Southern Oklahoma Speedway
Mitchell tops Erb at Southern Oklahoma
By Bryan Wimberley
P&W Sales SUPR SeriesARDMORE, Okla. (May 18) — Jon Mitchell of Texarkana, Texas, earned $2,500 Saturday at Southern Oklahoma Speedway as the track hosted its first-ever event on the P&W Sales Southern United Professional Racing.
Mitchell, who battled fellow front-row starter Tyler Erb of Magnolia, Texas, for the second spot most of the way, slipped under leader Rob Litton of Alexandria, La., on the 25th lap to grab the lead. Litton departed four laps later with transmission problems, and Mitchell kept Erb at bay the rest of the 50-lapper for a three-second victory at the 3/8-mile oval.
After Mitchell and Erb, three more Texans crossed the the finish line: Robbie Starnes of Baytown, Patrik Daniel of Wills Point and Zach McMillan of Gladewater. Litton, the series points leader, was listed ninth in an 11-car starting field.
The pole-starting Erb led the first 11 laps before Litton seized the point for the next 13 circuits, with Mitchell taking control the last 26 circuits. Despite the low car count, racing among six drivers was intense in the lead pack as Starnes, Patrik Daniel and McMillan battle toward the top five.
Mitchell notched his fifth career SUPR victory and first since May 29, 2011, at Lone State Speedway in Kilgore, Texas.
Notes: Mitchell’s MasterSbilt Race Car is sponsored by W&W Timber, Keyser Mfg., Base Racing Fuel and J&J Motorsports. ... Mitchell also won a regular-season feature a week earlier at Boothill Speedway in Greenwood, La. ... The feature ended at 10:19 p.m. with eight of 11 starters still rolling. ... Four cautions slowed the action. ... Fourth-place finisher Patrik Daniel won the previous week’s Late Model feature at Ardmore. ... Next up for SUPR is a two-race Memorial Day weekend in Texas, starting at Timberline Speedway in Corley on May 25 and moving to Lone Star Speedway on May 26.
SUPR @ Southern Oklahoma: (1) Jon Mitchell, (2) Tyler Erb, (3) Robbie Starnes, (4) Patrik Daniel, (5) Zach McMillan, (6) Brandon Hightower, (7) Eric Neal, (8) Terry Johnson, (9) Rob Litton, (10) Johnny Clinton Jr., (11) Justin McNeil. Scratched. Richard Brownlee. Heat race winners (among 12 cars): Litton, Erb.
