| Ivedent Lloyd Jr. Wins NLMS Feature at the "Showdown on the Coast" | Savannah, Ga. - 2001 National Late Model Series Champion Ivedent Lloyd Jr. of Ocala, FL took the $10,000 win Saturday night at "The Showdown on the Coast" at Oglethorpe Speedway Park located in Savannah, GA.
With the first time ever 150 lap feature, double file restarts, pit stops, plenty of fireworks and a thirty- two car starting field, the full grandstand was in for a great night or racing. Racing action started back on Wednesday night and the "Southern Dirt Tour" rolled into town on Thursday night for the seventh annual "Showdown on the Coast".
Albany, GA's Skip Pannell grabbed his second consecutive "Jameson Inn's A Perfect Lap-A-Perfect Stay" award. Pannell would start the first of four Holley Performance qualifying heat races and would lead every lap, but the most important one, the last one. Pannell had a right rear tire go down going into turn one on the final lap which allowed Shane Hylton of Quitman (GA) to take the lead and the win. Hylton would start the Showdown from the most coveted position there is, the Pole, for the first time in his career. Pannell was able to salvage a third place finish with a flat tire. 2001 NLMS points champion Ivedent Lloyd took the win the second Holly Performance heat race. Johnny Collins of Jacksonville (FL) took the win in the third Holley Performance heat race, and Michael Lloyd also of Jacksonville (FL) got the win in the fourth and final qualifying race.
With the C and B mains completed early Saturday afternoon, the field now set for the evening feature the excitement and anticipation was building through the air. At 9:30 the 32 car field rolled on to the front straight-away. As the lights when out over Oglethorpe Speedway Park driver introductions began with 32 of the best dirt-track late model drivers in the southeast. With each driver introduced one-by- one, their introduction was highlighted with spot- lights, fog, and fireworks over OSP.
With the green waiving the front-two of Hylton and Lloyd would take the field into turn one. Lloyd would take the point putting Hylton into second. Johnny Collins would jump into third and Michael Lloyd into fourth. As the leader was setting a blistering pace the field would come up on lap cars early. Michael Lloyd running in the fourth position would get together with veteran driver Everett Phillips of Lake City (FL) putting Michael against the front straight away wall but both was able to continue.
At the twenty-five lap mark and Ivedent pulling away, the battle for the number two spot was highly contested. Michael Lloyd would hold that spot followed by Shane Hylton in third. Johnny Collins would be in fourth followed by the Ford Mustang of Hollywood Florida's Joe Kump. The defending winner of Showdown, Tuck Trentham of Deland (FL) would be in sixth, fast qualifier Skip Pannell in seventh, David Hodges of Valdosta in eighth with Jason Hylton of Quitman (GA) and Henry Carter in the top ten.
Caution would wave at lap thirty-two as two-time NLMS Champion Cecil Eunice of Blackshear (GA) and several cars would get together in turn one sending Eunice and the heavily damaged car of 97 Champion Gene Maine of Quitman (GA) to the pit area ending their night early. Michael Lloyd would pit bringing Collins into the second position behind the leader. Brent Chilson of Ormond Beach (FL) would move into the fourth position behind Shane Hylton. With Ivedent still setting the pace the number two position would change between Collins and Shane Hylton. Trentham would move into fourth, Pannell up to fifth and Chilson back to sixth.
On lap 53, second place Shane Hylton would enter the pit area to the attention of his crew and return to the rear of the field. At the halfway point the caution would wave for a six minute break allowing driers to make a pit stop if they so choose. As most would take advantage of the caution the leader would stay out with Collins, Henry Carter, Jimmy Lee Davis, Shane Hylton and Lawton Minchew of Deland, FL.
The green would wave and again Ivedent would set sail with the others in tow. Skip Pannell trying to stay with leader Lloyd, would slow suddenly coming down the front straight and slide to a stop as his evening would be down with mechanical trouble. Henry Carter of Kite (GA) and the current 2002 NLMS points leader would move into the second position around Johnny Collins. Oglethorpe Speedway Champion Bobby Oglesby who used a provisional to get into the field do to having mechanical trouble on Friday night's qualifying would rally into the top five.
With the white flag waiving Ivedent Lloyd would still be at the point with Henry Carter in second, Johnny Collins in third, Bobby Oglesby in fourth and Shane Hylton in fifth. Jimmie Lee Davis running in the sixth position would and appeared to be off the pace would hold that spot as Michael Lloyd, Tuck Trentham and Jay Carpenter would stack up behind Davis.
Trentham would get turned around as the cars entered turn three taking him out of a top ten finish. Trentham would collect the Spheroin's "One of those racin Deals" award.
"This one is sweet" said a happy Lloyd in victory lane. "To come back here and pick this win up for my chassis bulder Mike Snow of Snow Bro's and my engine builder Byron Koury is special" said Lloyd. "We knew the car was good when we unloaded and the place to be would be to try to stay out front. The guys behind me were racing pretty hard with each other and when the pit stop came we decided to stay out" said Lloyd as the champagne began to flow and the fireworks lit up the evening sky.
OFFICIAL FINISH
1. #21 Ivedent Lloyd
2. #28 Henry Carter
3. #5 Johnny Collins
4. #37 Bobby Olgesby
5. #88H Shane Hylton
6. #3 Jimmy Lee Davis
7. #M18 Michael Lloyd
8. #25 Jay Carpenter
9. #23 Lawton Minchew
10. #2 Mark Carter
11. #35 Charles Seally
12. #8H Jason Hylton
13. #27 Bobby Padgett
14. #14 Rob Davis
15. #Tuck Trentham
16, #71 Jody Rodgers
17. #17C Dusty Cone
18. #28E Evertte Phillips
19. #0 Charlie Williams
20. #X Skip Pannell
21. #99 Brent Chilson
22. #07 David Clegg
23. #J3 Paul Jorgenson
24. #81 Lonnie Roberts
25. #J17 Joe Kump
26. #16 David Hodges, Jr.
27. #201 Gene Maine
28. #41 Mark Davis
29. #00 Steve Lade
30. #07T Keith Tuten
31. #22 Brett Carlton
32. #22 Cecil Eunice
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