SUPR: Timothy Culp-Able at Devil's Bowl Bryan Wimberley MESQUITE, Tex. - July 15. Over the last several weeks, Timothy Culp of West Monroe, La., has been his own worse critic in getting back to victory lane. On Saturday at Devil's Bowl Speedway, Culp battled his way to the lead, fought off a couple of race-long contenders, negotiated lapped traffic and stood clear of a hectic last-lap accident, to grab his second O'Reilly Auto Parts Southern United Professional Racing (SUPR) Series tour victory. Culp edged fourth-starting Allen Tippen of Minden, La., by a length at the checkers.
"Early on in the race we just got lined out,
the bottom was just real slick and had a pretty good cushion, so that is where we was running. Once we got into
lap traffic, we just had to dice around and take your chance when you wanted too, with the lapped cars. We all
three (myself, Tippen, Jeff Chanler) got right together towards the middle of the race, Tippen got
Chanler on the outside and I got by there too. Lap traffic played into our hands tonight, although I have been
snake bit all year by lap traffic. It is good to finally win one with the traffic going your way and getting
the monkey off my back," said Culp.
Third-starting Culp took the lead soon after the midway point of the
caution-free, 25-lap race and collected $2,000 for the win. With the victory, Culp gained
25 points on current leader, Morgan Bagley of Longview, Tex., who finished sixth.
"I would love to win this points deal, of
course second is good too. Our goal is to come out here and win every race we can, that is what we are here to
do and what we'll try for the rest of the year," added Culp.
Chanler of Minden, La., was one of three leaders in the feature,before he slipped
back to finish third. Eighth-starting Kennith Crowe of Port Allen, La., was the top ten hard charger of
the race, advancing four positions to take fourth place. Jason Ingalls of Longview, Tex., crossed the line
in fifth, but would end up with a mangled race car in a final lap accident.
Soon after the green flag dropped, polesitter Bubba Mullins of West Monroe, La., was
quickly shuffled back four positions. Chanler would take charge to the front, leading lap one over Tippen,
Culp and Ingalls. Chanler, driving his new Barry Wright Race Car for only the second time, opened up more
than a one-second advantage, before tracking down lapped cars at the seventh circuit.
Culp was already on the move, dipping under Tippen to challenge for the runner-up
spot. Tippen capitalized with a high side move that temporarily held the position on lap nine. A big
breakaway of the top three frontrunners ensued, with Jason Ingalls lingering six seconds behind in
fourth.
Tippen gained on Chanler once the pair hit heavy traffic, lifting him to the
lead on lap 13. But it would be short-lived for Tippen, as Culp sliced his way to take the point on the next
lap.
Culp hadn't heard the last of Tippen though, with six laps remaining, each driver chose
their lines, as Tippen took to the high side and Culp stayed near the bottom. Tippen's upper groove momentum
would take him near Culp's decklid. With every lap adding more intensity, both leaders had fierce
battles cutting their way through lapped cars in the final laps.
"I know the outside was going to be the place
to be early on," Tippen said later. "I went on 1350 right rear and 1300 left rear, so we knew
the outside was going to be it for us. I really didn't think it would blacken up as much as it did, but I
knew we would ride the cushion. (Jeff) Chanler pulled away and he started bobbling a little bit, so I kind of
walked him back down. When we got into traffic, Chanler made a few mistakes that I was able to capitalize on.
He went low and I knew that high groove was still the fastest way around the racetrack. I took advantage of it,
when he decided to go low and I thought we was in good shape. All of a sudden, I'm up high and I push a little
and here comes Timmy (Culp), . Culp was able to drive across the black with those 1350's and I, with that big
motor and soft left side tires, just couldn't do it. We still fought it hard and got up in that lap traffic.
Then that last incident there, I didn't know what really was going to happen. I was just trying hard to keep my
nose clean from it all, that is all I knew to do! Second is good, that is our second-in-a-row of
those, I am just ready for a win'"
White flag waving in the air and Culp leading, both Tippen and Chanler had
a shot to cement a last-lap pass. A congestion of cars stood in the way of the leaders and the
flagstand before the outcome would be decided.
