.660 seconds.
