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Chatham results

DirtNews Digest Your Online News Source for Late Model Dirt Track Racing "Get Some Dirt On Your Computer!" Todd Turner, editor Email address: DirtNews@aol.com Web site: ...

DirtNews Digest Your Online News Source for Late Model Dirt Track Racing "Get Some Dirt On Your Computer!" Todd Turner, editor

Email address: DirtNews@aol.com Web site: http://members.aol.com/dirtnews/digest =================================== CONTENTS: March 28-29 results (March 31) HAV-A-TAMPA: Johnson breaks drought with $10,000 victory HAV-A-TAMPA: McDowell repels Frye, Cook for $5,000 victory =================================== HAV-A-TAMPA DIRT RACING SERIES Southern 100

CHATHAM, La. (Saturday) Ronnie Johnson ran away from the field at Super Bee Speedway for an easy victory in the Southern 100. The Chattanooga, Tenn., driver collected $10,000 and won his first Hav-A-Tampa race in nearly three years.

Bill Frye finished second, followed by series points leader and defending champion Freddy Smith, who has finished in the top five of all six Hav-A-Tampa races in 1997. Ricky Ingalls was fourth and Skip Arp fifth. Donnie Moran, Clint Smith, Billy Moyer Jr., Robbie Starnes and Wendell Wallace finished sixth through 10th. Dale McDowell, who won Friday's $5,000-to-win opener at Super Bee, finished three laps down in 21st.

"This is my biggest Hav-A-Tampa win ever," said Johnson, the second winningest series driver with 18 wins, although he hadn't won on the series since June 19, 1994 at Winchester, Va. "To win on this series now, with the level of competition that's out there, is a real accomplishment."

Johnson, who runs his own team after teaming with Scott Bloomquist in 1996, grabbed the lead from Starnes a third of the way through the race and never looked back.

"It really makes me feel good to have all of the guys I race against tell me how happy they are for us," said Johnson, who is still looking for a major sponsor. "It's a real good feeling to be back on track with a win."

"We have worked hard with a lot of volunteer help, but I hope this win will help us find the right support for the rest of the season."

CAR COUNT: 62 late models.

FAST QUALIFIER: Johnny Virden, 15.121 seconds (79.36 mph).

(Heat race information unavailable)

FEATURE (Pos., driver, car no., hometown, chassis, laps, winnings) 1. Ronnie Johnson (5), Chattanooga, Tenn., MasterSbilt, 100, $10,000 2. Bill Frye (66), Greenbrier, Ark., GRT, 100, $6,000 3. Freddy Smith (00), Knoxville, Tenn., GRT, 100, $3,250 4. Ricky Ingalls (91), Longview, Texas, GRT, 100, $2,500 5. Skip Arp (31), Georgetown, Tenn., GRT, 100, $2,000 6. Donnie Moran (99), Dresden, Ohio, MasterSbilt, 100, $1,800 7. Clint Smith (1), Griffin, Ga., GRT, 100, $1,400 8. Billy Moyer Jr. (21), Batesville, Ark., MasterSbilt, 100, $1,400 9. Robbie Starnes (77), Houston, Texas, Larry Shaw, 100, $1,200 10. Wendell Wallace (6m), Batesville, Ark., GRT, 100, $1,200 11. Steve Russell (G1), Pontotoc, Miss., Rayburn, 100, $1,000 12. Mike Boland (222), Cuba, Ala., Warrior, 100, $950 13. Gar Dickson (60), Flintstone, Ga., Barry Wright, 99, $900 14. David Gibson (G2), Ash Flat, Ark., GRT, 99, $875 15. Johnny Virden (1v), Russellville, Ark., GRT, 99, $1,000 16. Johnny Stokes (1), Columbus, Miss., GRT, 99, $825 17. Terry Phillips (75), Springfield, Mo., GRT, 99, $800 18. Kenny Merchant (c28), Ruston, La., Barry Wright, 99, $750 19. Ronnie Poche (5x), Natchitoches, La., GRT, 98, $700 20. Ricky Idom (21), Hattiesburg, Miss., IRE, 97, $700 21. Dale McDowell (17m), Rossville, Ga., GRT, 97. $700 22. Marshall Green (89), Dalton, Ga., Warrior, 92, $700 23. Lee Jay Haddox (98), Ruston, La., GRT, 67, $700 24. Al Purkey (33), Coffeyville, Kan., American Made, 65, $700 25. Mark Miner (7), Stockbridge, Ga., MasterSbilt, 58, $700 36. Donald Watson, Greenwell Springs, La., 3, $700

NOTES: Donnie Moran was sent to the tail after tangling with race leader Robbie Starnes on the 27th lap, but Moran rallied to finish sixth .... Ronnie Johnson's first- and second-place finishes gave him the best combined showing during the two-race weekend at Super Bee .... among drivers failing to make either weekend feature were John Lovas, Jerry Inmon, Brent McGhee, Jeff Chanler, Rex Richey, Michael Coleman and Jim McDuffie.

