BULLS GAP, Tenn. - Ray Cook wrote his name in the record book with an impressive run to capture the victory in the third annual Scott Sexton Memorial for the Southern All Star Racing Series Saturday night at Volunteer Speedway in Bulls Gap, Tenn.
The top eight from Southern All Star Racing Series White Performance/Schaeffer’s Oil group qualifying were locked into the 52-lap main event, with David Payne fastest in Group A at 13.266 seconds and Mark Douglas quickest in Group B and also overall with a time of 13.178.
PPM Racing Products heat races determined the remainder of the starting field, with Skylar Marlar winning the first heat and Dillon Tidmore taking the checkered flag in the second heat.
Mark Douglas jumped out to the lead over Cook, David Payne, Jason Welshan and Roger Best at start. Donald McIntosh, of Dawsonville, Ga., quickly made a move to the sixth spot. Racing off the fourth turn on lap 12, McIntosh passed Best to take over fifth.
While Cook was putting the heat on Douglas for the lead, Payne, Welshan, McIntosh and Best battled for position. Payne dropped to the inside of Cook on lap 17, but Cook held him off. Meanwhile, McIntosh and Welshan were battled side-by-side for the fourth spot, with McIntosh taking the position on lap 20.
The hard-charging McIntosh passed Payne to take away third on lap 21 racing off the second corner down the backstretch. The event’s only caution waved on lap 33 when Josh Henry slowed on the track.
Douglas was all alone out front for the restart, with Cook and McIntosh double-file behind him. Back under green, Douglas led Cook and McIntosh. But Cook was on the prowl right on the leader’s back bumper.
Racing into the third turn, Cook rolled in deep above for the lead between on lap 36. Once out front Cook would go on to record the $5,200 payday. Meanwhile, Douglas and McIntosh raced side-by-side on the final lap, with McIntosh barely edging Douglas for the runner-up spot at the start-finish line. Welshan finished in fourth with Payne in fifth.
The Southern All Star Dirt Racing Series returns to action for the B.J. Parker Memorial at Talladega Short Track in Eastaboga, AL on June 20.
For.more information, visit SASDirt.com.
Southern All Star Racing Series
Volunteer Speedway – Bulls Gap, TN
Scott Sexton Memorial – June 13, 2015
1. (3) Ray Cook #53-Brasstown, NC $5,200
2. (8) Donald McIntosh #7-Dawsonville, GA $2,500
3. (2) Mark Douglas #52D-Knoxville, TN $1,500
4. (4) Jason Welshan #29-Maryville, TN $1,000
5. (1) David Payne #8-Murphy, NC $800
6. (11) Vic Hill #1-Mosheim, TN $600
7. (6) Roger Best #007-Louisville, TN $575
8. (9) Skylar Marlar #11-Winfield, TN $550
9. (12) Mark Dotson #85-Cameron, MO $525
10. (14) Mark Vineyard #4-Powell, TN $500
11. (13) Jensen Ford #83-Jonesborough, TN $450
12. (20) Riley Hickman #r1-Ooltewah, TN $425
13. (5) Ryan King #30-Seymour, TN $420
14. (16) Ellery Leake #34-Knoxville, TN $415
15. (19) Bobby Mays #25-Jonesborough, TN $410
16. (11) Dillon Tidmore #38-Glencoe, AL $405
17. (15) Chad Ogle #10-Sevierville, TN $400
18. (17) Jeff Wolfenbarger #28-Clinton, TN $400
19. (7) Cory Hedgecock #23-Loudon, TN $400
20. (21) Josh Henry #70-Newport, TN $400
21. (18) Dale Ball #2-Johnson City, TN $400
22. (22) Dusty Carver #9-Englewood, TN $400
