10/17/2020
Dale McDowell
Dale McDowell sweeps SAS weekend at Smoky Mountain
Dale McDowell broke out the broom over the weekend at Smoky Mountain Speedway in Maryville, Tenn. (Michael Moats photos)
McDowell made a clean sweep of both nights of the Southern Alll Star Racing Series competition in his Shane McDowell Racing/ E-Z-GO No. 17m Kinzer Drilling/ Quality Natural Gas/ Team Zero Race Cars/ Clements Racing Engine Super Late Model.
Drawing 34 Late Models for Friday’s King of the Mountain Championship opener, McDowell posted the second fastest time in his qualifying group behind Donald McIntosh, which positioned him fourth on the starting grid for the opening night feature.
With polesitter Ricky Weiss setting the pace early, McDowell snuck past the leader amid lapped-traffic on lap 21 and would hold the lead until a late-race tangle forced him to duck to avoid a collision.
After a caution on the same lap negated Dale’s misfortunes and placed him back on the point, McDowell fended off Weiss over the final two laps to secure his fourth win of the season and a $3,000 payday.
Weiss, Sam Seawright, Ashton Winger, and Tommy Kerr trailed him to the checkers in the 30-lap affair.
“I got a little lucky there and got Ricky in lapped traffic. He had the car to beat and we had the second-place car, but if you reversed us I think we were pretty even." McDowell said. "I had checked up and slowed down when the car spun (coming to the white flag), so I really didn’t know what they were going to do or which way the ruling would go. I got a gift there when I passed (Weiss) in lapped traffic, so if he’d got me back there it is what it is. Good close racing had to be good for the fans. Hopefully we can come back and put on show tomorrow too."
The following night, Dale topped the 33-car field in time trials before picking up a heat race victory. Starting the feature in second, McDowell outran polesitter Ashton Winger late in the 50-lapper to record his second win in as many nights and fifth of 2020.
Finishing ahead of Ricky Weiss, Sam Seawright, Michael Page, and Austin Kirkpatrick, Dale pocketed a $7,000 prize.
"I was really surprised," McDowell said of Ashton Winger's unsuccessful slide-job attempt for the lead. "If it would've stuck, it would've been an awesome move. He just carried an awful lot of speed into that corner and my hat was going to be off to him if he could carry that much speed off and stick. Those young guys make it exciting."
Dale McDowell broke out the broom over the weekend at Smoky Mountain Speedway in Maryville, Tenn. (Michael Moats photos)
McDowell made a clean sweep of both nights of the Southern Alll Star Racing Series competition in his Shane McDowell Racing/ E-Z-GO No. 17m Kinzer Drilling/ Quality Natural Gas/ Team Zero Race Cars/ Clements Racing Engine Super Late Model.
Drawing 34 Late Models for Friday’s King of the Mountain Championship opener, McDowell posted the second fastest time in his qualifying group behind Donald McIntosh, which positioned him fourth on the starting grid for the opening night feature.
With polesitter Ricky Weiss setting the pace early, McDowell snuck past the leader amid lapped-traffic on lap 21 and would hold the lead until a late-race tangle forced him to duck to avoid a collision.
After a caution on the same lap negated Dale’s misfortunes and placed him back on the point, McDowell fended off Weiss over the final two laps to secure his fourth win of the season and a $3,000 payday.
Weiss, Sam Seawright, Ashton Winger, and Tommy Kerr trailed him to the checkers in the 30-lap affair.
“I got a little lucky there and got Ricky in lapped traffic. He had the car to beat and we had the second-place car, but if you reversed us I think we were pretty even." McDowell said. "I had checked up and slowed down when the car spun (coming to the white flag), so I really didn’t know what they were going to do or which way the ruling would go. I got a gift there when I passed (Weiss) in lapped traffic, so if he’d got me back there it is what it is. Good close racing had to be good for the fans. Hopefully we can come back and put on show tomorrow too."
The following night, Dale topped the 33-car field in time trials before picking up a heat race victory. Starting the feature in second, McDowell outran polesitter Ashton Winger late in the 50-lapper to record his second win in as many nights and fifth of 2020.
Finishing ahead of Ricky Weiss, Sam Seawright, Michael Page, and Austin Kirkpatrick, Dale pocketed a $7,000 prize.
"I was really surprised," McDowell said of Ashton Winger's unsuccessful slide-job attempt for the lead. "If it would've stuck, it would've been an awesome move. He just carried an awful lot of speed into that corner and my hat was going to be off to him if he could carry that much speed off and stick. Those young guys make it exciting."
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