HAV-A-TAMPA POINT STANDINGS (after six of 32 events; points behind in parentheses): Freddy Smith 990; Wendell Wallace (-90); Billy Moyer Jr. (-91); Clint Smith (-160); Johnny Virden (-212); Dale McDowell (-213); Skip Arp (-214); Donnie Moran (-232); Bill Frye (-251); Steve Russell (-254).

NEXT HAV-A-TAMPA RACE: April 11-12, Batesville Speedway, Locust Grove, Ark., $15,000 to win.

CREDIT: Ozzie Altman <VctoryLane@aol.com> of Hav-A-Tampa. ------------------------------------------------------------- HAV-A-TAMPA DIRT RACING SERIES Hav-A-Tampa Sweet 50

CHATHAM, La. (Friday) Dale McDowell blasted into the lead from his second-row starting spot for a victory in the Hav-A-Tampa Sweet 50 worth $5,000 at Super Bee Speedway, giving him his first Hav-A-Tampa victory since August 1995. Ronnie Johnson, Ronny Adams, Freddy Smith and Mark Miner rounded out the top five on the quarter-mile oval, while Billy Moyer Jr., Wendell Wallace, Johnny Virden, Ray Cook and Marshall Green finished sixth through 10th.

McDowell fought off the aggressive challenges of Bill Frye through the first half of the race as the leaders banged fenders several times. Eventually, Frye hit an inside barrier in Turn 1, knocking him back momentarily. Frye eventually gave up the attack on the 38th lap when a damaged spindle caused him to spin.

Cook held the second spot the last several laps and tried to work past McDowell on the final circuit. But Cook's Ford-powered GRT broke loose in Turn 4, spinning out of control and seven competitors were able to slip past before Cook could get across the finish line in ninth.

CAR COUNT: 62 late models.

FAST QUALIFIER: Skip Arp 15.355 seconds (78.150 mph).

(Heat race information unavailable).

FEATURE (Pos., driver, car no., hometown, chassis, laps, winnings) 1. Dale McDowell (17m), Rossville, Ga., GRT, 50, $5,500 2. Ronnie Johnson (5), Chattanooga, Tenn., MasterSbilt, 50, $3,000 3. Ronny Adams (1), Greenwood, La., Larry Shaw, 50, $2,000 4. Freddy Smith (00), Knoxville, Tenn., GRT, 50, $2,500 5. Mark Miner (7), Stockbridge, Ga., MasterSbilt, 50, $1,500 6. Billy Moyer Jr. (21), Batesville, Ark., MasterSbilt, 50, $1,750 7. Wendell Wallace (6m), Batesville, Ark., GRT, 50, $1,600 8. Johnny Virden (1v), Russellville, Ark., GRT, 50, $1,550 9. Ray Cook (53), Murphy, N.C., GRT, 50, $800 10. Marshall Green (89), Dalton, Ga., Warrior, 50, $700 11. David Gibson (G2), Ash Flat, Ark., GRT, 50, $600 12. Ricky Ingalls (91), Longview, Texas, GRT, 50, $575 13. Trey Beene (115), Bossier City, La., GRT, 50, $550 14. Clint Smith (1), Griffin, Ga., GRT, 50, $1,025 15. Johnny Stokes (1), Columbus, Miss., GRT, 50, $500 16. Skip Arp (31), Georgetown, Tenn., GRT, 50, $975 17. Eddie Taylor , Monroe, La., GRT, 50, $450 18. Bill Frye (66), Greenbrier, Ark., GRT, 50, $425 19. Lee Jay Haddox (98), Ruston, La., GRT, 50, $400 20. Steve Russell (G1), Pontotoc, Miss., Rayburn, 46, $900 21. Gar Dickson (60), Flintstone, Ga., Barry Wright, 39. $400 22. Bubba Mullins (10), West Monroe, La., GRT, 38, $400 23. Scott Slay (6), Jackson, Miss., Warrior, 35, $400 24. Robbie Starnes (77), Houston, Texas, Larry Shaw, 11, $400 25. Kenny Merchant (c28), Ruston, La., Barry Wright, 11, $400 26. Jason Smith (12), Laurel, Miss., GRT, 10, $400

NOTES: Despite Ray Cook's last-lap mishap, his ninth-place finish was his best of the year .... Donnie Moran was scheduled to start up front in the feature but a broken fuel pump kept him from racing just moments before the field lined up .... there were five cautions, including a lap-11 yellow flag thrown when Kenny Merchant spun in Turn 1 and Johnny Stokes ended up sitting atop Merchant's hood .... Robbie Starnes was also collected in that accident .... more than half of the 62 drivers were piloting GRT cars.

CREDIT: Ozzie Altman <VctoryLane@aol.com> of Hav-A-Tampa. -------------------------------------------------------------

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