CHRIS MADDEN SCORES “SOUTHERN NATIONALS” WIN AT ROME
ROME, GA (JULY 18, 2010) – Chris Madden took the lead on lap five and led the final forty-eight laps en route to the win in Ray Cooks “Southern Nationals” inaugural visit to the ½ mile Rome International Speedway in Rome, GA on Sunday Night.
Passing rain showers caused the start of the racing activity to be pushed back while the track got ironed out, but what a great and fierce racetrack it was.
Austin Dillon jumped to the early race lead and led the first three laps of the fifty-three lap feature event. Dillon would get loose coming off of turn two and spin out, collecting Ivadent Lloyd and Jonathan Davenport in the tangle up.
Dillon and Lloyd would have to retire from the race, but Davenport would be able to continue, starting in the back for the re-start and putting on a clinic from there on.
Bub McCool grabbed the lead on the ensuing restart, but his lead would be short lived as Madden would grab the top spot one lap later.
Over the next several caution less laps, great side-by-side racing throughout the field including Davenport who raced his way back into the top ten by lap seventeen and then into the top five by lap twenty-four.
The front five would stay the same with Madden out front followed by Casey Roberts in second, Shane Clanton third, Jake Knowles fourth and Davenport fifth for a couple of laps, before Davenport would ink past Knowles for fourth on lap twenty-seven.
This would be how the front five would run for the next thirteen laps, before Davenport made a pass on Clanton for third and set his eyes on Roberts and the second spot. Lap forty-six would see Davenport get that chance to use the bottom side of the track to pass and claim second. One lap later, Roberts would come to a stop with a flat tire, creating a five lap dash to the checkers.
With the crowd standing, Madden would hold off a last lap effort from Davenport to claim the win and the $5,300 payday.
Davenport rallied for a runner-up spot in front of the appreciative crowd. Shane Clanton finished in the third spot with Tommy Kerr fourth and Clint Smith rounding out the top five.
In other Rome Speedway action, Oliver Gentry took the lead with three laps remaining to claim victory in Limited Late Model action over Vernon Smith who finished second and Mike McConnell third.
Tyler Millwood led all fifteen-laps of the Crate Late Model feature for the win over Alan Brewer who was second and Chris Fennell third.
Richard Bagby won the Super Bomber feature with Roy Patterson second and Scott Cleaver third.
Daniel Brewer won the fifteen-lap Econo Bomber feature over Gooch Spriggs in second and Andy Morris third.
Jeremy Ray led the final three laps of the Pony feature for the win over Lamar Cook in second and Jeremy Millsaps third.
Jack and Tammy won the always exciting Cruiser feature.
OFFICIAL FINISH
ROME INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
SUNDAY JULY 18, 2010
1) Chris Madden 2) Jonathan Davenport 3) Shane Clanton 4) Tommy Kerr 5) Clint Smith
6) Chris Brown 7) Casey Roberts 8) Vic Hill 9) John Henderson 10) Brian Nuttall
11) Jake Knowles 12) Robert Gant 13) Tony Knowles 14) Frank Ingram 15) Mike Collins
16) Ronny Lee Hollingsworth 17) Randy Weaver 18) Brian Booze 19) GR Smith
20) Luther Jenkins 21) Bub McCool 22) Ivadent Lloyd 23) Austin Dillon 24) Daniel Baggerly
DID NOT QUALIFY FOR FEATURE: Jody Knowles, Donald Brasher, Kenny Compton,
Danny Ferguson, Brian Reese, Tim Day, Shannon Buckingham, Mark Sims, Matt Helbing
