Donald McIntosh
photo by Marty Bingham
Chatsworth, GA --- Nearby native Donald McIntosh of Dawsonville, Georgia (home of NASCAR family Chase and Bill Elliott) slung a little dirt action Saturday at the season opener at the North Georgia Speedway in Chatsworth/Dalton.
Fourth-starting McIntosh outdueled fifth-starting William Thomas of Phenix City, Ala., in the final laps of Saturday's Ultimate Super Late Model Series event to earn his first career series victory. The victory worth $4,000 is the team's second of 2015 after already winning 411 Motor Speedway's "Hangover 40" on Jan. 1.
The 40-lap feature included six official lead changes among five different drivers. Polesitter Dennis Franklin of Gaffney, S.C., led the first half of the race before retiring with mechanical issues. The race was slowed by seven cautions including a multi-car pileup in turn two.
The Ultimate series car count for the event was 24 with the night's Fast Qualifier being local racer Derek Ellis with a time of 13.078 seconds. Consolation race winners were Jason Welshan and Cory Hedgecock. Welshan (# 29) of Maryville, Tn., also won the Crate Late Model feature. Tod Hernandez picked up the Hard Charger of the night starting 23rd, only to finish 9th in the Ultimate series feature.
McIntosh's Blount Motorsports # 7 "Stowers (CAT) Machinery Corp., Arnold Trucking, Blount Excavating, Cherokee Millwright, Food City, GEO Services, Insurance Partners, Massey Electric, Tennessee RV, Turner Hydraulics, VP Race Fuels and Wine and Spirits Cellar sponsored Rocket chassis, Vic Hill Racing Engines powered team will likely attempt a rare Sunday victory as the Ultimate series double-header weekend heads southeast to Lavonia (Ga.) Speedway for another $4,000 to-Win event.
Other winners included; Darrel Owenby (#12) in Sportsman, Michael Brooks (# 48) in B-Hobby, Michael Courtney (# C11) in Pony and twelve (12) year old Logan Walston (# 4) in A-Hobby.
According to the track's website www.NorthGASpeedway.net the next event for the track in Chatsworth/Dalton is scheduled for Saturday night, March 28.
Official Ultimate Super Late Model Series Results: 1. Donald McIntosh 2. William Thomas 3. Casey Roberts 4. David Payne 5. Derek Ellis 6. Jason Welshan 7. Vic Hill 8. Dustin Mitchell 9. Tod Hernandez 10. Andy Picklesimer 11. Anthony Sanders 12. Doug Sanders 13. Casey Barrow 14. Cory Hedgecock 15. Jeff Smith 16. Mike McConnell 17. Anthony Rymer 18. Brian Ledbetter 19. Dennis Franklin 20. George Mashburn 21. Aaron Ridley 22. Bo Eaton 23. Dwayne Dodson 24. Ray Cook
Darrel Owenby
photo by Richard Allen