Story & photos by Phillip Prichard:
Casey Roberts (101) won the 10th anniversary running of the Ray Cook-promoted Tarheel 50 – at the Tri-County Race Track, a 1/3 mile, high banked oval in Brasstown, NC on 4 October.
Shane Clanton (25) captured the pole. Casey Roberts took the lead on the first lap and led all 53 laps. The race had numerous cautions but Roberts dominated the race. Roberts became the first repeat winner of the Tarheel 50.
Billy Ogle Jr (4T) was second, Don O’Neal (71) was third, Brent Dixon (1) was fourth, Clint Smith (44) was fifth, Jamie Oliver (38) was sixth, David Payne (8) was seventh, Justin Rattliff (16) was eight, Joe Armistead Jr. (21) was ninth and Kenny Collins (16) was tenth.
Twenty-one Super Late Models entered the race. Only about half finished the fifty-three laps.
This was the largest paying Stock Car event of the season at Tri-County Race Track paying $4,053 to win / $400 to start event and featuring a complete show of the Super Late Models including practice, Time Trials (Six drivers locked into the main), Last Chance Races and the 53-lap main event.
It’s been a ‘Who’s Who’ of dirt Late Model racing that have been in attendance at the event or have won the event since the inception in 2004 at Tri-County Race Track and when the event was held at Cleveland (TN) Speedway. Until last season, no driver from the Tarheel State of North Carolina had one the event until local hot-shoe David Payne of Murphy captured the $3,500 victory over Indiana’s Don O’Neal. No driver has ever been a repeat winner at this event. The regional stars faced off with the track’s hot-bed of weekly competitors including last year’s track champion Johnny Chastain along with Jamie Oliver and George Mashburn, all from Murphy, NC; David Payne; Kenny Collins, Glenn Barnett, Randy Nichols and Gabe Wilson. Also Lucas Oil Series stars: Don O’Neal of Martinsville, IN; Shane Clanton of Zebulon, GA; Clint Smith of Senoia, GA; Billy Ogle Jr. of Knoxville, TN; Casey Roberts of Toccoa, GA along with many other local and regional competitors.
In the Super Late Model event, added bonuses for the highest finishing Steel Block Late Models were added. The highest finishing Steel Block driver received a $200.00 bonus.
After all main events were completed, the Modified Street, Street Stock & Pony drivers who have never won a feature event in the last three years at Tri-County Race Track squared off in their respective divisions for a 6-lap $200 to win plus Trophy Non-Winners race.
Previous Tarheel 50 winners include: David Payne of Murphy, NC in 2012; Casey Roberts of Toccoa, GA in 2011; Dale McDowell of Chickamauga, GA in 2009 at Cleveland (TN) Speedway; Kayne Hickman of Soddy Daisy, TN in 2008; Dennis Franklin of Gaffney, SC in 2007; Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, GA in 2006; Shane Clanton of Fayetteville, GA in 2005 and Billy Moyer of Batesville, AR in 2004.