By Steve Hixson

Cleveland, TN -11/19/05- A cold Saturday evening greeted enthusastic racefans as the 17th annual O'Reilly Southern All-Star "Gobbler" event took center-dirt at the Cleveland (TN) Speedway. By race-time 64 of the regions top Super Dirt Late Models had signed-in, some returning from the previous nights (Joe Lee Johnson Memorial) battle, and some racing for the first time during the Mega-Event weekend.

The one known as "Superman" to Tennessee fans and competitors swooped into Cleveland with track promoter Monty Morrow's "#52 "Bolen Truck and Trailer Sales, Mike Vaughn's Auto Exchange" TNT / Race Engine Design, Pontiac Gran Prix and dashed away with the cash, a $5,000 payday, winning the 77 (signifying Joe Lee Johnson's NASCAR racecar number) lap "A" Main event.

"I just wanna thank Monty for allowing me to race his car." stated Sexton, while being congratulated by his crew and family, "This is a big one, I'm completely worn out, Clint (Smith) drove an awesome race, this is just really special."

Sonya's Used Cars Qualifying Time Trials began the O'SAS event that saw racers from ten states attempting to get locked in as one of the sixteen fastest. Tim Stemler from Iomia, MI was the first official car to clock, hitting a 15:285 lap. The "Blairesville Assassin" Johnathan Davenport tripped a 14:176 to earn the early nod as the 5th overall fastest qualifier. It would only be a matter of time though until fellow Georgian Aaron Ridley would knock off Davenport from the top spot clocking a 14:127 lap. It wouldn't be until late in qualifying that the 13 second barrier would be cleared as Randy "The Dream" Weaver would hustle a 13:943 to assure him a locked in spot to the "A" Main.

"CatDaddy" Clint Smith wanted to pick-up where he left off (on Friday night) so he sliced off a 13:995 which was closest so far to Weaver as the 51st overall qualifier. With a dissapointing Friday night run, many counted out the last racer in line, as Sexton rolled his mount around the Cleveland clay. As the checkers flew over lap #2 of his efforts "Superman" had saved-face and recorded a 13:906 to earn the pole for the Gobbler.

In the first of three "Last Chance" Consolation "B" Main races, newly crowned 2005 O'SAS Champion Chris Madden and Steve Cornelius lined-up for battle. As the field roared thru turns one and two 2004 O'SAS Champion Shane "The Tank" Tankersley dove under and passed Cornelius for the second and final transfer spot of the race. Justin Ratliff would challenge Cornelius and advance but Tank was too strong in the end as Madden in the #44 "Town & Country Packing , Century Plastics, Crowder Logging" Barry Wright / Clements, Pontiac Gran Prix would take the win. Behind Ratliff and Cornelius was Tyler Landers.

Consi. #2 saw Todd Morrow and Steve Smith go head to head at the start. Smith would take control as Morrow fought off 2004 Gobbler winner Skip Arp to transfer. Greg Knight and 2005 Cleveland Speedway Track Champion John Owenby would round out the top five.

In the third and final consi. "The Show Stoppa" Randall Chupp and "The Newport Nightmare" Jimmy Owens dueled for the two transfer positions. Chupp won the battle as Owens held off David Earl Gentry, 2004 Cleveland Track Champ, Bobby Mayse and "X-Man" Shawn Chastain for the final transfer spot.

Provisionals went to Rodney "The Rocketman" Martin and Knight.

Sexton and Weaver rolled off the 10PM Gobbler start-time just prior to Cindy Knowles giving away a pair of "Cruise with the Champions" tickets to Mexico to a lucky fan, valued at almost a $1000, for a January 2006 vacation.

At the flagstand Sexton wasted no time taking the lead into one and two, drifting high down the back-stretch. Weaver, C. Smith, Johnny Wheeler and newly crowned 2005 O'SAS Rookie of the Year Mark Vineyard followed into the top five.