Outside of the traffic to deal with, B.J. Robinson's No. R5 car had mechanical and
braking issues heading into turn three of the final lap. As Robinson saved the car from veering off the
track and hitting the wall, it began slowing out of turn four as fourth place Kennith Crowe
approached it. Crowe darted out of the way of the crippled car, placing Jason Ingalls in its direct
path. With no time to react, Ingalls slammed Robinson's car heading to the finish line, peeling back
the right side of the No. 87M like a tomato can and exposing the birdcage. The hard impact jolted
Ingalls upon two wheels as Robinson's car came to rest near the frontstretch wall. Both drivers emerged from
the wreckage unhurt, as Robinson's car had left front and rear suspension damage, a right rear tire
down, brake line and body damage. Ingalls' car had right front suspension, frame
and extensive body damage - Robinson finished 14th.
The top three was able to survive the chaotic last lap drama with Culp holding off
Tippen by a length and Chanler trailing close behind. The advantage for Culp never exceeded over a
few lengths in the waning laps, as the upstart was under pressure nearly the entire feature, but
handled it well en route to victory number two.
"Once I got out in the lead, we
got in a group of lapped cars, I could run right there with them, but I really couldn't pass them. I
believe the track slowed down enough to where everybody was just as fast as each other. I could run them down,
but I would lose a little bit of ground sometimes when I would duck under them to pass. I knew they (Tippen and
Chanler) would suck right up to me when that happened. I bobbled that last corner there and he
(Tippen) got under me, but luckily we had enough to hold him off," explained Culp.
Culp concluded, "I tried to stay concentrated on hitting my marks, it can change so quick on
you and three laps later it could turn around with you running back in fourth or something. You just
have to take what you can get and be patient and see how it unfolds."
Notes: Culp's Trak-Star
Race Car is powered by a Wall 2 Wall Performance Engine and sponsored by Miller Motorsports, Culp's Automotive,
J&J Motorsports, Beau Taylor Technologies, BA Motorsports and Graduate Sales.
Culp won in the very car that he was close to putting up for sale just a few weeks ago.
Regardless if it was impatience, frustration, strict determination or something else, the performance of
the 2011 Trak-Star Race Car redeemed itself for the rising 20-year old racer. Culp and crew chief Beau
Taylor put their heads together with Mike Boland, owner of Trak-Star Race Cars, to evaluate and make
necessary changes to their car. With information in hand, the Culp/Miller Motorsports team recently headed
to Jones Motor Speedway in Chatham, La., to compile their notes into a multi-lap practice
session before the Devil's Bowl SUPR event. The verdict speaks for itself with Culp getting back
to victory lane, to go with his seven other top 5 SUPR Series finishes this season.
"We had parked this car and was kind of
frustrated and struggling with it. It wasn't performing like we wanted, getting tenth, twelveth-place
finishes and that isn't what we are looking for out here. We got in the old car and was running top five every
week with it. So I kind of got the fire lit back under me to get this new car going, I couldn't give up on
it. I called (Mike) Boland this week and he got me pointed in the right direction. I told Beau (Taylor) what
(Mike) Boland thought, so we went to Chatham last night and made about 100 laps down there, just practicing by
ourselves. I think all of that paid off tonight!" said Culp.
Culp's second SUPR victory came on the biggest track (a 1/2-mile oval) that the
series visits in 2011. Culp's other series win was ten weeks ago at the high-banked, gumbo oval
of Greenville Speedway in Mississippi.
Culp held on for the win in heat race #1, barely edging, fast-closing Jeff Chanler, by
half-car length and nailing down the third-starting position in the feature.
* The checkered flag dropped on the caution-free, 10-minute feature at 11:13 pm and
had eleven cars on the lead lap.
* Allen Tippen also inched closer to series points leader Morgan Bagley, by
shaving 20 points off after Saturday's race. Tippen has four consecutive top 3's at Devil's
Bowl Speedway over the last two seasons.
"I know I was looking at points there
when we was all right there in the hunt. But since Morgan (Bagley) kind of got out to a lead, I sort of stopped
looking at it and try to throw my focus into just having good finishes and going for the win if it is
there. If you get the win, then the points will be there. All we can do, is do what we can and I don't wish bad
luck on nobody, but hopefully things can go our way," said Tippen.
"I thought I liked the short tracks better, when I won however many SUPR
races on them, because I was better around the bottom feeders. But as we go to these bigger
racetracks more and more, I am starting to think I am more of a momentum type driver. Ray Moore helps me a lot,
we are real good buddies, and he is good around the cushion. He gives me advise and it has picked our program
up a lot. I like Devil's Bowl, I believe I wasn't out of the top three, the three times we raced here, so I
like this place! We have got a good record going here, we just need the wins to show for it," Tippen said of
his recent success at the bigger track.
* Track points leader, Wendall Bolden of Greenville, Tex., was the highest of five Devil's
Bowl Speedway regulars that made the SUPR feature. Bolden started 11th and finished in eighth place.
