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3rd Annual Alabama 200
Plus Modified Special
Deep South Triple Header - Race 3 of 3
South Alabama Speedway - Kinston, AL
Saturday, October 18, 2009
GREEN FLAG at 2:00PM CT

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Davidson Takes Win in Wild Alabama 200

Mark Chisum, Z3 Sports
[info@z3sportsdesign.com]
October 23, 2009

KINSTON, AL -- When Chris Davidson took the white flag in South Alabama Speedway’s season ending Alabama 200, he was running in a very respectable fourth place. But after a last lap melee, Davidson weaved his way through the carnage in turn one after the two lead cars crashed and collected the third place car, and was the first to take the checkered flag.

Bubba Pollard set the fast lap in qualifying with a lap of 15.414 seconds. Pollard drew a one to keep his pole position, but Korey Ruble got the jump from the outside to take the early lead. Ruble led the field through several caution periods before Augie Grill took the lead on lap 49. Ruble stayed in touch with Grill and fought back to regain the lead on lap 76. Ruble led until lap 97 when Grill once again took the point. Pollard followed Grill around Ruble to move into second. At the half way point, Grill led Pollard, Ruble, John Bolen, and Brandon Odom.

Grill held the lead until Pollard made his way past on lap 118. During a lap 133 caution period, the leaders pitted for tires and adjustments. Davidson stayed out and assumed the lead. Davidson’s lead was short, however, as Steven Davis took the lead for one lap. Bolen got around Davis to take the lead on lap 139. Bolen led the next eight laps before Grill regained the lead on lap 147.

Grill and Ruble had established themselves as the cars to beat, and had battled hard all race. With 50 laps to go, Grill and Ruble were back up front and swapped paint and the lead again on lap 162. Four laps later, Grill got into the back of Ruble, sending Ruble around and both to the rear. During the caution, Pollard and Ryan Crane got together, breaking the tie rod on Pollard’s left front and ending his chances for a win. Bolen took over up front, followed by Davidson. Ruble and Grill quickly made their way back to the front. With 25 laps to go, Bolen led Ruble, Grill, Davidson, and Sam Smith. On lap 177, Ruble again took the point. Four laps later, Grill worked his way past Ruble to take the lead once again.

Ruble stayed with Grill as the laps wound down. As the field exited turn four heading to the white flag, Ruble ducked to the inside of Grill. Just past the start/finish line, there was heavy contact between the two. They spun in turn one and Bolen slid into Grill. Davidson, running fourth, managed to get slowed down and weaved his way through the wreckage and circled the track to take the checkers. Smith was also able to make his way through the wreck and finished second. There were only five cars on the lead lap as the field took the white flag. Due to track rules, Grill and Ruble were placed at the end of the lap cars in the finishing order, in fourth and fifth. Bolen was awarded third place. Davidson took home $7,840 for his efforts.

Casey Smith took home the winner’s trophy in the Super Late Model 100. John Bolen was the fastest qualifier with a time of 15.125, just a tick off of the Augie Grill’s track record of 15.098. Bolen grabbed the lead from the outside pole, but only lead the first lap before Grill charged into the lead. Grill led the next 20 laps with Smith getting past on lap 21. Smith eased away from Grill and Bolen, but a lap 41 caution erased the lead. Bolen had gotten past Grill three laps before the caution, and Grill took advantage of the yellow to pit and change the right rear tire, which was deflating. When racing resumed, Smith led Bolen, Chris Davidson, Danny Bagwell, and Ryan Crane. By lap 50, however, Grill was making his way back through the field. On lap 58, Grill went to the outside and passed both Davidson and Bolen to take second spot. On lap 64, Davidson muscled his way past Bolen to take the third spot.

Meanwhile, Grill was reeling in Smith. On lap 81, Smith and Grill followed David Hodges into turn one, trying to put him a lap down. Smith was on the outside with Grill following Hodges on the inside. Hodges slipped up the track in front of Smith and Grill took advantage, diving inside of Smith to grab the lead. Grill began to pull away from Smith and appeared headed to another South Alabama win. However, on lap 94, slower traffic again came into play.

Grill was trying to put Tuffy Hester a lap down when the two got together in turn one, resulting in Hester spinning. Both were sent to the rear of the lead lap cars and Smith regained the lead. After the green waved, Davidson was able to stay with Smith for a few laps, but Smith began to pull away and led Davidson to the checkers by 1.24 seconds. Bagwell finished third, followed by Bolen and Grill.

In the Modified Feature, Bagwell cruised home with the win. Bubba Pollard took the early lead from the outside pole. Bagwell took the lead after a lap 11 restart and maintained a four car lengthy lead over Pollard the remainder of the race. Kevin Peel finished third with Lance Blacker fourth and David Seffens fifth.

In Saturday’s local action, Chris Salter took the win in the Street Stock Feature. Salter, starting on the outside pole, led flag to flag to take the win. With Salter comfortably out front, the race for second was intense, with Billy Ammons, Charles Cotton, and Cameron Henderson battling hard for the spot. Henderson was able to work his way past Ammons on lap 21. Cotton followed Henderson through the hole to take third. On the final lap, Cotton left Ammons a small opening on the inside. Ammons tried to stick his nose under Cotton but there was contact, spinning both. Salter went on to take the checkers with Henderson following. After reviewing tapes of the race, Cotton and Ammons were moved to the rear of the field giving third spot to Todd Valdez. Cotton was scored fourth with Ammons fifth.

Chris Yeakos picked up his first career win in the Roadrunner Feature. A consistent frontrunner all season, Yeakos finally broke through in the final race of the year. Mike Wolfe led the first three laps before Ricky Strickland took the point. Strickland led the next five laps before spinning on lap nine. Yeakos took over the lead, and held off Jason Singletary to take his first win. Billy Maxie was third. Wolfe was fourth and Strickland fifth.

Jamie Ater led flag to flag to win the Vintage Feature. Phillip Anderson Stayed on Ater’s bumper the whole way, but couldn’t find a way around the leader. Anderson fell off the pace on the final lap, leaving Ater alone at the checkers. Jeff Rudd got past Kevin Peel on the final lap to finish second. Peel came across the stripe third, but refused a post race protest and was disqualified. Steve Stewart was moved to third, followed by Kip Whitehead and Jesse Smith.

Travis Slawson took the lead when race long leader Max Nelson spun and went on to win the Coyote Feature. Nelson built a big lead in the early going, but spun in turn two on lap 13, giving the lead to Slawson. Nelson came all the way back to second before slowing on the final lap, losing the position to Michael Smith. Dustin Jowers was also able to get past Nelson to finish third. Rusty Locklar rounded out the top five.

Jack Whittle led flag to flag to win the CupLite Feature. Whittle built a huge lead during the all green flag race. Greg Adams finished second, but never seriously challenged Whittle. The race for third was a different story as Waylon Spivey, Zac Wallace, and Karl Williams battled hard for the spot. As the three headed to the checker, Wallace slipped in turn four allowing Spivey to win the battle. Williams tried to sneak by on the inside, but Wallace held him off to finish fourth.

The weekend closed out the 2009 season at South Alabama Speedway. The track will reopen March 5-7, 2010 with 34th Annual Rattler Weekend. For more information, visit the track’s web site at www.southalabamspeedway.com.