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Oklahoma Sports Park
Saturday, April 23, 2005
Jennings jams for ASCS Sooner Region triumph at Ada
by Race AuthorADA, Okla. -- Danny Jennings repelled Sean McClelland’s bid for three wins in a row in American Bank of Oklahoma American Sprint Car Series Sooner Region action by topping Saturday night’s 25-lap feature at Oklahoma Sports Park.
Norman, Oklahoma's Danny Jennings topped Saturday night's 25-lap American Bank of Oklahoma American Sprint Car Series Sooner Region feature at Ada's Oklahoma Sports Park. (Photo credit: Don Hubbard) |
McClelland made a run for the point in the race’s latter stages, but Jennings was up to the task and took the checkered flag with a two car-length advantage aboard the Folks-powered Lucas Oil Products No. 61J Maxim.
“I had a good rhythm going until the yellow flag, which probably hurt me,” Jennings commented in victory lane after picking up his first Sooner Region triumph of the season and third career win at Oklahoma Sports Park. “The track was really racy and we do pretty well here.”
With Jennings gridding the feature field in fourth, it was Danny Wood and Cody Branchcomb leading the way to the green flag. Wood led the way into turn one, but it was Branchcomb battling into the lead down the backstretch.
Branchcomb fought off his pursuers until fourth-starter Jennings slid into the lead briefly on the sixth round, only to have Branchcomb return the favor. With heavy lapped traffic a factor, Jennings took command for good two laps later.
Action came to a halt shortly after when Eric Baldaccini took a turn three tumble at the race’s midway point without injury. Jennings led the way on the restart with Branchcomb, Preston Peebles II, Wood and McClelland in tow.
McClelland made quick work of Wood for fourth after the restart, then following a brief stoppage after 16 rounds, raced past Peebles for third. On the 19th round, McClelland charged past Branchcomb and set his sights on race leader Jennings.
After Jason Martin’s turn four spin set up a five-lap dash to the checkered flag, the rim-riding Jennings held off McClelland to score a narrow victory. McClelland commented, “We didn’t make any changes on the red, the track came to us and we just changed our line and got a little better. We caught him at the end and didn’t really need that last restart, I think we were going to get him.”
Branchcomb settled for the show position, with Wood and Andy Shouse rounding out the top five. Sixteenth-starter Foster Landon earned a $100 bonus from The Sprint Car Exchange by charging all the way to sixth, with Travis Scott, Natalie Sather, Peebles and Kerry McAlister completing the top ten.
Wood, Branchcomb and Dex Eaton topped heat race action for the 25-car field. Eaton scratched from the Feature with engine woes. Lee Jennings led wire-to-wire to win the “B” Main.
American Bank of Oklahoma ASCS Sooner Region action continues at Oklahoma City’s State Fair Speedway next Friday night, April 29, before moving on to Lawton Speedway the following night.
Results:
First Heat: 1. Danny Wood, 2. Preston Peebles II, 3. Jason Martin, 4. Abe Sherwood, 5. Kerry McAlister, 6. Foster Landon, 7. Lee Jennings, 8. Koby Barksdale, 9. Loyd Clevenger.
Second Heat: 1. Cody Branchcomb, 2. Joel Howard, 3. Andy Shouse, 4. Sean McClelland, 5. Travis Scott, 6. Brian McClelland, 7. Earnest Jennings, 8. Dara Morrow.
Third Heat: 1. Dex Eaton, 2. Danny Jennings, 3. Eric Baldaccini, 4. Natalie Sather, 5. J.P. Bailey, 6. Derek Cottrell, 7. Gavin Punch, 8. Ken Kantor.
B Feature: 1. Lee Jennings, 2. Brian McClelland, 3. Earnest Jennings, 4. Gavin Punch, 5. Derek Cottrell, 6. Dara Morrow, 7. Koby Barksdale. DNS: Loyd Clevenger, Ken Kantor.
A Feature (25 Laps): 1. Danny Jennings, 2. Sean McClelland, 3. Cody Branchcomb, 4. Danny Wood, 5. Andy Shouse, 6. Foster Landon, 7. Travis Scott, 8. Natalie Sather, 9. Preston Peebles II, 10. Kerry McAlister, 11. Joel Howard, 12. Lee Jennings, 13. Brian McClelland, 14. Earnest Jennings, 15. Jason Martin, 16. Derek Cottrell, 17. Abe Sherwood, 18. Eric Baldaccini, 19. Gavin Punch, 20. J.P. Bailey.
American Bank of Oklahoma ASCS Sooner Region Points (Top Ten): 1. Sean McClelland 446, 2. Danny Jennings 438, 3. Cody Branchcomb 416, 4. Foster Landon 392, 5. Preston Peebles II 388, 6. (tie) Joel Howard and Kerry McAlister 378, 8. Brian McClelland 335, 9. J.P. Bailey 327, 10. Andy Shouse 270.
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