Jonathan Davenport (#49) of Blairsville, Ga. ruled the second half of the "Diamond Nationals" Saturday in an attrition plagued race at Wheatland's Lucas Oil Speedway in Missouri. The win, Davenport's 6th of the season, on the Lucas Oil Dirt Late Model series was worth $15,000 to the current runner-up in the points chase. Points leader Tim McCreadie of New York was 12th overall. Tennessean Jimmy Owens of Newport was 7th after leading early in the event.
Ashton Winger of Hampton, Ga. is on a winning streak on the Summer Nationals tour up north. Saturday Winger pocketed his second consecutive win at Oakshade Speedway in Ohio. In Charlotte, N.C., two-time Dirt Track World Champion Ronnie Johnson (#5) of Chattanooga won his third consecutive Topless Outlaw Late Model series race Saturday night. Georgia racer Seth Wimpey of Blue Ridge finished second in a time shortened Red Clay series feature in the 602/Sportsman division.
Closer to home in Tennessee, at Mountain View Raceway in Dayton/Spring City just north of Chattanooga, Josh Collins (#144) of Strawberry Plains won the Late Model feature over Knoxville's Jason Cardwell. Chris Williams of Soddy Daisy won the Thunder division feature. Jim Gilbert of Rossville won the B-Hobby race and Dustin Durkin of Chattanooga won the FWD feature. At I-75 Raceway in Sweetwater, north of Athens, Tn., Matt Steward of Ooltewah won the 602/Sportsman feature Saturday. In Late Model action Bobby Giffen of Maryville beat Roger Best.
Tuesday night, I-75 Raceway welcomes the Southern Nationals series to the Sweetwater race track for a mid-week Super Late Model Extravaganza. The $4,053 to win event is expected to draw top names in the sport such as Dale McDowell of Chickamauga, Donald McIntosh of Dawsonville, and local hot-shoe Cory Hedgecock of Loudon.
The following Saturday night I-75 Raceway then welcomes the United Championship Racing Alliance 604/Crate Late Models to Sweetwater for the annual Larry Kyle Memorial race. I75Raceway.com has all the details.