Atomic Results 98-04-11

Atomic Results 4/11/98

MAIER AND MONGER BIG WINNERS AT ATOMIC

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Gary Lee Maier of Cimmaron, KS and Jeff Monger of Lenoir City, TN were the big winners Saturday night in racing action at Atomic Speedway. Maier took the victory in the American Sprint Car Series/Dixie Outlaw Sprint Car Series 30-lap feature race, and Monger scored his first career 40-lap Late Model victory at Atomic Speedway.

Maier doesn't seem to mind the 1,200-mile tow from the grassy plains of Kansas to the foothills of East Tennessee because the defending Atomic Speedway ASCS Southern Nationals Champion has been victorious in his last two trips to the world's fastest 1/3-mile high-banked clay oval.

"This was my first race this season, and I've been really looking forward to coming back here to Atomic Speedway," Maier said. "Terry (Gray) has already run a couple of races this season, so I knew he would be tough. I'm looking forward to coming back here on the fourth of July weekend to defend the Southern Nationals championship."

Defending ASCS National Champion Terry Gray of Bartlett, TN took the early lead from the pole position, as Maier powered into second from his third starting spot followed by Tommy Estes Jr. of Tulsa, OK, and Danny Wood of Norman, OK.

Maier got a good run on Gray going into turn one on lap four. Maier dove to the bottom groove and performed a slide job on Gray to take the lead. As Maier pulled away, Estes and Wood were putting on an exciting battle for third while trying to catch Gray.

Estes' night ended on lap 17 when he tangled with a lapped car and flipped on top of the concrete retaining wall in turn one. During his decent, Estes mangled machine landed on top of Wood's car, but Wood was able to motor on minus several pieces of his wing, while Estes' car landed on its wheels.

Although his car was destroyed, Estes was able to climb from the wreckage under his own power and signal to a hushed crowd that he was uninjured.

During the red flag that resulted from the Estes flip, crews were able to make adjustments their respective race cars. Gray's car seemed better after the restart, as he was able to stay in Maier's wake, and on a few occasions was able to close in while the leaders worked heavy lapped traffic. Wood continued to hold down third despite the damage to his top wing.

Maier turned up the wick in the closing laps to pull away from Gray. Maier went on to score his second straight Atomic Speedway victory, with Gray in second, and Wood hanging on for third. Darryn Pittman of Owasso, OK charged from the 17th starting spot to finish fourth, and Rick Holley of Nelsonville, OH rounded out the top five.

Sixth through tenth spots went to Danny Jennings of Norman, OK, Bill Wilburn of Mooresville, NC, Heath Miller of Findlay, OH, Jason Sides of Bartlett, TN, and Scott Young of Mooresville, NC. Heat races were won by Estes, Maier, and Gray, who also won the dash. Wood out qualified the 23-car field with a lap in 10.82 seconds.

Monger's first career Late Model victory at Atomic Speedway came after an exciting race-long duel with Dan Duggan of Lenoir City. Anthony White of Clinton took the early lead from the outside front row starting spot, followed by pole sitter Monger. Duggan charged up through the pack from his sixth starting spot.

Monger charged around White on the third lap to take the lead, while Duggan settled into the third spot by the fifth lap. By the 10th lap, Duggan moved up to second when White dropped out, and he began to reel in the leader in heavy lapped traffic. With Monger blocked by lapped cars, Duggan found an opening and took the lead on lap 30.

The last ten laps of the race saw Monger regroup and chase Duggan down to set up an exciting finish. As the white flag unfurled, Monger drove a little deeper and harder into turn one in the bottom groove. As Monger's momentum carried him up the banking, he slid into the side of Duggan's car.

With the checkered flag waving in front of him, Monger took the lead, as Duggan spun behind Monger, and he never made it back to the flag. Randy Weaver of Crossville finished second, with third going to Rick Williams of Crossville. Sam Williams of Crossville was fourth, and John Llewellyn of Knoxville rounded out the top five.

