Golden Isles Speedway
Jan. 28 prelims: Bloomquist DQ spices night
By Todd Turner
DirtonDirt.com chief writer
Earl Pearson (44) takes the lead. (Rhett Butler)
BRUNSWICK, Ga. (Jan. 28) — Scott Bloomquist's disqualification from time trials spiced the third night of the Super Bowl of Racing IV at Golden Isles Speedway. A wrapup of preliminaries for the UMP-sanctioned action in southeast Georgia.
Non-qualifiers' race
Vic Coffey got the early jump on Dan Schlieper and raced to a 10-lap victory. Schlieper finished 10 lengths behind in second with G.R. Smith third. The race, sponsored by Callie's, was made up of the third-place finishers from the consolation races along with other drivers picked by blind draw. Coffey passed up the $500 in winnings to tag the tail of the feature.
Finish: (1) Vic Coffey, (2) Dan Schlieper, (3) G.R. Smith, (4) Mike Collins, (5) Randle Chupp, (6) Patrick Sheltra, (7) James Ward, (8) Joe Isabell, (9) Jason McBride, (10) Derek Ellis, (11) Wes Steidinger, (12) Danny Johnson.
Second consolation
Shanon Buckingham had a couple of bobbles over the first few laps, but the front-row starter raced away from polesitter Clint Smith for a 10-lap victory. While the top two transferred to the feature, Vic Coffey's third-place finish guaranteed him a spot in the non-qualifiers' race. G.R. Smith and Tyler Ivey rounded out the top five in a race slowed for a single caution on lap five for Dale Groves Jr.
Finish: (1) Shanon Buckingham, (2) Clint Smith, (3) Vic Coffey, (4) G.R. Smith, (5) Tyler Ivey, (6) Wes Steidinger, (7) Shawn Beasley, (8) Jason McBride, (9) Mark Andersen, (10) Johnny Collins, (11) Tommy Kerr, (12) Danny Johnson, (13) Chuck Hummer, (14) Chesley Dixon, (15) Dale Groves Jr.
First consolation
Starting outside the front row, Kelly Boen raced away from the outset and won an easy 10-lap victory. Polesitter Tim Fuller finished nearly a straightaway behind in second for the final transfer spot while Dan Schlieper's third-place finish guaranteed him a spot in the non-qualifiers' race. Randle Chupp was fourth and Don O'Neal a distant fifth. Skip Arp was among drivers scratching from the event.
Finish: (1) Kelly Boen, (2) Tim Fuller, (3) Dan Schlieper, (4) Randle Chupp, (5) Don O'Neal, (6) Rick Eckert, (7) Patrick Sheltra, (8) James Ward, (9) Brandon Cameron, (10) Derek Ellis, (11) Mike Collins, (12). Joe Isabell.
Fourth heat
Outside front-row starter Billy Moyer cruised to an easy caution-free victory while Donnie Moran slipped past Terry Casey for the second spot in the final laps. Casey was third with Ivedent Lloyd Jr. and polesitter Ed Basey rounding out the final five spots. Basey fell back to sixth by the third lap, but he was able to get past Shanon Buckingham on the final lap.
Finish: (1) Billy Moyer, (2) Donnie Moran, (3) Terry Casey, (4) Ivedent Lloyd Jr., (5) Ed Basey, (6) Shanon Buckingham, (7) Wes Steidinger, (8) Mark Andersen, (9) Homer Leonard, (10) Shawn Beasley, (11) Johnny Collins, (12) Chesley Dixon.
Third heat
Chris Madden fought off a tough challenge from Shane Clanton on the fifth lap and went on to victory. After running side-by-side on the backstretch, the high-running Madden and low-running Clanton nearly touched exiting turn four, with Clanton almost losing control, but both went on to take the top two spots. Tim McCreadie was third with Mike Marlar and Justin Rattliff rounding out the top five transfer spots. Tommy Kerr stopped on the second lap to bring out the race's lone caution.