Provisional Knight and Martin reared the first yellow on lap four by spinning in turn 4. After the restart the "Powell Predator" began hunting as he passed Wheeler for 4th place and headed after "CatDaddy".

Lap 11 would be all Vineyard could handle as mechanical problems plagued the #4 "Smithbilt General Contractors, 1 Stop Market" Barry Wright / Larry Wallace, Ford Taurus racer after Davenport would encounter the Cleveland concrete in turn one. Cautions on laps 14, 16, 18 and 22 would keep the racing and passing to a minimal, but in that time-frame C. Smith would take over
2nd from Weaver, "Modern Day Cowboy" John Gill would enter the top five, as would Goodyear Tire Rep. Josh McGuire, Weaver's night would end and S. Smith would begin knocking on the top five door from his 18th starting spot. "The Wheelman" Johnney Wheeler kept the pressure on C. Smith on the restarts taking a peek underneath in his #44 "Asphalt Solutions, Certified Construction and Asphalt" Rocket / Estes Automotive, Pontiac Gran Prix many times.

As the halfway point closed in the #44 "JP Drilling, CSR Aluminum Fabrication, Turkey Creek Snacks" GRT / Racetek, Pontiac Gran Prix poked his nose into the lead, offically on lap 31. Sexton roared back flying the high line to regain the top seed, racing "CatDaddy" again wheel to wheel for the next five circuits. Morrow, Ridley and "Tank" had their own race going on as the 50 lap mark posted. Madden began flexing his muscle late as the high groove began to be the place everybody was heading towards. Madden got into the top five passing Cook and S. Smith but it was the #75 "Perry's Auto Sales, Harrods Farms, Mac Tools" Rocket / Mike Bullock, Pontiac Gran Prix of Gill that would prove tough as the laps waned. After a long 38 lap green flag stint, yellow reappeared for the strong running McGuire. A nine lap dash to the checkers would see clear sailing for Sexton and C. Smith. "CatDaddy" rolled under Sexton many time thru the turns, but no kryptonite could be found as Sexton sped under the flagstand of lap 77. C. Smith, Wheeler and Gill would finish out the top four, but it would be S. Smith in the #3 "White's Total Performance, Mathis Farms" Rayburn / Custom Race Engines, Pontiac Gran Prix passing Madden on the final lap for fifth.

The next event for the Cleveland Speedway will be in three weeks as the season ending "Toys for Tots" race is scheduled to take place Saturday, December 10th. For more information visit the track on-line at www.clevelandspeedway.com or call (423)479-8574.

Official Results:
1. Scott Sexton (# 52) of Pigeon Forge, TN
2. Clint Smith (# 44) of Senoia, GA
3. Johnney Wheeler (# 44) of Campbellsville, KY
4. John Gill (# 75) of Mitchell, IN
5. Steve Smith (# 3) of Powell, TN
6. Chris Madden (# 44) of Gray Court, SC
7. Ray Cook (# 53) of Brasstown, NC
8. Todd Morrow (# 52) of Cleveland, TN
9. Greg Knight (# 5) of Cummings, GA
10. Aaron Ridley (# 81) of Chatsworth, GA
11. Shane Tankersley (# T31) of Morganton, GA
12. Derrick Rainey (# 87) of Powder Springs, GA
13. Josh McGuire (# 41) of Ashland, KY
14. Joe Armistead Jr. (# 21) of Senoia, GA
15. Mark Vineyard (# 4) of Powell, TN
16. Johnney Chastain (# 00) of Murphy, NC
17. Benji Cole (# 121) of Cannon, GA
18. Rodney Martin (# 92) of Cartersville, GA
19. Jimmy Owens (# 20) of Newport, TN
20. Freddy Smith (# 00) of Knoxville, TN
21. Randy Weaver (# 116) of Crossville, TN
22. Johnathan Davenport (# 49) of Blairesville, GA
23. Randall Chupp (# 20th) of Mooresville, NC
24. Michael England (# 5E) of Glasscow, KY


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