Bolden has won four of 11 weekly super late model features at Devil's Bowl Speedway this season.
The entry list consisted of 11 drivers that compete at Devil's Bowl Speedway's
weekly super late model program.
* Bubba Mullins of West Monroe, La., won an exciting heat race #2, passing Jason Ingalls
in turn two of the white flag lap, elevating him to the pole position for the feature.
* Ronny Adams of Diana, Tex., was eligible for a provisional spot in the feature, but a
broken crankshaft would scratch him from the contest.
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Big Gains for Hubbard, Pearson, Ogle - The A-Team Has Been Updated 05-15-12
Scott James battles #13 Barry Doss in heat race action at Florence (Ky.) Speedway, but in the $2,000-to-win feature, the only thing anyone saw was the tail end of James' #81 car. (Roy Walker)
After plenty of trash-talking via the electronic media between Jeff Matthews and Ivedent Lloyd last week, it was #21 Lloyd who got the final word as he reeled in #33 Matthews to win Friday's LM feature at Oclala, Fla.'s Bubba Raceway Park. (R.E. Wing)
Fans at Markleysburg, Pa.'s Roaring Knob Motorsports Comlex were treated to dual LM features Saturday - one a makeup from a May 5th rainout. (Above) Tim Senic challenges eventual regular feature winner Chuck Harper, while Jared Hawkins (below) claimed the makeup race. (Tommy Micheals)
Henley, Missouri's Jason Russell leads the way to Victory Lane in the ULMS Late Model feature at Lucas Oil Speedway Saturday. (Chris Bork)
Some fierce racing action at Lucas Oil speedway. (Chris Bork)
Dalton, Ga.'s Craig Reece returned to Dixie Speedway Saturday and led all the way to win the Crate LM victory. (Steve Hixson)
Ray Guss Jr. races last week's Quad City Speedway winner, Mike Murphy, Jr. This time, it was advantage Guss. (Chris Damitz)
With a strong motor back into his mount, Veteran Lamar Scoggins claimed last Friday's Crate LM victory at Boyd's Speedway. (Steve Hixson)
Veteran racer Lance Matthees navigates Spring Lake, Minnesota's Deer Creek Speedway before taking Saturday's WISSOTA Late Model checkers. (Jason Durst)
Racing hard at mid-pack, it's the dueling 55s of Cory Mahder (inside) and Greg Nippoldt at Deer Creek. (Jason Durst)
Ryan King (above and below) swept both the Ltd. Late Model and Crate Late Model features Saturday at 411 Motor Speedway in Seymour, Tenn. (Chad Wells)
Still riding his wave in Iowa, Mike Murphy, Jr. in early action before taking the main event win at Davenport last Friday. (Chris Damitz)
Jason Jameson ran a gauntlet to finally capture another win Friday night at Moler
Raceway Park (see main page). (Roy
Walker)
After holding back a charge from Alex Ferree, Chub Frank drove home with a Friday night win at Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, Pa. (John Stivason)
Bobby Pierce, Brett Sievert, and Mike Glynn race in a tight pack in Kankakee (Ill.) Speedway's "Crosstown Cup", but (below) it was ultimately Shawn Toczek (42) here racing the high side of Mike Provenzano, who sailed to the win. (Dan Simpson)
NALMS Suspends Remaining Season
In a statement released to the racing media Monday, Northern All All Stars Late Model Series (NALMS) owners Shawn Hall and Bob Mooney relased the following statement:
To all NALMS drivers and fans,
Northern Allstars Late Model Series regrets to inform all of our drivers and fans that as of today (May 14, 2012) we will suspend all series races for the remaining 2012 season. The primary reason for the decision to discontinue the series was mainly economics. Tracks, teams and fans are having a hard time these days with the cost of living in general. With the cost of fuel, parts, tires, tickets and lodging, many people just cannot afford to travel to our shows, so we feel it's best to stop for now and try to regroup for the 2013 season.
Our series needs to be able to have at least 18 to 20 shows to cover our cost of putting on these shows and our drivers point funds. With many tracks cutting back on their special events and other tracks just choosing not to have specials at all, it's has really cut our options for race tracks down to a very few unless you are willing to travel several hours away from the Central Illinois area, and that is not cost effective for the racing teams or fans.
In closing we would like to thank all of the drivers and fans whom have supported the series over the years and we hope to be able to come back with a bigger and better season for everyone in 2013.
A-Team Leaders from 1997-2011 (Click on link for complete rundown)
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