David Brannon
Pole sitter David Brannon of Elora, Tn., survived a flurry of mid-race cautions to win the 10th annual Firecracker 50 Saturday night/early Sunday morning at Fort Payne Motor Speedway.
Brannon, in his Longhorn Chassis powered by a Clements Race Engine and sponsored by Elora Gin and Brannon Cotton Farms, led all 50 laps to collect a $3,000 payday, winning by seven-tenths of a second ahead of a bunch of "Bama-Brigade" racers.
The event was finally put in the books on the third attempt, due to continuous interruptions from Mother-Nature back during the previous weeks. At the conclusion 12 cars finished the race, with 10 completing all 50 circuits.
Brannon's qualifying mark of 13.496 seconds set a new track record of the 27 total Super Late Model entrants. Defending race champion Josh Putnam of Florence, Ala., ran second early before slipping to sixth. Local racers Robert Gant and current SLM track points leader JT Seawright finished closely behind Brannon at the checkers.
Picking up 13 spots, Daniel Miller of Lynchburg, Tn., finished eighth after starting 21st. Heath Hindman of Signal Mtn. Tn won the B-Main, while Darrell Hayes and Teddy Snow used track points provisionals to make up the 24 car starting field.
Fans were treated to a second straight "Fan Appreciation Night" at the track with a Fireworks Show and a discounted $12 general admission ticket.
Phenix City, Ala., Richie Stephens and Pelham, Georgia's Jason Price split the twin UCRA 602/Sportsman features, both of whom race in the Phenix City (AL) area on a regular basis and had never been to Fort Payne before Saturday. Stephens has now won four out of the last five races in the 602/Sportsman UCRA Mini Series between Fort Payne and his East Alabama Motor Speedway home track and takes over the points lead from Jesse Hughes.
Regular racing in all FPMS classes resumes next
Saturday, Aug. 5. More details can be obtained online at
www.FortPayneMotorSpeedway.com or on the tracks Facebook page.
Official Results: FireCracker 50
1. David Brannon 2. Robert Gant 3. JT Seawright 4. Aaron Ridley 5. Lucas Burns 6. Josh Putnam 7. Kasey Hall 8. Daniel Miller 9. Luke Riddle 10. Heath Hindman 11. Darrell Hayes 12. Kip Fossett 13. Dusty Carver 14. Tod Hernandez 15. Teddy Snow 16. Shay Miller 17. DJ Hayes 18. Colby Kilgore 19. Clay Joseph 20. Richard Smith 21. Tom Maddox 22. Sam Seawright 23. Casey Turman 24. Bryan Grider