In other action, Derrick Duggan of Lenoir City won his second straight 15-lap Pure Mini feature race, and in the 15-lap Pure Street Bomber feature race, Walter Sims of Hardin Valley also made his second straight trip to victory lane. The next event at Atomic Speedway is on April 18 with a regular weekly show featuring the Late Models, Open-Wheel Modifieds, Super Stocks, Pure Minis, and Pure Street Bombers. Gates open at 5 p.m., with racing scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

THE SUMMARY (Position, Driver, Hometown):

ASCS/DOSS OUTLAW SPRINT CARS (30 Laps): 1. Gary Lee Maier, Cimmaron, KS; 2. Terry Gray, Bartlett, TN; 3. Danny Wood, Norman, OK; 4. Darryn Pittman, Owasso, OK; 5. Rick Holley, Nelsonville, OH; 6. Danny Jennings, Norman, OK; 7. Bill Wilburn, Mooresville, NC; 8. Heath Miller, Findlay, OH; 9. Jason Sides, Bartlett, TN; 10. Scott Young, Mooresville, NC; 11. Tommy Thompson, Chattanooga, TN; 12. Jason Earls, Independence, MO; 13. Jerry Steele, Winston-Salem, NC; 14. Johnny Bridges, Cherryville, NC; 15. Jimmy Mabe, Hope Mills, NC; 16. Ricky Sutton, Milan, TN; 17. John Naida, Lambertville, MI; 18. Jeff Taylor, Cherry Hill, NC; 19. Tommy Estes Jr., Tulsa, OK; 20. Bill Moore, Denver, NC; 21. Farley Livingston, Johnson City, TN; 22. Al Wilson, Barberville, FL; 23. Butch Pendergrass, Winston-Salem, NC.

LATE MODELS (40 Laps): 1. Jeff Monger, Lenoir City; 2. Randy Weaver, Crossville; 3. Rick Williams, Crossville; 4. Sam Williams, Crossville; 5. John Llewellyn, Knoxville; 6. Chuck Hope Jr., Oak Ridge; 7. Charles Hurst, Knoxville; 8. Billy Palmer, Knoxville; 9. Glen Vanover, Knoxville; 10. Scott Curtis, Louden; 11. Duke Lowe, Crossville; 12. Jeff Smith, Dayton; 13. Dan Duggan, Lenoir City; 14. Jim Bolen, Spring City; 15. Brad Coffey, Maryville; 16. Randle Ladd, Knoxville; 17. Chris Dutton, Lenoir City; 18. Jason Capps, Harriman; 19. Anthony White, Clinton; 20. Sandy Goddard, Knoxville; 21. Scott Evans, Knoxville; 22. Steven Harrison, Dayton; 23. Dan Tipton, Kingston; 24. Billy Glen Kennedy, Knoxville.

PURE MINIS (15 Laps): 1. Derrick Duggan, Lenoir City; 2. Greg Martin, Knoxville; 3. Brian Courtney, Knoxville; 4. Wayne Braden, New River; 5. Scott Smith, Oliver Springs; 6. Michael Henry, Knoxville; 7. Terry Wyrick, Harriman; 8. Lynn King, Knoxville; 9. Mike Foster, Knoxville; 10. Larry Reynolds, Lenoir City; 11. Brian Dorsey, Knoxville; 12. Bill Merritt, Knoxville; 13. Dewayne Dishman, Kingston; 14. Brad Hamilton, Knoxville; 15. John Stout, Harriman; 16. Harry Housley, Knoxville.

PURE STREET BOMBERS (15 Laps): 1. Walter Sims, Hardin Valley; 2. Chris Gregory, Knoxville; 3. Jeff Myers, Knoxville; 4. Wayne Best, Knoxville; 5. Tim Crabtree, Kingston; 6. Roger Smith, Harriman; 7. Johnny Gilbert, Jamestown.