Finish: (1) Chris Madden, (2) Shane Clanton, (3) Tim McCreadie, (4) Mike Marlar, (5) Justin Rattliff, (6) Clint Smith, (7) Brady Smith, (8) Vic Coffey, (9) G.R. Smith, (10) Tyler Ivey, (11) Jason McBride, (12) Danny Johnson.
Second heat
Ricky Elliott outdueled fellow front-row starter Steve Francis for the victory while Michael England was third, narrowly ahead of Jimmy Owens. Josh Richards edged Kelly Boen by a quarter-length at the stripe in a race slowed by a single caution for a slowing Mike Collins.
Finish: (1) Ricky Elliott, (2) Steve Francis, (3) Michael England, (4) Jimmy Owens, (5) Josh Richards, (6) Kelly Boen, (7) Dan Schlieper, (8) Rick Eckert, (9) James Ward, (10) Jason Fitzgerald, (11) Brandon Cameron, (12) Joe Isabell, (13) Mike Collins.
First heat
Going third to first right after the green flag flew, Chub Frank rolled to an eight-lap victory. Polesitter Earl Pearson Jr. stayed within striking distance but settled for second while Darrell Lanigan was a distant third. Dennis Erb Jr., who started outside the front row, was fourth and Damon Eller barely edged Tim Fuller for the fifth and final transfer spot. Matt Miller dropped back from his scheduled fifth starting spot to start on the tail, then pulled off the track after a single lap.
Finish: (1) Chub Frank, (2) Earl Pearson Jr., (3) Darrell Lanigan, (4) Dennis Erb Jr., (5) Damon Eller, (6) Tim Fuller, (7) Randle Chupp, (8) Skip Arp, (9) Patrick Sheltra, (10) Don O'Neal, (11) Derek Ellis.
Qualifying
Chris Madden of Gray Court, S.C., was the fastest among 56 qualifiers at Golden Isles Speedway's Super Bowl of Racing IV after Scott Bloomquist's fast qualifying time was disallowed. Officials punching Bloomquist's tires with a durometer ruled his tires were too soft under UMP rules. His Hoosier LM-20 tire punched 35 on the durometer when 40 is required, according to UMP series director Sam Driggers. Bloomquist was scheduled to start on the tail of the first heat race, but he began loading his car and crew chief Tommy Hicks said they wouldn't race again until Tuesday.
Madden (16.028 seconds) will be among four drivers starting on the pole of eight-lap heat races at the UMP-sanctioned event. The other heat polesitters fastest in group qualifying: Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky. (16.224), Ed Basey of Evans, Ga. (16.290) and Earl Pearson Jr. (16.252). Jimmy Owens of Newport, Tenn., winner of the first two 50-lap features, will start third in the second heat race.
Pre-race notebook
The track was narrower in the turns for Monday's action. The infield tire barriers were pushed out about 20 feet and the track was packed down accordingly. ... A small but growing crowd of perhaps 300 watched Monday's early events. ... An overwatered track pushed time trials back about an hour. With the wet track conditions, several drivers elected to skip the first hot-lap session, including red-hot Jimmy Owens. Because the track was greasy during the first session of hot laps, Super Late Models got a couple of extra laps in another session. ... Ricky Elliott's team made transmission repairs that prevented him from practicing, but he got a few laps following practice to make sure his car was working. ... A non-qualifiers race is scheduled for the Super Late Models on Monday as well. ... Crate Late Models and modifieds are also on the card. ... The Super Late Models are the second of three features. ... Heat races have been reduced to eight laps instead of the 10 run in the first two events. ... Among the new drivers on hand for Monday's event: former UMP Summernationals champion Don O'Neal of Martinsville, Ind., in a C.J. Rayburn house car, Derek Ellis of Chatsworth, Ga., Skip Arp of Georgetown, Tenn., in a Clint Smith backup car, Advance Auto Parts Thunder Series regular Tommy Kerr of Maryville, Tenn., and Shawn Beasley of Raeford, N.C. ... Steve Shaver scratched from qualifying.
Time trials
Dale Groves Jr. (63), Tallahassee, Fla., 18.407
Correction: An earlier version of this story included a starting lineup that didn't include the third-row starters of Earl Pearson Jr. and Steve Francis.
